5 Homemade Sweets that Say “I Love You” Better than a Box of Chocolate

Love is in the air. 

Valentine’s Day is around the corner, which means one thing - chocolate. And love, of course. But isn’t chocolate synonymous with love?

Now, you were probably planning on running out to the store and snagging a mass-produced box of heart-shaped chocolates to give to your hunny to say “I love you”. But we have a much better idea -

This year, give your loved one something actually made with love. Give them something uniquely you, original, and made with your own two hands. Instead of buying generic sweets, we challenge you to make them. The best part? With these 5 recipes, it won’t be a challenge at all! Here are our 5 easy, homemade sweet recipes that say “I love you” better than a box of chocolates. 

1. Chocolate covered strawberries

Delicious, nutritious, and as easy as can be, there’s a reason why chocolate covered strawberries are a Valentine’s Day classic. Just melt high quality dark chocolate (we recommend 60% cocoa) in a double boiler, or even the microwave will do. Then, dip your washed and dried strawberries in the melted chocolate, place on a baking sheet, and repeat. Once your done, just let them cool at room temperature, or in the fridge overnight...and devour!

Add some extra love: if you know your special someone loves oreos, nuts, coconut, etc., crush his or her favorite ingredients and sprinkle on top while your chocolate is still wet.

See the full recipe on Tastes Better from Scratch

2. Homemade fudge

There’s nothing more decadently exquisite than silky, creamy, rich, melt-in-your-mouth fudge. Making fudge at home can be surprisingly simple, and it’s definitely a partner pleaser. We’ve found an easy and quick fudge recipe that only takes about 20 minutes to make, and calls for just four ingredients: high quality dark chocolate, condensed milk, salt, and vanilla extract.

Pro tip: add a tablespoon of La Española Mild & Light Olive Oil for an extra rich and smooth consistency, and a boost of heart-happy nutrients. 

See the full recipe on Baking a Moment

3. Red Velvet Cupcakes

With a moist and fluffy consistency and sweet yet tangy flavor, these might just be the world’s most perfect cupcakes - and your loved one deserves nothing less! While some red velvet recipes can be quite labor intensive, we’ve found one that’s pretty simple, yet yields excellent results. Our favorite part about these red beauties? The frosting. In fact, we recommend making a bit extra frosting so you and your boo can devour it with a spoon. It’s V-Day, no judgements!

Pro tip: Add a tablespoon of La Española Mild & Light Olive Oil to this recipe for an extra moist cake!

See the full recipe on Brown Eyed Baker

4. Easy Raspberry Tarts

Not a chocolate person? We’ve got you covered! These raspberry tarts are fresh, fruity, adorably bite-sized, and easy to whip up on a weeknight. Using frozen phyllo dough cups, all that’s left for you to do is make the delicious cream cheese filling and add a fresh raspberry on top. An alternative to this recipe: if you want a raspberry topping instead of a fresh raspberry, blend up a container of fresh raspberries with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a teaspoon of sugar. 

See the full recipe on Teaspoon of Goodness

5. Decadent Dark Chocolate Mousse

The secret to why this dark chocolate mousse is so perfectly smooth and rich, yet bright and flavorful? You guessed it - it’s star ingredient is extra virgin olive oil! The EVOO combined with the depth of the coffee granules and the brightness of the orange zest is a match made in heaven. We’re willing to bet that one spoonful of this creamy goodness will have your partner yelling “I LOVE YOU!” It’s up to you to decide if they’re talking to you or the mousse. ;)

See the full recipe on Epicurious

Which of these sweets are you going to make this Valentine’s Day?