Whether it’s a significant other, a best friend or a parent, everyone deserves some special Valentine’s Day goodies. As a lover of Valentine’s Day and an avid baker, I believe I’m qualified to share my favorite Valentine’s Day treats to make your loved ones feel a little bit sweeter this year!
1. Chocolate Covered Pretzels
Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- Pretzels
- Chocolate chips
- Flaky sea salt
Forget the store-bought chocolate-covered pretzels; they are so simple to make at home! Gifting a homemade treat is so much better than something packaged, plus these will taste even more delicious coming from the heart. Whether you use pretzel rods, pretzel twists, milk chocolate or dark chocolate, chocolate-covered pretzels come out perfectly every time. You probably even already have the ingredients in your pantry!
2. Valentine M&M Cookies
Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- Unsalted butter
- Light brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Two eggs
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Semisweet chocolate chips
- Valentine’s M&Ms
My dad’s favorite candy has always been M&Ms, and we seemingly always have had them in our house. They are delicious plain, but adding them to chocolate chip cookies really takes the flavor up a notch. Using Valentine’s M&Ms not only gives these chocolate chips great added flavor but the red and pink make them look delicious, too!
3. Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- Strawberries
- Chocolate
- Coconut oil
- Optional toppings (chopped nuts, coconut, toffee bits, mini chocolate chips, crushed Oreos, sprinkles, or melted white chocolate or chocolate)
A classic! I’m a firm believer that food is the way to anyone’s heart, and chocolate-covered strawberries are no exception. It’s a symbolic Valentine’s Day treat for a reason, and if these strawberries have only one fan, it’s me! Whether you top them with chocolate drizzle, sprinkles or keep it simple, chocolate-covered strawberries are the perfect combination of easy AND delicious.
4. Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Brownies
Time: 1 hour and 5 minutes
Ingredients:
- Cooking spray
- Two eggs
- Vegetable oil
- Unsalted butter, melted
- Water
- Vanilla extract
- Sugar
- All-purpose flour
- Cocoa powder
- Confectioners’ sugar
- Salt
- Chocolate chips or chunks
- Strawberries
- Chocolate melting wafers
I haven’t tried these yet, but I don’t see how the combination of two of my favorite desserts can go wrong! These are perfect for the chocolate or fruit lover, rich with flavor and the perfect dessert to make for a foodie like myself.
5. Red Velvet Cookies
Time: 2 hours and 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- Unsalted butter, softened
- Cream cheese, softened
- Brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- One egg
- White vinegar
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Cocoa powder
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Red food coloring
- Powdered sugar
I have always been a chocolate crinkle cookie fan, and this red velvet twist fits in perfectly with the aesthetic of Valentine’s Day. You can’t go wrong with red velvet, and the powdered sugar topping not only looks good, but it tastes even better!
6. Chocolate Covered Raspberries
Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- Raspberries
- Chocolate
A twist on the classic chocolate-covered strawberries, these chocolate-covered raspberries are just as good, if not better. Sweet raspberries are one of my favorite fruits, and when a strawberry is too much, a small dessert like this is the perfect treat to satisfy your sweet tooth!
7. Mini Cheesecakes
Time: 3 hours and 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- Graham cracker crumbs
- Granulated sugar
- Salted butter, melted
- Cream cheese, softened
- Sour cream
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
- Two eggs
This is another treat I made for the first time last year, and they were such a big hit with my boyfriend and parents that I have made them for every birthday and holiday since! I’m not a cheesecake fan myself, but those who are RAVE about these mini cheesecakes. They are the perfect size to pop one (or a bunch) into your mouth during the day or after dinner, and the toppings you can add are endless! I’ve always used fruit, but caramel or chocolate sauce will also pair well with these sweet bite-sized desserts.
8. Chocolate Covered Pomegranate Seeds
Time: 1 hour and 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- Dark chocolate
- Pomegranate seeds
This is my all-time FAVORITE snack, even when I’m not celebrating Valentine’s Day. The sweetness of the chocolate and the juiciness of the pomegranate seeds work together seamlessly, and they are SO easy to make!
9. Raspberry Chocolate Chip Cookies
Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- Unsalted butter, melted
- Brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- One egg + one egg yolk
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Chocolate chips
- Frozen raspberries
Another dessert that is bursting with chocolate and fruity flavor, these raspberry chocolate chip cookies perfectly encapsulate the feeling of love this February. Broma Bakery is one of my favorite food content creators, and I am excited to try this recipe myself! If it’s not feeding your fancy, she also has recipes for White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies or Strawberries and Cream Cookies that will surely do the trick!