Dessert Recipes for Valentine's Day & Date Night

If you're looking for dessert recipes for Valentine's Day, Galentine's Day, or Date Night, I've got you covered with recipes for beginners and experienced home chefs alike. From baking ideas for Valentines Day to sorbet and truffles, you'll find something to make for someone you love.

And if your special person isn't within arm's reach, you can always ship them some fudge or candy. Share something special with someone special!

Chocolate Valentine desserts are always a winner, and these adorable easy Sweetheart Valentine Brownies are great for adults and kids alike.

Sweetheart Valentine Frosted Fudge Brownies

Sweetheart Valentine Brownies are rich chocolate fudge brownie hearts topped with whipped chocolate ganache. Bake some for a special someone!

See more Valentine's Day recipes ➡️

Desserts to Share

A collection of romantic Valentine mini desserts scaled down for two. From cakes to mousse, here are some ideas for sharable homemade Valentine treats.

Port Wine takes a plain ol' chocolate cake recipe and takes it up several notches. If you love chocolate, this mini cake is for you!

Chocolate Port Wine Cake

Rich and decadent, this chocolate cake with port wine has deep chocolate flavor enhanced with a hint of berries. Topped with a chocolate and port wine ganache, this extraordinary chocolate port wine cake is for adults-only chocolate lovers!

Chocolate mousse. Chocolate brownies. Both are wonderful, but when combined into Chocolate Mousse Cake, you've got a superlative dessert!

Mini Chocolate Mousse Brownie Cake

Rich chocolate mousse and chewy brownies are wonderful by themselves, but put them together in a Chocolate Mousse Brownie Cake and the result is romance on a plate! Make a mini cake for Valentine's Day, Date Night, or when you just want a special treat to share.

Go the extra mile and make a mini Boston Cream Pie. With cake, pastry cream, and chocolate ganache, this is one of the best Valentine's Day desserts there is!

Mini Boston Cream Pie

An American classic dessert, Boston Cream Pie is a moist and tender vanilla cake filled with a thick layer of rich pastry cream and draped with a glossy dark chocolate ganache. This decadent 6-inch mini Boston Cream Pie is perfectly size for two!

Hot Fudge Pudding Cake makes its own hot fudge sauce along with a rich brownie. It's easy to make and great with a scoop of ice cream!

Mini Skillet Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

When the mood hits for a dark and decadent dessert, make a Mini Skillet Hot Fudge Pudding Cake. It's a chocolate brownie that makes its own hot fudge sauce. Perfect for Valentines Day, Date night, or anytime you want a dessert for two!

Channel your inner Harry Potter with these mini Treacle Tarts. You'll love the sweet, citrus flavor of these adorable tarts!

Mini Treacle Tarts

Treacle Tarts have a lovely buttery flavor with a hint of citrus and a texture similar to Pecan Pie, and these mini tarts are perfect for portion control. Harry Potter loved them, and so will you!

See more small servings recipes ➡️

Puddings and Custards

Creamy, dreamy puddings and custards can be some very easy Valentine desserts to make.

Chocolate mousse is so romantic, and here's a dairy-free chocolate mousse version that will satisfy anyone's chocolate craving!

Dairy-Free Chocolate Mousse (No Coconut Oil)

This rich chocolate mousse has a secret ingredient making it dairy-free, and there's no coconut oil used. Dark and smooth, you won't miss the milk (or milk substitute). Perfect for when you want a non-dairy dessert!

Crème Brûlée sounds fancy and hard, but it's actually really easy. Use your slow cooker for custard perfection.

Foolproof Slow Cooker Crème Brûlée

Make a foolproof crème brûlée in your crockpot! The low and slow heat is ideal for baking vanilla custard gently, giving it a silky smooth texture. Add a crunchy caramelized sugar topping, and it's truly an elegant dessert!

Homemade pudding is super easy to make, and these vanilla and chocolate versions are egg-free. For a richly flavored simple, yet sophisticated version, try butterscotch pudding.. Banish instant pudding from a box and make pudding from scratch!

Homemade Vanilla Pudding (No Eggs)

Homemade vanilla pudding is easy to make, using only 6 ingredients and no eggs. Serve with whipped cream and berries, or use in a classic banana pudding recipe or a trifle.

Homemade Dark Chocolate Pudding (No Eggs)

This homemade chocolate pudding is silky smooth and luscious with an intense chocolate flavor. Made without eggs, it can also be a dairy-free pudding using a milk substitute. It's easy enough for a weeknight dessert!

While not technically a custard, sorbet is certainly a cousin to ice cream (think French Vanilla Frozen Custard or Lemon Sherbet). This fat-free, dairy-free Strawberry Mint Sorbet is full of bright strawberry flavor, and a lighter way to have Valentine's sweets.

Strawberry Mint Sorbet (Dairy-Free)

Enjoy the bright taste of strawberries underscored with a subtle hint of mint in this easy strawberry sorbet. Intensely red and naturally dairy-free, it's a beautiful and delicious dessert!

See more custard recipes ➡️

Fudge and Candy

Candy making seems like it should be hard, but it really isn't at all. From fudge to truffles, here are some ideas to try. They ship well, too!

Fudge is much easier to make than its rich taste would imply. Here's a boozy version to up the flavor and fun!

Easy Kahlua Chocolate Fudge

Creamy, dreamy, really easy Kahlua Chocolate Fudge is rich dark chocolate with a hint of Kahlua coffee liqueur. The hardest part is waiting for it to set!

For white chocolate fans, here's a smooth and creamy fudge that will have you coming back for more!

White Chocolate Pecan Fudge

Smooth and creamy, White Chocolate Fudge is easy to make and contains no sweetened condensed milk. Mix in marshmallows and roasted pecans for variety, or choose another fun mix-in. Perfect for Mother's Day, Christmas, Valentine's Day, birthdays, or any other day you want to make someone feel special. Even yourself!

Truffles are basically ganache covered in cocoa powder, sugar, nuts, or tempered chocolate. Give them a try!

Easy Chocolate Truffles (Only 4 Ingredients!)

Perfect for Valentine's Day or date night, these easy chocolate truffles will make your sweetheart swoon. Only 4 basic ingredients needed!

What do you get when you mix rich chocolate cake with smooth chocolate buttercream frosting? Why, Dark Chocolate Cake Truffles, of course! Add a lollipop stick, and they can be made into cake pops as well.

Chocolate Cake Truffles (Cake Pops)

Dark Chocolate Cake Truffles are rich, bite-sized bits of chocolate cake mixed with chocolate buttercream frosting and drenched in pure chocolate. These truffles are perfect for Valentine's Day, Date Night, or any special celebration, and can be made into Chocolate Cake Pops, too!

If you love English Toffee, you'll love this version. You can adjust the type of nuts and chocolate you use to suit your tastes!

Buttery English Toffee Candy (Gluten-Free)

Crunchy, buttery toffee topped with a blanket of chocolate and a dusting of almond meal, this is English Toffee at its best. It's gluten-free and easy to make, using just 7 ingredients. Perfect for Valentine's Day or just for a treat!

See more fudge & candy recipes ➡️

Back to Basics

Here are two bonus items for a deeper look into techniques that will be useful for some of these romantic desserts.

Chocolate ganache is such a versatile ingredient! Use it for rich truffles, top your desserts with a blanket of chocolate, or fill your cakes with whipped ganache.

Quick and Easy Chocolate Ganache

Rich chocolate ganache only needs two ingredients, chocolate and heavy cream, to make a wonderfully versatile treat. Use different ratios of the two to create fudgy toppings, frostings or fillings, a truffle base, or the best hot chocolate ever. You won't believe how easy these are to make!

If you are new to chocolate-dipped treats, or just need a refresher, pop on over here to get all the details to make tempered chocolate like a pro!

How to Temper Chocolate Like a Pro

Learning to temper chocolate like a pro requires time and patience, but the shiny snap of tempered chocolate is worth the effort. Here's how to temper chocolate, plus tips and techniques to help you get professional level results!

Whether you make these Valentine's Day treat recipes for a partner, a family member, a friend, or even yourself, you'll find something yummy here to show you care.

That's what cooking for someone is all about!