The 73 Best Valentine’s Day Desserts You’ll Swoon Over

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: make ahead, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 24 cookies

This pretty-in-pink recipe only requires 40 minutes of your time. "Instead of food coloring, the cookies get their half-and-half hue (and flavor) from freeze-dried berries," former PureWow senior food editor Katherine Gillen explains, "which you can find online and in stores like Trader Joe’s or Target."

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 9

Your S.O. will be totally impressed that you took the time to make brown butter for these crackly, caramelly, cinnamon-kissed bars. "All you need is butter, a skillet or pan and a watchful eye—it can burn quickly if you’re not careful," Gillen warns. "If you have it, a light-colored skillet or saucepan will allow you to better monitor the butter as its color changes."

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 12

Best served alongside a cup of joe. (Or even better, coffee spiked with Baileys.) "It’s sweet but not too sweet, swirled with cinnamon and, lucky for you, doesn’t even require an espresso machine to make," Gillen says. "The secret? Instant espresso powder. You’re welcome." Savor the leftovers on the morning of the 15th (if there are any).

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, make ahead, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 24 cookies

If Valentine's Day is a family affair at your house, look no further than these marbled handhelds that the kids will go gaga for. Stick to two colors to keep the icing from looking muddied. "More mixing will have a softer, more marbled effect; less mixing will yield bright streaks of color," Gillen says.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, kid-friendly
• Serves: 9

Red velvet cake is, dare I say it, sexy—especially on V-Day. That’s a cream cheese and marshmallow filling (starring easy, store-bought marshmallow creme, BTW), in case you need another reason to make these.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours and 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: no bake, gluten free, vegan, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 8

"If you're into fudge, I guarantee you'll love this rich, intense chocolate treat that's studded with just the right amount of tart dried cherries and macadamia nuts," recipe creator Erin McDowell writes. Don't skimp on the dried rose petals; rose tea will do if you can't find edible flowers.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, kid-friendly
• Serves: 12

I'm a big fan of mash-ups, and this Valentine's Day dessert is no exception. "The biscuit-like batter is poured into a muffin tin and filled with lightly sweetened fresh strawberries," McDowell explains. "Then, the finished cupcakes are topped with whipped cream and, of course, more berries." Make a second batch for the kids to take to their school Valentine's Day party.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, special occasion-worthy, kid-friendly
• Serves: 2

The gooey chocolate center really seals the deal. (A scoop of vanilla ice cream wouldn't hurt either.) If you don't have ramekins on deck, feel free to substitute a muffin tin to get a similar single-serve shape for each cake.

• Time Commitment: 55 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly
• Serves: 16

Savor everything you love about red velvet cake...without fussing over all those layers. Go ahead, lay the frosting on thick. (Cream cheese frosting and red velvet are a match made in heaven, no?)

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, <30 minutes, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6

These dainty little tartlets look impressive, but they’re actually super easy to make. (You don’t even need a rolling pin.) Fill them with pudding, whipped cream, custard or ice cream to your heart’s content.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 40 minutes (plus cooling time)
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, gluten free
• Serves: 10

Aren't those swoops and swirls of rich chocolate and simple meringue straight-up hypnotizing? Your date will fall for this one at first bite. "Not only does [the meringue] look appealing on top of the cake, it bakes into a light and crispy shell that yields to the rich crumb," recipe creator Claire Saffitz writes.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 9

Be still my salty-sweet loving heart. A heart-shaped cookie cutter makes these fudgy gems holiday-appropriate in a flash. A flourish of flaky salt on top merely gilds the lily.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
• Serves: 20 cookies

Want a break from chocolate? I love these delicate, buttery shortbread cookies that have major spring vibes, even during peak citrus season. Add some rose petals or candied lemon peel if you’re feeling fancy.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 24 pies

I love the way the berry filling peeks out the tops of these adorable hand pies. Who knew frozen fruit and Nutella were such an epic pairing? Serve them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and all the napkins.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 14

In case your Valentine's Day plans involve kids, these will definitely fit the bill. "These cookies taste very much like the sugar cookies you used to buy from those cookie stores at the mall, in the best way," recipe creator Becca Rea-Tucker explains. Use pink and red sanding or sparkling sugars instead of rainbow to be more on-theme.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, gluten free
• Serves: 6

Mousse seems like the kind of dessert reserved for high-end restaurants, but it’s actually super simple to make at home. In fact, the mousse itself only requires six simple ingredients to come together. Bring on the chocolate-hazelnut deliciousness.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 20 to 25 bites

"Lightly sweet and bursting with almond flavor, these almond raspberry cake bites can be whipped up by hand using just a whisk and a single bowl," McDowell claims. Indulge a little or a lot (as in like, a dozen of 'em). Yogurt in the batter offers both moisture and tang.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
• Serves: 32 cookies

Might I suggest wrapping these up in cute goodie bags for the kids' classmates? (They sure beat paper valentines.) Royal icing is key to these photogenic cookies. Follow VP of editorial Candace Davison's guide to making it before you start.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours and 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 4

You only need dairy and chocolate chips for the mousse, but the salty crackle of Rice Krispies and hazelnuts is well worth the extra ingredients and effort. "Bonus points if you load it into pretty glasses, though it tastes just as good in a Dixie cup," recipe creator Chrissy Teigen writes.

• Time Commitment: 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, <30 minutes, kid-friendly, gluten free
• Serves: 8 to 10 cups

Three ingredients, plus the optional (read: essential) addition of sprinkles and conversation hearts. It's the ultimate Valentine's Day dessert for a night in with your galentines or a movie marathon with bae.

• Time Commitment: 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, <30 minutes, gluten free
• Serves: 12

It's never too cold out for sundaes in my book. This vibrant, nostalgic recipe is just the excuse I was looking for, too. "This recipe uses freeze-dried strawberries, which means you don't need much for a big strawberry flavor and beautiful color," McDowell says. "It's easy to pull off and makes store-bought ice cream seem super impressive."

• Time Commitment: 2 hours
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, special occasion-worthy, make ahead
• Serves: 4

That's amore, folks. Feel free to pour the brandy or rum with a heavy hand when preparing this coffee-laced treat, which only requires nine ingredients. You can also sub espresso for drip, if you're feeling ambitious.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: make ahead, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 28 bars

Chewy, tangy, creamy and flat-out festive, these bars are a breeze to prepare. They're basically blondies with a surprise inside. "These bars can be made a day ahead," recipe developer Gaby Dalkin writes. "Store them in the fridge, covered, and slice just before serving."

• Time Commitment: 2 hours and 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, gluten free, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 6

This Italian treat is timelessly elegant and only calls for six ingredients. Plus, grapefruit are peak delicious right now. "It lightly cleanses your palate—instead of filling you up—after a big meal," McDowell adds.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours (includes chilling)
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 36 cookies

Complete with chocolate coating and festive sprinkles. Use Dutch processed cocoa powder for a richer, less bitter chocolate flavor. Don't worry about using a double boiler to melt the chocolate chips for the outer coating; the microwave will do just fine.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours and 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: gluten free, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 10

Before you buy your boo a bouquet, consider this edible alternative to flowers. The press-in pecan crust is a breeze to assemble, meaning you'll have plenty of time and energy left to craft the apple-rose toppers.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours and 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, gluten free
• Serves: 18 cookies

Tiny meringues stuffed with chocolate-hazelnut spread? Excuse me while I inhale the whole plate. "The meringues keep better un-sandwiched, so it’s best to assemble the cookies the day you're serving them," McDowell recommends.

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, make ahead, kid-friendly
• Serves: 2

If you can't maintain your composure around a whole batch of cupcakes, the low yield on this recipe solves your problem. Espresso powder gives them an extra dose of intensity, while the keys to the frosting are raspberry preserves and a dash of rosewater.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes (plus freezing time)
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, gluten free, vegan
• Serves: 6

This grown-up take on shaved ice isn't limited to summertime, especially during citrus season. "You can just mix it together and freeze it solid, then use a fork to scrape it into tiny crystals, or you can stir it periodically while it’s freezing to make larger crystals," McDowell suggests.

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, make ahead, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 36 cookies

Your kids will be chomping at the bit to help decorate. Bonus points for icing them with classic phrases (I call dibs on "Be Mine"). P.S.: The dough can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for three days before the 14th.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, gluten free
• Serves: 6

The only way I'm eating fruit for dessert from now on is if it's soaked in wine, cool? This is an ingenious way to use up a lingering bottle of rosé. Be sure to go the extra mile with homemade whipped cream instead of the store-bought kind.

• Time Commitment: 55 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 6

The secret to a foolproof soufflé? Move slowly and gently. "The key is not over-mixing,” McDowell tells us. "Be tender with them, and don't slam the sheet tray down. Everyone will think you're a pro when you make these, so try it when you're really looking to impress someone."

• Time Commitment: 2 hours and 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, make ahead
• Serves: 60 candies

One thing that always puts me in the mood? Candy, especially when it's homemade. I didn't know mini marshmallows had all this in them. "The mixture will be very sticky, so I use a lightly greased piece of parchment paper to help spread and pat the mixture down into the pan," recipe creator Jo-Anna Rooney writes.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, gluten free, make ahead, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 20 pieces

Your date is sure to ask what fancy confectionery you bought these at. Tell them the truth and let the compliments roll in. They'll never know it only took you six ingredients (and that's including salt).

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, <30 minutes
• Serves: 24 cookies

Boxed cake mix never looked this good. It's the key to going from zero to cookie in 15 minutes flat. "I baked the cookies and cut them into heart shapes while the cookies were still warm," recipe creator Maria Lichty explains. "You don't have to cut the cookies into hearts, but they turned out super cute. Plus, you get to eat all of the cookie scraps."

• Time Commitment: 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, no bake, <30 minutes
• Serves: varies

How classy are these? No one would guess you started with store-bought palmiers (and your secret is safe with us). Make them extra fancy with a dusting of gold leaf. It's just as good a Valentine's Day gift as jewelry, no?

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, no bake, kid-friendly
• Serves: 10

This no-bake delight frees your oven up to cook Valentine's Day dinner. Inside await Oreos, cream cheese filling, chocolate filling, cherry jam and graham crackers. Even picky kids will ask for seconds—you've been warned.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, make ahead, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 12 to 13 cookies

There's no better day than the 14th to think pink. Pair 'em with a batch of chocolate-covered strawberries for good measure, or drizzle the cookies with melted chocolate instead. The flavor combination is divine in all forms.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegan, gluten free, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 12

No butter, eggs or milk to be found here. The tart is crowned with crystallized ginger and chopped pistachios. "With a fudge-like consistency and irresistible combination of rich dark chocolate and zingy ginger, it's a crowd-pleaser that's fantastic for any special occasion," recipe creator Nisha Vora states.

• Time Commitment: 3 hours and 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, make ahead, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 6

Scared of your soufflé deflating before it hits the table? This foolproof recipe calls for freezing it for a few hours instead of baking. That means Valentine's Day dessert is a sure success—swoon.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
• Serves: 42 cookies

These handhelds have a delicious secret. (OK, I'll spill: They're stuffed with creamy raspberry-chocolate candies.) The white chocolate drizzle on top is just an eye-catching bonus, if you ask me.

• Time Commitment: 5 hours
• Why I Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 10

Ending dinner with coffee and dessert has a whole new meaning. "I bake it New York-style—extra tall and rich—and make it even more impressive by coating it in shiny chocolate glaze," McDowell explains. The glaze is as simple as combining two-ingredient ganache with corn syrup.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes (includes chilling)
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, gluten free
• Serves: 15

The pink strawberry milk version has V-Day written all over it, but you can't go wrong with classic chocolate either. (I'm springing for pink non-pareils, too.) "You can save time by skipping the rolling and sprinkles altogether and eat the mixture straight from the pan once it's chilled (that's called brigadeiro de colher, or spoon brigadeiro," PureWow food editor Taryn Pire suggests.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes (plus chilling time)
• Why I Love It: make ahead, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 6 to 8

Chocolate-cream cheese ice cream + chocolate cookies = a one-way ticket to my happy place. "I thought about rolling these in sprinkles, chocolate chips or flaked coconut," recipe creator Liz Harris notes, "but then I just left them alone because the color of the ice cream was so fun and vibrant."

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, gluten free, beginner-friendly, <30 minutes
• Serves: 4 to 6

Is anyone else humming "Lovefool" by The Cardigans? Just me? This Valentine's Day dessert recipe is as simple to make as a microwave mug cake, but so much more satisfying and impressive. "You can make [the jam] with fresh or frozen raspberries, and if you're in a pinch and want to make this even faster, you could use store-bought preserves instead," McDowell says.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, make ahead, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
• Serves: 36 cookies

These just never get old, do they? Your kids will scarf them down so fast that they won't even notice the oats. Decorate the cookie with whatever festive candies you have on hand, like pink-and-white candy corn or red M&MS.

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, make ahead, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 20 straws

Thanks to store-bought puff pastry, these come together in just 35 minutes. The jam is store-bought too, but your date won't know the difference. The rest is three essential ingredients that you likely have in your kitchen right now.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <30 minutes, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6

Layer homemade whipped cream and fresh berries between each pancake for dessert, then serve the leftovers to the kids for breakfast. (Just don't mention the white whole-wheat flour...it'll be a safer bet that way.)

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 8

Complete with layers of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry custard. "The pie looks simple at first glance, but a slice reveals three layers of Neapolitan goodness,” McDowell explains. "Topped with plenty of whipped cream, this nostalgic dessert is especially adorable."

• Time Commitment: 2 hours and 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: gluten free, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 10

One perk of serving pavlova instead of cake? You can have two (or, ahem, three) slices without feeling too bogged down. It's light as clouds, easy on the eyes and naturally gluten free. Any questions, lovebirds?

• Time Commitment: 3 hours and 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, gluten free, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 16 bites

Wow. I can hear your date's oohs and ahhs already. These will no doubt lend a certain je ne sais quoi to your Valentine's Day spread. Be sure to leave plenty of time for the pavlova to dry; it'll need to be completely crisp before you top it.

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, make ahead
• Serves: 35 minutes

"The batter is deeply chocolaty, flavored with both cocoa and melted chocolate," McDowell notes. "It bakes up into the ideal combination of chewy at the edges and fudgy in the center, aided by the addition of a chunk of milk chocolate pressed into the middle." What's not to like?

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, make ahead
• Serves: 10

Hot take: Not every cake needs frosting (or layers!) to be impressive. This Valentine's Day dessert is light as air and topped with lemon-spritzed berries, so it'll leave you with plenty of room for another glass of vino.

• Time Commitment: 55 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 8

Galettes are a lazy baker's saving grace. Simply lay the puff pastry in a skillet, pile on the fruit and bake to golden-brown perfection. Substitute pears or apples if you can't find ripe plums at this time of year.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6 to 8

Fried dough rolled in cinnamon sugar is my love language. I'm planning to eat these the same way Lady and The Tramp ate their spaghetti. Plate them with chocolate sauce, dulce de leche or fruit compote for dipping.

• Time Commitment: 3 hours
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 24 cookies

I have nothing against old-school gingerbread, but I'm swooning over the gooey, molten caramel centers in these wintry sweets. Not only are they incredibly decadent, but they're gorgeous and unexpected to boot.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: no bake, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 8

Thanks to store-bought red currant jelly, these little cheesecakes take ten minutes to prepare before magically coming together in the fridge. You'll have plenty of time to work on your date night dinner while they chill, trust.

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
• Serves: 18 cookies

These poppables are bursting with blood orange, cranberry and plenty of spices. I'm talking cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg and ginger. Use the bottom of a measuring spoon to make the indents instead of your thumb; they'll be more uniform that way.

• Time Commitment: 4 hours and 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, special occasion-worthy, make ahead, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 24

These patisserie-quality cookies are a labor of love...but that's what Valentine's Day is all about, isn't it? "[The homemade puff pastry] has all those warm spice flavors of cinnamon, cardamom and clove, and then when you’re shaping them, they're dipped in sugar so that in the oven, as they puff up and show all their layers, they also get deeply caramelized," McDowell raves.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy, kid-friendly
• Serves: 9

Official proclamation: Dessert for breakfast (or is it breakfast for dessert?) is totally dreamy on V-Day. These sprinkle-topped delights are just the match for post-dinner coffee, and your kids will jump for joy at the sight of leftovers.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours and 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, make ahead
• Serves: 10

Just looking at these cuties gives me all the warm-and-fuzzy feels. They're packed with raspberries, but the crème pâtissière boasts another fruity surprise whipped inside: passionfruit pulp. Need I say more?

• Time Commitment: 2 hours and 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 8

According to recipe creator Kristina Cho, the crepe layers taste just like the leftover milk from a bowl of Cocoa Krispies. "You'll want to put the salted peanut whipped cream on everything," she says. “It's a nice balance of sweet and salty and provides a nutty layer of flavor."

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: gluten free, <10 ingredients, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 6

Steeping whole cardamom pods in the cream not only imparts warm spice to the custard, but it also modernizes the dessert and plucks it right out of '90s territory. "Don't skip the whole cardamom pods—they're a lot spicier than the ground version," McDowell suggests.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 24 cookies

They're essentially double chocolate chip cookies dusted with cayenne-spiked cinnamon sugar. "This makes it taste like a chocolate version of the old-fashioned Red Hots candy," recipe developer and actor Danny Trejo writes. I'd make a pot of hot cocoa for dunking them in, if I were you.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, make ahead
• Serves: 10

Believe it or not, this crowd favorite starts with an unexpected ingredient: active sourdough starter. "You'll want to make sure yours is bubbly and ready to go a few days in advance," recipe developer Caroline Schiff suggests. A Bundt pan yields the prettiest results, but you could also bake the cake in a 9-by-13-inch pan.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 9 to 12

You'll need a tall glass of milk for this one. Fig jam, dark chocolate and Dutch process cocoa powder make for the coziest Valentine's Day dessert of all time. "There's something about the musky honey sweetness of the figs that brings out the fruity undertones of dark chocolate, and I always love it paired with sourdough," Schiff writes.

• Time Commitment: 3 hours and 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 15 cupcakes

Between the strawberry-Nutella buttercream, freeze-dried strawberry dust and heart-shaped chocolate garnish, you’re officially Cupid in an apron. Both the cupcakes and frosting can be prepared up to one day in advance, BTW.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
• Why I Love It: make ahead, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 10

Nothing says "I love you" like a piece of homemade candy that's nine inches wide. Consider your dinner date wooed. "Be careful with the heat," McDowell warns. "You don't want to burn the chocolate, and don't get any water into the bowl, or that silky melted chocolate will seize up and you'll have to start over."

• Time Commitment: 2 hours and 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 8

Yes, the crust is homemade, but surprisingly hands-off. And in case you need help gathering the vanilla bean seeds, place the bean on a flat surface, cut it lengthwise, then scrape the seeds from the inside of the pod using the edge of a knife.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, kid-friendly, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 3o pieces

Whole macadamia nuts simply exude class. They contribute to the bites' uniquely (and delightfully) waxy crunch. "The chocolate and nuts are held together by just one egg and a tiny bit of flour," recipe creator Rose Levy Beranbaum reveals.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours and 30 minutes (includes chilling)
• Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
• Serves: 22 cookies

These almond flour-based cookies are macaroon-like in flavor and texture, so they're crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside. "This cookie is flavored with raspberry jam and pulverized freeze-dried raspberries to add some fruity acidity," Saffitz adds.