When looking for a healthier desserts, it’s important to note that what a person considers “healthy” may not. For example, someone who avoids gluten may not be overly concerned with the sugar content, and someone who watches their carbs may still be a dairy advocate. Each dessert should be weighed against your own health goals. However, there is something on this list for everyone!
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Healthier Desserts
Apple
Cookies and homemade versions of one of Kate’s childhood favorites use maple syrup or honey as a sweetener. Cinnamon adds flavor as well as antioxidants.
Eat it alone or use it as a topping for other foods. Best when made with local, in-season apples.
Burning energy without baking
You want dessert, but you also want to stay healthy. This recipe from Gimme Some Oven lets you make it without turning on the oven.
These treats are filled with delicious ingredients like shredded coconut, peanut butter, and chocolate chips.
Nutella Blender Flourless Muffins
Is Nutella really good for health? Well, you can definitely make it worse than these muffins from Chocolate Covered Katie, which can be made with store-bought cocoa hazelnuts or homemade.
Enjoy them in the morning, noon or evening.
An added bonus: They contain black beans, which provide more fiber and modest amounts of protein and iron.
Frozen fruit bar
Some store-bought brands offer low-calorie, lower-sugar options. Or make your own to avoid, or at least limit, added sugar. Look for recipes that use more fruit than juice. That way, you’ll still get some of the fiber and other nutrients in your sweet treat.
Dark Chocolate
Enjoying an ounce a few times a week isn’t as bad for your diet as you might think. It has less sugar and more cocoa than milk chocolate. That means fewer calories, but more nutrients like flavonoids. For the most benefit, look for a cocoa content of 70% or more, but keep in mind that caffeine content also increases with cocoa.
Yogurt Parfait
It can feel as tempting as a creamy sponge cake, with less added sugar, more fiber, and lots of nutrients. Start with plain yogurt, which has much less sugar than flavored varieties. Top with fresh berries and a few nuts. A little granola is fine. Just watch the serving size – 1 cup is a serving of yogurt, but you can choose less if you eat it after a meal.
Crispy Fried Apple Oats
Want to eat apple pie? This warm, delicious dish can be eaten by guests. Look for recipes that use more oats, nuts, and fruit, as well as less white flour, sugar, and butter. Baked apples bring out the natural sweetness. Oats and nuts add fiber and healthy fats.
Blizzard’s Healthy Cookies
If you want to eat your favorite ice cream, freeze it! Try this healthy hack from Nutrition in the Kitch instead. It is of the healthier desserts you should not miss.
Use frozen bananas for a dairy-free “ice cream” base, this option is much less harmful to your health than the fast food version.
Chocolate Butter Peanut Butter Pudding
Before you pay attention to the use of butter in pudding, think about texture (not color). Butter is a great way to get a smooth pudding while also providing healthy fats.
This recipe from Minimalist Baker is vegan, gluten-free, and sugar-free, making it the perfect choice for people with a variety of allergies or dietary restrictions.
Homemade Fresh Mango Ice Cream
The tropical flavor of mango makes this sweet frozen treat a great summer dessert. The recipe from Nisa Homey doesn’t include sugar, but you can fit it into your diet by watching your portion sizes.
Seed
Many store-bought varieties aren’t much better than candy bars, so read nutrition labels. Look for ingredients that are natural and low in added sugars, which some bars list as honey, corn syrup or brown rice syrup, among others. A balanced bar should also have 3 grams of fiber, 3 to 6 grams of protein, and about 175 calories. But this must come from nuts and fruits, not from “soy isolates,” “chicory roots” or other processed ingredients.
Boiled pears
To cook something is to gently boil it in some liquid. You can soak pears in lemon juice, apple juice, red wine, and many other liquids. This is a simple yet elegant, healthy dessert – one boiled pear can contain about 100 calories. Serve some steaming liquid with each peeled and cooked pear. A little ice cream or a creme fraiche can be a delicious treat, but you can skip it if you’re looking for fat or calories.
