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.
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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.

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.

What is the traditional Valentine's Day candy? ›

Conversation Hearts

Candy Hearts have been a Valentine's Day tradition since the 1900's, and are still one of the sweetest ways to tell that special someone you care. There are over 100 different phrases on these candy hearts, some of the most classic phrases being “Kiss Me”, and “Be Mine”.

What is the best candy for Valentine's Day? ›

  • Hershey's Valentine Kisses. ...
  • Dunkin' Chocolates Gift Box. ...
  • VGAN Pink Love White Chocolate Bar. ...
  • Jelly Belly Valentine Mix with Conversation Beans. ...
  • Russell Stover Valentines Red Foil Heart. ...
  • Lunchables Valentine's Day Gummy Candy. ...
  • Seattle Chocolate Berry in Love Gift Set. ...
  • Twizzlers Hearts. Twizzlers Hearts.
Jan 24, 2024

What is the #1 gift that children receive during Valentine's Day? ›

Popular Valentine's Day gifts for children include stuffed animals, chocolates, handmade cards, crafts, jewelry, and books. For older children, tech gadgets, music, and accessories are also popular gifts.

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 are the two most popular Valentines candies? ›

According to Candystore.com's annual report from 2023, conversation hearts made a stunning comeback, being the top Valentine's Day candy choice for 17 U.S. states. In second place was heart-shaped boxes of chocolate (11 states), then seasonal M&M's (seven states) and Hershey's Kisses (seven states).

What was the first Valentine's Day candy? ›

Richard Cadbury is credited as one of the earliest producers of chocolate candy. He is also the first to make the link between love and chocolate, and along with his brother George, you have him to thank for the heart-shaped box which Cadbury first produced for Valentine's Day in 1868.

What Valentines Day candy was first created? ›

Sweethearts Candy Hearts

These were first introduced in 1866 when Daniel Chase developed a machine that could press food dye letters onto the candy lozenges made famous by his brother, New England Confectionery Company (NECCO) founder Oliver Chase.

What is the most loved candy? ›

Snickers is listed as the most popular candy in the world.

Various factors, such as taste, marketing efforts, brand reputation, and availability, may have contributed to Snickers achieving this position.

What is the number one gift given on Valentine's day? ›

1. Valentine's Day cards. Although cards are usually given in combination with other gifts like flowers or chocolates, more than 52% of consumers will present their loved ones with a Valentine's Day card. You can score some extra points by personalizing your card with a photo or heartfelt poem.

What is the most popular Valentine's day candy in 2024? ›

Valentine's Day Candy Quick Facts
State Name1st Place 20242nd Place 2024
DelawareHershey KissesConversation Hearts
OregonHershey KissesM&M's
PennsylvaniaHershey KissesM&M's
TexasHershey KissesHeart-Shaped Box of Chocolates
47 more rows

What is one popular Valentine's candy? ›

Conversation Hearts

The pastel hearts, which are adorned with cutesy phrases such as “Be mine” and “XOXO” took the top spot in 17 states, easily making them the most popular Valentine's Day candy in America.

What is the most eaten candy? ›

Highlights: Most Popular Candies In America Statistics

M&Ms were the most popular candy in America in 2019. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are the most popular candy among Millennials. Snickers is the most popular candy bar. Hershey's Milk Chocolate ranks as the fifth most popular candy.

What is the most commonly eaten candy? ›

Snickers is listed as the most popular candy in the world.

However, it is important to note that this statistic is subjective and can vary depending on the criteria used for measurement or the specific source of data.

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