Can’t get dessert off your mind?
You can still have your cake and eat it too, without spoiling a day of healthy eating.
Whip up one of these 19 healthy desert recipes and you’ll be surprised at how good they taste – and you’ll love how you feel without the refined sugar, butter or eggs that can leave you feeling groggy and bloated after eating more conventional treats.
In fact, you might want to save this list to give them all a try.
Many of the recipes below use coconut oil, nuts, and natural sources of sugar to replace the traditional ingredients in classic dessert recipes, giving you a nutritional one-up.
[Get 8 Irresistibly Delicious Energy-Boosting Desserts]
You’ll also reap the benefits from the heart-healthy fatty acids and antioxidant-rich vitamins in the whole foods used to make these good-for-you treats.
19 Guilt-Free Healthier Desserts Too Good to Ignore
1. Blueberry-Lime Cheesecake
Photo: Vegan Family Recipes
Perfect for a party or for sharing with family, this lovely blueberry-lime cheesecake has surprising health benefits.
Cashews and coconut cream replace the usual cream cheese and eggs, and the macadamia nut crust subs in for the butter-laden version. Fresh blueberries and lime deliver key antioxidants, and the nuts and coconut cream have major anti-inflammatory properties and heart-healthy fats.
Find the recipe here: Vegan Family Recipes
2. Chocolate Coconut Tart
Photo: Gourmande in the Kitchen
Chocolate lovers rejoice: This dense, silky chocolate coconut tart is simple to make, and a small serving is satisfying.
Be sure to use good-quality dark chocolate for an antioxidant boost, and serve with a cup of tea for a special gluten-free, vegan treat.
Find the recipe here: Gourmande in the Kitchen
3. Pumpkin Pie Squares
Photo: Oh She Glows
This vegan spin on traditional pumpkin pie is definitely a win, and you’ll get a cozy taste of fall in each bite of these pumpkin pie squares.
Beta-carotene-rich pumpkin supports healthy vision and skin, and is perfectly balanced by anti-inflammatory fall spices. Freeze individual squares for a handy treat when cravings arise.
Find the recipe here: Oh She Glows
4. Carrot Cake
Photo: The Colorful Kitchen
You’ll be blown away by this yummy raw, vegan carrot cake. It’s full of health-boosting carrots and sweetened only with dates. Soak the cashews ahead of time and this recipe is a breeze to make.
Find the recipe here: The Colorful Kitchen
5. Cookie Dough Freezer Fudge
Photo: Coconut Almond Recipes
When it comes to healthier dessert recipes, this one has it all covered: cookie dough, fudge, and ice cream (but without the guilt). These frozen cookie dough fudge bites are made with chickpeas and nut butter, so you’ll get fiber and protein as you munch.
It gets even better – these tasty treats are sweetened with dates, so you won’t be on a refined-sugar roller coaster after you’ve indulged.
Find the recipe here: Coconut Almond Recipes
6. Orange Creamsicles
Photo: Oven Love
Orange creamsicle is a classic flavor, and these frozen treats give you a burst of fresh citrus in every lick. Use coconut milk in these pops for a creamy consistency, tropical flavor, and heart-healthy fat.
Find the recipe here: Oven Love
7. Strawberry Cream Truffles
Photo: My Whole Food Life
Fresh strawberries infuse these strawberry cream truffles with amazing flavor and incredible health benefits. Strawberries stabilize blood sugar and offer loads of antioxidants for glowing skin and an immune boost. Add a dark chocolate coating for an irresistible healthier dessert.
Find the recipe here: My Whole Food Life
8. Blueberry Tarts
Photo: This Rawesome Vegan Life
For a not-too-sweet treat showcasing fresh blueberries, you need to try these blueberry tarts.
Perfect summer fruit tucked into an almond flour crust is such a simple, elegant, and healthy dessert. Keep your mind sharp while enjoying the essence of a splendid summer day.
Find the recipe here: This Rawesome Vegan Life
9. Avocado Chocolate Mousse
Photo: As Easy As Apple Pie
Avocado in a dessert? You may be weary now, but try this recipe and you’ll have a whole new outlook on avocados.
Avocado lends a delicious rich texture – along with its amazing anti-inflammatory properties – to this delectable chocolate mousse. You’ve got to make this incredible mousse to see just what all the fuss is about.
Find the recipe here: As Easy As Apple Pie
10. Almond Butter Cookies
Photo: Blissful Basil
Got cookie cravings? This raw almond butter cookie recipe has you covered.
Despite its name, buckwheat is a seed that contains no gluten, so is perfect for those with gluten or wheat sensitivity. This will really satisfy your need for a baked treat without refined grains and sugar, making it a much healthier dessert recipe.
Find the recipe here: Blissful Basil
11. Peanut Butter Cups
Photo: The Healthy Family and Home
If you’re tempted to reach for a candy bar, make these healthy peanut butter cups instead.
This good-for-you version is loaded with antioxidants, healthy fats, and anti-inflammatory compounds from the nut butter, coconut oil, cacao powder, and maple syrup. And, it’s delish.
Find the recipe here: The Healthy Family and Home
12. Berry Cream Cups
Photo: She Knows
These berries and cream cups are a great way to do dessert the healthy way. Gluten-free and vegan, anyone can enjoy this yummy treat.
You’ll get a bonus antioxidant boost from the berries and an added heart-health benefit from the chia seeds.
Find the recipe here: She Knows
13. Raw Cookie Sandwiches
Photo: Pure 2 Raw
Cream sandwich cookies are the perfect way to satisfy a sweet tooth, and these raw sandwich cookies allow you to nosh in a healthy way.
Packed with omega-3 rich nuts, pumpkin seeds, and cocoa powder, you’ll get two delicious raw cookies with a healthy raspberry cream filling layer on the inside.
Find the recipe here: Pure 2 Raw
14. Banana Chocolate Milkshake
Photo: This Rawesome Vegan Life
Milkshake lovers will slurp up every last drop of this avocado, banana, chocolate milkshake recipe.
Topped with fluffy coconut cream and cacao nibs, this shake is loaded with secret health benefits from bananas, avocado, and dates.
Find the recipe here: This Rawesome Life
15. Raw Chocolate Mint Tarts
Photo: Gluten Free Vegan Pantry
Why reach for a Peppermint Patty when you can have this healthy treat? Whip up these little raw chocolate mint tarts made with fresh mint, avocado, coconut oil, and cacoa powder.
You’ll get three layers of vegan, gluten-free goodness that you can store in the freezer for a convenient treat.
Find the recipe here: Gluten Free Vegan Pantry
16. Zucchini Chocolate Cupcakes
Photo: Unconventional Baker
Some days call for cupcakes, and we just have to oblige.
Give your refined flour recipe the heave-ho and bake up these dense, moist, and totally yummy zucchini chocolate cupcakes. They’re gluten-free, vegan, and sweetened with maple syrup and dates. Best of all? They satisfy cupcake cravings the natural and healthy way.
Find the recipe here: Unconventional Baker
17. Luscious Lemon Squares
Photo: Whole Hearted Eats
If you love a good lemon dessert, you’ve gotta try the recipe for these luscious lemon squares.
A fresh, citrusy burst of lemon coats a date-sweetened nut base for a truly healthy treat. Get an immune boost from the fresh lemon and heart-healthy fatty acids from the nuts in these delightful dessert squares.
Find the recipe here: Whole Hearted Eats
18. Coconut Cashew Cake
Photo: Flip Flops and Avocados
Cake or pie – it’s a long-standing debate but with this recipe, either way you’re the winner. This gluten-free, vegan, raw banana coconut cashew cake is simply sublime.
Make sure to soak the cashews overnight, and this fluffy, creamy dessert will come together quite easily.
Find the recipe here: Flip Flops and Avocados
19. Apple Tart
Photo: Simply Quinoa
This apple tart recipe calls for spiralized apples, but you can just as easily grate or thinly slice them if you don’t have a spiralizer.
Apples are high in fiber and other nutrients, giving this dessert a healthy edge. The gluten-free crust perfectly compliments the sweet, tart apples on top, making this recipe the perfect fall treat.
Find the recipe here: Simply Quinoa
Healthier Dessert Recipes For the Whole Family
These recipes make great “extras” in your diet, serving as occasional treats to help you celebrate holidays, special occasions or just because. By making smart swaps of more conventional ingredients for healthier (and still tasty!) alternatives, you’ll get plenty of fiber and healthful nutrients while satisfying your sweet tooth.
And, bonus: they can be a great way to introduce finicky eaters to healthier choices.
What Next?
If you enjoyed these 19 healthier dessert recipes, you might also like my 8 Energy-Boosting Desserts. They’re 100% gluten & dairy-free, and they’re low in sugar. Get them FREE by clicking on the banner below.
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