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Brie Goldman
There's no better way to say "I love you" than with delightful, decadent chocolate desserts for Valentine's Day. But better than any box of store-bought bonbons is a homemade dessert or treat to share. Whether you enjoy it with your partner, the family, or a group of friends is up to you, but we're offering a stellar selection of cacao recipes just right for the holiday of love.
Chocolate Heart-Shaped Cakes With Buttercream
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Mini flourless chocolate cakes get a flavor boost from dark rum and instant espresso. They puff up slightly in the oven, then set into a delicate, truffle-like consistency as they cool. Piped meringue buttercream decorations are the finishing touch that takes these decadent treats over the top.
Loaf-Pan Buckeye Brownies
Bake brownies in a loaf pan using our small-batch recipe when you need a smaller amount of decadent treats. Inspired by buckeye candies—an old-fashioned confection of chocolate-dipped peanut butter fudge—they are run through with a ribbon of rich peanut butter cream that takes on a caramel flavor in the oven.
Milk Chocolate-Pistachio Tart
Milk chocolate and pistachio is a blissful combination, as this tart shows. The best part? You'll find pistachios everywhere in this dessert—embedded in the crust, in a paste layered beneath the milk-chocolate filling, and in a dusted coating on top.Â
Dark Chocolate-Walnut Date Bar
It's rich and indulgent but also free of refined sugar and eggs and gluten-free. This dessert bar is our top choice for anyone with dietary restrictions or who prefers a healthier dessert.
​​Molten Chocolate-Espresso Cakes
For a quick chocolate fix for your valentine, turn to these easy mini cakes. Serve them plain, or topped with a bit of ganache and a sprinkling of pistachios or a touch of flaky sea salt.
One-Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes
Sweet messages written in white chocolate adorn these easy one-bowl chocolate cupcakes.
Vanilla Pudding Pie
For white chocolate lovers, there's this creamy, dreamy pie with white chocolate in the silky vanilla filling and a chocolate wafer cookie crust.
Mile-High Triple-Chocolate-Espresso Mousse Pie
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A chocolate dessert that deserves a pedestal. This lavish sweet has two different chocolate mousses layered over a chocolate wafer crust. On top is an espresso cream and a dusting of cocoa powder.
Chocolate-Olive Oil Crisps
Made with olive oil instead of butter, these cookies have a crisp texture and a more intense cocoa flavor. Serve them to your sweetheart on their own or with scoops of fruit sorbet.
Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
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It's so easy to make your own version of this classic, coveted Valentine's Day treat. Coat the chocolate-dipped strawberries in pistachios as shown in this recipe, or branch out with other kinds of nuts, coconut, crushed cookies, edible glitter, and more fun surprises.
Chocolate-Mousse Parfaits
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Espresso powder intensifies the chocolate flavor in this light and luscious make-ahead mousse.
No-Bake Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cup Bars
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Sweet, fluffy peanut butter filling luxuriates between two blankets of dark chocolate in our homemade version of the classic candy. Swirl peanut butter hearts on top for an extra-loving touch.
Dark-and-White-Chocolate Shortbread Hearts
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Your Valentine's heart will grow four sizes when you present them with these beautiful (and totally Instagram-worthy) layered shortbread cookies.
Chocolate-Pistachio Tartufo
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Layers of ice cream and cookie crumbs coated in chocolate make the perfect romantic dessert for sharing. Grab two spoons and dive in to discover the two surprise maraschino cherries inside.
Chocolate Pots de Creme
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These elegant chocolate custards will transport you to a romantic French bistro with every silky bite.
Chocolate Eclair Cake
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Declare your love with a decadent dessert. It's easy but seems fancy, this no-bake cake is an all-round winner. All the cooking that's needed for our chocolate eclair cake is for the vanilla pudding or custard that's the filling.
Vegan Chocolate Cake
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Use your favorite dairy-free creamer to concoct this decadent vegan chocolate-mocha layer cake.
Chocolate Beet Cake
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Puréed beets are the healthy secrets behind this moist, ganache-coated chocolate cake.
Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie
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Cookies, like love, are meant to be shared, and there's plenty to go around when you bake up this great big chocolate-chip beauty.
Milk-Chocolate Pudding Cupcakes
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Achieve ultimate chocolate nirvana in these chocolate cupcakes filled with milk-chocolate pudding, coated in milk-chocolate ganache, and decked out with chocolate curls.
Chocolate Raspberry Cake
Brie Goldman
Our chocolate raspberry cake is a layered creation loaded with decadent chocolate flavor. It features three layers of cake, a homemade raspberry filling, and a creamy chocolate frosting—all that is left is for the love birds to enjoy!
Flourless Chocolate-Date Cake With Salted-Caramel Sauce
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A seductive mixture of dates and bourbon is at the base of this sophisticated cake.
Chocolate Mousse Pie With Phyllo Crust
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Crisp, buttery layers of phyllo dough are coated in a layer of chocolate and then heaped with fluffy chocolate mousse in this all-new interpretation of chocolate cream pie.
Chocolate-Peanut Butter Semifreddo With Caramel Corn
Semifreddo is Italian for "half-cold," and this dessert is a mousse-like riff on ice cream cake. This one is for the chocolate and peanut butter lovers among us, with meringue folded into dark chocolate and PB ganaches, layered in a loaf pan, and frozen. To knock it out of the park, serve it with our extra-nutty rendition of Cracker Jack.
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