Valentine’s Day is fast approaching and this means it’s time to start thinking about delicious treats to give as gifts for the holiday. We like to make big batches, – keep some for ourselves and bring plenty to school for teachers and friends.
To come up with the ultimate list, we enlisted the help of our guest blogger Stacie Connerty of The Divine Miss Mommy. Stacie asked some of our favorite food bloggers to share their favorite Valentine’s Day treats. They came back with what we think is the perfect mix of fun, whimsy and serious chocolate. Who doesn’t love good chocolate, right?
Many of the items below can be made with minimal ingredients and designed to really look beautiful displayed on your kitchen counter or packaged as a gift. If you are cooking with kids, then several of the recipes have steps where little hands can jump right in to help.
Take a look through the mouthwatering treats below for the ultimate Valentine’s recipe inspiration and let us know what you make.
1. Cherry Cookies With Vanilla Frosting Dip
These pretty-in-pink cookies get their lovely color from maraschino cherries. The side of homemade vanilla frosting at just the right consistency for dipping makes these fun cookies even more crave-worthy. Plus, their lovely heart shape makes them perfect for Valentine’s Day.
Recipe: Jen’s Favorite Cookies
2. Chocolate Covered Cherry Almond Tarts
When it comes to dessert, chocolate is always a good way to grab our attention. But its the combination of flaky crust, almond pastry cream and fresh cherries paired with chocolate ganache that really sets this treat apart.
Recipe: Karen’s Kitchen Stories
3. Chocolate Stout Cupcakes
If he’d rather sip suds and you’d prefer anything with chocolate, these are the perfect cupcakes for your Valentine’s Day. Made with chocolate stout beer, these cupcakes are rich and chocolatey without the overpowering beer flavor.
Recipe: Snappy Gourmet
4. Chocolate Valentine Kiss Cookies
These little beauties are almost too pretty to eat. Almost. We love the fun and flirty approach to the classic Hershey’s Kiss Cookies. Plus, they would look great in our printable Valentine’s treat bags.
Recipe: The Kitchen is My Playground
5. Cookie Dough Truffles
The two most important food groups are covered in this delectable dessert: chocolate and cookie dough. The nostalgic and crowd-pleasing ingredients will be met with lots of love from all the Valentine’s Day sweeties you share them with.
Recipe: Shockingly Delicious
6. Cupid’s Crunch
This tasty concoction combines popcorn, pretzels, M&Ms, sprinkles, candy melts and more for a sweet & salty treat. Package it up and give to classmates, friends or family for a treat that has the Valentine’s Day aesthetic nailed.
Recipe: This Mama Loves
7. Dipped Conversation Hearts Krispies Treats
Color us impressed. There’s a lot of creativity behind this tasty treat that pays homage to the classic Valentine’s conversation hearts. Best of all, they’re not nearly as hard to make as they look.
Recipe: Snappy Gourmet
8. Flourless Nutella Marshmallow Cloud Cookie Cups
These cookie cups are described as heavenly, and we couldn’t agree more. Nutella®, chocolate and fluffy marshmallow buttercream all serve an important role in this bite-sized treat.
Recipe: Cupcakes and Kale Chips
9. Ganache Truffles
We love the Valentine’s versatility of a good ganache. This recipe is actually three recipes in one – serving as a base for a glaze, a frosting or truffles. You can be the triple threat this Valentine’s Day with this chocolate confection.
Recipe: Donuts, Dresses and Dirt
10. Heart Shaped Cherry & White Chocolate Hamantaschen
Flaky, sweet, and doused in delicious Disco Dust for that pop of glitter we can’t get enough of. Their sweet taste and heart shape made them a must-have for our roundup of Valentine’s treats. We also love that this could easily involved the kids – whether they lend a hand folding or dipping in Disco Dust.
Recipe: What Jew Wanna Eat
11. Ombre Pancakes
This colorful breakfast creation is a super fun way to start Valentine’s Day. The best part of this recipe? It’s incredibly easy, but will bring lots of love from your little ones.
Recipe: This Mama Loves
12. Penguin Love Valentine Treat
In addition to being adorable, these “penguin love” treats are also especially delicious and easy. No baking or mixing required, so the kids can participate every step of the way.
Recipe: This Mama Loves
13. Pink Thumbprints With Whiskey Ganache
Bet you wouldn’t have guessed that the brilliant pink color in this treat comes from … beets! These are also gluten, dairy, egg and soy free; vegan without compromising one bit on taste. Plus, they combine antioxidant-rich dark chocolate with the semi-smoky bite of whiskey for an overall romantic dessert.
Recipe: spabettie
14. Pomegranate Fortune Cookies
Pink and playful, this homemade fortune cookie recipe is picture perfect for Valentine’s Day. The pomegranate is responsible for the gorgeous pink color, and also provides a bit of sweetness. Let your imagination run wild with the messages placed inside.
Recipe: What Jew Wanna Eat
15. Raspberry Beet Cupcakes
The stunning hues found in raspberries and beets combine to create a seriously divine (and gluten-free) Valentine’s Day treat. Our favorite part? The downright genius, and extremely easy way these cupcakes are made into heart shapes.
Recipe: Cooking on the Weekends
16. Red Heart Valentine’s Day Cookies
If we had to dream up the quintessential Valentine’s Day cookie … it would look a lot like this. Sugar cookies are always a crowd favorite, and with the eye-catching red heart in the middle, these are sure to disappear quickly.
Recipe: Tammilee Tips
17. Red Velvet Cupcake
We love sweets, and we’re sure you do too, but a few saved calories here or there can’t hurt. Topped with a to-die-for reduced-fat cream cheese frosting, these red velvet cupcakes are baked with a zero-calorie natural sweetener for your reduced-guilt pleasure.
Recipe: Julie’s Eats and Treats
18. Spiked Sweet Potato Truffles or Truffle Cups
Who says you can’t have a little bit of fun with vegetables? Surprise your sweetheart with these sweet potato truffles. Using a little Cointreau and orange zest, these rich and creamy confections carry a fabulous citrus flavor and are sure to delight.
Recipe: Ricki Heller
19. Homemade Cake Pops
Designed with the kids in mind, baking these homemade cake pops can be a family affair. Using cake mix and frosting rolled into balls, these are sure to delight both young and old.
Recipe: All Day I Dream About Food
20. Valentine’s Day Doughnut Cupcakes
Strawberry-infused pink velvet cupcakes? Topped with vanilla-glazed mini doughnuts? Yes please.
Recipe: Kailley’s Kitchen
21. Valentine’s Day Nutella® Brownies
It’s a scratch-made brownie bonanza with a little heart. A little Nutella® heart, that is.
Recipe: Cooking on the Weekends
22. Valentine’s Day Spicy Hot Shots
Using natural food coloring and homemade vegan white chocolate shot glasses, these love cocktails pack a punch with fiery five pepper vodka.
Recipe: spabettie
Which of these tasty treats will you make this Valentine’s Day? Let us know in the comments section.