The Perfect Recipes for a Galentine's Day Celebration

This nutrient-rich twist on coconut cream pie is lusciously smooth and decadent… it’s also vegan, paleo, gluten-fee, and raw. In other words, you’re looking at a tart with a stacked resume. Perfect for a special occasion, especially if you’re looking to clean up your diet a bit, this show-stopping vegan dessert offers rich, toasty flavor and sweet tooth satisfaction—without adding refined sugar. And since there’s no need to crank up the oven to make it, this treat especially ideal for summer. Keep in mind, whipping coconut cream can sometimes be tricky. If you forget to refrigerate your cans overnight or if too much of the liquid gets mixed in, it will most likely separate. But not to worry—mixing in a bit of tapioca flour (arrowroot would also work) can bring the mixture back together in a snap. To save yourself time, go ahead and place your mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the fridge to chill as soon as you are ready to start prepping your tart. 

This impressive blush-tone cake is inspired by two of our favorite summer treats: rosé wine and fresh strawberries. Perfect for a bridal shower, birthday party, or any number of other special gatherings, this cake is as spirited as it is elegant. If you are a big frosting fan, you may want to consider doubling the buttercream component of the recipe, as this was developed as a more delicately iced cake. Leave enough frosting after filling the layers to swipe a light crumb coat around the exterior of the cake, if you like that look--or you can simply keep the frosting in between the layers for a fully "naked" cake aethetic.

A fudgy chocolate brownie sandwiched between chocolate chip cookies is the perfect treat to celebrate singleness this Valentine's Day. The best part is, you don't have to share!

Make this a kid-friendly dessert by omitting the bourbon and increasing the vanilla to 1 1/2 teaspoons. You can also serve 10 thin pretzel sticks for dipping, but note that this will add about 21 calories and 96mg sodium.

With only 3 simple ingredients, this truly is the ultimate grilled cheese. Perfect for a tight budget or someone who's short on time, this uncomplicated comfort food sandwich is the perfect any-time meal. Use mayonnaise instead of butter for added flavor and to keep the bread from burning.

Oreo Truffles are an easy way to impress guests at your next get-together. Guests will never have to know they only require four ingredients!

For family taco night, set out the filling, taco shells, and toppings, and let everyone craft their own unique creations. Rather than a store bought taco mix pack, we created a simple homemade blend of basic pantry spices. It takes no more than five minutes to measure it all out and blend it up, and provides excellent flavor to a comforting, uncomplicated meal.

This vodka cocktail is berry bliss. Garnish with a handful of your favorite berries skewered on a cocktail pick or straw. 

Easy to assemble and perfectly portable, these French Onion Soup bites are the perfect addition to any holiday party spread. They’re like your favorite Trader Joe’s freezer aisle find, but tastier. 

The poke cake technique is incredibly easy, but that doesn't mean that poke cakes have a simple flavor. Enjoy the irresistible textures of pudding, cake, and crushed espresso beans in each bite of with this chocoatey take on Tiramisu.

Homemade chocolate pasta isn't as hard as you think, however you can substitute 12 ounces of storebought chocolate pasta (available online and in specialty stores). If you're not a fan of white chocolate liqueur and/or booze, just leave it out. When buying white chocolate, look for one that has a higher amount of cocoa butter (not mostly milk, oil, and sugar), as most of the lesser quality white chocolate on the market contains very little, if any, cocoa butter. This will likely make extra sauce, which you can use over ice cream—or for more chocolate pasta. 

The origin of red velvet cakes came about from the result of baking soda interacting with natural cocoa and other acids in the batter. Through the years, the red velvet craze has only continued, fueled in part by the red velvet cakes that have graced the Southern Living Christmas cover three times. 

Irresistibly nutty and salty, these peanut butter pretzel brownies are for the die-hard chocolate lover in everyone's lives. Incorporating Reese's candies, crushed pretzel bits, and a heaping spoonful of creamy peanut butter, these rich, decadent squares are perfect for you next potluck dessert party, special occasion, or late night craving. For an added bonus, go ahead and eat them warm out of the oven with a scoop of ice cream.

This buffalo chicken dip is a completely homemade labor of love, and your guests will fall head over heels for this incredible appetizer. This dip offers the complete buffalo chicken experience all in one dish and combines layers of different ingredients and flavors along with a unique scratch-made carrot ranch dressing. There is a crunch, a richness, and a level of spice all mixed together in this wow-worthy dip that make it the perfect contributiion to any party or tailgate. This dish delivers intense flavor and an all-inclusive and truly delicious buffalo chicken experience. 

This sensual dessert--adapted from Nicole Krasinski, chef-owner of State Bird Provisions in San Francisco--offers intriguing flavor combinations and textures that range from cloudlike to crunchy. Krasinski tops her cakes with a tasty fennel-hazelnut granola; for simplicity, we've used toasted hazelnuts. For her recipe, see sunset.com/granolarecipe.

If you or your guests are not beet fans, substitute sweet potatoes: Wrap 4 (4-ounce) sweet potatoes in parchment paper, and microwave at HIGH 3 minutes. Then cool, peel, and slice. You can also sub feta for goat cheese and pecans or walnuts for hazelnuts.

Chocolate-covered strawberries are always a crowd pleaser and are loaded with antioxidants and vitamins.

Brighten a homemade version of a take-out favorite with two different colors of bell peppers. Use your own color combo, or any bell peppers you have on hand.

Get your next party started with a round of boozy Jell-O shots. As our most popular shot to date, you not only get the fun of a jelly shot, but also the spiked strawberry that holds the shot is edible making cleanup a breeze. Cheers to that!

A marriage of Southern favorites: Our salty-sweet brine of brown sugar and freshly brewed tea infuses this picnic-perfect chicken with juicy flavor before frying. Bonus: The tannins in tea act as a natural tenderizer.

Deb likes to stir the chocolate chips into the warm dough by hand because the power of the mixer would forcefully combine the melting chips into the dough, making it brown chocolate dough instead of dough studded with chocolate chips.

Nothing quenches your thirst like a glass of cold, tangy lemonade. With a splash of vodka and some light beer, this pink drink is strictly for the grown-ups.

This is the dessert you cook when you want to make a big impression. Everything about it--from the ginger kick in the crust to the sweet earthiness of the beets in the filling to the rich goat cheese in the topping--comes together in beautiful harmony. Be sure to use an 11-inch tart pan to accommodate the filling; a 10-inch pie plate will work in a pinch. Look for buttermilk powder on the baking aisle or with the powdered milk.

We are not thinkin' Arbys-- not after a roast beef sandich like this one. A classic creamy cheese sauce makes this sandwich super rich, while a horseradish sauce adds a kick. We love the onion bun, preferably bakery-made, but you could also use a pretzel bun instead. Make this sandwich the centerpiece of your Super Bowl Spread or serve along with beer and fries for a crowd-pleasing meal.  

Creamy macaroni and cheese is a recipe for comfort, while mustard, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce add some zip.

The marvelous merger of orange and chocolate gets even better when you pair blood oranges' raspberry nuances with dark chocolate and a little Campari for complexity. The herbal, slightly bitter liqueur also helps keep the sorbet from getting icy.

This sensational spud riff on nachos is an hommage to party food lovers everywhere. Loaded with toppings and drizzled with a hot cheese dip, these totchos are ready to rock and roll right onto your plate.

Winner, winner, hot chicken doffle. If these glorious waffle-doughnut hybrid chicken sandwiches don’t peel you out of bed in the morning, we probably can’t help you. Chicken cutlets are dunked in hot sauce-laced buttermilk, doused in an oil bath to master the coveted crisp-crunchy skin, and then glossed with spicy melted butter. The heat of the chicken is quelled by the glazed doughnuts, which helps master the crave-worthy sweet-salty-spicy breakfast alchemy we all aspire to. Warning: A fork and knife (or a bib, at the very least) are required to tackle this monster of a sandwich.

Upgrade your grilled cheese sandwich by adding a mustard spread and sliced apples. 

I've remade the typical syrup-doused waffle breakfast into a lower-sugar, fruit-forward, gluten-free, whole-grain plate with 273 fewer calories. In place of refined all-purpose flour, I go with gluten-free buckwheat flour, which adds 2.4g filling fiber per serving; strawberries add another 2.4g. Barely sweetened berries and yogurt replace maple syrup, slashing 18g added sugar per serving.

This decadent, candy bar inspired pie was created with Twix lovers in mind. You can find Twix spread at World Market or on Amazon.

For an easy, no-bake treat that everyone will love, look no further than this decadent and chocolatey dessert cheese ball. Serve with dippers like strawberries, apple slices, and pretzels. It’s like an easy-to-make (and easy-to-share) “deconstructed” take on chocolate cheesecake.

These gooey and gorgeous homemade cinnamon rolls are a vibrant uptake on those classic canned orange rolls Mom would break out for special occasion breakfasts. Never made sweet rolls from scratch before? Trust us, the dough is far easier to make and work with than you might think. And with a soft pink colored grapefruit-cream cheese glaze and a decadent filling featuring pistachios, dark brown sugar, fresh ginger, cardamon, and cinnamon, these morning glories are sure to steal the show at any brunch gathering. If you want to prep them ahead, simply follow the recipe through step 6 the night before and pop your rolls into the fridge; just be sure to bring them to room temperature the following day before baking and glazing.

This decadent cheesecake harnesses the addictively toasty power of speculoos cookies in the crust, in a layer of the filling, and in an over-the-top delicious caramel sauce you’re gonna want to pour over everything (we highly suggest you do). Perfect for a holiday gathering or other special occasion, this cookie butter cheesecake recipe is guaranteed to please. We tested using Biscoff cookie butter, but feel free to use your favorite brand of speculoos spread. 

If you’re looking for a pie to impress, this lobster pizza is a must-make. The buttery, crisp crust topped with a rich cheese blend and brightened with a vibrant mix of fresh herbs, lemon zest, garlic, and celery serves as the perfect bed for decadent Maine lobster. Not a seasoned pro when it comes to buying and cooking lobster? Be sure to check out our complete guide to cooking with this incredible shellfish for all of the information and inspiration you need.

Creamy, crunchy, rich, salty, and sweet all at the same time—these no-bake, chocolate-peanut butter bars are everything. Crisp crushed Bugles (one of our staffs’ junk food favorites) make for an fun and amazingly delicious twist on a typical crumb crust. They lend the perfect hit of salty, crispy, buttery goodness in the base of this cookie bar, and topping the assembled bars with a another handful of the the whole chips is a playful touch that lets folks know what’s in store when they bite into this salty-sweet situation. These decadent cookie bars were a huge hit in the test kitchen, and recipe developer Ivy Odom notes that they would be “perfect for tailgates, school parties, or for eating in front of the TV, with wine and the rest of the bag of Bugles, after a long day at work.”