20+ Valentine's Day Candy Recipes - The Big Man's World ® (2024)

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byArman Liew

updated on Jan 21, 2024

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5from 20 votes

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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!

20+ Valentine's Day Candy Recipes - The Big Man's World ® (2)

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.
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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.
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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.
20+ Valentine's Day Candy Recipes - The Big Man's World ® (5)

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.
20+ Valentine's Day Candy Recipes - The Big Man's World ® (6)

More recipe collections

  • Recipes with oats
  • Recipes with Greek yogurt
  • Recipes with Nutella
  • Sugar free desserts

20+ Valentine's Day Candy Recipes - The Big Man's World ® (7)

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 min

Cook: 1 minute min

Total: 2 minutes mins

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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!

20+ Valentine's Day Candy Recipes - The Big Man's World ® (2024)

FAQs

What is the most eaten candy on Valentine's Day? ›

Everybody Wants Chocolate

According to CandyStore.com, 37 out of 50 states in the U.S. prefer some kind of chocolate to any other sort of Valentine candy. Chocolate is the most popular candy for Valentine's Day for a reason.

How many boxes of heart-shaped candy sold on Valentine's Day? ›

He used drawings of his family and Alpine scenes to decorate them. In 1861, he created the first heart-shaped box of chocolates for Valentine's Day. The popularity of the boxes has only grown over the years. Each year, over 36 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolates are sold around the world.

What is the number one Valentines Day candy sold? ›

Candystore.com discovered the most favored candy in each US state in 2024 while compiling 16 years' worth of candy sales data. Heart-shaped boxes of chocolate are the most popular Valentine's Day candy in the US, ranking No. 1 in 15 states, including Missouri and Oklahoma.

How many pounds of candy are sold on Valentine's Day? ›

The National Confectioners Association tells the Chamber that 92% of Americans plan to purchase candy for Valentine's Day this year, including 58 million pounds of chocolate — one of the holiday's most popular candies. Overall, the Valentine's Day season represents about $4 billion in confectionery sales each year.

What is the most popular candy in 2024? ›

One surefire prediction for the balance of 2024 is that the perennial favorites will remain at the top of consumers' want lists. They include such famous names as Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, M&Ms, Skittles, Sour Patch Kids, Starburst and Hershey's Kisses.

What was the first Valentine's day candy? ›

Richard Cadbury, the son of Cadbury founder John Cadbury, had the idea to create fancy-looking boxes of chocolates to increase their sales. He decorated the boxes using drawings of his family and Alpine scenes. In 1861, he created the first heart-shaped box of chocolates designed specifically for Valentine's Day.

What was the first Valentine's candy? ›

Guinness World Records credits Cadbury as the maker of the first ever heart-shaped box of chocolates, and dates the invention to 1868. Cadbury's creations perhaps weren't as ornate as the confectionary candy boxes later built in New York, but they did exhibit a high degree of both romantic feeling and artistic flair.

What is the most unpopular Valentine's candy? ›

Brach's Cinnamon Imperial Hearts

And disguising that so-called-candy in a cute little heart shape certainly doesn't help its cause. Brach's Cinnamon Imperial Hearts aren't seen on store shelves very often anymore, and that's for good reason.

What is Hershey's number one selling candy? ›

Reese's is the No. 1 selling candy brand in the United States and has been Hershey's best-selling product since 1969.

What are the two most popular Valentines candies? ›

More than 40 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolate will be sold for Valentine's Day. Caramel-flavored chocolates are the most popular in those boxes. Chocolate-covered nuts were a close second, according to the NCA. Approximately 8.2 billion conversation hearts will be produced this year.

What is the most popular candy? ›

Here are the top 10 most popular candies in America, according to CandyStore.com:
  • Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.
  • M&Ms.
  • Hot tamales.
  • Skittles.
  • Sour Patch Kids.
  • Starburst.
  • Hershey Kisses.
  • Candy Corn.
Oct 10, 2023

Is candy cheaper after Valentine's day? ›

Americans spend more than $25 billion on Valentine's Day gifts, but the following day kicks off a dash for leftover holiday candy. The day after Valentine's Day is the first of four Discount Chocolate Days, including the days after Easter, Halloween and Christmas.

What are the top 7 best selling products or services for Valentine's day? ›

What to Sell on Valentine's Day?
  • Chocolates/Sweets. Nearly 30% of US adults wished to receive chocolate and sweets on this occasion. ...
  • Flowers. How can we celebrate Valentine's Day without a luxurious bouquet of roses? ...
  • Gift Cards/Vouchers. ...
  • Clothing. ...
  • Perfumes. ...
  • Valentine's Day Cards. ...
  • Jewelry. ...
  • Lingerie.
Jan 16, 2024

What is the most eaten candy? ›

Here are the top 10 most popular candies in America, according to CandyStore.com:
  • Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.
  • M&Ms.
  • Hot tamales.
  • Skittles.
  • Sour Patch Kids.
  • Starburst.
  • Hershey Kisses.
  • Candy Corn.
Oct 10, 2023

What is the most popular Valentine's Day food? ›

Chocolate. Chocolate is a foolproof dessert option for any special occasion, and most certainly for Valentine's Day. A bit of history: the timeless classic heart-shaped box of chocolates, one of the most popular Valentine's Day offerings today, originated in Britain in 1868 as Richard Cadbury's initiative.

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