Food Recipe Collections & Favorites Desserts 15 Valentine's Day Desserts You'll Love at First Bite And 10 of them feature chocolate. (You're welcome.) By Betty Gold Betty Gold Betty Gold is a food writer and editor with more than a decade’s experience working on titles such as Food Network Magazine, Bon Appetit, and Good Housekeeping. She is the former senior digital food editor at Real Simple and is currently overseeing all food and nutritional content for Well+Good as senior food editor. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on January 12, 2021 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos 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 Cream Cheesecake Brownies) to loved ones in the mail, but 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. However you'll be celebrating this year, prepare for love at first bite. 01 of 15 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 (duh). Get the recipe 02 of 15 Black Forest Cupcakes Hector Manuel Sanchez Adding a splash of coffee to the batter deepens these dreamy cupcakes' intense chocolate flavor, while a hidden center of store-bought cherry preserves take them to the next level. Finally, a crown of airy, gently sweetened whipped cream topped with wisps of chocolate and juicy cherries is a simple but eye-catching way to finish them off. Get the recipe 03 of 15 Cookies and Cream 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 easier. Because these are super fudgy brownies, let them cool completely in the pan before trying to cut. Get the recipe 04 of 15 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. Get the recipe 05 of 15 No-Churn Papaya Ice Cream Victor Protasio Bring your Valentine's Day a little sweet tropical-tasting sunshine 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. Get the recipe 06 of 15 Banana Gingerbread Cupcakes Hector Manuel Sanchez Gingerbread or banana bread? Can't decide which you like better? This spicy, sweet, super-moist mash-up is just for you. Finish the cakes off with a glossy confectioners' sugar glaze and a heart-shaped cookie topper for maximum cuteness. One pro tip: Measure the oil before the molasses and the sticky sweetener will pour easily out of the measuring cup. Get the recipe 07 of 15 Churros With Chocolate Sauce Caitlin Bensel Believe it or not, making churros from scratch is a lot easier than you'd assume. When you dip these sweet fried cinnamon breadsticks in the rich chocolate sauce, you're in for a real treat. P.S. If you're more of a caramel fan, that works wonderfully, too (or, better yet, make both). Get the recipe 08 of 15 Cardamom Orange Cupcakes Hector Manuel Sanchez Heady cardamom pairs wonderfully with citrus and gives these tender cupcakes a spicy edge. Ground cardamom works perfectly well in this recipe, but if you want a real punch of flavor, it's worth looking for whole, unsplit green pods in the spice section of a well-stocked supermarket. Just gently crush the pods to extract the seeds and grind them in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle. Get the recipe 09 of 15 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. Get the recipe 10 of 15 Chocolate Bar Fondue Anna Williams A must-have for the holiday: Melty chocolate for coating fresh fruit, cake chunks, marshmallows, or an empty spoon. Get the recipe 11 of 15 Coconut Raspberry Cupcakes Hector Manuel Sanchez Making a classic buttercream frosting takes a bit of effort, but the results are silky and buttery beyond compare. The pink is pretty, but you could also try swapping out the raspberry jam for 2 ounces of melted bittersweet chocolate for an even more decadent combination. Get the recipe 12 of 15 Romantic Brownie Sundaes Minh & Wass Can you consider it Valentine's Day if you don't eat a heart-shaped brownie sundae? I think not. Share if you want—or don't. Get the recipe 13 of 15 Chocolate Panini Kan Kanbayashi Is it a main dish or a dessert? File this sweet sandwich under the best of both worlds. Get the recipe 14 of 15 Chocolate-Cinnamon Pudding With Raspberries Anna Williams You'll love the sweet-tart kick of fresh raspberry to balance out the decadent richness of this pudding. Get the recipe 15 of 15 Chocolate Soufflé Beth Galton Don't be intimidated—this one's surprisingly easy to make. Get the recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit