21 Heart-Shape Desserts to Make Valentine's Day Sweet
Sweeten your special day with these heart-shaped treats.
As any kid will tell you, desserts are way tastier when they're made into a fun shape. As one of the easiest shapes to cut, hearts deserve a place in your cookie-cutter (or cake-pan) catalog all year long—not just on Valentine's Day. Is there any better way to show family and friends a little extra love than with a batch of heart cookies or a sweet slice of heart-shape cake? Of course, you can also treat yourself to these delightful desserts—we won't judge if you keep them all to yourself.
Valentine's Day Heart Cookie Trio
All it takes is one batch of sugar cookie dough to create three adorable cut-out treats: patchwork cookies covered in tiny hearts, others painted with Valentine's Day hues, and striped hearts that bring a touch of the geometric to all those curves. Finish off all three with a shimmery sprinkling of edible luster dust.
Heart-Shape Chocolate Cream Puffs
These heart-shape cream puffs are surprisingly simple: The only tool you need to make the festive shape is a cookie scoop! You can prepare these decadent puffs plain or with an infusion of chocolate; either way, they're filled with delicious pastry cream. It's perfectly acceptable to serve these unadorned, but we guarantee you won't regret adding a drizzle of hot fudge sauce.
Conversation Heart Cut-Out Cookies
Baking a batch of heart-shape cookies is a thoughtful way to show friends and family you care—and adding personalized messages makes the gesture even sweeter. Use food coloring to dye the dough any color you desire, then use heart-shape cookie cutters and tiny stamps to create your own twist on conversation hearts.
Related: The 7 Best Baking Sheets of 2024, According to Testing
Lavender-Lemon Pudding Cakes
Of course, these fruity, floral cakes would taste the same if you made them as circles, but they're much cuter in heart-shape ramekins, don't you think? No matter which shape you choose, these creamy pudding cakes will delight your tastebuds with the sprinkle of rock crystal sugar and lavender on top.
Swirled Meringue Hearts
Carson Downing
You don't need any special equipment to create these Valentine's Day desserts. Simply use a spoon to create the delicate heart shape. We flavored our meringues with raspberry and strawberry extracts but you can use any flavor you like.
Red Velvet Heart Cookies
You won't need frosting for these bright red velvet cookies—a dusting of powdered sugar on top is plenty. Create your own powdery patterns with a heart-shape stencil.
Red Velvet Heart Cake
From the moist red velvet cake to the fudgy chocolate frosting, everything about this heart cake is decadent. Customize every bite with stripes of raspberries, cherries, almonds, and pecans—a nod to everyone's favorite boxed chocolate fillings.
Heart Cookies with Almond Glaze
What distinguishes these heart-shape sugar cookies from the competition is the sweet almond glaze on top. To coat your cookies in color, give the glaze a pink or red tint with paste food coloring, then decorate them with a colorful sprinkle mix that includes sugar pearls, jimmies, and nonpareils.
Mini Chocolate Peanut Butter Pies
Valentine's Day is all about celebrating perfect pairs, and we think chocolate and peanut butter just might be the ultimate match. This V-Day, mix up a batch of adorable mini chocolate pies, topped with creamy peanut butter filling. Use a piping bag to squeeze melted chocolate onto waxed paper to create the heart-shape accents before serving.
Valentine Lollipops
You could just hand out store-bought heart lollipops. But we think it's way more festive to make your own with melted Jolly Ranchers; personalize your pops with colorful decorations, like candy hearts or sprinkles. Lollipop-making isn't as complicated as you might think: To make the mold, you'll just need a heart-shape cookie cutter and aluminum foil with lollipop sticks in the middle.
Jelly Donut Cake
Thick, luscious cream joins a jelly filling—strawberry or cherry, your choice—in this heart-shape donut-style cake. To tempt your loved ones to cut into it ASAP, spread more jelly on top in a heart pattern, then dust with powdered sugar.
Valentine's Day Cake
We'll always have a place in our heart for classic Valentine's cookies. But we're more than willing to make room for a more glamorous V-Day treat, too. This delicious sprinkle-topped confection would take the cake on its own—decorated cookies make it even more irrestistible. Try this over-the-top dessert for your next Galentine's Day celebration.
Grapefruit and White Chocolate Cookies
A sweet layer of white chocolate perfectly balances the tanginess of these grapefruit cookies. Use a heart cookie cutter to shape the dough, then after baking, dip each cookie in melted white chocolate and top with pink sprinkles for a colorful (and easy!) treat.
Heart-Shape Reindeer Sugar Cookies
Why save your heart-shape cookie cutter for February? Bring it out at Christmastime to create these adorable reindeer cookies with candy eyes and noses. Look closely, and you'll see that the antlers are made of teeny-tiny heart cookies, too.
Jam-Filled Hand Pies
Surprise your crew with these mini hand pies as a Valentine's Day breakfast—then serve the leftovers as dessert later! Fill them with strawberry jam for a burst of festive red, or use chocolate hazelnut spread to add extra sweetness to the middle. Hint: Brush the tops of the pastries with milk before baking to ensure they come out golden brown.
Related: 14 Sweet and Savory Hand Pie Recipes for When You Don't Want to Share
Chocolate Pistachio Heart Cookies
A quick dip in melted chocolate and a sprinkle of pistachios takes these heart cookies from simple to off-the-charts delicious in a few seconds. Chopped pistachios are also baked into each chocolatey cookie for a double-dose of rich, nutty flavor.
Oaty Doodle Hearts
If you need a reprieve from super-sugary treats, turn to this healthier-than-usual recipe: These cookies contain rolled oats and whole-wheat flour, along with a hearty dose of cinnamon. The cookies form easily with your hands, so you can make heart-shape sweets even if you don't have the right cookie cutter.
Layered Brownie Heart Dessert
Borrow the signature flavors of chocolate-covered strawberries for this indulgent Valentine's Day cake. Homemade strawberry whipped cream and sliced fresh strawberries serve as both the filling and topping for a rich brownie sandwich that'll have you reaching for seconds.
Red Hot Sugar Cookies
Yes, these sugar cookies are sweet, but they're also red hot! Topping your heart-shape cookies with red cinnamon candies sets them apart from their sweeter cousins—and gives your Valentine's Day a spicy kick.
Raspberry Swirl Brownies
A swirl of homemade raspberry puree injects these rich dark chocolate brownies with fruity flavor. While no one will complain if you cut them into squares, we love the extra-special feel of heart-shape treats. Use any scraps to create layered brownie trifles.
Strawberry Cheesecake Bites
To make this Valentine's Day dessert, decorate squares of vanilla cheesecake with slices of strawberries that have been cut into a heart shape. A drizzle of honey is the perfect topping.
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