Baking Your Way Into Bed: Endless Simmer’s Valentine’s Day Dessert Guide

Seriously, why would anyone want to go out for dinner on Valentine’s Day? Eating out on the busiest restaurant night of the year has always struck us as significantly more exhausting than enticing.

If you’re really looking to get lucky, take if from ES, there’s no better tactic than staying home and making dessert. So check out our top picks, sorted by what type of date you’ve lined up for this year.

 The Classy Date: Banana Cream Pie Cupcakes

Sorry, guys — if you’re skipping the night out, you can’t just order up a pint of B&J and call it a day. Staying home for V-day usually requires presenting something both pretty and impressive. These banana cream pie cupcakes ought to do the trick.

The Quirky Date: Trashy Cupcakes

If you’re looking less for knock-her-socks-off impressive and more show-how-cute-and-quirky-I-am, these cracked-out cupcakes will display your silly side. Plus, if you’ve left it until the last minute and the only things you have in the kitchen are ramen noodles, Cocoa Puffs, and Cinnamon Toast Crunch, we’ve got your back: trashy cupcakes.

The Foodie Date: Pine Nut Brittle

Trust us, nothing gets a foodie more excited than seeing an expensive ingredient show up in unexpected places. And this sweet/savory snack actually tastes delicious: pine nut brittle with vanilla ice cream and blueberries.

The Difficult Date: Gluten-Free Chocolate Vegan Cupcakes

Yes, cooking for a date with dietary restrictions can still be sexy. See: gluten-free, vegan chocolate mint cupcakes.

The Easy Date: Chocolate Chip Cookies Two Ways

If chocolate chip cookies are seriously the only thing in your repertoire, kick it up a notch with these chocolate chip cookie — cookie dough sandwiches.

The Breakfast Date: Nutella Pastra Pockets

No need to wait ’til nighttime — get the party started in the A.M. with these Nutella pastry pockets.

The Late-Night Date: Royal Velvet Jell-O Shots

Then again, if you find yourself needing to spice up a late Tuesday night, we recommend these royal velvet jell-o shots

The Sure Thing: Marshmallow Caramel Whiskey Bacon Bark

Endless Simmer staff collectively agrees we will sleep with anyone — seriously, anyone (man, woman, animal, inanimate object, it doesn’t matter) — who makes us any dish that combines these four magic ingredients: whiskey, marshmallow, caramel and bacon bark.