Valentine’s Day Candy

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These 20+ Valentine’s Day candy recipes will ensure you never run out of inspiration. From homemade fudge to fruity gummies and copycat candy bars, each recipe is easy to make and guaranteed to be loved by everyone you share them with!

Valentine's day candy ideas

The days leading up to Valentine’s Day are pretty candy-heavy in my house. We tend to stray away from store-bought candy, however tempting it may be, in favor of homemade candy. Not only is it more thoughtful, but it’s fun and gives us a chance to get creative. 

Now, I have quite a few homemade candy recipes, but not all of them are what I’d call “Valentine’s Day approved.” So, that’s why I’m making a roundup of the best candy recipes to share with your loved ones on this extra special holiday. 

Need desserts? Try these Valentine’s Day desserts.

Table of Contents
  1. Why make candy for Valentine’s Day
  2. Valentine’s Day fudge recipes
  3. Valentine’s chocolate candy recipes
  4. Valentine’s fruity candy recipes
  5. Copycat candy bar recipes
  6. More recipe collections
  7. 20+ Valentine’s Day Candy Recipes (Recipe Card)

Why make candy for Valentine’s Day

  • More meaningful. Making candy is not something most people think of, so when you go the extra mile, you’re guaranteed to make an impression. 
  • Cost-effective. Homemade candy is WAY cheaper than going to the store, especially considering holiday candy prices!
  • It’s healthier. The biggest reason I took to making my own candy had more to do with my waistline than anything. By making candy at home, you get to use wholesome, good-for-you ingredients, and it makes allergy accommodations so much simpler.
  • More options. When you make your candy from scratch, the sky is the limit! You can stick to the classics and make chocolate truffles, or go out on left field and make millionaire shortbread.

Valentine’s Day fudge recipes

I don’t know what exactly about fudge makes it feel so romantic, I just know it does! Each of these fudge recipes are made with simple ingredients, and most double as easy no-bake desserts

  • Salted caramel fudge– Smooth, creamy fudge with a rich caramel flavor and lightly decorated with sea salt.
  • 2-ingredient fudge– Chocolate and sweetened condensed milk effortlessly transformed into creamy, rich fudge that’s easy to make and easy to customize. 
  • Nutella fudge– This is about as decadent as it gets, especially if you make it with my creamy homemade nutella
  • Rocky road fudge– Smooth chocolate fudge studded with marshmallows, peanuts, and candy. 
  • Maple fudge– Perfect for the maple-lovers in your life. Made with only 3 ingredients, it’s surprisingly balanced, flavorful, and quick. 
recipe for rocky road fudge.

Valentine’s chocolate candy recipes

When I think of Valentine’s Day candy, I instantly think about chocolate! Each of these recipes are easy to make at home and guaranteed to impress. 

  • Chocolate toffee bars– Featuring a delicate shortbread base layered with chewy toffee and melted chocolate. 
  • White chocolate peanut butter cups– A fun twist on the classic peanut butter cups, made with creamy white chocolate. 
  • Chocolate coconut bars– Personally, I think there is no better combination than lightly sweetened coconut and melted dark chocolate. If your Valentine’s feels the same way, they’ll love these coconut bars.
  • Hot chocolate cookies– Okay, perhaps this isn’t technically “candy,” but what’s not romantic about hot chocolate? These cookies taste just like the classic drink but are made into chewy, gooey chocolate cookies. 
  • Creme eggs– A fun twist on the classic cadbury creme eggs, down to the creamy texture and vibrant yellow filling. 
chocolate toffee bars.

Valentine’s fruity candy recipes

Fruity candy is a safe bet if you’re sharing with friends or coworkers since it tends to be diet-friendly and satisfies a wide variety of tastes. Plus, it’s often easy to make in bulk in different flavors. 

  • Turkish delight– Delicate rose-infused candies dusted with powdered sugar. 
  • Gummies– A fun take on the classic gummy bears, made in minutes with nothing more than gelatin and Jello mix. Bonus points if you use a gummy hearts mold. 
  • Tanghulu– A popular Chinese street food made with fruits (like strawberry and pineapple) dipped in light corn syrup and honey. They’re a seriously addictive and out-of-the-ordinary treat. 
  • Fruit gummies– Naturally sweetened fruity candies you can easily make in everything from orange to watermelon and cherry flavors.  
turkish delight.

Copycat candy bar recipes

I love buying candy bars as much as the next guy, but I don’t love paying double the price just to get pretty pink packaging. That’s where these copycat candy bars come in. 

  • Reese’s hearts– These chocolates pull double duty as a solid reese’s dupe AND the perfect Valentine’s Day chocolates. 
  • Twix bars– Delicate shortbread base and gooey caramel filling, all covered in rich chocolate. You’ll have a hard time parting with these!
  • Kit kat– These bars are addictive and even better than the original version. 
  • Almond roca– My favorite fancy yet effortless candy to whip up when I really want to catch someone’s attention. 
  • Vegan snickers– Got a vegan Valentine’s? They’ll never see these coming. Layers of cocoa butter nougat, gooey caramel, and salted peanuts, all enveloped in milk chocolate. 
maple syrup fudge.

More recipe collections

Valentine's day candy

20+ Valentine’s Day Candy Recipes

5 from 20 votes
These 20+ Valentine’s Day candy recipes will ensure you never run out of inspiration. From homemade fudge to fruity gummies and copycat candy bars, each recipe is easy to make and guaranteed to be loved by everyone you share them with!
Servings: 24 candies
Prep: 1 minute
Cook: 1 minute
Total: 2 minutes

Ingredients  

  • 1 cup peanut butter * see notes
  • 1 1/4 cups white chocolate chips sugar free or standard

Instructions 

  • Line a square pan with parchment paper and set aside.
  • In a microwave safe bowl or stovetop, add the peanut butter and white chocolate chips.
  • Microwave in 20-second increments until the white chocolate has mostly melted and the peanut butter is liquid. Whisk the two together until smooth.
  • Transfer the mixture into the lined pan and refrigerate for an hour, until firm.
  • Slice the candy into 24 pieces.

Notes

* Almond butter or tahini can be used.
TO STORE: Leftover candy can be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to one month.
TO FREEZE: Place the leftovers in an airtight container and store them in the freezer for up to six months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1candyCalories: 114kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 3gFat: 8gSodium: 58mgPotassium: 97mgFiber: 1gVitamin A: 3IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 23mgIron: 1mgNET CARBS: 7g
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Author: Arman Liew
Tried this recipe?Give us a shout at @thebigmansworld or tag #thebigmansworld!

Arman Liew

I’m a two time cookbook author, photographer, and writer, and passionate about creating easy and healthier recipes. I believe you don’t need to be experienced in the kitchen to make good food using simple ingredients that most importantly, taste delicious.

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Comments

  1. Haha! Love the Ode to Valentine’s Day here, mate. It really is a holiday centered around sweets…and maybe a couple of roses thrown in for good luck. Love this roundup of deliciousness…and now I’m going to be craving Valentine’s Day sweets all day. That and singing Justin Timberlake songs. Thanks for that. 🙂

  2. I knew I shouldn’t have opened this post when I’m craving sweets, especially chocolate. Le sigh.

  3. Um, excuse me. Not a real holiday?!! Valentine’s Day is one of my favorite holidays, so Imma disagree with you there. Bring on all the pink stuff! That raspberry bread looks awesome and may just inspire me to bake something for the office that day.

  4. Whoa, that Vegan Cotton Candy Ice Cream Cake!! What a great line-up! I can’t wait to try your chocolate raspberry mug cake! Thank you including my mini bundt cakes!