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    Grits and Pinecones » Recipes » Desserts

    33 Romantic Desserts for Valentine’s Day

    January 25, 2023 by Sharon Rigsby 2 Comments

    Pinterest pin showing five valentine's day desserts including a heart shaped cake.

    Love is in the air on Valentine’s Day, and my collection of 33 Romantic Desserts and fun treat recipes, updated with new recipes for 2023, will give you the perfect opportunity to show the special people in your life how much you care!

    Whether you are looking for easy romantic dessert ideas for two, holiday-themed desserts, cute baking ideas for Valentine’s Day, desserts for a family dinner, a potluck, or simple treats for kids, you will find them here.

    Collage of five different Valentine's Day desserts including a heart shaped cake, chocolate tart and panna cotta.

    This collection showcases 33 of the best Valentine’s Day dessert and treat recipes, including luscious and decadent romantic desserts. Believe it or not, some healthy Valentine’s Day dessert options, such as gluten-free, paleo, low-carb, keto, and vegan recipes, are also included that won’t destroy your diet! 

    As you might imagine, there are also many options for chocolate lovers, and if you like cherries, strawberries, and raspberries, you are in luck! I’ve also included several easy dessert options for those of you that are beginning cooks and some no-bake recipes.

    So pull up an easy chair and plan to spend some time perusing these luscious desserts and then the hard part, trying to decide which of these awesome desserts you are going to make.

    Heart- Shaped Chocolate Cake with Cherries – Grits and Pinecones

    My Heart-Shaped Chocolate Cake with Cherries is the perfect cake, in the ideal shape, to say “I love you” this Valentine’s Day!

    This romantic dessert features three layers of rich, decadent heart-shaped chocolate cake, with sweetened whipped cream and luscious cherry pie filling between the layers. Then, the sides are covered with creamy, chocolate whipped cream icing, and cherry pie filling is spooned over the top and surrounded by more piped whipped cream.

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    A hert shapped chocolate cake topped with cherry pie filling.

    Meringues Chantilly – Pudge Factor

    Meringues Chantilly is one of the most elegant and romantic desserts that you can imagine. A perfect Valentine’s Day dessert is also one of the easiest desserts you can make. Imagine light and crispy meringue shells filled with whipped cream and topped with fruit and a decadent raspberry sauce.

    Read More
    A cooked meringue shell topped with raspberries and a sprig of mint.

    Strawberry Shortcake and Lemon Curd Parfait – The Rising Spoon

    Want an easy Valentine’s Day dessert that’ll leave you fighting over the leftovers? Look no further than these strawberry shortcake & lemon curd parfaits, a.k.a. blissful bursts of sunshine and sweetness in a glass.

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    Strawberry Shortcake and Lemon Curd in tall parfait glasses.

    Vanilla Panna Cotta with Strawberry Sauce – Grits and Pinecones

    Easy to make, silky smooth, creamy Vanilla Panna Cotta with Strawberry Sauce is the ultimate decadent Valentine’s Day dessert. A classic Italian dish, this recipe is made with fresh strawberries, sweetened heavy cream, a bit of sour cream, and thickened with unflavored gelatin.

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    Vanilla Panna Cotta in clear glass dessert dishes topped with strawberry sauce. .

    Giant Filled Valentine Kiss – Pudge Factor

    This Giant Filled Valentine Kiss is the perfect way to make a big impression on someone special, with no baking or cooking required. This fun Valentines’s Day treat is not only visually appealing but also easy and economical to make. Made with a plastic funnel and filled with your choice of chocolate treats, it’s so simple your kids can make it.

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    A container of candy made to look like a giant Hersey's kiss, wrapped in foil.

    Valentine’s Day Raspberry Brownie Parfait – Crayons and Cravings

    This delicious Raspberry Brownie Parfait is sure to score some major brownie points and spark some romance this Valentine’s Day!

    Read More

    Valentines Raspberry Brownie Parfait in a glass desert dish garnished with candy hearts.

    Chocolate Ganache Tart with Raspberry Sauce – Grits and Pinecones

    Chocolate Ganache Tart with Raspberry Sauce is the ultimate dessert for Valentine’s Day and the chocolate lovers in your life. The rich and decadent filling with two kinds of chocolate is almost truffle-like in its consistency, and you won’t believe how incredibly delicious the biscotti crust is!

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    A chocolate ganache tart with a slice cut out and on a white plate.

    Coeur à la Crème with Grand Marnier Raspberry Sauce – Pudge Factor

    Coeur à la Crème with Grand Marnier Raspberry Sauce is an elegant dessert to serve for Valentine’s Day. This classic dessert (French for heart of cream) is quite easy to prepare but amazing in its presentation and taste.

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    Coeur A La Creme Valentine's Day Dessert in the shape of a heart garnished with fresh raspberries.

    Low-Carb Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake – Simply So Healthy

    Celebrate Valentine’s day with our Low-Carb Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake. This cheesecake is a refrigerator cheesecake that is simple to whip up. It makes a perfect dessert for people on low-carb, gluten-free, grain-free, ketogenic, diabetic, LC/HF, and Banting diets.

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    Raspberry Cheesecake on a cake plate with a slice cut out showcasing the raspberry swirls.

    Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake – Grits and Pinecones

    Chocolate and cherries are a classic flavor combination. Put them together in a simple dump cake with only four ingredients, and you have an irresistibly delightful Valentine’s Day dessert that’s so easy even your kids can make it. As a bonus, it’s as perfect for Valentine’s Day as it is for a neighborhood potluck.

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    A white bowl with chocolate dump cake topped with vanilla ice cream and cherries.

    Flourless Chocolate Cake – Pudge Factor

    Surprise your Valentine with this dense, rich, and decadent Flourless Chocolate Cake. Every bite is packed with intense bittersweet chocolate flavor. While this cake looks amazingly impressive, it is pretty simple to make.

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    Flourless Chocolate Cake in the shape of a heart topped with raspberries.

    No-Bake Raspberry White Chocolate Tart – The Unlikely Baker

    Chocolate cookie crust, white chocolate mascarpone filling, fresh raspberry topping. This no-bake raspberry white chocolate tart is an awesome Valentine’s Day dessert and a perfect romantic treat!

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    A slice of Raspberry White Chocolate Tart on a white plate topped with raspberries and a drizzle of chocolate.

    Homemade Chocolate Pudding – Grits and Pinecones

    Homemade Chocolate Pudding is creamy decadence, and it’s the ultimate chocolate fix! But the best part, this easy chocolate dessert is ridiculously simple to make and takes less than 15 minutes to prepare! Don’t let the humble name fool you; this luscious pots-de-creme confection is the perfect romantic Valentine’s dessert.

    Read More
    A white ramekin full of chocolate pudding and topped with whipped cream and a cherry.

    Chocolate Blancmange – Pudge Factor

    Chocolate Blancmange, pronounced “blah-mahnj,” is an old English dessert that is light and velvety smooth. Even though it contains no eggs, the texture of Chocolate Blancmange reminds me of a chocolate mousse. A good Blancmange has a slight wobble to it and is amazingly delicious and easy to make.

    Read More
    Chocolate Blancmange on a white plate topped with whipped cream and a raspberry.

    Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Dump Cake for Two – The Seasoned Mom

    Make dessert quick, easy, and incredibly delicious with a 3-Ingredient Chocolate Covered Strawberry Dump Cake that’s ready for the oven in just 5 minutes!

    Whether you need a single-serving treat to satisfy a sweet tooth, a special dessert for a romantic date night for two, or a full-size cake to feed a crowd, this rich and fudgy dump cake is a perfect solution — no baking skills required!

    Read More

    Chocolate Cherry Brownie Parfaits – Grits and Pinecones

    You have come to the right place if you are looking for an easy but elegant Valentine’s Day dessert! Chocolate Cherry Brownie Parfaits are full of fudgy goodness, sweet luscious cherries, and light-as-air whipped cream! And this rich and decadent dessert is the perfect way to say “I love you” on Valentine’s Day. 

    Read More

    Four Chocolate Cherry Brownie Parfaits ready to serve for Valentine's Day

    Double Chocolate Mousse with Raspberry Sauce – Dani’s Cooking

    This delicious Double Chocolate Mousse with Raspberry sauce is the best dessert that you can prepare in less than one hour! It is decadent and full of flavor: a fantastic treat for every chocolate lover on Valentines’s Day!

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    Double Chocolate Mousse with Raspberry Sauce

    Vanilla Rose White Chocolate Cocktail – The Flavor Bender

    Love White Chocolate? Alcohol? Vanilla? Then this is the kind of cocktail that’ll turn your life upside down!  Vanilla Rose and White Chocolate Cocktail (AKA Falooda Cocktail) is a delicious, sweet, creamy, floral cocktail that’s pure decadence and gorgeous to look at!

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    Rose and White Chocolate Cocktail in a martini glass with a rose petal and vanilla bean in each one.

    Red Velvet Madeleines – Pudge Factor

    Heart-shaped Red Velvet Madeleines with a lemon glaze are a perfect confection for Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s day was first associated with romantic love in Chaucer’s 14th-century poetry about “Valentines.”

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    Red Velvet Madeleines in a white dish in the shape of a heart.

    Raw Vegan Blackberry Cheesecake – One Clever Chef

    These Raw Vegan Blackberry Cheesecake bars are super creamy and perfectly sweet. This easy no-bake dessert is also extremely healthy! You would never believe it’s a dessert by simply looking at the nutritional values.  This recipe is also Paleo, Gluten-free, and Dairy-Free!

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    Raw Vegan Blackberry Cheesecake cut into squares and stacked.

    Sweetheart Brownie Bliss – Buy This Cook That

    You will love Sweetheart Brownie Bliss. And your sweethearts will love YOU! The bottom layer? Thick, fudgy brownies. Then we loaded it with a smooth and creamy layer of no-bake cheesecake.

    The wow factor? Bright and cheerful cherry topping. This sweet treat hits all the dessert must-haves in my book. Chocolate. Cheesecake. Cherries. What a perfect dessert for Valentine’s Day.

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    Sweetheart Brownie Bliss topped with whipped icing and cherry pie filling.

    Strawberry Trifle with Angel Food Cake – Grits and Pinecones

    My easy no-bake Strawberry Trifle with Angel Food Cake is made with fresh, luscious strawberries, heavenly whipped cream, and layers of light-as-a-cloud angel food cake. I guarantee that this make-ahead wonder will be one of the easiest and most delicious family-friendly Valentine’s day desserts you will ever prepare!

    Read More
    A clear glass trifle dish with layers of angel food cake, strawberries and whipped cream.

    Cupid’s Crunch – Pudge Factor

    Wow, your sweetheart with some Cupid’s Crunch. It’s a no-bake Valentine’s Day treat that combines sweet and salty to produce a perfect surprise. It just takes minutes to make and is sure to put a smile on the face of your special Valentine!

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    Cupid's crunch a Valentine's Day treat with different types of cereals, pretzels and  M&M's in a bowl.

    Butterscotch Bourbon Budino with Salted Caramel – Platings and Pairings

    This Butterscotch Bourbon Budino with Salted Caramel is like a pudding cup for grown-ups. It’s a rich and creamy indulgent treat that’s not overly sweet, and it’s perfect for Valentines’s Day!

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    Butterscotch Bourbon Budino with Salted Caramel Topping in glass serving dishes.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Three Ingredients Strawberry Mousse (Vegan and Gluten-Free) – Easy Cooking with Molly

    Creamy, light, and absolutely divine mousse that’s perfect for a quick Valentine’s dessert. It’s made using three simple ingredients and ready in 12 minutes. 

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    Strawberry Mousse in champagne glasses topped with a strawberry.

    No-Churn Red Wine Strawberry and Salted Dark Chocolate Ice Cream – Pass Me Some Tasty

    Leave your ice cream maker in the cupboard because when it comes to crazy good ice cream, we don’t want to have to wait around for it. No pre-freezing your ice cream container, no cooking heavy cream and milk, and then whisking in egg yolks hoping to create a no-clump custard, and no waiting for your ice cream maker to finish churning before you can even get to the freezing process.

    This ice cream is happening now, friends, and just in time for Valentine’s Day!

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    No Churn Red Wine Strawberry and Salted Dark Chocolate Ice Cream in clear glass dishes topped with strawberries.

    Vegan Vanilla and Berry Cake – Lauren Caris Cooks

    Who said going vegan meant kissing delicious, light, fluffy layer cakes goodbye? Well, not me… If no one had told me this cake was vegan, I would probably never know. A perfect dessert for your vegan sweetheart on Valentine’s Day.

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    Vanilla and Berry Layer Cake topped with roses and other flowers plus sliced strawberries.

    Paleo Flourless Chocolate Cake – Delicious Meets Healthy

    A chocolate lover’s dream come true and an easy romantic dessert that is perfect if you love chocolate or have a chocolate lover in your life. It’s a wonderful Paleo flourless chocolate cake, and the texture is AMAZING, dense, rich, and creamy.

    And the raspberry apricot glaze is oh-so-good; it pairs wonderfully with the dark creamy custardy cake and adds a nice sweet fruity flavor. Yum! This flourless chocolate cake is also gluten-free and paleo (if you use ghee).

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    A Flourless Chocolate Cake on a cake platter, topped with raspberries and with a slice on a plate next to it.

    Strawberry Lemon Cream Crepe Cake – Taste and See

    This Strawberry Lemon Creme Crepe Cake is light and creamy and perfectly sweet!  With mascarpone cheese, lemon juice, fresh strawberries, and buttermilk crepes – it’s the perfect romantic recipe for celebrating a Happy Valentine’s Day and sharing the love this holiday.

    Read More

    Strawberry Lemon Creme Crepe Cake with layers of crepes covered in pink icing and topped with sliced strawberries.

    Bananas Foster Mini Skillet Flambe – The Kitchen Girl

    One of my favorite things about this recipe, besides caramelized bananas smothered in ice cream, is that it’s a delicious Valentine’s Day dessert for two!

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    Bananas Foster in a cast iron skillet topped with a scoop of ice cream.

    Sous Vide Crème Caramel – Pudge Factor

    A perfect dessert for Valentines’s Day, Crème Caramel is silky smooth with a velvety texture. Sous vide is the way to achieve this perfection. It allows for precise temperature control, which is the key to producing the perfect crème caramel.

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    Sous Vide Creme Caramel Dessert on a plate topped with blueberries, raspberries and a caramel sauce.

    Raspberry Dusted Chocolate Fudge Brownie Truffles – Spabettie

    Raspberry Dusted Chocolate Fudge Brownie Truffles – rich and chewy chocolate brownie-filled truffles get a bright tart topping of raspberry dust! So fudgy good. The filling is divine even on its own – super chocolatey rich, like a chewy brownie.

    Dip them into melty chocolate and finish with a sprinkle of vibrant tart raspberry dust, and you have an easy romantic Valentine’s Day dessert.

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    Raspberry Dusted Chocolate Fudge Brownie Truffles in a blue box with paper candy holders.

    Baked Alaska – The Missing Lokness

    Baked Alaska is a stunning showstopper dessert for Valentine’s Day. Ice cream, cake, and toasted meringue all in one. Easier to make than you think!

    Read More

    Baked Alaska on a plate with a slice cut out showing chocolate, strawberry and vanilla ice cream topped with a meringue.

    Oh, my goodness! What a roundup of delicious and decadent-looking Valentine’s Day desserts! How can you choose?

    Frequently asked questions:

    What is the most popular Valentine’s Day treat?

    Pastel, multi-color candy hearts, sometimes called conversation hearts, with cute sayings, such as “be mine” and “true love,” have been around for over a hundred years and are still a popular Valentine’s Day treat, especially with kids.

    For adults, a heart-shaped box of assorted chocolates continues to be the most popular treat!

    What are the most popular Valentine’s Day desserts?

    This varies depending on where you live. In the South, desserts with chocolate and cherries or strawberries reign supreme, with chocolate-covered strawberries, chocolate cakes in the shape of a heart, chocolate mousse, chocolate flourless cake, chocolate parfaits, and chocolate tarts.

    What’s the best Valentine’s Day dessert to take to a potluck?

    The best dessert would be one that is easy to pack up, travels well, and doesn’t have to be refrigerated. Examples included my chocolate cherry dump cake, brownies, cupids crunch, red velvet madeleines, and chocolate truffles.

    Baked Alaska is a good example of a dessert that would not travel well.

    What’s a good Valentine’s Day dessert for two?

    Bananas foster, sous vide crème caramel, butterscotch bourbon budino with salted caramel, strawberry mousse, and creme brulee are all popular romantic desserts that can easily be made for two.

    Need even more dessert recipes?

    If you are a dessert lover as I am, you might also be interested in these decadent dessert collections:

    • 30+ Best Christmas Dessert Recipes 2022
    • 40 Non-Traditional Thanksgiving Desserts
    • 35 Different Ice Cream Flavors With Recipes
    • 40 Best Desserts for Thanksgiving – 2022

    If you need more recipes or menu ideas, check out all of my dessert recipes here!

    ⭐ ⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ If you make any of these desserts, please leave a comment and give it a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!

    Thank you so much for visiting Grits and Pinecones; I hope you come back soon!

    **This post was originally published on January 17, 2018.

    More Dessert Recipes recipes

    • Chocolate Ganache Tart & Raspberry Sauce
    • Heart-Shaped Chocolate Cake with Cherries
    • Charleston Chewies with Brown Butter
    • Baked Pineapple Cheese Casserole

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    1. Molly Kumar

      January 17, 2018 at 10:33 pm

      What a delicious and pretty looking roundup !! All the recipes look perfect for Valentines and I’m going to have such a tough time choosing which one to try first 🙂

      Reply
      • Gritsandpinecones

        January 18, 2018 at 7:09 am

        Thanks Molly, and thanks to you too for sharing your Strawberry Mousse recipe! I can’t wait to try it!
        Sharon

        Reply

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    Sharon Rigsby, blogger at GritsandPinecones.com

    Hello, I'm Sharon Rigsby, blogger, recipe developer, videographer, and photographer for Grits and Pinecones®. I have well over 50 years of experience in the kitchen, and there is nothing I like better than developing and reimagining recipes for my family, friends, and you!

    More about me →

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