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  5. 25 Best Romantic Dessert Recipes

25 Best Romantic Dessert Recipes

Samantha Leffler headshot
By Samantha Leffler Updated April 08, 2022
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Raspberry and Honey Marshmallows
Credit: CAITLIN BENSEL

Whether you're planning for the ultimate date night, or a special Valentine's Day dinner—and need a decadent dessert to finish off the evening—these romantic dessert recipes may be just exactly what you need.

Chocolate desserts tend to be the go-to option for a romantic dinner (after all, chocolate has some impressive health benefits and is considered an aphrodisiac), but you don't have to stick with chocolate. There are plenty of sweet fruit dessert recipes for you to consider.

And fortunately, many of these romantic dessert recipes can be made ahead of time or are easily put together—so you have more time to focus on your date, instead of your dessert.

RELATED: Creative At-Home Date Night Ideas

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Individual Chocolate Melting Cakes

Individual Chocolate Melting Cakes
Credit: William Meppem
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Top off these warm, melt-in-your mouth cakes with a swirl of caramel sauce and a scoop of ice cream.

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Chocolate-Cinnamon Pudding With Raspberries

Chocolate-Cinnamon Pudding With Raspberries
Credit: Anna Williams
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Classic chocolate pudding gets a flavorful upgrade courtesy of a dash of healthy cinnamon, which helps bring out the earthy notes of the cocoa. Garnish the pudding with fresh raspberries and whipped cream, and you've got a romantic dessert for two that's ready in just 15 minutes. 

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Orange Soufflé

Orange Souffle
Credit: Beth Galton
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This light, airy dessert incorporates grated orange zest and orange liqueur for a double dose of citrus.

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Chocolate Ricotta Mousse

Chocolate Ricotta Mousse
Credit: Kan Kanbayashi
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This light and creamy chocolate mousse can be whipped up (literally!) in under five minutes, for a fast and delicious romantic dessert. 

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French Toast Soufflé

French Toast Soufflé
Credit: Grace Elkus
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While there's certainly nothing wrong with a rich chocolate soufflé, we'd argue that this French toast-inspired version is just as delicious and ideal for those who don't love chocolate. It's made with familiar ingredients such as maple syrup and vanilla extract, and is surprisingly easy to whip up. And don't worry about your dessert falling, it's really hard for the soufflé to fall prematurely in the oven, and once you take it out, it's supposed to fall. 

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Chocolate Bar Fondue

Chocolate Bar Fondue
Credit: Anna Williams
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Use your imagination when choosing ingredients for dipping in the chocolate fondue—try pound cake, flavored marshmallows, graham crackers, or even pretzels. (Strawberries, banana slices, and oranges are all great if you're looking for a healthier treat.) 

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Salted Caramel Brownie Bites

Salted Caramel Brownie Bites
Credit: Meredith/Dotdash
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For a bite-sized dessert that's packed with plenty of flavor, try these sweet and savory brownie bites. Each treat sports a fudgy exterior and a rich interior that includes a salted caramel chocolate topped with caramel and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. To up the romance factor, use a heart-shaped mold to create the brownie bites, and top each one with pink pearl sprinkles.

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Honey Whole Wheat-Strawberry Clafoutis

Honey Whole Wheat Strawberry Clafoutis
Credit: Kelsey Hansen
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This typical French dessert is made with whole-wheat flour, sweetened with honey, and packed with fresh strawberries. While a nice crust forms on the outside, the inside of this picture-perfect confection remains deliciously custardy. Just make sure you serve this treat immediately, as the center will sink as it cools.

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Chocolate Pecan Fudge Balls

Chocolate Pecan Fudge Balls
Credit: Caitlin Bensel
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Who doesn't love a fudge ball? This version is inspired by the Brazilian treat brigadeiros, and is made with a combination of sweetened condensed milk, warm cinnamon, and semi-sweet chocolate. Plus, each ball is rolled in toasted, crushed pecans, which adds plenty of texture to every bite.

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Strawberry Pavlova

Strawberry Pavlova
Credit: Danny Kim
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A Pavlova is a meringue-based dessert that's typically topped with fresh fruit and whipped cream. This version is garnished with a whopping pound of strawberries as well as a rich combination of heavy cream and crème fraîche.

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Raspberry S'mores

Raspberry S'mores
Credit: James Baigrie
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A childhood favorite gets an unexpectedly adult twist with the addition of fresh raspberries. 

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Flourless Spiced Hot Chocolate Cake

Flourless Spiced Hot Chocolate Cake
Credit: Caitlin Bensel
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If you like Mexican hot chocolate, you're bound to enjoy this cake, which is basically a fudgy torte version of the popular drink. Here, cinnamon and cayenne complement a dense chocolate batter and help to create a cake that's naturally gluten-free and great for date night. Pro tip: Use a springform pan when baking this beauty for the best results.

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Vanilla Sweet Potato Cheesecake

Vanilla Sweet Potato Cheesecake Recipe
Credit: Victor Protasio
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If you're looking for something decadent that's still on the healthier side, this cheesecake, which swaps sweet potatoes for some of the sugar, might be the perfect grand finale for your date night. Top it off with fresh fruit for a little extra dose of goodness.

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Espresso Truffles

Espresso Truffles
Credit: Hector Sanchez
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A little espresso gives these decadent chocolate truffles a richer flavor. Make them for a romantic dessert—or a sweet homemade gift for someone special. 

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Chocolate "Salami" With Hazelnuts and Figs

Chocolate “Salami” With Hazelnuts, Figs, And Cookies
Credit: Caitlin Bensel
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This dessert may look like salami, but there's no cured meat here. Instead, this sweet treat is made with chocolate that's flecked with toasted hazelnuts, jammy dried figs, and spiced Biscoff cookies, and the whole thing gets a realistic dusting of confectioners' sugar. Translation: Each bite is packed with plenty of flavor. Enjoy this dessert with your partner, or wrap it up and gift it to a special someone. 

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Strawberry Dust Meringues

Strawberry Dusted Meringues
Credit: Caitlin Bensel
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For a light and airy treat that still has a touch of romance, give these colorful meringues a whirl. Each one has a crispy outside and slightly chewy middle, but the real star here is freeze-dried strawberries, which are used to create a bold, edible "dust" that decorates each dessert.

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The Ultimate Chocolate Pudding

The Ultimate Chocolate Pudding
Credit: José Picayo
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This easy homemade version of the comfort-food classic leaves packaged mixes in the dust.

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Raspberry and Honey Marshmallows

Raspberry and Honey Marshmallows
Credit: Caitlin Bensel
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Though not necessarily a typical dessert, these homemade marshmallows boast a natural red hue that screams romance and is difficult to resist. Each one is fluffy, fruity, and free of unhealthy corn syrup. Plus, the honey gives these treats a rich, caramelized quality that will remind you of a fire-toasted marshmallow. Serve 'em as part of a larger romantic dessert spread, or dip them in a cup of hot chocolate.

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Easy Chocolate Mousse with Croissant Crumbs

Easy Chocolate Mousse with Croissant Crumbs
Credit: Caitlin Bensel
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You'll be hard pressed to find a dessert more romantic than homemade chocolate mousse. This version utilizes a breakfast staple—croissants—and uses them to create a buttery topping that pairs perfectly with the rich chocolate base. And if you're worried about making your own mousse, don't let this recipe intimidate you. Instead of relying on eggs for the structure, whipped cream does all the work, creating creamy clouds of luscious chocolate.

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Dark Chocolate Truffles

chocolate-truffles-recipe
Credit: Samantha Seneviratne
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Instead of wasting your money on a fancy box of truffles, try making them yourself. This recipe calls for high-quality chocolate (a must!) which is mixed with butter, heavy cream, and a dash of salt. Once you get the standard recipe down, which requires just 40 minutes of hands-on work, feel free to fill your truffles with Earl Grey tea, peanut butter and jelly, and more.

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Cherries Jubilee

Cherries Jubilee
Credit: Joseph De Leo
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This dessert, which was crafted especially for Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee, is a perfect way to celebrate a romantic night in. Sweet cherries join forces with Kirsch and tart lemon juice to create a dish that's best served warm over a scoop or two of vanilla ice cream. The best part about this dessert is that it takes just 20 minutes to make.

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Croissant and Chocolate Bread Pudding

Croissant and Chocolate Bread Pudding
Credit: Con Poulos
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This rich, decadent dessert couldn't be easier—just combine all the ingredients and bake for 30 minutes.

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Cherry Cordial Cake Balls

Cherry Cordial Cake Balls
Credit: Victor Protasio
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Speaking of cherries, the bite-sized red fruits also make for a stellar cake ball filling, especially if you leave the stems on, making the cake balls easy to grab. The maraschino cherries used here are surrounded by boxed cake mix, and the whole thing is coated in a layer of semisweet chocolate.

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Marshmallow and Chocolate Shortbread Slices

Marshmallow and Chocolate Shortbread Slices
Credit: Caitlin Bensel
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These marshmallow and chocolate shortbread slices are basically like a homemade candy bar, which is a great treat to make for a loved one who has an unstoppable sweet tooth. Each slice boasts a crunchy cookie base that gets an upgrade thanks to almond meal and cocoa powder, marshmallow filling, and a chocolate coating. For an added crunch, top the slices with slivered almonds.

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Hazelnut Bushwacker Cake

Hazelnut Bushwacker Cake Recipe
Credit: Greg DuPree
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This impressive looking cake is so easy to pull together—stack layers of chocolate wafers with chocolate-hazelnut spread and whipped cream, then let it sit in the fridge to soften. Use a touch of kahlua to give it a boozy kick for grownups, or decaf coffee if you're serving it to kids. 

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    1 of 25 Individual Chocolate Melting Cakes
    2 of 25 Chocolate-Cinnamon Pudding With Raspberries
    3 of 25 Orange Soufflé
    4 of 25 Chocolate Ricotta Mousse
    5 of 25 French Toast Soufflé
    6 of 25 Chocolate Bar Fondue
    7 of 25 Salted Caramel Brownie Bites
    8 of 25 Honey Whole Wheat-Strawberry Clafoutis
    9 of 25 Chocolate Pecan Fudge Balls
    10 of 25 Strawberry Pavlova
    11 of 25 Raspberry S'mores
    12 of 25 Flourless Spiced Hot Chocolate Cake
    13 of 25 Vanilla Sweet Potato Cheesecake
    14 of 25 Espresso Truffles
    15 of 25 Chocolate "Salami" With Hazelnuts and Figs
    16 of 25 Strawberry Dust Meringues
    17 of 25 The Ultimate Chocolate Pudding
    18 of 25 Raspberry and Honey Marshmallows
    19 of 25 Easy Chocolate Mousse with Croissant Crumbs
    20 of 25 Dark Chocolate Truffles
    21 of 25 Cherries Jubilee
    22 of 25 Croissant and Chocolate Bread Pudding
    23 of 25 Cherry Cordial Cake Balls
    24 of 25 Marshmallow and Chocolate Shortbread Slices
    25 of 25 Hazelnut Bushwacker Cake

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