15 Valentine's Day Desserts You'll Love at First Bite

And 10 of them feature chocolate. (You're welcome.)

valentines-day-desserts: chocolate souffle with raspberries
Photo: Getty Images

Chocolate and flowers are nice, yes, but the surefire way to your loved one's heart is undoubtedly a romantic dessert. After all, what's Valentine's Day without a little sugar rush? The treats are arguably the best part of the holiday, and these are by no means limited to couples celebrating.

Homemade desserts make great gifts for friends, family members, and—perhaps most importantly—yourself. Ambitious sweet tooth lovers can pack up and ship less fragile treat options (like our cookies and brownies) to loved ones in the mail. Still, we are particularly partial to the ooey-gooey decadence of the Chocolate Mousse with Croissant Crumbs and the Marshmallow and Chocolate Shortbread Slices you'll find ahead.

01 of 15

Easy Chocolate Mousse with Croissant Crumbs

Easy Chocolate Mousse with Croissant Crumbs
Caitlin Bensel

The only thing better than homemade chocolate mousse on Valentine's Day? An easy-to-make, ultra-decadent mousse filled with folds of fresh whipped cream and topped with croissant breadcrumbs. Serve alongside Champagne and fresh strawberries.

02 of 15

Cookies and Cream Cheesecake Brownies

Oreo Cheesecake Brownies
Alison Miksch

This rich brownie batter has a creamy layer of cheesecake, which is then topped with whole Oreos. More thick, chocolaty batter gets spread on top and finished off with a cheesecake swirl. Work quickly on this one before the brownie batter sets—it'll make swirling the cheesecake mixture much more accessible. Because these are super fudgy brownies, let them cool completely in the pan before cutting.

03 of 15

Marshmallow and Chocolate Shortbread Slices

Marshmallow and Chocolate Shortbread Slices
Caitlin Bensel

Think of these sweet, creamy shortbread cookies like a homemade candy bar, but better. Thanks to their crunchy cookie base, marshmallow filling, and chocolate coating, they look super fancy, but they only require about a half hour of your precious Valentine's Day time. Don't forget the layer of apricot preserves for a sweet-tart zing.

04 of 15

No-Churn Papaya Ice Cream

papaya-ice-cream-0419foo
Victor Protasio

Brighten your Valentine's Day with this no-churn papaya ice cream. It's so easy to make (no special equipment needed!), and you can shower your sundae with coconut flakes, fresh pineapple chunks, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.

05 of 15

Churros With Chocolate Sauce

Churros with Chocolate Sauce
Caitlin Bensel

Believe it or not, making churros from scratch is a lot easier than you'd assume. You're in for a real treat when you dip these sweet fried cinnamon breadsticks in the rich chocolate sauce. P.S. If you're more of a caramel fan, that works wonderfully, too (or, better yet, make both).

06 of 15

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Hector Manuel Sanchez

Browned butter adds a luxe caramel note to this rich cream cheese frosting—but be warned: once you taste it, you may never go back to the plain version. The nutty flavor works perfectly with the tender crumb and gentle sweetness of the spiced carrot cake, and a flurry of toasted coconut is a simple but festive garnish.

07 of 15

Chocolate Bar Fondue

Chocolate Bar Fondue
Anna Williams

A must-have for the holiday: Melty chocolate for coating fresh fruit, cake chunks, marshmallows, or an empty spoon.

08 of 15

Chocolate-Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Chocolate Chocolate-Chunk Cookies
Levi Brown

This cookie is the ultimate in decadence. There's melted chocolate in the batter as well as chocolate chunks throughout. So, this is the way to go if your Valentine is a chocoholic.

09 of 15

Chocolat Espresso Truffles

Espresso Truffles
Hector Sanchez

Coffee and chocolate need we say more—the sweet notes of the dark chocolate compliment the sharp taste of the espresso for one perfect bite.

10 of 15

Chocolate Raspberry Skillet Cake

Chocolate Raspberry Skillet Cake
Samantha Seneviratne

The secret to this dish is graham flour, a coarsely ground wheat flour. It adds a pleasant texture and nutty flavor to the dessert.

11 of 15

Mini Chocolate Olive Oil Cakes

Mini Chocolate Olive Oil Cakes

Victor Protasio

While olive oil is known as a component of many savory dishes, it can also be used in desserts to make extra moist cakes. In this recipe, brewed earl grey tea to the batter brings floral, aromatic, and citrusy notes.

12 of 15

Chocolate Ganache Tart

A sliced chocolate ganache tart served on a black dish sits next to a cup of coffee and french press.
Victor Protasio

Serve this tart, and your guests will think you spent hours in the kitchen. Little do they know it was surprisingly simple to make. The flaky crust is made from buttery, salty crackers.

13 of 15

Pink Hot Chocolate

Why have regular hot chocolate when you can have pink hot chocolate? The color makes it the perfect Valentine's Day beverage.

14 of 15

Raspberry S'mores

Raspberry S'mores
James Baigrie

The addition of bright, fresh raspberries brings this dessert to the next level. It also brings a decidedly adult twist to a childhood favorite.

15 of 15

Strawberry Dust Meringues

Strawberry Dusted Meringues
Caitlin Bensel

Create a bit of Valentine's Day magic with just eggs and sugar. These light-as-a-feather meringues are dusted with freeze-dried strawberries, but freeze-dried blueberries or raspberries would also work well.

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