8 Fool-proof Valentine's Day recipes

Hard-to-screw-up recipes that will make your date swoon

Want to surprise your Valentine with a special dessert to make her flip, but worry it’s more likely to flop? Never fear! We’ve come to your rescue with eight fool-proof recipes for all you fools in love.

Photo by JD Hancock on Flickr.

No-Bake Red Velvet Cheesecake

Afraid of your own oven? This is the dessert for you! It’s adorable, tasty, and – best of all – only requires you to stir the ingredients together and spoon it into a jar.

 

Rice Krispie Squares

A classy lady deserves a classic dessert! Don’t worry if you can’t tell your slipmat from your spatula; Rice Krispie squares so simple even preschoolers can pull them together with minimal supervision. Worried that it might be too simple? Drizzle the finished squares with melted chocolate and BAM! Instant Valentine-ing of any dessert.

Coconut Macaroons

Just because your loved one can’t tolerate wheat, dairy, or gluten doesn’t mean he/she should miss out on a homemade surprise. Put down that weird gluten-free cake mix and whip up some super easy coconut macaroons from scratch.

One-bowl Chocolate Cake

One bowl cakes are as easy to throw together as something out of a box of cake mix, but you get baked-from-scratch bragging rights. Score bonus points by topping your creation with melted chocolate and smothering it with whipped cream. It’s simple and sexy.

Modern Trifle

Those stuffy British trifles from days of yore have been replaced with many a fresh version guaranteed to impress your Valentine. There’s no right or wrong way to layer one up! Simply follow this basic formula and add whatever strikes your fancy: Glass jar or bowl + any fruit + whipped cream, custard or pudding + any cake or brownie = delicious trifle. Repeat the layers until you reach the top of the container.

Brownies

This classic V-day dessert is almost impossible to screw up. Accidentally underbake these brownies, and they turn out fudge-y and delicious. Overbake them, and they’ll be more cake-like and perfect for smearing with icing. Either way, they’re homemade chunks of chocolaty goodness guaranteed to make your lady swoon.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Sure, you have to be comfortable with the concept of creaming butter and sugar to make these peanut buttery treats, but this recipe from Kitchen Heals Soul walks you through every step with a scientific level of precision. Our only suggestion is to serve those babies the way the Valentine’s Day Gods intended: drizzled with copious amounts of chocolate.

Caramelized Bananas with Ice Cream

Take a hot pan and add sliced bananas, butter, brown, sugar, and rum for caramelized bananas. Regardless of your skill level, whatever happens in that pan is going to taste delicious served over ice cream.