When you need something decadent to finish off the evening—whether it’s the ultimate date night or a Valentine’s dinner—a romantic dessert recipe is just the thing. Chocolate tends to be the go-to, given its impressive health benefits and aphrodisiac tendencies, but there are plenty of other sweet flavors to consider.
We combed our archives for the most heart-palpitating, spine-tingling, romantic desserts. Most can be made ahead of time or come together easily, giving you more time for other things, like planning a creative date night. Try one for your special night and let us know how it went…or not.
Tiramisu for Two
Greg DuPree
Easy yet elegant, you can assemble these parfaits in just 15 minutes and then set them in the fridge for at least 3 hours (and up to 2 days). That extra time allows the espresso-dipped ladyfingers to soak up flavor from raspberries and the boozy, creamy mixture. Top with grated chocolate for over-the-top decadence.
Red Velvet Brownie Torte
Victor Protasio
This—the quintessential Valentine’s Day dessert—is red and white, rich and decadent, chocolatey, and something you’ll absolutely love. Essentially a three-layer brownie masquerading as a red velvet cake, the recipe calls on red food coloring in the batter to give the “cake” that deep scarlet hue and sprinkles for a colorful finish.
Sweet Tahini and Date Truffles
Victor Protasio
These five-ingredient truffles are deceptively simple to make. A little tahini gives each bite a richer, slightly bitter flavor, and the dates and almond flour mix creates a texture similar to marzipan. Make them for a romantic dessert or as a sweet homemade gift for someone special.
Mint Chocolate Cookie Bars
Fred Hardy
Can’t decide between making cookies, brownies, or bars? Choose all three! This romantic dessert recipe layers a chocolatey, fudgy cookie with peppermint candy-flecked buttercream, all draped in a luscious dark chocolate ganache. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days, but we suspect they’ll disappear long before that.
Pink Hot Chocolate
Alison Miksch
Instead of eating dessert at the table, how about sipping dessert while cuddling under a blanket next to a crackling fire? This Valentine’s Day-friendly recipe combines melted white chocolate with your milk of choice, and—in the spirit of love and romance—tints it pink with wholesome beet juice (instead of an artificial dye). Serve it warm with whipped cream, cinnamon, and goo-goo eyes.
Malted Chocolate Brownies
Victor Protasio
This malted chocolate brownie recipe makes use of the classic malt drink mix. Each brownie is studded with chocolate chips and topped with malted milk balls and flaky sea salt. For a more romantic theme, swap out the malted milk balls for dried cranberries or cherries.
White Chocolate Pomegranate Cheesecake
Victor Protasio
Cheesecake and romance are a natural pairing, so this dessert recipe is right at home on date night. A ring of pistachios, lime zest, and pomegranate arils add a pop of color and texture, but you can switch that out with whatever you like, such as sliced, toasted almonds with raspberries or toasted pecans with dried cranberries.
Sheet Pan Pavlova With Berries and Mangoes
Greg DuPree
A pavlova is a meringue-based dessert typically topped with fresh fruit and whipped cream. This version is garnished with a whopping pound of mixed berries atop a rich combination of heavy cream and egg whites.
Flourless Spiced Hot Chocolate Cake
Caitlin Bensel
If you like Mexican hot chocolate, you’ll love this romantic cake. Cinnamon and cayenne complement a dense chocolate batter for a cake that’s naturally gluten-free and great for a spicy date night. For best results, use a springform pan.
Strawberry Cheesecake Bars
Victor Protasio
If you love a salty-sweet combination, look no further than these swirled strawberry cheesecake bars. The crust is made from finely crushed pretzels, butter, and brown sugar. Make heart shapes by pouring the cheesecake mixture into the pan in small blobs, then moving a toothpick down the middle of the cheesecake blobs to create hearts.
Raspberry and Honey Marshmallows
Caitlin Bensel
Though not necessarily a typical dessert, these homemade marshmallows boast a natural red hue that screams romance. Each one is fluffy, fruity, and free of corn syrup. Plus, the honey gives them a rich, caramelized quality that reminds you of a fire-toasted marshmallow. Serve them as part of a larger romantic dessert spread, or dip them in a mug of hot chocolate.
Chocolate Ganache Tart
Victor Protasio
Ganache is French so it must be complicated to make, right? Au contraire, mon chéri! It’s just cream and chocolate with, in this case, some butter for extra richness. Poured into a simple cracker-crumb crust, you have an easy homemade tart that looks and sounds fancy, and tastes heavenly.
Dark Chocolate Truffles
Samantha Seneviratne
Instead of spending too much on a fancy gift box of truffles, try making them yourself! This dessert recipe mixes high-quality chocolate with butter, heavy cream, and a dash of salt. Once you get the standard recipe down, which takes about 40 minutes of hands-on prep, follow instructions for ways to customize your truffles with Earl Grey tea, peanut butter and jelly, and more.
Easy Chocolate Mousse With Croissant Crumbs
Caitlin Bensel
You’ll be hard-pressed to find a dessert more romantic than homemade chocolate mousse. This version uses a breakfast staple—croissants—for a buttery topping that pairs perfectly with its rich chocolate base. And don’t be intimidated about making mousse. Instead of relying on eggs for the structure, whipped cream does all the work, creating creamy clouds of luscious chocolate.
Cherry Berry Breakfast Custard
Greg DuPree
This romantic breakfast treat is based on the popular French dessert, clafoutis (pronounced clah-foo-TEE), and is made with a base of flour, sugar, mixed berries, and sweet cherries. While a nice crust forms on the outside, the inside of this picture-perfect confection remains deliciously custardy. Just make sure you serve this treat immediately because, like a soufflé, the center sinks as it cools.
Croissant and Chocolate Bread Pudding
Con Poulos
This super-simple recipe turns out a dessert that’s rich and decadent. It combines store-bought croissants with chocolate chunks in a custardy mixture that bakes in 30 minutes. The recipe serves eight, so you can look forward to an indulgent breakfast the morning after.
Marshmallow and Chocolate Shortbread Slices
Caitlin Bensel
This romantic dessert recipe—essentially a homemade candy bar—will touch the heart of anyone with an unstoppable sweet tooth. Each slice boasts a crunchy cookie base upgraded with almond meal and cocoa powder, marshmallow filling, and a chocolate coating. They’re topped with slivered almonds for added crunch.
Pistachio and White Chocolate Cookie Bark
Fred Hardy
When chocolate bark and a sheet cookie fall in love, this is what you get: a pistachio cookie base topped with white chocolate and studded with pistachio and freeze-dried raspberry. We love this combo for V-Day, but the recipe is customizable with a wide range of options—like sprinkles, coconut flakes, or chopped dried fruit—so go nuts!
3-Layer Magic Cake
Bahareh Niati
Six ingredients go into the batter and, out of the oven—abracadabra!—three layers magically appear: a thick, fudgy bottom, a custardy center, and a delicate sponge on top. Finish with a sprinkle of powdered sugar and your fruit of choice for a light last course.
Churros With Chocolate Sauce
Caitlin Bensel
If you’ve never made churros, you’ll be surprised how much tastier they are homemade—and you don’t need a deep fryer! Perfectly crunchy and delightfully sweet on their own, a dip in rich chocolate ganache elevates this fun dessert to date night-worthy status.
Lemon Pots de Crème
Hector Manuel Sanchez
Silky custard gets a tasty twist with this tangy lemon version. These pots are cooked low and slow, and they spend the bulk of the recipe time chilling in the fridge—perfect for a date night dessert. Top with strawberries and whipped cream to give the pots a romantic look.
Chocolate Banana Bites
Azurita/Getty Images
Three simple, good-for-you ingredients—dark chocolate, banana, and nut butter—yield 12 of these little guilt-free bites. They require no baking, no added sugar, and no special equipment, and you can feel good about saying “yes” to just one more.
Marbled Pound Cake
Pati Jinich
A simple pound cake gets an upgrade with a chocolate treatment in this recipe from chef Pati Jinich, host of the TV show Pati’s Mexican Table. Rich and comforting, there’s still room for a strawberry or caramel topping or a dollop of ice cream.
Raspberry S’mores
James Baigrie
Cooking s’mores in the broiler instead of a campfire takes some of the fun out of this kid-friendly summer favorite, but its gooey, decadent flavors are still there. This grown-up version adds fresh raspberries for an unexpected (and romantic) twist.
Angeletti Cookies
Victor Schrager
These delightful make-ahead morsels walk the line between sugar cookies and shortbread, but their appeal is indisputable. To dress them up for date night, shape them into little hearts and add some red and pink sprinkles for a festive touch.