The 20 best sweets and chocolates for Valentine's Day, from “Everything's OK” to “Love at first bite”

Valentine's Day is just around the corner, and we're definitely in the mood for love. But you know what would get us in the mood even more? Dessert. Here, we're sharing the most notable Valentine's Day sweets and chocolates, ranking them from the most polarizing to the most universal crowd-pleasers. Whether you're sharing a bag of red and pink Starbursts with your dinner date, wowing your kid's class with festive lollipops, sending your mom a bouquet of chocolate roses, or gifting a faraway friend a box of chocolate strawberries, all 20 of these treats are sure to get you and your loved ones in the spirit.

RELATED: The 68 best Valentine's Day desserts that will make you swoon

Most nostalgic

OK, lots of points for cult and romance. But these cuties taste like chalk (sorry, not sorry). Just in case you love them or want a bag for posterity…

$13 on Amazon

Most versatile

Listen, we've never seen a box of chocolates we didn't immediately devour. But we'll be the first to say that's not the most original idea… especially on the 14th. Nonetheless, it's a great gift for pretty much anyone, whether you're shopping for your parents, friends, or partner. If you're pulling out all the stops (roses, candles—you know how that goes), opt for this 37-piece pack from Godiva, complete with every flavor from Red Velvet Cake Truffle to Cherry Cordial.

Buy ($100)

Best for parties

We're crazy about them (sorry). Chalk it up to the fond memories of finding a ruby ​​red heart-shaped lollipop in a sea of ​​Valentines in our classroom mailbox (and hoping it was from our crush). Now that we're all grown up, we've fallen in love with these cinnamon lollipops from See's Candies.

Buy ($12/12-pack)

Best for a romantic movie night

Nothing says “I love you” better than saving your partner the work of digging out all the oranges and lemons. This mixed pack includes just cherry, strawberry, watermelon, and fruit punch Starbursts. And since the wrappers are all red and pink, they fit perfectly with the Valentine's Day color scheme. May we suggest pouring them into a bowl, making some popcorn, and having a DIY movie marathon?

$14 $13 on Amazon

Best for dieters

Respect if you don't want to break your 2022 meal plan for Cupid's big day. But you should still treat yourself (or your newly keto sweetheart) to a bit of affection. Try Zazubean's Valentine's Day range, which includes six bars of organic, fair trade, kosher, gluten-free and soy-free chocolate. Flavors range from chilli and cinnamon to cherry hazelnut crunch. Many of the bars—Vixen, Smooch, Flirt, Hottie, Nakid and Bling—are also vegan. If sugar is your main concern, opt for Zazubean's sugar-free Slinky chocolate bars, HU Dark Chocolate Gems or Kuli Kuli's low-sugar keto SuperBark, which comes in Sea Salt Peanut, Mint Chip and Raspberry Chia varieties.

Buy ($23)

The best for Galentine's Day

Feel like a kid again with this nostalgic treat you haven't had since elementary school. You and your squad can sip wine between treats of Cherry Yum Diddly Dip and RazzApple Magic Dip powder while you chat, snack, and relax.

(12 $; $11 on Amazon)

Best for peanut butter lovers

We have it from a reliable source that the world's first soulmates were chocolate and peanut butter. With the help of your partner, indulge in more than a quarter pound of each. (Or just try it alone—we don't judge.)

Buy ($4)

Best Last Minute Baked Dessert

The superpower of the cast iron skillet is its ability to give virtually any dessert a gooey, decadent center and golden, chewy edges. While we're huge proponents of making skillet sweets from scratch, these mix-and-bake kits are pretty darn genius. We *loved* the Hershey's brownie kit that came out last year, complete with cake mix and a heart-shaped skillet, but while we wait to see if it'll be back in stock in 2022, these kits from Vintage Classics will have to tide us over. (They come in brownie, chocolate chip, and snickerdoodle flavors, by the way.)

Buy it ($9; $7)

Best for a couples evening

There is something strangely sophisticated (and dare we say sexy?) about a particularly Eating chocolate bars at your leisure rather than wolfing down a whole box of truffles. We've previously loved Tony Chocolonely for its ethical sourcing and mission to make cocoa farming fair, but we were particularly taken with the White Raspberry Popping Candy flavour, which is just right for Valentine's Day as it's packed with freeze-dried raspberries and popping candy. (If your sweetheart likes variety, go for the Rainbow Tasting Pack instead.) We're also huge fans of Omnom's Sea Salted Toffee and Lakkris (aka liquorice) and Raspberry seasonal bars, as well as Seattle Chocolate's Valentine's Day offerings, including Tart & Soul, Berry in Love and Like You a Latte truffle bars. (You can try all three with the Berry in Love Care Package).

$10 on Amazon

Best for wine accompaniment

Wine and dessert are a match made in heaven. Although we typically prefer drinking our wine over eating it, there's no better time to collaborate than Valentine's Day. If you're into chocolate, these homemade red wine chocolate truffles are a cinch to make, but you can save yourself the work by opting for Hotel Chocolat's Tipsy Truffles Sleekster instead. Flavors include Pink Champagne, Gin Truffle, Mojito, Cognac, Caramel Espresso Martini, and more.

Buy ($22)

Best for caramel lovers

I'm not going to lie…we can't wait to share a piece of stretchy caramel chocolate with our partner. Lady and the Tramp-style. Our current favorite? The Caramels Both Familiar and Curious Limited Edition Love or Lust collection from North South Confections, an artisan chocolate brand created by Justine Pringle of Nunu Chocolates. Each piece is filled with what is arguably the richest, creamiest caramel you've ever tasted, as it's enriched with fresh fruit puree and white or milk chocolate, then coated in dark chocolate. Flavors include passion fruit, coconut, naranjilla, graviola, lime, and strawberry.

Buy ($38)

Best for a double date

It's just a fact: Put out a bowl of M&Ms and they disappear in minutes. This seasonal version features white, pink and red M&Ms with lips, roses and Cupid's arrows. Throw them in a bowl of popcorn, use them for a DIY ice cream bar or bake them into cookies.

$18 at Amazon

Best for gummy bear lovers

If your partner is a gummy bear fanatic, then this 500g bag of heart-shaped treats from the famous Dylan's Candy Bar is perfect for them. They're great for grabbing by the handful while you cry The notebook for the hundredth time. (By the way, the brand's other Valentine's Day treats include a glitter lip lollipop, a pink marshmallow lollipop, a festive Valentine's Day tackle box, and even a three-tier candy cake.)

Buy ($7)

Best for fans of sour candy

What is this? You can eat your weight in red Sour Patch Kids? Today is your lucky day. These sweet and sour candies only come in Redberry and Pink Strawberry flavors, so you don't have to dodge the green gummy bears like you do with the original package. (FYI: Sour Patch also makes its own version of Conversation Hearts.)

Buy ($3)

Most worth spending money

Some confectionery is so luxurious that it is more of a masterpiece than a simple dessert. Exhibit A: The Vosges Haut Chocolat Ensemble du Chocolat. To be honest, the chocolate in both is not even see They look like chocolate at first glance because they're so colorful and beautiful. Try exotic truffles (think coconuts from Sri Lanka, wild fennel pollen from Tuscany, curry masala and a host of other unique flavors), light and airy caramel marshmallows, peanut butter candies and a bombalina with edible 23-carat gold leaf.

Buy ($135)

Best for stressed parents

What better way to relax on a date than with soothing, high-quality CBD? Eating it in the form of chocolate is the icing on the cake. Vital Leaf's hemp-infused chocolate bars contain 200 milligrams of CBD, as well as ethically sourced, organic ingredients and coconut palm sugar for sweetening. Choose from Classic Dark, Vanilla Bean Crunch and Hazelnut Sea Salt.

Buy ($15/ea)

Best as a gift for mom

You're already sending her a stunning floral arrangement—why not sweeten the deal with these foil-wrapped gems from Oriental Trading? You can either shower her with all 72 flowers with 14-inch stems, or divide the whole thing into smaller bouquets for each of your family members.

Buy ($85/pack of 72)

Best for treating yourself

What does love have to do with it? We usually shudder at the thought of “single chocolate” (chocolate is for everyone, always), but this treat lets us look past the concept and get right to it. Eat your feelings with Sugar Plum Chocolates' clever Broken Heart Chocolate Pizza. Not only is the 12-ounce chocolate heart topped with crumbled pretzels, cookies, potato chips, candied chocolate rocks, and white chocolate, but it also comes with a mallet so you can process your feelings and smack away.

Buy ($40)

Best as a gift for your partner

The only thing better than snacking on your favorite candy on the 14th is being surprised by new favorites month after month. For your sweet tooth, there's Candy Club, a monthly candy delivery service with options for both trick and treat lovers. Each box contains six each of the signature candies, from gummy unicorns to sour pink Cadillacs.

Buy (from $30)

Most romantic

You don't have to reinvent the wheel to impress your partner. Chocolate-covered strawberries may be common on Valentine's Day, but they're undeniably elegant, romantic, and incredibly easy to make yourself. If you'd rather relax than cook on Valentine's Day (hey, we can't blame you), reach for this selection of Love & Romance-dipped strawberries from Shari's Berries. The berries are huge, decorated with festive chocolate coating, and come in a heart-shaped box. What more could you want?

Buy ($60)

RELATED: The 35 Best Valentine's Day Cookies You Can Bake With Your Family

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