Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate the one you love, whether it’s your spouse, partner, boyfriend or girlfriend, or anyone else who has a special place in your heart. Of course, Valentine’s Day is often celebrated with a romantic dinner, which naturally should be followed by a decadent dessert. Not sure what dessert to choose? We’ve made it easy with this collection of delectable Valentine’s Day dessert ideas, from the traditional to the unique, such as:
- Strawberry shortcake
- Red velvet cake
- Cheesecake bites
- Chocolate truffle cake with vanilla ice cream
- Chocolate covered strawberries
- Chocolate lava cakes
- …and more!
What are the Best Valentine’s Day Dessert Ideas?
Fortunately, there are many Valentine’s Day desserts to choose from, whether you’re looking for something romantic and traditional or something a little different yet still delicious. Consider a box of decadent chocolate dipped strawberries to share after a romantic Valentine’s Day meal, or choose a box of assorted chocolate dipped fruits like chocolate dipped strawberries, chocolate dipped apple wedges, and bite-sized bananas dipped in white and semisweet chocolate. Pair it with a Roses & Alstroemeria FruitFlower® Bouquet for a thoughtful gift and tasty Valentine’s Day dessert in one.
You can even opt for a Chocolate Strawberry Dipping Kit for a fun and romantic activity to share on your Valentine’s Day date. It comes with a dozen juicy strawberries, an assortment of tasty toppings like vanilla white crispies, crushed almonds, and mini sequin sprinkles, and Edible’s® Dipping Chocolate, which is designed to perfectly complement the fresh strawberry flavor. Or, consider a gift bundle that includes a fruit arrangement filled with classic chocolate dipped strawberries and cake batter-flavored white chocolate dipped strawberries topped with confetti sprinkles. It comes with a cuddly plush teddy bear and a sweet ‘I Love You’ balloon that’s sure to make a statement.
Favorite Valentine’s Day Dessert Ideas
For more delicious Valentine’s Day dessert ideas you might want to try, we put out a call for ideas and curated responses below. (Note: Edible Arrangements® is not endorsing any of the companies or ideas discussed below, but we asked for suggestions to get some different perspectives.) Keep reading to find out what the contributors who responded to our query had to say about their favorite Valentine’s Day dessert ideas.
Mallory Tolbert & Marissa Hercules
Mallory and Marissa are the founders of The CurlySpoon Blog. They are culinary experts that specialize in cooking and baking with an emphasis on dessert and brunch recipes. Their recipes have been featured by Food Gawker, Blendtec, Pillsbury, and more.
“Our favorite Valentine’s Day dessert idea is Dark Chocolate Almond Joy Truffles. Almond Joy Truffles are a homemade bite-sized take on the Almond Joy candy bar. These no-bake chocolate treats with a sweet coconut filling and chocolate coating make the perfect gift for your sweetheart on Valentine’s Day or refreshment for your Galentine’s Day party.”
Jessica Randhawa
Jessica Randhawa is the head chef, recipe creator, photographer, and writer behind The Forked Spoon. She creates delicious family-friendly recipes that anyone can make, and her website has over one million users per month.
“My favorite Valentine’s Day dessert idea is Chocolate Covered Cheesecake Bites.
They are made with mini bite-size pieces of cheesecake covered in a delicious chocolate shell coating and are the perfect Valentine’s Day dessert idea!”
Brian Nagele
Brian Nagele is the CEO of Restaurant Clicks, a blog for restaurant owners, a resource for foodies in the USA, and a former restaurant owner in Philadelphia.
“My favorite Valentine’s Day dessert idea is Red Velvet Cake. I love red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting. I feel like it’s a classic combination, and I don’t know if there are many people that would disagree with me. The cake is moist, dense, and delicious all on its own, but the cream cheese frosting really takes it to the next level. It’s tangy and sweet; it adds just the right amount of flavor to the cake.”
Rachel Scott
Rachel is the Co-Founder and Medical Practitioner of National TASC LLC.
“My favorite Valentine’s Day dessert idea is No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 packages of cream cheese
- 6 tbsp cocoa powder
- Vanilla
- 1 1/4 cups whipping cream
- 1.5 cups graham crumbs
- Toppings (strawberries, cookies, hot fudge, etc.)
- 6 tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup sugar
Procedure for Cracker Crust:
- Combine graham cracker crumbs, butter, and sugar. Mix well.
- Press the mixture firmly into a 9-inch pie plate or springform pan.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. You can also freeze it unbaked for 1 hour.
Procedure for Cheesecake:
- In a bowl, whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form, then set aside.
- In an electric mixer with the beater attachment, beat cream cheese until fluffy.
- Add the powdered sugar and cocoa powder to the cream cheese and beat until fluffy.
- Slowly and carefully add the whipped cream and mix until light and fluffy.
- Pour over the mixture into the prepared graham cracker crust.
- Refrigerate for 2 hours.
- Serve.”
Kirsten McKinley
Kirsten McKinley is the founder of Weddings & Brides, an online magazine that features high-quality wedding content, providing tools and tips for everything wedding-related, from planning to attending.
“My favorite Valentine’s Day dessert idea is cake-stuffed strawberries topped with chocolate. It sounds convoluted, but it’s actually really simple, and it’s delicious!
You just cut up some strawberries so that they have an opening in the middle, ready to be stuffed. Then you bake (or buy) a cake of your choosing — my personal favorite for this is cheesecake — and then you cut the cake into small pieces.
These small pieces of cake are then stuffed into the strawberries, and it’s all topped with some chocolate and served in a way that looks as impressive as possible!
It’s delicious and rich in flavor, and it combines a few different things, which I always love doing!”
Jamie Knight
Jamie Knight is the CEO of Data Source Hub, a leading source of the latest business news, market intelligence, and data trends all around the world.
“My favorite Valentine’s Day dessert idea is a chocolate heart-shaped cake with a red velvet frosting. I love the contrast between the red velvet frosting, which is rich and creamy, and the delicate heart-shaped cake. It’s sweet, but not too sweet. And it’s also fancy!
The contrast between the two flavors really plays off each other well: chocolate and red velvet. They’re both strong flavors that make such a beautiful combination when combined together in one single bite!”
Luka Juretic
Luka Juretic is the Director of Marketing at BuzzLogic.
“Every year for Valentine’s Day, I used to go far and beyond to seek out the best or the most interesting chocolate I could find and bring it to my partner, sometimes even spending irrationally large sums of money for said chocolate.
This was all until I realized I could make my own.
My chocolate, which I can make white and/or dark (40-50% cacao) is fully workable and as such, I have been making sweets with it over the past two years.
I made an Eiffel Tower one year, with the base being mixed brown and white, and the other one being nested hearts, sort of like a Matryoshka doll.
It’s safe to say my partner has loved it both times, and I am already trying to work out my creation for the next time.”
Sai Blackbyrn
Sai Blackbyrn is the CEO of CoachFoundation.
“Simply bake anything that you’d typically make and design it with a love theme. For instance, you might make tiny texture pastries formed as hearts.
Another idea is to use a cookie cutter to slice out the heart from a thin cake that you bake in a gelatin roll pan. The cake can be any flavor. For every cake, use three hearts. As with a typical cake, frost between each of the layers and then all around.”
Sameed Alam
Sameed Alam is the founder of SoftMany. He established a company with the primary goal of sharing the demo, trial, and freeware software for the Windows software download portal.
“Valentine’s Day should be celebrated with a dessert. Despite its commonness, chocolate is my favorite dessert to give on Valentine’s Day. It symbolizes attraction, passion, love, and affection. It also helps to elevate your mood and reduce stress.”
Mark Blakey
Mark Blakey is the CEO & Advertising Manager of Autism Parenting Magazine. They are an award-winning publication aimed at improving the quality of life for families affected by autism.
“Chocolate covered strawberries are the perfect way to show your loved ones how much you care this Valentine’s Day. Not only are they a delicious and healthy choice, but they also add a touch of romance to
the holiday.
Chocolate has been shown to boost serotonin levels in the brain, which can promote feelings of happiness and well-being. Strawberries are also rich in antioxidants, which can help to protect against heart disease and cancer. As an added bonus, chocolate covered strawberries are relatively easy to make. Simply dip fresh strawberries in melted chocolate, and then refrigerate them until the chocolate is set.
This Valentine’s Day, show your loved ones how much you care with a delicious and healthy treat. Chocolate covered strawberries are the perfect way to say ‘I love you.'”
Nathan Hughes
Nathan Hughes is the founder of Art Ignition. The main aim of their website is to help artists improve their art and make more money. They provide quality tips, information, and valuable resources for artists to level up their skills.
“Chocolate truffle cake with vanilla ice cream is the best combination and also a perfect dessert for Valentine’s Day. I know most of you are not familiar with this combination. But if you eat a truffle cake with vanilla ice cream, it tastes better than brownies. If not a cake, a chocolate truffle pastry and a scoop of ice cream will also do. It’s a cute and simple dessert, and everybody likes it.”
Yester Banuchyan
Yester Banuchyan is a chef, CEO, and Founder of Cook on Monday, where they help people improve their cooking skills, find cooking tips and learn everything else about food.
“My favorite Valentine’s Day dessert has always been jam tarts. It’s a tradition that has been running in my family for decades now, starting all the way from when my grandparents got together.
Jam tarts are easy to make and design in any shape, color, or design. I go for the classic heart shape with red color. For the red, I tend to use strawberry jam. You can make your own or use store-bought; both work great. You can also make a regular tart and use heart-shaped pastry cutouts to decorate the top.”
Taleen Benson
Taleen is a Los Angeles-based recipe developer, writer, food photographer, and cookbook author. Her blog, Just As Tasty, features gluten-free baking and proves that life with allergies can be Just As Tasty! Her first cookbook, Just As Tasty: Gluten-Free & Eggless Baking Through the Seasons, was published in 2021.
“This gluten-free and eggless Red Velvet Pound Cake is my favorite Valentine’s Day dessert idea:
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups (222g) gluten-free flour blend
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 12 tablespoons (170g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (112g) Greek yogurt at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon white vinegar
- ⅓ cup (80ml) buttermilk at room temperature
- Red gel food coloring
For the cream cheese frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- ½ cup (118g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9″ heart-shaped pan and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter with the sugar until smooth. Add the yogurt, vanilla extract, and vinegar and mix to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in thirds, alternating with the buttermilk and mixing between each addition. Add gel food coloring until the desired color is achieved, and mix until well combined.
- Pour cake batter into the pan and use a lightly greased rubber spatula to spread. Bake for 22-24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pan before removing and frosting.
To make the cream cheese frosting:
- Beat the cream cheese, unsalted butter, and vanilla extract for a few minutes until smooth.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar and salt, scraping the bowl as necessary.
- To tint the frosting, separate it into thirds. Leave one-third white and tint the other two-thirds in two different shades of pink.
- Refrigerate the frosting for 20-30 minutes before filling piping bags and piping onto the cake.
Notes:
- If you don’t have a heart-shaped pan or want to make this as a single-layer round cake, feel free to use a 9″ round pan instead.
- To make your own buttermilk, mix ⅓ cup whole milk with 1 teaspoon lemon juice.
- For the frosting, be sure to use a full-fat block of cream cheese rather than the spreadable kind.
- Cream cheese frosting can be piped or spread onto the cake. If piping, be sure to refrigerate for 20-30 minutes after mixing colors but before attempting to pipe.”
Shirlene Kyin
Shirlene Kyin is the Director of Operations at Soylent.
“I think cake pops make a perfect Valentine’s Day dessert.
They’re best prepared the day before or morning of due to the time required for most recipes, but they’re a great light option and perfect for sharing.”
Dan Gallagher
Dan Gallagher is an ISSA Certified Nutritionist at Aegle Nutrition.
“My personal favorite Valentine’s dessert embraces simplicity: A simple chocolate-covered fruit you can make at home with a loved one. Melting some dark chocolate chips on the stove and then dipping strawberries, blueberries, or banana slices is a decadent and utterly easy Valentine’s dessert, and you can even throw the fruit in the freezer for a few minutes for an even more indulgent treat.”
Andy Fraser
Andy Fraser is the Founder of Guitar Inside Out.
“A Valentine’s dessert I made my girlfriend that was a real success was chocolate lava cakes. They’re very indulgent, and you definitely have to be a chocolate lover, but the gooey center is unbeatable. They taste great and can be paired with lots of different toppings.
They’re also very quick and easy to make. Perfect if you’re not the most skilled cook!
All you need is some good quality chocolate, two eggs, butter, sugar, salt, and flour, as well as anything you want to add as a topping. They work best when cooked in ramekins and can be served with ice cream, regular cream, strawberries, etc.
My girlfriend and I both loved them, and they turned out great even though I’m absolutely a novice when it comes to baking.”
Sandra Myers
Sandra Myers is the Co-Founder of Select Date Society.
“Make dessert fun (and maybe a little messy) with chocolate fondue!
This is a great dessert because you can make it together and enjoy spending time together while you put together a tray of fresh fruit, pretzels, shortbread cookies, pieces of pound cake, or anything else you want to dip into the chocolate goodness!”
Abigail Richards
Abigail Richards is the CEO of TechPresident. She holds a Master’s Degree in Software Engineering. She also loves traveling and exercising outdoors. She is a very passionate environmentalist and actively joins environmental-related campaigns.
“My favorite Valentine’s Day dessert idea is Valentines Hearts Strawberry Shortcake:
Ingredients:
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 3 cups fresh strawberries sliced
- 1.5 cups heavy whipping cream
- Powdered sugar (for dusting)
- 1 can Pillsbury Original Grands Biscuits
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Using a heart-shaped cookie cutter, press down on each biscuit to produce a heart-shaped biscuit. Place each biscuit onto the cookie tray.
- Bake in the oven for 13-15 minutes or until the tops of the biscuits are golden brown. Let them cool for about 10 minutes.
- Combine the heavy cream and granulated sugar together in a medium bowl. Whisk until the cream is at the soft peak stage.
- Cut the biscuits in half and place enough strawberries on the bottom half of the biscuit to cover the base.
- Spoon some of the cream onto the strawberries and place the top half of the biscuit onto the cream.
- Dust generously with powdered sugar and serve immediately.”
Craig Miller
Craig Miller is one of the founders of Academia Labs LLC. He is also the content manager and the digital database expert. He has been an academician since 1989, with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Central Arkansas. He currently works as a Nursing Content Manager at Academia Labs, where he manages content for nursing students.
“Banana Pudding Shooters are my favorite Valentine’s Day dessert:
Ingredients:
- 1.5 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups half-and-half
- 2 small thinly sliced bananas
- 48 miniature vanilla wafer cookies
- 10 miniature coarsely crushed vanilla wafer cookies
- 1.5 cups of thawed Cool Whip frozen whipped topping
- 1 box (4-serving size) vanilla pudding and pie filling mix (please do not choose the instant)
Directions:
- In a 2-quart saucepan, stir the pudding mix. Then, cook over medium heat while stirring constantly. Do this until the mixture is thickened. Add the vanilla. Remove from heat, then pour into a medium bowl. Cover the mixture, then refrigerate for about 1 hour or until chilled.
- Next, spoon pudding into a 1-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag. Seal the bag. Then, spoon whipped topping into a 1-quart resealable food-storage plastic bag and seal the bag. Cut a 1/8-inch opening diagonally across the bottom corner of each bag.
- In the bottom of each of the shot glasses, place 1 cookie. In each glass, pipe about 2 teaspoons pudding over the cookie, then top with 1 banana slice. Pipe about 2 teaspoons of whipped topping over the banana. Repeat the layers into other glasses. Sprinkle with crushed cookies, then serve immediately. You can also refrigerate these for up to 30 minutes.”
Lieven Vekemans
Lieven Vekemans is a fruit expert from the blog In The Mood For Fruits.
“I want to make a case for a dessert anyone can whip up with only a couple of ingredients: raspberry coulis with vanilla ice cream.
All you need is some (frozen) raspberries, water and white granulated sugar. It ticks all the Valentine’s Day boxes:
- it sounds fancy,
- it’s red (passion!), and
- it’s sweet (like your partner).
Bonus points if you want to let your inner chef loose:
Put the coulis in a piping bottle, take two plates and paint a beautiful heart in the middle of each plate, and then place the bowls of ice cream inside them.”
Jane Wilkins
Jane is a professional chef with over 7 years of experience. She worked in various restaurants in New York, and now (for the last couple of years) she turned to blogging. On Butterypan.com she simplifies cooking and answers the most basic questions people have!
“Since Valentine’s Day 2021 was a disaster because both me and my partner were sick, I decided to make this year’s Valentine’s Day more special.
I made us a Strawberry Valentine’s Chex Mix.
First, gather the ingredients. You will need:
- 5 cups of Rice Chex cereal
- 1 bag of white chocolate baking chips
- 1 box of Strawberry Creme Jell-O Pudding
- Valentine’s M&M’s and/or sprinkles
Directions:
- In a large bowl, add the cereal.
- Then, pour the chocolate chips into a small glass bowl and microwave for 80 seconds. Let it sit in the microwave for 3 minutes.
- Add white chocolate baking chips and strawberry pudding to the chocolate.
- Stir until the mixture is smooth.
- Pour the chocolate mixture over the cereal and stir until the cereal is coated.
- Transfer the coated cereal onto the wax paper and sprinkle with M&M’s or Skittles.
- Allow the mixture to cool down, and break it apart once it is cool and firm.
This recipe is great because it requires no baking, and it allows you to enjoy more time just chilling with your loved one!”
Matt Lopez
Matt Lopez is a (mostly) self-taught home cook who studied the techniques and methods of master chefs like Julia Child and Jacques Pepin. After years of learning on his own, he dove into cooking school to further his skills. Crafting the best recipes with the best ingredients is his obsession.
“One of my all-time favorite Valentine’s desserts to make is Caramel Peanut Brownie Cake. This decadent dessert takes the best of fudgy brownies, ooey-gooey caramel, and salty peanuts and combines them into one decadent dessert everyone will love.
To make this dessert, bake a moist, brownie-like chocolate cake and let it cool completely. While the cake cools, make a caramel sauce with peanuts mixed directly into the sauce. Spoon the caramel sauce onto the top of the cake and allow it to completely cool and set. When ready to serve, place the cake on a cake stand and set it before the love of your life for maximum effect.”
Lisa Lotts
Lisa Lotts is the owner and publisher of Garlic and Zest, a food and cooking website. She’s an accomplished home cook, recipe developer, food writer, and photographer She’s been sharing her favorite recipes online for over 9 years.
“This Mixed Berry Parfait with fruit that’s macerated in orange-flavored liqueur or this Raspberry Tiramisu soaked in coffee and Chambord liqueur are my favorite Valentine’s Day dessert ideas.
Mixed Berry Parfait:
You and your sweetheart will fall in love with this Mixed Berry Parfait. It’s lush and spirited with layers of sponge cake soaked with Cointreau macerated berries. Chantilly cream makes it even more special. Best of all, you make it ahead of time, and it only takes 30 minutes to prep.
Raspberry Tiramisu:
Raspberry Tiramisu is a berry delicious twist on the classic Italian dessert. This one is flavored with Chambord and coffee with layers of mascarpone cream and fresh tart raspberries. Make it even more special with chocolate shavings. This dessert pairs well with sparkling wine.”
Maysie Dee
Maysie Dee is a consultant for natural product development and a vegetarian recipe creator. With her husband, she writes content for their website, Enchanted SpiceBox, that celebrates The Healing Power Of Herbs, Spices And Homemade Recipes. She dreams up wholesome dishes, plus the occasional decadent treat.
“Chocolate is always going to make my Valentine’s Day perfect!
But sometimes I want a recipe that features chocolate but also has a little red or pink for that festive Valentine’s look. Since I use all-natural ingredients in my baking, I look to red fruits, like raspberries, for that punch of color.
I put together these Scrumptious Raspberry Cheesecake Bars with a rich chocolate crust, a cheesecake layer sprinkled with raspberries, and a thin sweetened sour cream layer on top. Garnished with chocolate shavings and fresh red raspberries, they look gorgeous. You get all the fantastic flavor of a huge cheesecake but without the fuss. No water bath, no removing from an unwieldy spring form pan. My perfect Valentine’s dessert!”
Cindy Greaver
Cindy Greaver is the Owner of MRS.G’S Jellies.
“I like to begin my Valentine’s Day by treating my hubby to breakfast in bed with something a little sweet and spicy:
These surprisingly easy-to-make scones are infused and glazed with just the right amount of sweet heat to tease the tastebuds. Delicious and unexpected!”
There’s no sweeter way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than sharing a decadent dessert with the one you love. Consider giving one of these delicious Valentine’s Day desserts a try, such as red velvet cake, delicious strawberry cheesecake, chocolate covered bananas and other fruits, or even a snack mix. Whatever you choose, your sweetheart is sure to love it!
Whether you’re looking for a complete gift for your sweetheart that includes a delectable sweet treat or a mouth-watering dessert to top off your romantic Valentine’s Day dinner, Edible Arrangements® offers a variety of amazing Valentine’s Day desserts that are sure to make a big impression.
