30 Chocolate-Free Valentine's Day Desserts

Apart from the obvious association with all things love and Cupid, Valentine's Day is synonymous with chocolate. Although traditional uses of cacao among the Mayans included gifting it for marriage ceremonies, the present-day incarnation of heart-shaped chocolates can be traced to Richard Cadbury (yes, that Cadbury) in the 1800s. But while chocolatey indulgence does it for some people, there are plenty whose preferences lie elsewhere. 

If you've got a chocolate-averse Valentine or simply want to experiment with novel flavors on a classically choco-centric day, you're in luck. We've collected our favorite chocolate-free Valentine's Day desserts to assist you with your choice. From decadent caramel confections to fruity tarts, frozen treats, and creamy delights, you're sure to find just the right recipe to satisfy everyone's desires. Prepare them in a two-person serving, or enjoy the leftovers to keep the loving feeling in the air for longer. Read on for our favorite alternatives to chocolate for a deliciously sweet ending to your Valentine's Day dinner.

You'll only need a bit of foresight and an electric mixer to whip up this dazzling fruit-based ice cream, which is sweetened with condensed milk and flavored with pomegranate juice. This tasty dish offers an excellent backdrop for romantic garnishes ─ add some edible flowers and pomegranate arils to bring some Valentine's Day aesthetics to the mix. Pick up some sugar cones to serve it the fun way, or scoop the creamy goodness into bowls. 

Recipe: No-Churn Pomegranate Ice Cream

If you can't swing a flight to Paris with your sweetheart, a classic French dessert is the next best runner-up. Aromatized with fresh vanilla bean, this iconic treat is all about simple high-quality ingredients. Use the best eggs and cream you can find (it'll be cheaper than the overseas flight!) and make sure you have a blowtorch handy. After all, a crème brûlée is nothing without its crackly top.

Recipe: Classic Crème Brûlée

You'll have to get a day's headstart on this nutty dessert, but if your Valentine is a peanut butter lover, this is a must. All you need are four basic ingredients (milk, sugar, egg yolks, peanut butter) and an ice cream maker to create this recipe. Serve the scoops solo or enhance them with a drizzle of caramel sauce. Alternatively, go all out on this special day and use your peanut butter ice cream as the foundation for a sundae or banana split, topped with caramel sauce, chopped nuts, and whipped cream.

Recipe: 4-Ingredient Peanut Butter Ice Cream

These vanilla cream puffs taste simultaneously indulgent and delicate ─ the perfect combination for a Valentine's Day feast. If you're looking for a dessert worthy of a pastry chef (minus the tricky technique), this one hits the spot with its doughy shell and creamy filling. It's made with baking staples like flour, butter, sugar, eggs, and cream. Vanilla bean adds an infusion of flavor that makes these puffs extra delectable and worthy of a date with that special someone. 

Recipe: Vanilla Cream Puffs

With its luxurious custard texture, Cuban flan transforms your last course into a sensory delight. Start by making a caramel mixture, then top it with a creamy combination of sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, whole milk, and eggs, aromatized with vanilla and cinnamon. You'll need to bake and refrigerate the flan, so make sure to set enough time aside while it rests. Once it's ready, flip it over to reveal a caramel sheen, and serve it with fresh raspberries for a garnish fitting of the occasion.

Recipe: Cuban Flan

Relive your first coffee date with this frosty variation. Start the day by brewing a pot of coffee with your Valentine's favorite beans. Save a cup from breakfast and combine it with cream, milk, and sugar. Add everything to your trusty ice cream machine and let the gelato firm up over a couple of hours. This sweet and bitter gelato is the perfect choice for your special someone if coffee is their love language.

Recipe: Easy Coffee Gelato

Strawberries and rhubarb prove that opposites attract, and that's evident in this delightful tart. Mix chopped fruit with sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon, then combine it with a simple custard. Pour the contents into a premade shortcrust pastry and top the surface with cubed butter for an extra layer of richness. Take it a step further by serving the baked tart with a dusting of powdered sugar, a dollop of whipped cream, or a scoop of ice cream ... or all three!

Recipe: Strawberry Rhubarb Custard Tart

Appeal to your lover's sweet tooth by serving this scrumptiuous ricotta cheesecake as a Valentine's Day dessert. You'll want to start the day before to avoid rushing this time-sensitive recipe. Use Biscoff cookies to make the base, and incorporate both cream cheese and ricotta for the filling, as well as sugar, vanilla, and eggs. Bake the cake in a water bath until it reaches a wobbly consistency, then chill it for several hours so it properly sets. Sprinkle powdered sugar on top and scatter fresh berries over the surface before serving up a tasty slice.

Recipe: Baked Ricotta Cheesecake

It's hard to go wrong with cheesecake, and for the purists out there, the classic New York style is the only way to go. Prep a graham cracker crust to hold the luscious filling made with cream cheese, sugar, heavy cream, sour cream, vanilla, and flour. Bake the cake until the center is set then chill it before serving. Feel free to drizzle raspberry or strawberry coulis over top to give this classic a Valentine's Day makeover.

Recipe: Classic New York-Style Cheesecake

Both stunning and delicious, adding a raspberry swirl to a classic New York-style cheesecake gives it that extra oomph for a romantic meal. Sprinkle a bit of cinnamon into the graham cracker crust and top it with a traditional cheesecake filling, adding a hint of lemon zest to complement the tang. Prep a raspberry puree with fruit, lemon, sugar, and cornstarch, then dollop it over the surface. Use a knife to create raspberry swirls before baking this marbled cake. Leave enough time to refrigerate it before serving, and save a few raspberries to garnish.

Recipe: Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake

Fresh strawberries need little to stand out, and this sponge cake displays them front and center. Whip up two sponge cakes and bake them until golden, then make a sweet cream cheese filling. Combine sliced strawberries with sugar and maple syrup to bring out their natural sugars. Top one sponge cake with cream and strawberries, then repeat with the second. This double-layered cake is sure to satisfy anyone with a fondness for strawberries and cream. 

Recipe: Strawberry Sponge Cake

This recipe is the twist on Mexican sopapillas and cheesecake you didn't know you needed in your life. Using premade crescent dough on the top and bottom simplifies the process and adds a flaky quality to the texture. In between the two sheets, a mixture of cream cheese, eggs, sugar, and vanilla makes this dessert worthy of its name. Brush the top pastry sheet with butter and sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the surface before baking. The result is simultaneously crispy, flaky, and ultra creamy ─ what's not to love?

Recipe: Fun & Easy Sopapilla Cheesecake

Cranberries stud each slice for a visually appealing cake to serve on February 14. Aside from fresh fruit, the batter consists of baking staples, along with ricotta, orange zest, and Grand Marnier for flavor. The result is light and fluffy, with just the right fruity fragrance and tinge of alcohol to make each bite stand out. Dust it with powdered sugar for an elegant look, or serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an indulgent pairing.

Recipe: Cranberry Ricotta Cake

Sometimes, the best things come from a container. If you're going all out and making the main course from scratch, lighten up your workload with this recipe. Pick up a container of Tillamook Oregon hazelnut and salted caramel ice cream (or the closest option you can find) and use it as the base for an affogato. For the uninitiated, an affogato is a shot of espresso poured over ice cream. Add a personal touch by making espresso and hazelnut meringues or stick to the basic components.

Recipe: Oregon Hazelnut and Salted Caramel Affogato

Try this strawberry pie recipe for an easy no-bake option that's ready in a jiffy ─ just let it chill while you linger over your Valentine's Day dinner. Buy a premade graham cracker crust and top it with a mixture of cream cheese and whipped topping. Then, simmer sliced strawberries in a saucepan with cornstarch and sugar until you have a jammy consistency. Once the fruit cools down, pour it over the creamy surface and refrigerate. Dish out this pie with a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream and your sweetheart is sure to come back for seconds. 

Recipe: French Strawberry Pie