Celebrate Valentine's Day with these fun recipes

Cocoa-scented steam cuts through the February chill as you take treats out of the oven, carrying with it whispers of love and laughter. Valentine’s Day isn’t just a date on the calendar; it’s a burst of color, sugar and joy right when winter feels endless.

Picture red paper hearts brightening classrooms at Crossroads Christian School, where I have the privilege of directing; the laughter of children swapping valentines; and, of course, an avalanche of candy and sweet surprises.

I love how this month inspires people to bake, bake, bake, even if it's a premade dough from the grocery store they decorate. The kids don’t know the difference, and they will cherish forever baking with their grandmas, grandpas, moms and dads.

During a visit with the grand-twins during this month, my husband Neal (aka Superman) made cookies with the girls for a solid week. They enjoyed mostly the eating of the chocolate chips since they were 4 at the time.

In a month known for gray skies and cabin fever, Valentine’s Day arrives like a warm hug, whether from your sweetheart, your kids or the simple joy of celebration itself. What sweet traditions keep your household glowing for this holiday? Honestly, how do countries that don’t celebrate it survive February?

Imagine serving a decadent chocolate bundt cake, its glossy sauce pooling around each slice, crowned with a cloud of whipped cream. No one can resist. Plates are emptied in record time, and requests for seconds echo around the table. This crowd-pleaser comes straight from the pages of “Cooking Light Magazine” (now merged with “Eating Well”), a publication that somehow makes healthier and indulgent work together.

Their editors obsessed over every detail, ensuring that even the lightest recipes deliver maximum flavor. Trust me this cake proves it. As a quick pro tip, try adding a dollop of whipped cream to the plate to add an extra layer of richness that will surely impress your guests.

Double-stuffed brownies are practically made for Valentine’s parties — or for surprising kids and grandkids after school with something extra special. Each bite offers a fudgey chocolate embrace with a dreamy, creamy center that melts away winter blues. Before you know it, only the tiniest crumbs remain on the plate. One taste and you’ll see — they disappear fast.

Then there are Sparkle Sweetheart Cookies, inspired by Sally’s Baking Addiction, a website that brims with playful recipes and creative twists. These cookies don’t just taste good; they look like edible jewels, each with a silky chocolate heart at the center. Whether you go with Dove or Hershey’s, every bite delivers a classic Valentine’s Day thrill. Bake a batch and watch smiles bloom.

This Feb. 14 make your kitchen the heart of the celebration. Gather your loved ones, pick your favorite recipes from above and start baking together. Share these homemade treats, create sweet memories, and enjoy the magic that happens when love, laughter and especially chocolate come together. Start planning your Valentine’s Day menu now and let your celebration shine with homemade joy.

CHOCOLATE BUNDT CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE SAUCE

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

½ teaspoon salt

¼ cup butter, softened

½ teaspoon baking soda

2 large egg whites

1 large egg

½ cup milk

2 teaspoons instant espresso granules

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and cocoa powder. Stir well with a whisk. Add butter and eggs and beat with a mixer at low speed 1 minute. Beat at high speed 1 minute. Add milk, espresso granules and vanilla and beat 1 minute. Pour batter into a 6-cup bundt pan coated with cooking spray. Bake for 35-40 minutes until a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

Sauce

½ cup sugar

½ cup unsweetened cocoa

1 cup milk

1 tablespoon butter

1 ½ ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine sugar and cocoa in a small saucepan. Stir in milk and butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly, and remove from heat. Stir in chocolate and vanilla, stirring until chocolate melts. Serve warm or let stand 10 minutes to thicken.

(Adapted from Cooking Light Annual Recipes, 2003.)

DOUBLE-STUFFED BROWNIES

Brownies

½ cup solid vegetable shortening

4 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, roughly chopped

4 large eggs

2 cups granulated sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Filling

½ cup solid vegetable shortening

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

3 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar

3-4 tablespoons warm water

Make the brownies. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a rimmed baking sheet with shortening and then line with parchment paper and grease the parchment. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt shortening and chocolate together, stirring every 30 seconds until melted and combined. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a bowl, mix the eggs well. Add the granulated sugar and vanilla and beat to combine thoroughly. Then beat in the chocolate mixture. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the flour mixture to the chocolate mixture by big spoonfuls and mix until fully combined. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake the brownies until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 12-15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Release the edges with a butter knife and turn the brownies onto a cutting board to cool completely.

Make the filling. In a bowl, mix the shortening and vanilla. Add the confectioners’ sugar 1 cup at a time, adding 1 tablespoon warm water after each addition and mixing until you get a spreadable consistency.

Cut the brownie slab in half horizontally, creating 2 large equal pieces. Spread the filling over one half and top it with the other brownie half like a big sandwich. Cut into 2-inch squares and serve.

(Adapted from Trisha’s Kitchen, Trisha Yearwood, 2021.)

SPARKLE SWEETHEART COOKIES

3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

2 ounces full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

3/4 cup sanding sugar, pink and red or assorted colors

32 chocolate hearts, unwrapped

Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together until combined. Set aside. In a large bowl using a hand-held or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese together on high speed until relatively smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the granulated sugar and beat until combined and creamy. Add the egg, vanilla extract and almond extract and beat on high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed to combine.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until combined. The dough will be thick. Cover dough tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and chill for at least 30-60 minutes and up to 3-4 days. If chilling for longer than 2-3 hours, allow the dough to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before rolling and baking because the dough will be quite hard and the cookies may not spread.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.

Pour sanding sugar in a bowl or, if using multiple colors, a few separate bowls. Roll balls of cookie dough, about 1 tablespoon of dough per cookie, then roll each ball in the sanding sugar to coat. Place each dough ball 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Using the back of a measuring cup or drinking glass, gently press down on each dough ball to slightly flatten.

Bake the cookies for 12-13 minutes or until very lightly browned on the edges. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Press a chocolate heart into each cookie and quickly stick the baking sheet in the freezer or fridge so the warm cookie does not completely melt the chocolate heart. Let the chocolate set (about 15 minutes) on the cookies in the freezer/refrigerator. Cookies will stay fresh covered at room temperature for 1 week.

(Adapted from sallysbakingaddiction.com/sparkle-sweetheart-cookies/.)