We’re pretty sure that when people say, “love is in the air” around Valentine’s Day, what they’re actually referring to is dessert! Because, who can resist the aroma of a sweet, frosting-covered cake? Or a batch of freshly baked cupcakes or cookies? We know we can’t. In fact, there’s nothing we adore more than a sweet treat, lovingly made by our special someone. That’s the inspiration behind this collection of recipes. Whether you’re a pro in the pastry department or a novice when it comes to measuring, baking and decorating you’re sure to find something here that’s doable. And, no matter what you choose, your Valentine will love it. One of our favorites? This clever cake that’s inspired by a boxed-chocolate favorite: cordial cherries. The cake is layered with a candied-cherry mousse and covered in a rich chocolate ganache—making this one cake that lives up to the promise of being swoon-worthy.

There’s no need to commit to a big-batch dessert for a date night. This recipe for whoopie pies with rich cream cheese frosting sandwiched between tender red velvet cookies is perfectly portioned for two. Plus, you can have them ready in just an hour, including cooling, and no electric mixer or special equipment is needed.

Whether it’s a date night or you’re celebrating with the whole family, this creamy dip is the perfect end to a Valentine’s Day meal. Dark cocoa powder gives it a deep rich color, but if you don’t have any on hand, substitute regular unsweetened cocoa powder; the finished dip will just be a little lighter in color. We’re serving ours with strawberries, but feel free to use other fruit or even plain crisp cookies for dippers.

While most cake rolls seem time consuming and daunting, this version is foolproof, thanks to an easy and fun method of assembling the cake layer. We added delicious strawberries and dark chocolate for the ultimate dessert.

Whether you are looking for a homemade gift for someone special or a fun holiday activity with kids, these sugar cookies couldn’t be simpler, tastier or more beautiful. We take the buttery and perfectly crisp rounds and dip them into colored icing, resulting in a marbled and jewel-like effect that’ll surely impress your valentine. Swap out the cookie cutter shapes and colors to create cookies for any holiday or special occasion.

No one, in the history of mankind, has ever lost anything from learning how to make this gooey restaurant dessert at home. From start to finish, Ree’s version takes 20 minutes tops.

Minimal baking is required to impress your Valentine. All you need to do is bake the crust and this cheesecake’s filling overflows with hearts and love.

Adding strawberries to a red velvet cake is a fun twist on the classic chocolate-and-strawberry combo. While there’s not as much cocoa powder in a red velvet cake as there is a traditional chocolate cake, a little bit goes a long way when the cocoa is bloomed in hot coffee to boost its flavor. Whole strawberries hidden inside the cream cheese filling make a dramatic reveal when the cake is sliced open.

When creamy cheesecake is surrounded by rich chocolate cake, it creates a cupcake that is so good on its own that it doesn’t even need frosting. Plus, the absence of frosting makes these one-two-punch beauties extra easy to transport.

If you’re going for something a little more elegant, this luscious chocolate tart is a good way to go.

This adorably pink snack mix is a simple and tasty Valentine’s Day treat, thanks to the combination of two cereals that add varying texture and crunch. Heart-shaped sprinkles make it extra festive, but you can use any sprinkles you have on hand.

Before dusting the tops of these rich, dark mini loaves with confectioners’ sugar, cut out small hearts or other festive shapes from a piece of paper to make stencils, and place them on the loaves.

Daifuku are a popular wagashi (Japanese confection) consisting of the chewy rice-flour dough known as mochi wrapped around a sweet filling. Anko (sweet red bean paste) is one of the most common fillings, here paired with strawberries (ichigo). Other fillings include white bean paste, whole soybeans, and the popular ice cream. Strawberry daifuku are often served in the spring, but they’re a fun treat to serve for Valentine’s Day, especially when tinted pink. For an authentic experience, enjoy this sweet with a cup of green tea. And remember that the mochi coating is very chewy, so savor your daifuku in small bites.

What’s better than a brownie? Ina’s brownie tart. A tablespoon of instant coffee will deepen the chocolate flavor and only using a bit of flour will make the tart dense and gooey.

Strawberries are great, but you know what else tastes amazing covered in chocolate?

Make your sweetie this showstopping dessert, with rich, intense chocolate on the bottom and fluffy, towering meringue on top.

Take chocolate-covered strawberries to a whole new level this Valentine’s Day by baking the ingredients into a decadent cake. And don’t stop there! Garnish your creation with more strawberries and drizzled semisweet and white chocolate for a true celebration of this perfect flavor pairing.

Crushed pretzel sticks or almonds make a crunchy topping for chocolate-covered strawberries. The salty pretzels are a perfect complement to the melted chocolate.

This dense, rich cake is the ultimate chocolate-lover’s dream.

You don’t need a guide for this box of chocolates — every treat is a cupcake!

There’s nothing humbler, more comforting, than homemade chocolate pudding. If someone made this for you, wouldn’t you fall in love with them?

This fruity cake makes for a decadent Valentine’s Day treat. Velvety raspberry mousse stands in stark contrast to the dark chocolate cake, which is enrobed in a snowy white chocolate ganache.

Toss raspberries with chocolate liqueur and layer with crumbled brownies and chocolate ice cream for a quick-fix dessert.

Chocolate-covered strawberries are the quintessential Valentine’s Day sweet. Here they adorn a strawberry-packed no-bake cheesecake with a chocolate cake bottom — share a slice with your main squeeze.

Dark chocolate ganache balances a rich, dense coconut filling in this luxurious cake, inspired by the classic tropical-meets-chocolate candy.

Give your valentine a new kind of chocolate-covered strawberry this year — made of ice cream!

This is our most-popular Valentine’s Day recipe. Follow it and you’ll be on your way to chocolate-covered success!

This adults-only egg cream features stout or chocolate stout and coffee liqueur.

Strawberries make the perfect heart-shaped fruit. Stuff them inside cupakes for a sweet surprise. Top the cupcakes with creamy chocolate frosting and a sliced strawberry.

For a whimsical twist, press homemade chocolate bark along the outside of this chocolate cake.

Get your sweet fix without turning on the oven. Whip up a batch of white chocolate mousse and top it with tart raspberries and a quick and easy raspberry sauce.

Small, one-bite desserts are ideal for cocktail parties when you want to try a little bit of everything from the dessert table. A chocolate-on-chocolate combo is always a crowd-pleaser.

Crème de cassis, a blackcurrant liqueur that tastes wonderful with berries, is the perfect counter to the dark chocolate molten cake base in this romantic dessert.

Fold chocolate chips into Tyler’s buttercream frosting and spread onto layers of dense chocolate cake.

See how Jacques Torres makes truffles, the perfect Valentine’s Day treat.

This chocolate breakup cake is bittersweet in more ways than one! It’s a perfect solo treat on Valentine’s Day. Since there’s no reason to share, take a big bite directly from the center of the cake—it’s so satisfying!

Ree’s fluffy chocolate cake can be made on a baking sheet or in cupcake tins.

Like a chocolate truffle oozing caramel from its core, this pleasantly bitter caramel creme-filled chocolate cake is sweetened on the outside with a smooth milk chocolate ganache.

Make these small cups of creamy chocolate pudding to impress your valentine.

Nothing says “I love you” like these adorable pink marshmallows dipped in chocolate.

These triple chocolate-hazelnut cookies taste best with a tall, cold glass of milk.