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Trying to eat healthier? These healthy dessert recipes (like the homemade Snickers below) will satisfy your sweet tooth without sacrificing your healthy eating efforts!
Whether it’s the New Year and you’re determined to stick to your new resolution to eat healthier or you’re trying to overhaul your diet, you’re probably on the lookout for healthier recipes. But what about dessert? The two don’t usually go hand-in-hand, but these 50 healthy dessert recipes will help you stick with your plan.
What Are Healthy Desserts?
I primarily eat desserts made with refined sugar and all-purpose flour and butter. But, I also like healthy desserts and I’ve found that you can make desserts that are just as delicious without sugar, butter, or your standard flour. There are some bloggers who specialize in creating incredible easy healthy dessert recipes. I’ve tried my hand at a few and developed the Key Lime Cheesecake Bars and these Vegan Blackberry Cheesecake Bites, both of which you’ll find in the healthy dessert recipes below.
When selecting the recipes for this healthy dessert recipes collection, I tried to choose recipes that were lower in refined sugar and/or those had healthy ingredients like fruits, veggies, or fiber-rich grains in them. I guarantee that not all of the healthy baking recipes in the list below will match with your vision of what a healthy dessert is to you, but I do believe that you’ll find at least few that you’ll want to make!
What Is Healthy Eating?
Before sharing the list of healthy dessert recipes, I wanted to take a moment and talk about this. I know that by even posing this question I’m treading into piranha-infested waters. HEY BITEY! CUT IT OUT!
All kidding aside, that’s because healthy eating means something different to everyone. To some, that means no refined sugar, dairy, or grain. To others, it means eating vegan, Paleo, gluten-free, low-carb, low-fat, low-sodium, or Whole 30. Not to mention to those whom it means simply sticking to, above, or below a certain calorie threshold. I’m not going to tell you what eating healthy means to you. I’m going to tell you what it means to me.
To me, healthy eating means eating the right amount of nutrient-rich calories to fuel my body for what I want it to do. When I’m training — like I was from July through October — I was working out six days a week and eating a ton of fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and lean proteins. My diet was about 30-35% protein, 35-40% carbs, and 30% fat. I loved the results I got and now that the holidays are over, plan to return to this tomorrow. Because this morning I started the year with Bacon Mac and Cheese and it was glorious.
But even when training, I still ate desserts. And drank whole milk lattes. And went out for drinks with friends. Because, for me, healthy eating for me is also about balance. Training on not, I’m gonna eat that donut.
But for when you do want a healthy dessert, I wanted to pull together a list of healthy dessert recipes you could bookmark! So from healthy cookies and brownies to ice cream and cake, these 50 healthy desserts will keep you inspired all year long!
50 Healthy Dessert Recipes to Try
Healthy Cookie Recipes
Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Averie Cooks proves that healthy chocolate chip cookies can be a thing with this recipe. Vegan, gluten-free, and prepped in 5 minutes.
Healthy Peanut Butter Cookies
Yup, sold. You’ll want to check with the blogger behind Occasionally Eggs, but if you must swap the peanut butter for almond butter or cashew butter that’s probably ok too.
Healthy Oreos
I love Oreos, but even though they’re vegan, I generally wouldn’t put them in the “healthy dessert recipes” category. Sorry, Oreo. However, Chocolate Covered Katie’s homemade Oreos made with spelt flour and coconut oil give these classic cookies a healthier spin.
Pumpkin Cookies
Sure they’re perfect for fall, but canned pumpkin is available all year round! These healthy pumpkin spice cookies have just 5 ingredients and swap refined sugar for maple syrup.
Apparently, people hate beets. But, when they’re worked into a healthy dessert recipe like these Paleo chocolate crinkles, the chocolate flavor is sure to dominate.
Some people say raisins in oatmeal cookies are the reason they have trust issues, so if you must cut them, do… but you will lose a bit of moisture.
These gluten-free Ginger Cookies use coconut sugar in place of regular sugar, swap in almond flour for white flour, but still have serious flavor!
Healthy Brownies and Bars
Key Lime Cheesecake Bars
It’s hard to believe these vegan cheesecake bars are dairy-free! The richness of the cashew and coconut cream are a great contrast to the bright citrus. Good for summer or anytime you wish it were summer.
These vegan refined sugar-free brownies by Minimalist Baker look (and taste) indulgent, but the vegan brownies use black beans and flaxseed meal for a base! And they’re topped with an out-of-this-world date caramel. Cue the heart eyes emoji.
I could eat s’mores all year round. My full-time job is overseeing the Beachbody Blog, and I was delighted when we were able to develop this recipe for healthy s’mores bars for the site!
If you also used to love eating raw cookie dough out of the Pillsbury tubes as a kid, then you’re going to love this healthy take on Cookie Dough!
These gluten-free gingerbread bars mix together a few gluten-free flours (like tapioca and brown rice flour) with coconut sugar and a smidgen of molasses to create a rich, festive flavor.
Healthy Cake and Cupcake Recipes
Raw Blackberry Cheesecakes
These were the first vegan dessert recipe I made for Let’s Eat Cake and I still love them! They’re creamy, tart, and delicious and have a tender walnut date base.
These vegan cupcakes get a boost of added sesame-flavored richness from the addition of tahini. Heart-shaped bake optional… but perfect for Valentine’s Day.
I’m an unabashed peanut butter fan, and the only thing that I love more than peanut butter is the combo of peanut butter and chocolate. Doesn’t this no-bake peanut butter cheesecake look incredible?
Intimidated by making cakes? Or just want something quick and delicious? This healthy dessert recipe for a chocolate mug cake can be ready in less than 10 minutes.
Zucchini — whether in bread or cake — does an excellent job of adding moisture without adding zucchini flavor. This Paleo chocolate cake is no exception!
Spiced Apple Bundt Cake with Apple Almond Butter Frosting
Paleo, gluten-free, and full of flavor, this healthy dessert will prove 2017 wasn’t the only year that was all about the bundt cake.
I’m not personally a fan of chocolate and orange together (I’m a monster), but this one might change my mind.
Carrot Cake is one of the most deceiving cakes out there. It sounds healthy. It looks healthy. It is not healthy. Which is fine, unless you actually want a healthy dessert. These mini versions, on the other hand, are a healthier take on that sneaky carrot cake.
Other Healthy Baking Recipes
I am in awe of this rose tart. Not only is it strikingly beautiful, it’s also super low in added sugar so the apple flavor is front and center.
This moist and hearty healthy baking recipe integrates apples, butternut squash, buckwheat, and more into a gluten-free dessert!
In 2017, chocolate avocado pudding became a thing, but Delightful Vegans took it a step further and poured the combo into a vegan pie crust.
One please. Or two. This healthy dessert is a yummy gluten-free take on the baked donut.
Healthy Ice Cream and Popsicle Recipes
Popsicles are surprisingly easy to make with healthy ingredients. For instance, these creamsicles have a touch of honey, but get most of their flavor from yogurt and oranges!
Remember that combo of chocolate and avocado? The Things We’ll Make took that idea and used it to make pudding pops! Love this as a healthy dessert for the warm months!
Lime and Basil Popsicles
These healthy popsicles were inspired by a spicy tequila-based co*cktail I had at the Brixton in Santa Monica. They taste almost the same, but without the booze!
Chocolate-Covered Ice Cream Bites
I love full fat ice cream, but sometimes I also want the texture of ice cream without the calories. I used Top Cow ice cream (it’s a high-protein, low-calorie ice cream) to make these chocolate-dipped ice cream bon bons.
These healthy popsicles are sweetened with dates, have hemp for extra fiber, and taste like fudgesicles!
Strawberry Dragon Fruit Popsicles
Pin this one for summer when strawberries are in season! The strawberry and pitaya (dragon fruit) layers are easy to make – simply freeze the pops before you add the next layer. Or, swirl them together if you want to eat them sooner!
Healthy Candy Recipes
If you’re unsure about fudge made from veggies, consider that butternut squash is pretty sweet already and most of us love that other squash (i.e. pumpkin) in desserts! It’s definitely worth a try.
As a blogger, you come across recipes that you wish you had come up with. This homemade snickers bar is one of them. Gluten free, vegan, high in protein, and made at home? All the yes.
I love barks (last year I made two: a Halloween Bark and a Chocolate Peppermint Bark), but this healthy version uses Greek yogurt as a base and is dotted with fresh fruit!
These vegan turtles are delicious bites of vegan caramel, chocolate, and nuts. I think they’d also make a great Super Bowl snack!
The combo of bitter chocolate and sweet mango combined with the texture of shredded coconut make this healthy dessert simply divine.
Healthy Pudding and Parfait Recipes
Parfaits can be a great way to enjoy dessert without blowing your calories for the day. This one layers raspberry, cherry, and yogurt to create a naturally sweet healthy dessert!
These chocolate puddings have just five ingredients and are less than 100 calories a piece. I think I’ll make a batch and just pop them in my fridge so they’re ready when I want one.
If you’re a fan of chia pudding, try this one that combines chocolate and raspberries!
Make this pumpkin spice chia pudding up in the morning and you can enjoy it for dessert that night!
This healthy dessert isn’t too sweet and it combines the warming flavors of cardamom, cinnamon, and ginger.
Healthy Energy Bites Recipes
Chocolate Peppermint Energy Bites
Truth be told, I’m not sure if energy bites count as a “healthy dessert” but they are generally healthy and they are a sweet treat, so I’m throwing them in for good measure. These taste like chocolate peppermint truffles!
If you like the chocolate coconut candy Bounty, these are a healthier take on it in vegan energy ball form.
Thanks to the addition of quinoa, these healthy buckeye balls have more fiber and whole grains then your average bite-sized snack!
Chocolate Matcha Energy Balls
Matcha is so good (and good for you)! I rolled these in matcha at the end to give them a pretty green color, but it does make the grassy matcha flavor stand out, so if you’d rather get the benefits and taste more of the chocolate, add it (with all the other ingredients) into the bowl of food processor instead.
Apple Cinnamon Energy Balls
I love the combination of apple and cinnamon in the fall. If you do too or you’re looking for more no-bake energy ball recipe ideas, there are 25 in this post!
More Healthy Dessert Recipes
These recipes didn’t quite fit anywhere else, but I wanted to add them because I think you’ll enjoy them… like this peanut butter cookie dough made with healthy ingredients like flaxseed and chickpeas. Perfect for spreading on apple slices or just eating with a spoon.
Pinch of Yum is known for their tried-and-tested recipes and this 4-ingredient vegan caramel sauce is a must-make so you can drizzle it on top of nice cream.
When farmers markets are bursting at the seams with fresh fruit (oh hey there summer), you’ll want to have this healthy dessert recipe for fruit pizza on hand.
These dark chocolate almonds dusted with freeze-dried raspberries are a genius, easy healthy snack!
Last, but definitely not least, this brownie batter dip just tastes decadent but is really a healthy dessert recipe. It’s sweetened with dates and has cottage cheese and black beans for protein!
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Rebecca Swanner
Pleased to meet you. I'm the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Let's Eat Cake: The world's first smart, funny lifestyle site for women.
My background is in publishing (I've worked at Parade, Men's Journal, Us Weekly, Stuff, Blender, Beachbody, and more), mostly with a focus in health, fitness, and entertainment. I've also run my own baking company and competed on Cupcake Wars, so hit me up with your baking questions!
For more details, check out my full bio or follow me on Instagram, Twitter, or LinkedIn.
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