Food Holidays & Occasions Valentine's Day 14 Super Simple Valentine's Day Dessert Ideas By Food & Wine Editors Food & Wine Editors This is collaborative content from Food & Wine's team of experts, including staff, recipe developers, chefs, and contributors. Many of our galleries curate recipes or guides from a variety of sources which we credit throughout the content and at each link. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on January 2, 2024 Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen If you ask us, a homemade Valentine's Day dinner is just as romantic, if not more so, than spending the night out. And an impressive dinner calls for an equally impressive dessert. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced baker, these Valentine's Day desserts are sure to delight. Chocolate is a classic option, of course — whip up some fondue, Air Fryer Brownies, or quick and customizable Tropical Mendiants. Whatever you choose will add an extra special touch to your night. 01 of 14 Tropical Mendiants Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell Chef Paola Velez's stunning mendiants are surprisingly easy to make with her simple method for tempering chocolate in the microwave. Piped into rounds, the chocolates are topped with a colorful mix of tropical fruit, toasted nuts, and seeds. Like mini, open-faced chocolate candy bars, the mendiants can be made ahead and served right from the fridge. Get the Recipe 02 of 14 Roasted Strawberry Sorbet Cedric Angeles Roasted strawberries and Pinot Noir give intense fruit flavors to this silky, juicy sorbet that's flavorful in the winter. Get the Recipe 03 of 14 Air Fryer Brownies Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Ali Ramee / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis With the help of an air fryer, these gooey, fudgy brownies, baked in ramekins and reminiscent of molten chocolate cakes, are less than an hour away. Adding espresso powder to the batter helps bring out the chocolate flavor, as does the crunchy sea salt garnish at the end. Serve them on their own, or with your favorite ice cream. Get the Recipe 04 of 14 Molten Chocolate Cakes Jennifer Causey Molten chocolate cakes became famous for a reason: They're cakey on the outside with an irresistible center of warm dark chocolate flowing through the middle. The first time you try one, it may seem like magic, but this recipe is actually quite easy to make and ready in under an hour. Get the Recipe 05 of 14 Spiced Chocolate Fondue Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen The chocolate holds its silky texture at room temperature, so it's great for making ahead of your Valentine's Day dinner. Serve this fondue with pieces of pound cake, gingerbread, apples, pears, strawberries, bananas, and/or marshmallows, for dunking. If you like, offer a few pretzels or salt-topped cookies for a sweet-salty dessert experience. Get the Recipe 06 of 14 Dark Chocolate Bark with Roasted Almonds and Seeds Julia Hartbeck This super-chunky dark chocolate bark from chocolatier Jacques Torres is not only delicious but requires just a few ingredients. Dark chocolate, roasted whole almonds, and salted roasted sunflower and pumpkin seeds come together for the perfect sweet treat. Get the Recipe 07 of 14 Thai Tea Crinkle Cookies Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling Ali Domrongchai Sweet, aromatic Thai tea is relatively new in Thailand, but it's quickly become a Thai-American staple. These cookies have perfect chew and get their delicately spiced, sweet flavor from instant Thai tea powder. Get the Recipe 08 of 14 Air Fryer Basque Cheesecake Photo by Jennifer Causey / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn We use an air fryer to whip up a quick version of a Basque cheesecake that comes together in minutes (but will require a few hours to chill after it bakes). Evenly browned with a creamy, silky, smooth center, this cheesecake boasts just the right amount of sweetness to contrast the bitter burnt top. Get the Recipe 09 of 14 Chocolate-Raspberry Icebox Cake Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Thom Driver This Chocolate-Raspberry Icebox Cake is creamy, dreamy, and so simple to make. Crushed cookies, fresh raspberries, and layers of tart raspberry sorbet and vanilla ice cream transform into a gorgeous marbled layer cake in about 15 minutes — no frosting required. Get the Recipe 10 of 14 Black and Tan Chocolate Popcorn Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christine Keely A recipe by the late chef Michel Richard inspired this fun way to serve popcorn coated in two kinds of chocolate. Half of the popcorn is tossed in caramelized white chocolate, and the rest in dark chocolate, creating a spectrum of bittersweet to milky sweet flavors and also a beautifully contrasting deep brown and golden tan color on the popped kernels. Get the Recipe 11 of 14 Giant Chocolate Cookie with Cacao Nibs and Flaky Salt Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland The only thing better than a dark cocoa cookie with a hint of chewiness and a generous sprinkle of flaky salt is an impressively oversized one. Cut into wedges, the cookie resembles chocolate shortbread, but this treat is far more indulgent. Get the Recipe 12 of 14 Tanghulu (Candied Fruit Skewers) Photo by Jacob Fox / Food Styling by Greg Luna / Prop Styling by Stephanie Hunter The perfect tanghulu is a skewer of ripe fruit covered evenly in a thin, clear sugar shell. This simple recipe relies on a precise ratio of sugar, water, and corn syrup that produces a crisp, even candy shell. Get the Recipe 13 of 14 Turkish Delight Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Rosewater, lemon juice, and orange blossom water give this treat a citrusy, floral flavor, while pistachios add a bit of crunch. Make this one a day ahead of time. Get the Recipe 14 of 14 Toasted Chocolate-Hazelnut Sandwiches Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christine Keely The bread is crisped, lightly salty, and golden brown from the butter, while the inside of the sandwich is both gooey and delightfully crunchy. The floral bitterness of the orange marmalade and the rich sweetness of the fig jam balance the dark chocolate while highlighting its fruity notes. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit