Following a balanced diet doesn't mean that you have to kick sweets to the curb. It's not realistic to go through life never enjoying a dessert, or sugar now and then. However, by choosing naturally sweetened desserts that use wholesome ingredients and provide nutrients, you can satisfy your sugar cravings! Plus, desserts full of healthy, high-quality ingredients won't leave you feeling sluggish or overly full afterward.
To help you discover tasty desserts that won't derail your healthy diet, our Bob's Red Mill food experts put together this list of naturally sweetened treats your body and taste buds will love.
Apple Cinnamon Muffins
On the hunt for a deliciously sweet muffin that isn't chocked full of sugar? Finding a healthy muffin recipe can be challenging. Many muffin recipes are laden with processed sugars turning them into a dessert rather than a nourishing snack. That being said, making a nutritious muffin is possible. When made with wholesome ingredients, muffins can be an energy-boosting snack or even a healthy on-the-go breakfast.
If you fancy a healthy muffin that both kids and adults will love, then we recommend making these Apple Cinnamon Muffins. Loaded with fiber and nutrients, these muffins are a delightful treat that can curb your sugar cravings while keeping you on track with your health goals.
Aside from tasting delicious, these muffins are entirely grain free! A mixture of almond flour and organic coconut flour creates a low carb, gluten and grain free batter that is safe for those with gluten intolerance to enjoy. Honey, cinnamon and red apples naturally sweeten this recipe without the use of processed sugars. Tender, hearty and delicious, they're the perfect wholesome snack.
To ensure that you always have these muffins on hand, double the recipe to make a larger batch. Store these muffins in your freezer and reheat with a toaster oven when you're ready to eat.
Coconut Sugar Coffee Cake
Not a fan of coffee? Don't write coffee cake off just yet. While the name may be a bit misleading, coffee cake does not usually have coffee in the recipe. Coffee cake is a moist and flavorful cake that is commonly served alongside coffee at breakfast, although it doesn't have to be. Aside from coffee, coffee cake can be paired with tea, milk or enjoyed alone. One of the things that sets coffee cake apart from the rest is that it commonly comes with a streusel topping and can be filled with fruits, nuts or even chocolate, depending on your taste preferences.
If you're searching for a tasty cake recipe, we encourage you to try out this Coconut Sugar Coffee Cake. Coffee cakes are easy to make and taste heavenly. Plus, because they feature a streusel topping, they're not frosted like traditional cake and come out of the oven ready to eat! Make this coffee cake for your next brunch gathering, or simply keep on hand at home when you're craving a sweet treat.
This specific coffee cake recipe features natural ingredients like shredded coconut and unbleached white all-purpose flour and is free of artificial ingredients. Instead of processed sweeteners, organic coconut sugar is used to amp up the sweet flavor of this recipe naturally. While this recipe is commonly enjoyed by adults, it tastes so good that even the kids will love it!
Vegan Cashew Coconut Oil Granola
Granola is a long-time favorite of hikers and athletes and praised for its energy-boosting benefits. You can buy it online, at health food stores, at farmer's markets or make it at home! While store-bought granolas can be wholesome and delicious, like our Maple Sea Salt Homestyle Granola, making granola at home is a fun way to get the family involved and excited about nutrition.
Because there is no one standard way to make granola, its ingredients can be customized to your taste. Generally, granola is made from a blend of whole grain oats, nuts, seeds and dried fruit. One benefit of making granola at home is that you get to choose the quality of the ingredients. Using high-quality ingredients like our organic rolled oats and flaxseed is an excellent way to ensure that your granola is excellent for you!
If you're just starting out on your granola-making journey, try out this Vegan Cashew Coconut Oil Granola. This granola uses natural agave syrup and molasses to sweeten and bind the ingredients and free all processed sugars. Additional wholesome ingredients like cashews, sunflower seeds and dried apricots boost the nutrient profile and add texture. Delicious and easy to make, it's the perfect granola recipe for first-time granola makers searching for a healthy option!
Magic Mint Smoothie
When it comes to a healthy dessert recipe, smoothies just make sense. Smoothies full of fruit and veggies are a simple way to nourish your body with a tasty and filling treat. Plus, they're easy to make! To make the perfect smoothie, all you need is a blender and your favorite ingredients. Making sweet smoothies at home can help you stay on track towards good health, as you know exactly what is going into them. Plus, depending on which ingredient you use, a smoothie can be loaded with nutritional benefits.
For a smoothie recipe that you can feel good about, try out this Magic Mint Smoothie. It combines the nutritional benefits of hemp powder with milk, cocoa powder and peppermint extract to create a healthy smoothie that tastes like your favorite milkshake! Plus, it's sweetened with honey making it completely free of processed sugars, which is a win in our recipe book!
Paleo Cassava Chocolate Chip Cookies
If you've heard of cassava flour, you may have also heard of the many benefits of it. Cassava flour is quickly gaining popularity and becoming the go-to gluten free and grain free flour for bakers worldwide. Often, to make gluten free desserts, multiple powders are needed to achieve the favorable consistency that gluten provides.
With cassava flour, that's not the case. In many recipes, cassava flour can be subbed for wheat flour without any additional ingredients. It makes gluten free goods more easily achieved, and provides a delicious flavor that just about anyone will love!
One of the most in-demand gluten free desserts is cookies. What if we told you that we had a gluten free cookie recipe that's not only easy to achieve but also free of all processed sugars? We do! These Paleo Cassava Chocolate Chip Cookies are dairy free, gluten free and refined sugar free. Made with our high-quality cassava flour and blended with just a touch of tapioca flour, they're an easy-to-make cookie recipe that tastes nearly identical to traditional chocolate chip cookies. Sweetened with coconut milk and coconut sugar, they embody the same sweetness as regular cookies and provide an extra boost of health benefits.
Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Cookies
In our option, hazelnuts don't always get the recognition that they deserve. An irresistible and healthy snack, hazelnuts are one of the most nutritious nuts produced. Plus, they're incredibly versatile! Bake them into a sweet pie, crush them over a fresh salad, or add them to a yummy cookie recipe like these Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Bite sized and baked to perfect, the use of hazelnuts in this sweet dessert turns these cookies into a treat that even those following a low carb diet can enjoy. Satisfying, chewy and oh-so-sweet, these cookies are naturally sweetened with coconut sugar, almond butter and applesauce. Made entirely vegan and gluten free, this recipe is ideal for those following a restricted diet.
Additionally, because these cookies are low-carb, they're also keto approved. If you're following the ketogenic diet and craving a sweet dessert that you can indulge in, you've found it. The hazelnut and flaxseed meal in these cookies provide a healthy dose of good fats while also maintaining a flourless base that's low in carbohydrates, ideal for keto cookie making!
As you can see, desserts don't have to be full of processed sugar and artificial flavors, especially if they're homemade. Healthy, wholesome ingredients and all-natural sugars can be used to make sweet treats that are sure to calm your sweet tooth. So go ahead and have dessert with your next meal, and enjoy every mouthwatering bite.
We hope that you find the naturally sweetened desserts on this list, just as mouthwatering as we do. Remember, making healthy foods isn't hard when you have the nutritious, wholesome ingredients! Have a healthy dessert recipe you'd like to share? We'd love to know what sweet treats you enjoy. Share your favorite dessert recipes with us in the comments below.
From the Bob's Red Mill family to yours, have a sweet and healthy day!
