21 Chocolate Dessert Recipes for Valentine’s Day

Rich, delicious, and chocolatey, these desserts have it all. Show someone you love by making it for them this Valentine's Day.

There is no time of year quite like Valentine’s Day that fulfills the cravings of all kinds of chocolate-lovers. Chocolate dessert recipes come in so many forms from rich layer cakes and creamy pudding to booze-infused candy and frozen ice cream treats. There are those that are completely chocolate on chocolate and others that incorporate additional ingredients such as whipped cream, mint, and pecans.

This list of chocolate dessert recipes is the ultimate reference guide when you are on the search for something to make and share with your Valentine. Those who like their chocolate dark and decadent will love layer cakes with both chocolate cake and frosting as well as cheesecake made with triple the chocolate. If you are more of a milk chocolate fan, put a cream pie or cookies on your list. Finally, if you are celebrating big this year, try the truffles!

Your Valentine is sure to be impressed with any decadent dessert you choose to make for them.

Chocolate Cobbler

Get Recipe: Chocolate Cobbler

Contributor Mark Beahm says, "For a more chocolatey dessert, replace some or all of the hot water with hot coffee."

Triple Chocolate Cheesecake

Get Recipe: Chocolate Cheesecake

There are few words that can adequately describe the pure decadence of this cheesecake. From the crust to the ganache, it is three layers of pure chocolate indulgence. It’s the kind of dessert that Valentine’s Day was made for.

2-Ingredient Chocolate Mousse

Get Recipe: The 2-Ingredient Chocolate Mousse I Love and My Kids Double Love

Associate Editorial Director Myo Quinn says, "For this recipe, you want to use sweetened peanut butter (smooth or crunch, your choice) because it contains emulsifiers that prevent it from separating. When you add water, the peanut butter won't seize or separate. Avoid natural peanut butter, which is more likely to separate."

Katharine Hepburn's Brownies

Get Recipe: Katharine Hepburn's Brilliant Trick for the Best Brownies

Contributor Devan Grimsrud says, "To many people, the sign of a good brownie is a shiny, crackly top, which is achieved by whipping air into the eggs and sugar. While I appreciate a shiny brownie just as much as the next person, Katharine Hepburn’s brownies do not have it. If you think that’s a deal breaker, I beg you to give them a try anyway—you might be surprised at how these will change your mind."

Chocolate Tres Leches Cake

Get Recipe: Chocolate Tres Leches Cake

Contributor Maria J. Ritchie says, "Don't have instant espresso powder? Use 2 teaspoons of a strongly brewed coffee. Add it to the cake batter when you add the oil, eggs, and vanilla."

Chocolate Ice Cream

Get Recipe: Chocolate Ice Cream

If a frozen treat is what you are after, make a batch of this chocolate ice cream. The recipe incorporates heavy cream and egg yolks giving it that luxurious creaminess of a frozen custard. It can be made with baking chocolate or cocoa powder. You can enjoy it as is or stir in chocolate chips, marshmallows, or nuts.

Whiskey Chocolate Truffles

Get Recipe: Whiskey Chocolate Truffles

Chocolate truffles are even better when the sweet bitterness of semi-sweet and bittersweet chocolates meet the spicy, smooth bite of whiskey. That’s exactly what these easy truffles deliver, and the recipe makes enough to share.

Easy Chocolate Cream Pie

Get Recipe: Easy Chocolate Cream Pie

Sometimes the best chocolate flavors come with a little balance. Not every chocolate dessert needs to overwhelm you with layers of dark, dark chocolate. This cream pie offers a milk chocolate pudding for the filling topped with a fresh vanilla whipped cream.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Get Recipe: Flourless Chocolate Cake

Contributor Kayla Hoang says, "Use a bittersweet chocolate with about 60% cacao for a cake that's neither too sweet nor too bitter."

Classic Chocolate Mousse

Get Recipe: Chocolate Mousse

This recipe provides a dessert with a hint of sophistication and plenty of chocolate flavor without being too heavy. The addition of espresso deepens the taste of the chocolate and a dollop of whipped cream with chocolate shavings brings the presentation together.

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Get Recipe: Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Valentine’s Day deserves a double hit of chocolate so put these cookies on your list. The chocolate cookies have chewy centers that unfold into crispy edges, and they are loaded with semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Chocolate Ganache Torte

Get Recipe: Chocolate Ganache Torte

This torte is pure chocolate to its core with a filling that resembles the richest of chocolate truffles. If you swap out the cookies in the homemade cookie crust, this one is easy to create as a gluten-free dessert option.

Chocolate Layer Cake

Get Recipe: Chocolate Layer Cake

This should be your pick when the occasion calls for a decorated layer cake that is sure to impress. The combination of oil, buttermilk, and coffee creates a tender cake that comes together quickly. Once frosted with Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream you can decorate it anyway you wish. Keep it simple or embellish it with some fancy techniques or royal icing flowers.

Bittersweet Chocolate Cake

Get Recipe: Bittersweet Chocolate Cake

This dense cake is made with nearly a pound of chocolate! No frosting needed on this one, but you can dust it with a little powdered sugar for presentation. It’s the kind of recipe to turn to when you want a straightforward chocolate dessert.

Fudgy Chocolate Brownies

Get Recipe: Fudgy Chocolate Brownies

Everyone has a preference when it comes to the best brownies and this recipe is for those who love a dense, dark, fudgy texture. For a special occasion like Valentine’s Day don’t pass up the option to add some bittersweet chocolate chips for more bits of chocolate in each bite.

Mint Chocolate Pudding Cakes

Get Recipe: Mint Chocolate Pudding Cakes

This dessert is a cross between a velvety pudding and chocolate cake. You can invert the cakes and serve them topped with ice cream and whipped cream or eat them straight out of the ramekins with a spoon.

Vegan Chocolate Pudding

Get Recipe: Vegan Chocolate Pudding

This 3-ingredient pudding is dairy-free and paleo with everything necessary to fully satisfy a craving for chocolate. Top it with Coconut Whipped Cream and a sprinkle of chocolate shavings or fresh raspberries.

Mexican Chocolate Ice Cream

Get Recipe: Mexican Chocolate Ice Cream

This frozen dessert will really spice things up. Make the ice cream with bittersweet chocolate for a true dark chocolate experience and enjoy the hints of spice and heat brought by the addition of cinnamon and cayenne.

Double Chocolate Cupcakes

Get Recipe: Double Chocolate Cupcakes

You know what double chocolate means—chocolate cake AND chocolate frosting! These cupcakes bake into tender single-serve chocolate desserts topped with fluffy frosting. For Valentine’s Day swap out the chocolate sprinkles on top for red sprinkles, red hots, or a conversation heart.

Thin and Crispy Chocolate Cookies

Get Recipe: Spicy Chocolate Cookies

This simple, straightforward dough bakes into thin, crispy cookies overflowing with chocolate and spice. They provide the grand opportunity to break out the heart cookie cutters for a festive dessert to eat and to share.

Homemade Chocolate Truffles

Get Recipe: How To Make Homemade Chocolate Truffles

Contributor Garrett McCord says, "The best chocolate for making truffles is block chocolate or chocolate bars (not chocolate chips), preferably higher in cacao content. Look in the baking aisle for chocolate with 60% or higher cacao content."