Holidays & Entertaining Holidays Valentine's Day 40 Valentine's Day Cookies That Say "I Love You" Show how much you care by baking something special for your sweetheart. By Ariel Klein Ariel Klein Ariel Klein is a freelance writer specializing in lifestyle, fashion, beauty, technology, home, cooking, and gardening topics. Her work has appeared in Real Simple, Well+Good, Travel+Leisure, Better Homes and Gardens, and Food & Wine magazine. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on February 05, 2024 Close Photo: Caitlin Bensel With so many ways to say "I love you" on Valentine’s Day, nothing is as sweet as a batch of homemade cookies. Bypass the overpriced boxed chocolates and silly teddy bears, and look over these Valentine's Day cookies for a more thoughtful way to express your love. Our recipe collection lists something for everyone: chocolate lovers, minimalists, traditionalists, and cookie monsters (who love them all). We have cookies disguised as ice cream and granola bars disguised as cookies, as well as some that are no-bake, gluten-free, or vegan. Surely, you'll find something to make your loved one's heart go a-flutter. 01 of 40 Strawberry Dust Meringues Caitlin Bensel The combination of sugar and whipped egg whites creates a light, airy, melt-in-your-mouth experience. These delicate meringue cookies are made Valentine’s Day-ready with a light dusting of pulverized freeze-dried strawberries or cranberries. GET THE RECIPE 02 of 40 No-Bake Almond Butter Thumbprints Jen Causey Thumbprint cookies are a classic, and this no-bake recipe is perhaps the easiest cookie you'll ever not bake. Fill them with your favorite jam (as long as it's red) or make a combo of raspberry, strawberry, and mixed berry jams. GET THE RECIPE 03 of 40 Chocolate Peppermint Shortbreads Johnny Miller Round up some candy left over from Christmas to star in these delightful shortbread cookies. They’re soft and buttery on the inside, coated with decadent chocolate, and topped with crushed peppermints. GET THE RECIPE 04 of 40 Chocolate Linzer Cookies Caitlin Bensel Originating from Linz, Austria, a classic Linzer torte is a buttery, delectable cookie filled with fresh jam and dusted with a generous coating of powdered sugar. This one is similar but calls for cocoa powder, which pairs perfectly with a sweet-yet-tart jam or marmalade (a red one, of course). GET THE RECIPE 05 of 40 Peppermint Checkerboard Cookies The best part about sugar cookie dough is that it can be transformed into various types of cookies, like these fancy peppermint checkerboard delights. The design seems hard to replicate, but it’s easier than it looks. GET THE RECIPE 06 of 40 Cardamom Bun Cookies Caitlin Bensel Serve up a heart-melting cookie and cinnamon bun all in one bite. This recipe replaces the usual cinnamon with cardamom, which gives these little bites a similar taste but a warmer, earthier flavor. GET THE RECIPE 07 of 40 Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti With White Chocolate Caitlin Bensel Biscotti often gets a bad rap for being dry, hard, and flavorless, but this recipe breaks that mold. Adding pistachios, dried cranberries, and white chocolate chips certainly addresses "flavorless," while its buttery dough results in a texture far short of rock hard. A final dip in white chocolate and sprinkles makes them look as good as they taste. GET THE RECIPE 08 of 40 Hugs and Kisses Chocolate Chunk Sheet Pan Cookie Caitlin Bensel Hugs and kisses go hand-in-hand with Valentine's Day, and this cookie recipe includes both Hershey's Hugs and Kisses. This giant sheet cookie comes together easily, feeds a crowd, and delivers a hug or kiss from you in every bite. GET THE RECIPE 09 of 40 Salty Sweet Chunkers Caitlin Bensel The best part of this kitchen-sink cookie is you can use up whatever you have on hand, from chocolate chips and chopped nuts to salty pretzels and fluffy marshmallows. Dried cranberries and white chocolate chips are obvious Valentine's add-ins—or go out there and throw in some spicy little Red Hots, strawberry chips, or crushed peppermint candies. GET THE RECIPE 10 of 40 Jam Sandwich Cookies Raymond Hom These jam-filled cookies are light, delicate, and highly irresistible. They may not look fancy, but they're delicious and simple to make. The recipe calls for store-bought raspberry jam, but strawberry jam and even Nutella are also in line with Valentine's Day treats. GET THE RECIPE 11 of 40 Nutella Cones With Hazelnut Praline Johnny Miller These mini-cone cookies are anything but ordinary. They are filled with creamy Nutella and roasted hazelnuts and coated with luscious chocolate and pralines. Rest assured, they'll melt your loved one's heart. GET THE RECIPE 12 of 40 Macaroon Thumbprints Fred Hardy This cookie is part macaroon, part thumbprint, and wholly adorable. Hazelnuts play double-duty here: They're pulverized in the dough and blended in the chocolate filling. Finish with a smidgen of shredded coconut for maximum cuteness. GET THE RECIPE 13 of 40 Chocolate Drizzled Shortbread Levi Brown A classic shortbread cookie looks and tastes even better with a drizzle of chocolate. (Let's be honest: Doesn't everything?) Pull out your cake pan for this recipe and enjoy each cookie by the wedge. GET THE RECIPE 14 of 40 Buckeyes Raymond Hom If your sweetheart is a fan of peanut butter and chocolate, here is a must-make for Valentine’s Day. These soft peanut butter cookie balls dipped in silky chocolate are so pop-able, better make a double batch. GET THE RECIPE 15 of 40 Lace Cookies Greg DuPree Put on a flirty lace dress and accessorize it with these irresistible lace cookies. They look complicated to make but only take about 10 minutes to throw together. Serve them atop a bowl of homemade ice cream, or add them to fresh berries and whipped cream for a sweet crunch. GET THE RECIPE 16 of 40 Pistachio and White Chocolate Cookie Bark Fred Hardy Imagine a crisp, buttery pistachio cookie topped with white chocolate bark studded with romantic freeze-dried raspberries and more pistachios, and you have a good idea of how this giant cookie tastes. Serve it in large or small shards to whoever you love the most. GET THE RECIPE 17 of 40 Triple Chocolate Cookies Alison Miksch Caution: Only the staunchest of chocolate fans can handle the chocolaty-ness of these chocolate morsels. Melted bittersweet and unsweetened chocolate mixes into the cookie dough, with semi-sweet chips folded in for a chocolate hat trick. GET THE RECIPE 18 of 40 Cinnamon Sugar Cookies Jennifer Causey This cookie recipe is full of sugar and spice and everything nice. The secret behind these sinful cookies is buttery, flaky puff pastry rolled in a delicious cinnamon sugar mixture with crunchy pecans. The store-bought puff pastry shortcut makes this one of the easiest Valentine's Day cookies ever. GET THE RECIPE 19 of 40 Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroons Victor Schrager If you’re looking for a delicious, gluten-free dessert, these macaroons are it! They’re super simple to throw together and only call for seven ingredients. In the unlikely event you have some leftover, they store best in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. GET THE RECIPE 20 of 40 Chocolate Chip Meringue Kisses David Prince Spice up your Valentine’s Day dinner by ending it with a romantic meringue kiss. It's the perfect indulgence when you and your honey need just a light, sweet treat at the end of the night. GET THE RECIPE 21 of 40 Pecan Sandies Greg DuPree If you’re baking for someone who loves a cookie with nuts, we suggest these soft and chewy pecan sandies. It’s a butter cookie with chopped pecans, but walnuts or macadamia nuts work nicely, too. And if you want to omit the nuts altogether, you certainly can! GET THE RECIPE 22 of 40 Angeletti Cookies Victor Schrager This popular Italian Christmas confection is just too delicious to enjoy only once a year. To make them Valentine’s Day-special, shape them into little hearts and decorate with red and pink sprinkles for a festive touch. GET THE RECIPE 23 of 40 Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies Victor Schrager Homemade chocolate chip cookies are always a good idea. They're the perfect dessert for a day dedicated to love. Not to mention, there’s just no better aphrodisiac than the scent of fresh cookies baking. Serve these as-is or make them into ice cream sandwiches (using strawberry ice cream) for a fun spin on a classic sweet treat. GET THE RECIPE 24 of 40 Gingerbread and Chocolate Sandwich Cookies Beatriz da Costa If you’re not quite ready to say goodbye to gingerbread cookies until December, these are just the thing for Valentine's Day. This super-simple, no-bake recipe essentially jazzes up store-bought cookies with your homemade frosting. If you can’t find gingerbread cookies in the store, any type will do! GET THE RECIPE 25 of 40 Almond Biscotti Victor Schrager If you and your sweetheart aren't big on sweets, consider making this crunchy biscuit to serve with after-dinner coffee. Its almond flavor blends nicely with a wide range of flavors, and its light texture won't weigh you down. One batch makes 44 cookies, enough for V-Day plus 2 weeks' worth of breakfast treats and afternoon snacks. GET THE RECIPE 26 of 40 Marbled Cookies Caitlin Bensel These ethereal cookies are dressed for Hanukkah or Easter here, but a few drops of red food coloring gel (instead of blue) make them a stunning V-Day treat. The recipe guides you through the stacking and kneading technique that gives these cookies their mesmerizing look. It's easier than you think! GET THE RECIPE 27 of 40 Chewy Spice Cookies Victor Schrager Spicy meets sweet in this simple yet classic cookie recipe. Filled with warm winter flavors—nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves—they're great for dunking into cappuccino, milkshakes, or chocolate fondue. GET THE RECIPE 28 of 40 Salted Oatmeal Cookies With Dark Chocolate Roland Bello If your true love loves an oatmeal raisin cookie, this recipe is worth trying. They’re soft and chewy, sweet and salty, classic and extraordinary, and represent the best of both chocolate chip and oatmeal cookie worlds. GET THE RECIPE 29 of 40 Chewy Salted Brown Butterscotch Cookies Dawn Perry Calling all butterscotch lovers! These cookies are rich in sweetness and irresistibly chewy, as if they just came out of the oven. If you’re also baking for a big chocolate lover, fear not! This recipe calls for milk chocolate and silky butterscotch chips. GET THE RECIPE 30 of 40 Glazed Lemon Cookies Kana Okada The bright lemony flavor of these little bites foretells the coming of spring! The recipe results in an easy slice-and-bake dough you can make and freeze up to 2 months ahead. Consider mixing up several dough logs, baking one for Valentine's Day, and freezing the rest for St. Patrick's Day, Easter, April Fool's Day, the first day of spring, daylight savings, and beyond. GET THE RECIPE 31 of 40 Double Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies With Pecans and Cherries Greg DuPree This divine chocolate cookie is chock full of healthful oats, dried cherries (or cranberries), and nuts. It’s chewy yet crunchy, sweet yet tart, and—believe it or not—just one cookie may be enough to satisfy you after dinner. GET THE RECIPE 32 of 40 White Chocolate Chunk Ginger Cookies Caitlin Bensel This recipe upgrades sweet-and-spicy gingersnaps with cocoa powder, white chocolate chips, and crystallized ginger bits. If you're a planner, make a batch of this dough up to a month early, and then bake from frozen for a Valentine's Day treat. GET THE RECIPE 33 of 40 Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies Victor Schrager If you're baking for a minimalist peanut butter lover, stop right here. This no-fuss, seven ingredient recipe goes back to basics with a tried-and-true classic that can't be improved upon. Bonus: It's gluten free! GET THE RECIPE 34 of 40 No-Bake Apricot and Oat Nuggets Jen Causey If a granola bar turned into a cookie, it'd be this wholesome, fruit-and-oat-studded mashup that's no-bake, gluten-free, and guilt-free. For Valentine's Day vibes, sub the chopped dried apricots for cherries, cranberries, or even chocolate chips for a more decadent turn. GET THE RECIPE 35 of 40 Chocolate Ganache Sandwiches Melanie Acevedo How do you serve store-bought cookies but get credit for homemade? Sandwich them with a luscious homemade ganache that's simply melted chocolate blended with heavy cream. If you can't find the chocolate wafers called for in the recipe, swap them for any similar kind, because the magic is in the filling. GET THE RECIPE 36 of 40 Vegan Blueberry Cookies Justine Eats True, these cookies are off-hue for Valentine's Day, but switch out the frozen blueberries with strawberries, raspberries, or cherries, and you have a fruity, vegan cookie that anyone would love. Their velvety, soft texture on the inside contrasts with a crisp exterior, making these white chocolate chip cookies a new favorite. GET THE RECIPE 37 of 40 Chai Flavored Snowball Cookies Fred Hardy They look like frosty snowballs on the outside, but their insides burst with the flavor of a warm mug of chai tea. Omit the green food coloring and just stick with the red to make these Valentine's-ready, or skip it altogether for a natural wintry look. GET THE RECIPE 38 of 40 Soft Baked Froot Loops Sugar Cookies Grace Elkus These cookies feature the fruit-flavored cereal that kids love and some adults just can't let go of. The pulverized loops play double duty in this recipe: Most of the crumbs go into the cookie dough, but some are reserved for cookie dough balls to roll around in before baking, resulting in cookies that flourish in pastels. GET THE RECIPE 39 of 40 Chocolate Chunk Cookies Levi Brown If there's a chocoholic in your love life, they'll love you for serving these double chocolate drops. Half of the chocolate chips get melted into the dough, and the rest are folded in. Buckle up for a non-stop trip to Chocolate Town for two. GET THE RECIPE 40 of 40 Chocolate Cherry Biscotti Levi Brown Finish off a romantic meal with a cup of hot coffee (or tea) paired with homemade biscotti. Flavorful yet not too sweet, these twice-baked Italian cookies are flecked with chocolate chips and dried cherries that lend chewy tartness. GET THE RECIPE Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit