We'll bring the Champagne
By Taryn Pire
•
Published Jan 23, 2024
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Paula Boudes for PureWow
You’ve already planned a romantic night in for you and your S.O., including flowers, dinner and wine. All that’s missing? Dessert. So, we tracked down the 33 best sweets to add to your cart ahead of the 14th, including a handful of just-released confections you’ll be eager to taste. Whether you share a bag of red and pink Starbursts with your date, hook your kid’s class up with festive Hershey’s Kisses, mail your mom a bouquet of chocolate roses or gift a faraway friend a box of chocolate-covered strawberries, this assortment of Valentine’s Day candy and chocolate is bound to make you and yours feel the love.
The Best New Valentine’s Day Candies of 2024, at a Glance
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Most Shareable Valentine’s Day Candy
Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Snoopy KISSES
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First, What’s the Most Popular Valentine’s Day Candy?
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).
New Valentine’s Day Candies for 2024
Just when we thought we couldn’t love Tony’s Chocolonely more for its ethical sourcing and mission to make the cocoa farming industry fair, the brand launched these dangerously poppable Lil’ Bits. They feature chewy and crunchy cores covered in a thick layer of chocolate. Nosh your way through three varieties: milk chocolate caramel sea salt & cookie, triple chocolate and milk chocolate s’mores.
Most Shareable Valentine’s Day Candy
These simple milk chocolates, wrapped in foil covered in X’s and O’s, hearts and Snoopy and his friends, couldn’t be cuter. One bite and your inner child will be jumping for joy, Woodstock-style. (Don’t forget to add the recently revived Hershey’s KISSES Chocolate Dipped Strawberry Flavored Candies to your cart while you’re at it.)
If you try convincing your friends every Halloween that Mellowcreme Pumpkins are actually delicious, this one’s for you. Sink your teeth into soft, chewy Mellowcreme Roses while you wait for October. They come in three new flavors: frosted sugar cookie, strawberry cupcake and Valentine’s Day party punch.
We feel a s’mores craving coming on. Whether you add these pink cuties to a snack mix (or dessert charcuterie board) or eat them straight from the bag, grown-ups and kids alike will adore their pillowy soft texture and subtly fruity flavor.
This collection of gummy bears, sanded heart gummies and XOXO gummies is just right for kids, teachers and dates alike. In Cupid-approved colors (red! white! pink! purple!), the gummies practically beg to be played with—and you’ll be happy to oblige, trust.
This Kroger exclusive is worth the trip, promise. Tangy, sweet and sour, these mallows offer a mouth-puckering kick of strawberry flavor you’ll adore. Other new varieties include S’mores (graham cracker-flavored PEEPS dipped in milk chocolate), ICEE Blue Raspberry (available only at Target) and PEEPS Rice Krispies Treats, available only at Walmart.
If your boo is all about chocolate-covered strawberries, raspberry cheesecake and cordial cherries come Valentine’s Day, they’ll be thrilled to receive this fruity bounty. The box features luscious, sweet-tart berry clusters, enrobed in vegan dark chocolate. Does it get more elegant than that? We think not.
These elegant, silky-smooth confections will be hard to put down. A creamy, sweet strawberry swirl curbs the delightful bitterness of Dove's signature dark chocolate. (Balance is everything, no?)
Returning Valentine's Day Candies for 2024
Most Nostalgic Valentine’s Day Candy
OK, major points for being both iconic and sentimental. But most folks—despite their rising popularity—think these cuties taste like straight-up chalk (sorry, not sorry). Just in case you love them or want a bag for posterity…
Best for Spice Lovers
11. See’s Hot Hearts
Blame it on our fond memories of finding a ruby-red lollipop in our classroom mailbox and hoping it was from our crush, but we're suckers for heart-shaped goodies. Those who like their sweets hot will gobble up these crunchy-on-the-outside, chewy-on-the-inside treats from See's Candies.
Best Better-for-You Valentine’s Day Candy
Props to you if you’re not willing to break your diet for Cupid’s big day. But you should still treat yourself (or your newly-keto honey). This variety pack features six bars of organic, kosher, gluten-free and soy-free chocolate. Flavors range from chili and cinnamon to cherry-hazelnut crunch. Many of the bars—named Vixen, Smooch, Flirt, Hottie, Nakid and Bling—are also vegan. If sugar is your main concern, opt for Zazubean’s sugar-free Slinky chocolate bars or HU Dark Chocolate Gems instead.
Best for Families
13. Lik-m-aid Fun Dip Valentine’s Day Exchange Candy & Card Kit
Feel like a kid again with this throwback treat that you haven’t indulged in since elementary school. You and your kids (or galentines) can chat between licks of Cherry Yum Diddly Dip and RazzApple Magic Dip powders while snacking and relaxing. The signable packaging also makes it great for classroom valentine exchanges.
Best for a Romantic Movie Night
Nothing says “I love you” like saving your partner the work of picking out all the oranges and lemons. This bulk variety pack only includes cherry, strawberry, watermelon and fruit punch Starbursts. And since the wrappers are all red and pink, they fit the V-Day color scheme just right. Might we suggest dumping them in a bowl, popping some corn and having yourself a DIY movie marathon?
Best for Peanut Butter Lovers
We have it on good authority that the world’s very first soulmates were chocolate and peanut butter. Nosh on 36 individual chocolate-peanut butter hearts or share a massive one that weighs more than a quarter pound, both with the help of your significant other. (Or tackle them on your own—we won’t judge.)
Best Last-Minute Valentine’s Day Dessert
The cast iron skillet’s superpower is its ability to give just about any dessert a gooey, decadent middle and golden, chewy edges. While we’re huge supporters of preparing skillet sweets from scratch, these mix-and-bake kits are pretty damn ingenious if you need dessert in a pinch. We love this Hershey’s brownie kit that comes complete with mix and a heart-shaped skillet, but peanut butter fans might prefer the Reese's cookie heart skillet instead.
Best Boozy Valentine’s Day Candy
Wine and dessert are a match made in heaven. While we typically prefer to drink our vino instead of eat it, there’s no better time for a collab than Valentine’s Day. If you’re up for making boozy candy from scratch, red wine chocolate truffles are an easy win, but you can save yourself the work by opting for Hotel Chocolat’s Tipsy Truffles Sleekster instead. Flavors include Pink Champagne, Gin Truffle, Mojito, Cognac, Caramel Espresso Martini and more.
For your S.O. who's always snacking on Twizzlers instead of chocolate, there's this assortment of chocolate-covered gourmet licorice from Denmark. Complete with six flavors (original, salt & caramel, dark & sea salt, strawberry & cream, fruity caramel and wild blueberry), the heart set is equal parts unexpected and festive.
Most Unique Valentine’s Day Chocolate Bar
There’s something weirdly sophisticated (dare we say sexy?) about sharing a special chocolate bar at a leisurely pace instead of plowing through a whole box of truffles. We fell extra hard for Tony's White Raspberry Popping Candy flavor that’s just right for V-Day, since it’s packed with freeze-dried raspberries and popping candies. (If your boo is all about variety, go for the Rainbow Tasting Pack instead.)
Best for Gummy Lovers
If your S.O. is a gummy fiend, look no further than this half-pound bag of colorful hearts from Dylan’s Candy Bar. They’re prime for grabbing by the fistful while crying over The Notebook for the hundredth time. (BTW, the brand’s other V-Day treats include the Perfect Together Paint Can, You're the Bear-y Best Bear and the famous variety tackle box, which includes eight different festive candies.)
Best for Cookie Lovers
21. Philadelphia Candies Milk Chocolate-Covered OREO Cookies
Two of our greatest loves, united in chocolatey harmony. Split a box of eight OREOs, enrobed in a thick layer of milk chocolate and topped with a few edible hearts, with your boo. They're a great pairing for post-dinner coffee, if we do say so ourselves.
Best Valentine’s Day Chocolate Gift
Seattle Chocolate Company is a woman-owned brand that prioritizes sustainability and giving back to the community. As awesome as that is, we'd argue that their confections are even more so. This gift set is as delicious as it is easy on the eyes. It includes their three signature V-Day truffle bars—Tart & Soul, Berry in Love and Like You a Latte—the Take Me Anywhere heart box of truffles and three jcoco bars, a sister brand that helps stock shelves at food banks in Washington, California and New York with every purchase.
Best Valentine’s Day Candy Packaging
23. Omnom Sea Salted Toffee and Lakkrís Raspberry Chocolate Bars
Omnom, a small-batch, bean-to-bar chocolate brand based in Iceland, has a wide range of flavors to peruse. But every winter, we look forward to the return of their seasonal Sea Salted Toffee and Lakkrís (aka licorice) and Raspberry chocolate bars. The former is a milky toffee chocolate dappled with Icelandic sea salt and the latter is chocolate infused with licorice powder and sprinkled with crispy raspberry crumbles.
Best for Sour Lovers
What’s that? You can eat your weight in red Sour Patch Kids? Today’s your lucky day. These sweet-and-sour candies only come in Redberry and Pink Strawberry flavors, so you won’t have to dodge the green gummies like you do with the original pack. (FYI, Sour Patch also makes its own version of conversation hearts.)
Fanciest Valentine’s Day Chocolate
Some confections are so luxurious that they’re more a masterpiece than a simple dessert. Exhibit A: Vosges Haut Chocolat's Champagne Dessert Cups. The brand is famous for its gorgeously colorful truffles that come in exotic flavors, like Sri Lankan coconut, wild Tuscan fennel pollen and curry masala. But we're pretty in love with these mini dark chocolates that are filled with dark chocolate ganache, infused with French Champagne and finished with cold-dried strawberries.
Most Unexpected Valentine’s Day Candy
26. Cupid Candy Corn
No Halloween party is complete without a bowl of candy corn (whether people actually eat it is a different story, but we digress). But on February 14th, no one will see this red, pink and white version coming. Might we suggest sprinkling the candy over vanilla ice cream, baking it into brownies or using them to top a mug of hot cocoa?
Most Sentimental Valentine’s Day Candy
Hershey’s Kisses are inherently romantic (come on, it’s in the name). But we’d argue that this assortment is twice as warm-and-fuzzy, since it includes both classic milk chocolate and white creme pieces. (Hugs are basically an O.G. Kiss coated in white creme and striped with milk chocolate.)
Best Valentine’s Day Candy for Moms
You're already sending her a stunning floral arrangement—why not sweeten the deal with these foil-wrapped gems? You can either shower her with a shiny dozen, complete with 14-inch stems, or split the lot up into smaller bouquets for each of your family members.
Best Heart-Shaped Box of Chocolates
29. Godiva Chocolatier Valentine’s Day Heart Chocolate Gift Box
Listen, we’ve never met a box of chocolates we didn’t inhale on sight. It makes a great gift for just about anyone, whether you’re shopping for your parents, friends or S.O. But if you’re pulling out all the stops (roses, candles—you know the drill), go with this 14-piece number from Godiva, which is complete with every flavor from white praline to dark ganache.
Most Versatile Valentine’s Day Candy
It’s just a fact: Set a bowl of M&M’s out and they’ll disappear in a few minutes flat. This seasonal version features white, pink and red M&M’s stamped with lips, roses and Cupid’s arrows. Our favorite thing about these poppables is that there are endless ways to use them. Toss them in a bowl of popcorn, include them in a DIY sundae bar or bake them into cookies. (P.S.: You should also add the White Chocolate Strawberry Shake variety to your cart, as it's just made a limited-time comeback.)
Best for Treating Yourself
31. Sugar Plum Chocolates Broken Heart Chocolate Pizza & Mallet
What’s love got to do with it? Normally, the thought of "singles chocolate" makes us cringe (chocolate is for everyone, always), but this treat makes us willing to overlook the concept and dig right in. Eat your feelings with the clever Broken Heart Chocolate Pizza from Sugar Plum Chocolates. Not only is the 12-ounce chocolate heart topped with crushed pretzels, cookies, potato chips, candied chocolate gems and white chocolate, but it also comes with a wooden mallet so you can work out your emotions by smashing away.
Best Valentine’s Day Candy for Your S.O.
The only thing better than snacking on your go-to candies on the 14th is being surprised by new favorites month after month. For your boo with the serious sweet tooth, check out Candy Club, a monthly candy delivery service with options for sweet and sour lovers alike. Each box comes with six signature candies each, from Gummi Unicorns to Sour Pink Cadillacs.
Most Romantic Valentine’s Day Candy
You don’t need to reinvent the wheel to impress your partner. Chocolate-covered strawberries, albeit common on Valentine’s Day, are undeniably elegant, romantic and mind-blowingly easy to make yourself. If you’d rather relax than toil in the kitchen (hey, we don’t blame you), lean on this assortment of Love & Romance Dipped Strawberries from Shari’s Berries. The berries are massive, decorated in festive chocolatey drizzle and come in a heart-shaped box. What more could you ask for?
Food Editor
Taryn Pire is PureWow’s food editor and has been writing about all things delicious since 2016. She’s developed recipes, reviewed restaurants and investigated food trends at...
