10 Healthy Dessert Recipes That Won’t Ruin Your Diet



Let’s all agree on this: it’s not sustainable to swear off sweets for the rest of your life. Weight loss is all about improving your health and creating a happier life. If you’re giving up all the foods you love for that happiness, you’re not getting much of an improvement.

The key to a weight loss diet is finding foods you love that are also healthy. If you choose the right ones, desserts can actually be a healthy part of a balanced diet. To get started toward that dream of losing weight while treating your taste buds right, check out these healthy dessert recipes.

Healthy Dessert Recipes for Weight Loss and Weight Management

Everyone has their own favorite dessert flavors, from fruity to chocolate. We’ve found enough recipes so everyone can enjoy their desserts while losing weight and maintaining weight loss.

1. Lemony Yogurt Pound Cake

Tangy lemon is deliciously sweet, and it’s especially refreshing in the summer. However, popular lemon squares are packed with sugar. For the same taste but an even easier recipe, try this lemony yogurt pound cake.

While this recipe still involves some sugar, it’s far less than in most lemony desserts. Instead, it relies on lemon zest and Greek yogurt to produce that delicious tanginess. If you like a stronger lemon flavor, you can add more lemon zest than this recipe suggests.

2. Healthy Chocolate Chunk Brownies

No chocolate lover can turn their back on brownies for life, and with the recipe, you don’t have to. The healthy brownie recipe gives you all the rich flavor without seeing it show up on the scale.

This unique recipe uses some smart substitutions like coconut sugar, whole wheat flour, coconut oil, nonfat milk, and even nonfat Greek yogurt. For an extra treat, top them with some frozen yogurt or low-calorie ice cream.

3. Low-Fat Cheesecake

It’s tough to beat a great cheesecake, and it’s even tougher to give up cheesecake for the sake of your weight loss. Instead. opt for this low-fat cheesecake recipe.

Made in the New York style we all love, this cheesecake uses a delicious granola mixture alongside the crust. Be careful, though: fruity toppings can be packed with sugar. If you add a processed topping, choose a low-sugar option. Better yet, use fresh fruit instead of a canned topping.

4. Healthy Peanut Butter and Chocolate Bars

Peanut butter and chocolate is one of the most beloved combinations when it comes to dessert, but it can pile on the calories. Try these healthy peanut butter and chocolate bars instead.

The chocolate crust is made with wafter cookies as well as chocolate chips, while the peanut butter filling takes an interesting twist with Greek yogurt. Top it all off with peanuts and a light sprinkle of kosher salt and you have a healthy addition to any party.

If you’re not much of a baker, these bars have the added advantage of being bake-free.

5. Light Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies are among those dessert staples that few of us could imagine life without. Unfortunately they can do serious damage to your waistline, especially the jumbo-sized ones that have become popular.

This healthy chocolate chip cookie recipe is a great alternative. The uniquely healthy ingredients include oats and coconut oil, but you’d never believe the finished product was “diet food” despite only having 130 calories each.

6. Carrot Cake

Carrot cake is one of those desserts that has tricked countless dieters. It has a vegetable as a major ingredient, so it must be healthy, right? Sorry, but a typical carrot cake has enough sugar and butter to counteract all the benefits you’re getting from those carrots.

This healthy carrot cake can bring those assumptions back in line with reality. This one actually does have a healthier line-up of ingredients including applesauce, skim milk, and crushed pineapple.

Remember, while this recipe will light up the cake itself, the typical cream cheese frosting is a huge calorie bomb. Look for a low-calorie option.

7. Bloomin’ Grilled Apples

Apple crisp and similar desserts have the same problem as carrot cake: they sound healthier than they are. If you’re looking for the same flavor profile as apple crisp or apple pie without ruining your calorie count, try these bloomin’ grilled apples.

These apples are richly grilled with butter, cinnamon sugar, and caramel, but in small enough quantities that they won’t torch your day. They’re especially delicious topped with vanilla ice cream, but choose a low-calorie option.

8. Blueberry-Swirl Buttermilk Ice Cream

We’ve mentioned low-calorie ice cream a few times, and that can be difficult to find in stores. Why not make your own instead?

This blueberry-swirl buttermilk ice cream has all the rich, creamy flavor you want without the calorie bomb of a typical ice cream. It offers the added benefit of minimal sugar, making it perfect for people with diabetes. Still, it has the sweet taste the whole family will love.

9. Quinoa Peanut Butter Buckeye Balls

As you might guess, buckeye balls are a popular dessert in Ohio, but they’re spreading across the country for good reason. A typical buckeye ball is a ball of sugary peanut butter dipped in chocolate with the top remaining un-dipped so it looks like a Buckeye.

Unfortunately, Buckeye balls are high in sugar, butter, and fat. Try these healthy Buckeye balls instead. They take a twist on the regional favorite and use unique ingredients like popped quinoa and dates.

10. Orange-Banana Smoothie Pops

If you’re looking for an alternative to sugary popsicles and creamsicles this summer, look no further. These unique orange-banana smoothie pops have the benefits of a health-conscious smoothie with the appeal of a frozen treat.

If you’re trying to create a healthier lifestyle for your entire family, these are great for kids, too. Just be sure to make them small enough for your child to handle.

Enjoying Dessert While Losing Weight

You’ve heard over and over that reaching and maintaining a healthy weight isn’t about a diet, it’s about a sustainable lifestyle choice. It’s true, and the key isn’t learning to live without your favorites: it’s making your favorites healthy.

The healthy dessert recipes above are a great start. For more help on your weight loss journey, check out our weight loss tips blog.