9 Valentine’s Day Treats for Anyone Who’s Just Not into Chocolate
No chocolate? No problem.
With February 14th swiftly approaching, you’ve probably got red and pink goodies galore on the brain. After all, Valentine’s Day is arguably the second-best holiday for candy lovers (behind Halloween, of course). But if you’re not a chocolate fan, those heart-shaped boxes of assorted chocolates are just bleh. Luckily, love is on the menu here at Food Network, and we have plenty of chocolate-free dessert inspo that’ll show the loves in your life just how much you care.
Mascarpone Mini Cupcakes with Strawberry Glaze (pictured above)
Whether you’re participating in Valentine’s Day or Galentine’s Day festivities this year, Giada’s strawberry-glazed mini cupcakes are sure to be a hit. The key is the softened mascarpone cheese mixed into the batter — each bite-sized treat comes out fluffy and irresistible.
Matt Armendariz, Copyright 2015
Warm your special someone’s heart with this cozy caramel bread pudding. All you need is caramel candies, two small croissants and an easy-to-make custard for a decadent dessert for two. Since the pudding is prepared in a pair of single-serving coffee cups, you won't be tempted by days and days of leftover dessert.
Tara Donne, ©2016, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
Because nothing says “I love you” quite like a gigantic peanut butter cookie. By baking this cookie in a cast-iron skillet, you’ll get crispy edges with a gooey, melt-in-your-mouth center. To make things a little more festive, serve with strawberry or raspberry jam.
Sam Kaplan
It’s a treat and a date all rolled into one — leave the store-bought conversation hearts in the candy aisle and have your partner help you create them at home instead. The sweetest part? You can use food decorating pens to customize your candy hearts with your initials, inside jokes or special messages like “XOXO” or “Bae Mine.”
As hard as you may try, it can be pretty difficult for two people to polish off an entire trifle. Save yourself the stomachache and opt for Giada’s individual strawberry trifles. Simply use a cookie cutter to slice perfectly round pieces of pound cake stacked with strawberries and homemade whipped cream.
Matt Armendariz, Copyright 2015
You and your sweetie could split a slice of cheesecake… and inevitably clash forks over who gets the last bite. Keep the night focused on romance and whip up mini cheesecakes that’ll keep you both satisfied. With a jumbo muffin tin and scaled-down ingredients, you’ll pop out two cute, indulgent cheesecakes, so you don’t have to share.
Stephen Johnson, 2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
Who doesn’t love breakfast in bed? Surprise your S.O. the morning of Valentine’s Day with festive (and healthy) heart-shaped pancakes. Ellie uses a cookie cutter to cut her finished pancakes into their unique shape, and her homemade strawberry sauce adds a beautiful red tint to the plate.
Pink Strawberry Doughnuts
Chocolate-covered strawberries might be off the menu, but even Cupid himself couldn’t turn down these strawberry-flavored doughnuts. Inspired by the famous doughnuts at Primo’s in Los Angeles, these pink-hued treats boast a buttermilk-laden batter, meaning they’re extra crisp on the outside but soft on the inside.
Need a last-minute V-Day treat? Minimal baking is required for these quick strawberry cereal treats. Stir together honey, marshmallows, vanilla extract and salt in a saucepan until completely melted. Next, add in rice cereal and freeze-dried strawberries, divide the mixture into muffin tins, let it set and voila!
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