82 Better-For-You Dessert Recipes That Won't Derail Your Diet
Balanced eating: Holding one of these healthy desserts in each hand.
Healthy eating is all about a maintaining a balanced diet, and at Delish we take balance seriously. That's why we would never want you to skip dessert. Dessert is part of the food pyramid after all, right? 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 some better-for-you sweet treats? 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 our keto red velvet cake are real stunners that can be pulled out for every holiday—they'll never cease to impress. Having a big celebration with only one or two vegan or gluten-free guests? Try one of the many easy brownies or cookies recipes to go alongside your main dessert. Avoiding processed sugar? Celebrate with fruit! You could go bite-size and extra cute, like with our 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 😏).
We love these recipes as dessert, but we've also been known to sneak a few into our breakfast routine too, like our no-bake fruit & granola tart or warm figs with honey & Greek yogurt. We won't judge if you do the same—cake for breakfast is okay if it's healthy-ish, right? These sweet ideas also make for great midday snacks, like our cookies & cream fat bombs 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 meal—any time of the day!
Still searching for sweets? Check out our favorite fruit desserts and mini dessert recipes (so cute) for even more inspo!
Cosmic Brownie Protein Bites
Cosmic brownie protein bites are here for you. Made with a handful of pantry ingredients plus your favorite protein powder, these simple stir-together protein bites will become as integral to your adult snacking life as their namesake was to your childhood.
Get the Cosmic Brownie Protein Bites recipe.
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.
Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies
Those who say that butter makes everything better have yet to meet these these secretly healthy, but no less delicious olive oil chocolate chip cookies. With equal parts whole wheat and all-purpose flour and no chilling time required (although it never hurts!), these are ready to go the instant you want them, which might turn out to be every day once you make them.
Get the Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe.
Fro-Yo Fruit Bites
Whether you're looking for an easy, on-the-go breakfast or an anytime sweet snack, these fro-yo bites are the answer. Best of all, all you need are 4 ingredients (plus your chosen fruit!) to create these bites: plain yogurt, whole milk, honey, and pure vanilla extract.
Get the Fro-Yo Fruit Bites recipe.
No-Bake Cereal Milk Truffles
While drinking the milk at the bottom of your own cereal bowl is definitely a one-person treat, I wanted to find a way to share the cereal milk magic with others. Enter the cereal milk truffle: a honeyed white chocolate treat rolled in crushed cereal.
Get the No-Bake Cereal Milk Truffles recipe.
Citrus Upside Down Cake
Winter citrus is celebrated in this beautiful upside down cake that will take you all the way through summer. The fruit and butter mixture keeps the cake extra moist, while the thyme adds a nice contrast to the sweet-tart fruit.
Get the Citrus Upside Down Cake recipe.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bark
This insanely easy 4-ingredient banana bark is the perfect way to satiate your sweet tooth. I guarantee you have at least 3 of these ingredients on hand at any given time, and if you have 15 minutes to assemble it, you’ll have something nutritious to grab whenever a sugar craving strikes.
Cherry Cheesecake Bites
If you’re a cheesecake fan, you’ll fall in love with this recipe. I’ve bypassed the traditional puff pastry meets cheesecake, opting instead for layers of crisp and buttery phyllo that can be transformed into little bites.
Get the Cherry Cheesecake Bites.
Greek Yogurt Panna Cotta
Panna cotta is a creamy, chilled dessert often found throughout Italy. We put a slightly more nutritious spin on the popular dessert by incorporating Greek yogurt and honey into the recipe and swapping out most of the cream. The gelatin is dissolved into just 1/4 cup heavy cream before being melted into the rest of the ingredients. The result is a rich panna cotta that isn’t overly sweet, perfect for enjoying again and again.
Get the Greek Yogurt Panna Cotta recipe.
Cottage Cheese Bark
By blending the cottage cheese until it’s smooth, drizzling it with peanut butter, jelly, granola, and freezing it, I’ve created a healthy snack that will fill you up and satisfy your sweet tooth at the same time. Packed with protein, this cottage cheese bark is like a bowl of yogurt that you can hold in your hand.
Get the Cottage Cheese Bark recipe.
No-Bake Fruit & Granola Tart
Looking for a show-stopping springtime brunch centerpiece that also doubles as a nice and light all-day dessert? Crowned with an abundance of fresh berries, this no-bake tart is equally easy to make and stunning to look at. Hosting brunch has never been simpler.
Get the No-Bake Fruit & Granola Tart recipe.
Green & Red Grape Sorbet
This easy sorbet is the perfect treat when grapes are at the peak of their season. I also love this recipe because it’s so simple to make. You only need a few ingredients and a food processor to make this guilt-free treat.
Get the Green & Red Grape Sorbet recipe.
Air Fryer Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Birthday Cake
Say hello to your new favorite chocolate cake—this chocolate-zucchini cake a tender, single-layer beauty that no one will guess is vegan. Seriously!
Get the Air Fryer Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Birthday Cake recipe.
Angel Food Cake
In our book, angel food cake the perfect dessert: light, fluffy, and a blank slate to be topped with sweet fresh fruits. It’s a classic summer dessert for us, whether we're topping it with strawberries for a strawberry shortcake variation or enjoying it with plenty of blueberries and whipped cream as an anytime treat.
Get the Angel Food Cake recipe.
Chocolate Chip Banana Oatmeal Bars
Sick of grabbing the same super-sweet, processed granola bars every morning? Studded with banana chunks and chocolate chips, these hearty oat bars will satisfy your breakfast cravings and sustain you through those long late morning meetings.
Peach Melba
There is nothing better than seasonal fruit for dessert, especially when it’s paired with ice cream! This take on peach melba continues the tradition of pairing peaches with a fresh tart-and-sweet raspberry sauce and vanilla ice cream. In just half an hour, you’ll have a tasty, memorable, kid-friendly dessert that will make everyone smile.
Get the Peach Melba recipe.
Almost Flourless Chocolate Cake
Flourless chocolate cakes are fudgy and naturally gluten-free, so why add flour? Adding just 2 tablespoons of flour gives the cake a bit more structure. Topped with some candied orange peel, this cake is rich and decadent, but still a little lighter than your average chocolate cake.
Sour Patch Grapes
Sour Patch grapes, or Glitter Grapes, have been a blogger favorite for years, and it's long time you tried the treat firsthand. This magical recipe transforms green grapes into a sweet-and-sour snack that tastes suspiciously like Sour Patch Kids.
Get the Sour Patch Grapes recipe.
Pavlova Cupcakes With Raspberry Sauce
Pavlovas have a crispy exterior with a soft, marshmallow-like interior, and these mini ones made into cupcakes are the perfect way to serve them to guests. Dollop with a little whipped cream and raspberry sauce for the perfect bite.
Get the Pavlova Cupcakes With Raspberry Sauce recipe.
Ube Crinkle Cookies
With its striking color and a unique nutty vanilla flavor profile, ube has taken over the world. This recipe gives the classic crinkle cookie the ube treatment using ube halaya, a popular Filipino pudding made with ube and condensed milk, and ube extract.
Get the Ube Crinkle Cookies recipe.
