11 Desserts For Date Nights At Home, All Literally Made With Dates

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, we're making plans with loved ones, as much as we can. And whether that's roommates, a significant other, or just yourself we certainly suggest enjoying something special (like one of these recipes).

Chocolate and romance go together as well as any other classic pairing, and these decadent brownies add Medjool dates and lean on almond flour to make them gluten-free. They're also vegan, so no matter who's coming to dinner, you should be set with a dessert that's dietary-restriction-friendly (as long as it's not a nut allergy).

If you're looking to up the ante on a dessert without upping the sugars, turn to this date caramel for a decadent topping. We're thinking it'd go great with gluten-free cake or maybe sandwiched between some nutty chocolate cookies. You can also make it as the chocolate candies the recipe was designed for—which could make a pretty sweet homemade gift.

We hear you: This one doesn't sound very health-conscious. But the nice cream takes its sweetener from dates (and it's mostly banana), while the cookie gets its base from chickpeas and rolled oats in the place of processed flour. The two together make a dessert that feels as decadent as it does put-together, without too much effort or added sugars.

These healthy "Oreos" are made of date- and oat-based cookies and filled with a coconut milk whipped cream—and you don't even need to turn on the oven to make them, which means more oven space for wowing your date with a vegan update on a classic lasagna, or it will give you the stove space to skip the takeout menu and make this vegan pad see ew.

Dates aren't the only magic ingredient in these truffles. Just a bit of CBD oil makes them great for helping manage anxiety, which in the face of a date (the romantic kind, not the fruit) isn't a bad idea. Your choice of nuts mixed with oats, nut butter, and, of course, dates makes the base for these tasty treats.

With just five ingredients you can make these perfect dupes for the chocolate fudge pops of your childhood—and it's just as easy as making a smoothie. Bananas provide the signature fudgy-ness, and the addition of collagen means they've got bonus protein.

Coconut and tahini pair perfectly in these simple bars, which make a great dessert but can also be enjoyed as a mid-morning (or mid-afternoon) pick-me-up after your Valentine's date has passed. Dates, as usual, offer a whole, natural source of sweetness to balance out the treat.

Banoffee is a delectable dessert, but it's often packed with processed sugar. This vegan version uses dates, avocado, and cashew butter to replicate the creamy, caramel-y flavor of this dish and of course still includes the classic banana, and pecans provide the crunch.

For the simplest dessert prep possible, turn to this two ingredient fudge. Simply blend dates with natural peanut butter and...you're done! Well, almost—then it just needs a few hours in the freezer.

There's many a healthy brownie recipe that pulls in dates for sweetness (as shown by the fact that a few appear on this list), but if you're really looking to lean into the red and pink tones synonymous with the holiday then the raspberry sprinkles on this batch will be perfect.

While we can't help you find a date-date for this Friday, we can promise that at least these date experiences will go well—the recipes are tried-and-true. If you're trying to cut down on sugars but are overwhelmed by sugar alternatives, this may help you find the best option for every recipe.