60 Better-For-You Dessert Recipes That Won't Derail Your Diet
Holding one of these healthy desserts in each hand = balanced eating.
Healthy eating, for Team Delish, is something we take pretty seriously all day long. And by "pretty seriously", we mean we're not about to forgo our favorite desserts, especially these clever low-calorie dessert recipes. Since we know healthy can mean different things to different people, we'll always be celebrating the diversity of various palates and dietary interests at our table, and what better way than with dessert? If you're following a keto, paleo, vegan, or gluten-free diet, we've got options for you. No matter your dietary needs (or if you're just feeling something light for dessert!), these recipes will give you that little somethin' sweet without any sacrifices on flavor or texture.
Entertaining? Our vegan cheesecake or keto chocolate cake are real stunners that we pull out for every holiday, and they've never ceased to impress. Having a big celebration with only one or two vegan or gluten-free guests? Try one of our easy brownie or cookie recipes to go alongside your main dessert. Avoiding processed sugar? Celebrate with fruit! You could go bite-size and extra cute, like with our banana s'mores or strawberry sundae bites, or more classic, like fruit salad. Plus, we all know that chocolate-covered strawberries are great for pretty much any occasion (including having them all to yourself đ).
We love these recipes as dessert, but we've also been known to sneak a few into our breakfast routine too, like our chia pudding or oatmeal cookies. We won't judge if you do the sameâcake for breakfast is okay if it's healthy, right? These sweet ideas also make for great midday snacks, like our peanut butter protein balls or sweet 'n' salty chocolate bark, when you need a little afternoon pick-me-up. No matter what healthy looks like to you, these delicious desserts will be the cherry on top of your mealâany time of the day!
Still searching for sweets? Check out our favorite fruit desserts and mini dessert recipes (so cute) for even more inspo!
Carrot Cake Dip
Everyone knows the best part of carrot cake is the cream cheese frosting, and this carrot cake dip does not skimp on the good stuff. While many other cake dip recipes use boxed cake mix, this version is gluten-free and uses toasted pecans, caramelized cinnamon, carrots, and plump rum raisins to bring out that signature flavor.
Get the Carrot Cake Dip recipe.
Air Fryer Apple Pie Baked Apples
Individual apple pies complete with a lattice crust? Sign us up! Serve with caramel sauce or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Get the Air Fryer Apple Pie Baked Apples recipe.
Chocolate Almond Bark
This homemade chocolate bark couldn't be easier (ready in under 30 minutes!) and also is so sweet and crunchy that no store-bought bar could compare. We love the sharp taste of dark chocolate and crunchy almonds in this recipe, but feel free to experiment with your favorite combos!
Get the Chocolate Almond Bark recipe.
Poached Pears
Have some underripe pears you have no clue what to do with? Why not poach 'em! Poaching slightly underripe pears makes them tender and sweet, while allowing them to maintain their structure. Once poached, they can be served warm or cold, garnished with a caramel reduction of the cooking liquid, and accompanied with everything from ice cream to whipped cream to yogurt.
Get the Poached Pears recipe.
No-Churn Strawberry Shortcake Vegan Ice Cream
Ice cream lovers, get ready to scoop, because this crave-able ice cream isnât going to last! Plant-based, dairy-free, vegan⌠no matter what you want to call it, this ice cream is as good asâif not betterâthan any dairy counterpart, making it a favorite scoop of the summer. Thanks to the no-churn method, this vegan ice cream recipe is easy to make without an ice cream maker. The only equipment needed is a blender to whip up the base, then the freezer does the rest.
Get the No-Churn Strawberry Shortcake Vegan Ice Cream recipe.
Coconut Cookies
Soft, chewy, slightly golden crispy edges with toasted coconut strewn throughout, these gluten-free cookies are not too shy to highlight their star ingredient. Topped with even more coconut right before baking, these chewy cookies with a crispy edge are a coconut lover's dream.
Get the Coconut Cookies recipe.
Keto Red Velvet Cake
When it comes to birthday cakes, youâre either on Team Funfetti, Team Chocolate, or Team Red Velvet. Weâre not saying any one of these options is better than the others...but we do get slightly more excited when the results of the latter are at a party. With a few simple swaps, you'll be on your way to the keto cake of your dreams.
Get the Keto Red Velvet Cake recipe.
Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
Is there anything better than chocolate-covered strawberries? We think not. They're indulgent and classy (while still being so easy), romantic and a little cheesyâjust sweet enough to make you and your loved ones smile.
Air Fryer GF Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
You won't believe these little cookies only have six ingredients, not including a pinch of salt (most of which you probably already have on hand!). We made 'em mini so you can eat more of them! đ
Get the Air Fryer GF Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe.
Cannoli Chips & Dip
A Sicilian favorite across the globe, cannoli are and will always be a dreamy delicacy. But in this version, itâs turned from a creamy ricotta-filled crispy shell to a chip and dip party favorite. The best part is that the shells wonât get soggy and they're gluten-free!
Get the Cannoli Chips & Dip recipe.
Dole Pineapple Whip
![two glasses of dole whip garnished with pineapple slices and maraschino cherries on a green tray \](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/dolewhip-1644333462.jpg?resize=480:* "two glasses of dole whip garnished with pineapple slices and maraschino cherries on a green tray \")
No need to fly all the way to Disney for this refreshing treat â you can make it in around 10 minutes from the comfort of your own home. Only three ingredients are required to create this smooth and creamy tropical dessert that makes everyday feel like vacay.
Get the Dole Pineapple Whip recipe.
Marshmallow Fruit Dip
Three ingredients and only 5 minutes of work make this dip a dream come true! After mixing it all together, you simply refrigerate until you're ready to serve â making this an ideal make-ahead, simple dessert when you just don't have the time or effort to whip up something extravagant (we feel you).
Get the Marshmallow Fruit Dip recipe.
Gluten-Free Almond Thumbprints
The buttery, gluten-free base to these versatile cookies pair well with just about any filling. Pair them with raspberry, blackberry, strawberryâthe world is your oyster when it comes to these adorable, bite-sized treats.
Keto Copycat Snickers Bar
Weâre going to tell it to you straight: Homemade candy takes time and patience, especially when youâre making chewy caramel and nougat. But itâs worth it 1,000 times over when you take a bite and realize that itâs even better than your favorite store-bought packaged treat.
Get the Keto Copycat Snickers Bar recipe.
Chocolate Cuties
You already know about chocolate-covered strawberries, but have you tried chocolate-dipped oranges?
Get the Chocolate Cuties recipe.
Keto Snickerdoodles
A very carb-filled, non-keto version of snickerdoodle cookies will always have a special place in our hearts. And while it doesnât taste quite like the original, we love it just the same. Baking the batch into bars is easier than scooping out a couple dozen individual cookies. They maintain just the right amount of chewiness, and blanketed with the sparkly cinnamon-sweetener mix, each square is every bit as beautiful.
Get the Keto Snickerdoodles recipe.
Fruit Popsicles
These four-ingredient pops are the ideal way to cool off in the summer heat. But Popsicles deserve to be enjoyed year roundâuse frozen strawberries when it's past berry season to have them any time you please. While we love the classic strawberry flavor, feel free to jazz these up with extra fruit or even a hint of TajĂn for a kick of heat!
Get the Fruit Popsicles recipe.
Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
No flour, no problem. The key here is to give your dough sufficient resting time so that the almond flour can fully hydrate and give you a more delish cookie (some might say even better than the OG).
Vegan Chocolate Brownies
Craving chocolate? If you're a fan of fudgy brownies and dark chocolate, you've met your match. Cocoa, espresso powder, and bittersweet chocolate come together in these dairy-free treats that are just as rich and fudgy as any non-vegan version.
Get the Vegan Chocolate Brownies recipe.
Mangonada Sorbet
An homage to Mexico's always refreshing and sometimes boozy mangonada (also called chamango), this sorbet is just what we crave on a hot summer day. While we sometimes add tequila, if you'd rather skip it, just replace it with equal parts water!
Get the Mangonada Sorbet recipe.
Camille Lowder is the digital food producer at Delish, otherwise known as our resident queen of recipe galleries. Previously, she attended the Natural Gourmet Institute for culinary school and worked at/managed a number of New York restaurants. She loves anything vegan, foods masquerading as other foods (hello, cauliflower), and a well-used Oxford comma.
Taylor Worden is Delish's Assistant Digital Food Producer, where she creates recipe galleries, recipe updates and more. She was previously a freelance editor on the food team for Good Housekeeping, where she also contributed entertainment and culture pieces as a freelance writer. She graduated from the University of Kansas with a degree in journalism and a lifelong love of writing. When sheâs not writing, she can be found reading, testing out a new pasta recipe, or rewatching one of her favorite shows.
Mackenzie Filson is a food writer and contributing digital food producer at Delish. Her favorite ice cream flavor is chocolate-pine. If wine was an astrological sign she'd be a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. She's never met a bag of Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos she didn't eat in one sitting.
