Cutting Back on Sugar? Try One of These 17 Delicious Dessert Recipes (2024)

Staying healthy doesn't have to mean skipping out on sweets. These low-sugar desserts will allow you to enjoy all your favorites—chocolate chip cookies, cheesecake, pie, and more—all for 10 grams of sugar or less per serving. Whether it's a reduced amount of sugar or it's made with naturally sweet ingredients, these healthy desserts taste indulgent without the high sugar count.

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Easy Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies

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Cutting Back on Sugar? Try One of These 17 Delicious Dessert Recipes (1)

Grams of sugar: 8

A low-sugar dessert that also happens to be gluten-free? Absolutely! The 3-ingredient recipe only requires peanut butter, sugar, and an egg for freshly baked cookies that taste just like the classic you know and love.

18 Gluten-Free Desserts That Are Seriously Delicious

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Fudgy Black Bean Brownies

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Grams of Sugar: 7

Beans in brownies? Stick with us here. Blending black beans with applesauce and chopped chocolate leaves any trace of bean flavor behind. The result is a healthy, low-sugar dessert that tastes rich and fudgy while boosting fiber.

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Key Lime Mason Jar Cheesecakes

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Grams of Sugar: 8

The secret to our tangy low-sugar dessert filling? Reduced-fat cream cheese, key lime juice (plus zest!), and frozen whipped topping. Pour the ultra-smooth fluff over our easy graham cracker crust, then garnish with key lime slices for lip-puckering appeal. Make the mini desserts in jars to tote to picnics.

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Reduced-Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Grams of Sugar: 5

Are you ever going to pass up a chocolate chip cookie? Probably not. Our Test Kitchen slightly tweaked our classic recipe to only call for ½ cup of sugar versus the usual 1½ cups. It's still sweet and satisfying without the sugar rush.

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Cherry-Almond Half-Moons

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Cutting Back on Sugar? Try One of These 17 Delicious Dessert Recipes (5)

Grams of Sugar: 5

These adorable treats achieve just the right amount of sweetness due to a filling of cherry preserves. You won't be able to get over the flaky cookie exterior made with cream cheese and butter.

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Banana Ice Cream

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Grams of Sugar: 10

A creamy, easy low-sugar dessert is just a blender and three ingredients away. Ripe bananas, coconut milk, and vanilla combine for a low-sugar frozen treat.

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Dessert Pizza with Banana Ice Cream

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Grams of Sugar: 9

Take that banana ice cream and smother it over a cocoa-cereal crust. Top with your favorite fruits for a stunning low-sugar dessert pizza. It's definitely going to disappear before it melts.

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Apple-Maple Snack Cake

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Grams of Sugar: 9

Instead of a blondie, try this spiced low-sugar dessert that boasts apple chunks and sliced almonds. With only a handful of pantry ingredients added to the mix, you'll have this apple dessert baking in just 15 minutes. It's an easy low-sugar dessert when you're craving a fall treat and don't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen.

21 Healthy Fall Dessert Recipes to Wrap up Your Meal in Cozy Style

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Pineapple, Mint, and Coconut Water Pops

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Grams of Sugar: 8

These frozen pops are perfect for when you're in the mood for something sweet but refreshing. Fresh pineapple (this is key, as the canned versions have added sugars) and mint leaves give the treats their flavor.

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Peach Air-Fryer Hand Pies

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Grams of Sugar: 10

Grab a refrigerated pie crust and a few peaches on your next grocery run to make this low-sugar dessert recipe. The best part about these portable pies is that you don't have to turn on the oven, as they're cooked to perfection using your air fryer.

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Pressnitz (Walnut Crescents)

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Grams of Sugar: 5

Inspired by the bakeries of Italy, these little golden crescents are baked with creamy ricotta and then stuffed with walnuts, dreamy orange marmalade, and fresh citrus peel. The low-sugar dessert pairs nicely with a cup of tea.

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Easy Spiced Pastries

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Grams of Sugar: 1

Packaged pie crust, butter, brown sugar, and pumpkin spice make up these irresistible low-sugar desserts. Use a pizza cutter to cut the dressed-up dough into perfect little squares.

Where Does Pumpkin Spice Come From?

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Low-Sugar Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins

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Grams of Sugar: 7

Unsweetened applesauce, mini chocolate chips, and just a couple of tablespoons of brown sugar are all it takes to sweeten this low-sugar dessert. Shredded zucchini in the batter keeps the muffins moist while boosting your fiber intake. It'll make a perfect breakfast or after-dinner sweet.

14of 17

Lady Locks

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Grams of Sugar: 9

You can make flaky, bakery-quality pastries at home thanks to frozen puff pastry dough. We'll walk you through everything you need to make this low-sugar dessert at home including our recipe for fluffy vanilla bean pastry cream.

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Ruby Red Grapefruit Shortbread Cookies

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Grams of Sugar: 4

A full tablespoon of grapefruit zest in the dough gives this low-sugar dessert a burst of citrusy flavor. Ground ginger adds spice and balances the bitterness of the fruit. Dunk each cookie in a sweet grapefruit glaze and sprinkle with pink sanding sugar before serving.

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"Fried" Ice Cream Truffles

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Grams of Sugar: 7

This take on classic fried ice cream is made with toasted panko bread crumbs rather than frying in oil. Choose your favorite ice cream to form the filling and roll in the cinnamon coating. Stash them in the freezer for any time you need a sweet treat.

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Gluten Free Coconut Cream and Pineapple Cream Puffs

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Grams of Sugar: 6

Grill the pineapple before adding it to this cream puff recipe. The extra step helps caramelize the fruit's natural sugars. We're using just three tablespoons of sugar in the fluffy coconut cream filling.

Cutting Back on Sugar? Try One of These 17 Delicious Dessert Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the best dessert for a diabetic to eat? ›

Examples of some diabetes-friendly desserts include:
  • graham crackers with nut butter.
  • angel food cake.
  • chia seed pudding.
  • low sugar avocado mousse.
  • frozen yogurt bites made with plain Greek yogurt and berries.
  • mixed berries and homemade whipped cream (with no sugar added)
  • low sugar brownies.

How to make something sweet without sugar? ›

Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, allspice, mace, cardamom and star anise are commonly associated with sweetness. These spices are often used in baked goods and pair especially well with fruit dishes. Vanilla extract can also make food seem sweeter, perhaps due to its aroma.

Is there a healthy dessert? ›

Berries and Cream

It's a classic combo. Berries are sweet, juicy, and low in calories. They also have many heart-healthy nutrients, like antioxidants and fiber. Dress a cup of them up with a dollop of whipped cream or low-fat sour cream -- it adds 20 to 50 calories, but little to no sugar.

How to bake for a diabetic? ›

5 Diabetes-Friendly Baking Tips
  1. Sweeten without sugar. White table sugar, brown sugar, honey, maple syrup and molasses raise blood sugar. ...
  2. Use alternative flours. The carbs in white flour can send blood sugar soaring. ...
  3. Swap butter for healthier fats. ...
  4. Add veggies for fiber and moisture. ...
  5. Focus on taste.
Mar 22, 2022

What dessert won't spike my blood sugar? ›

Choosing the Best Dessert for Diabetes

Some of Burgess' go-to desserts include Medjool dates stuffed with peanut butter, energy bites, chia seed pudding with toppings (like fruit, nuts and yogurt), desserts baked with protein powder, and nut butter-based desserts like these Almond Butter-Quinoa Blondies.

What can a diabetic eat when they crave sugar? ›

Diabetes: 8 Sweet Snacks Safe For Diabetics
  • Cocoa nut butter. Cocoa powder is a great addition to your diet. ...
  • Chia pudding. Chia pudding is another great addition to your diet thanks to its numerous health benefits. ...
  • Apple & nut butter. ...
  • Dark chocolate.
  • Green yogurt.
  • Pears. ...
  • Oatmeal bites. ...
  • Fruit popsicles.
Jun 1, 2022

What tastes sweet but has no sugar? ›

When sugar cravings strike and you really want something sweet, experts agree fruit is your best option. Try dates, raisins, figs, berries, pears, and really any other delicious fruit. Fruit-based purees and jams and sauces, such as applesauce, with no added sugars can also bring a big sweet reward to your treats.

What tastes like sugar but is not sugar? ›

Stevia and monk fruit are both naturally derived from plants and some people feel they have a flavor very similar to regular sugar.

What is a good substitute for sugar in a cake? ›

Honey Or Syrup

General recommended substitution ratios are as follows: For every cup of sugar, you can replace it with a 1/2 cup to 2/3 cup of honey or 2/3 cup agave. If using maple syrup or molasses, 3/4 cup to 1 cup will do the trick.

What is the unhealthiest dessert ever? ›

Today, the average restaurant serves desserts that are heavily laden with saturated fat and sugar and that range between 800 to 1500 calories
  • Cheesecake.
  • Carrot cake.
  • Banana split.
  • Molten lava cakes.
Feb 17, 2016

What is the least fattening dessert? ›

Top 10 Low-Fat Desserts
  • Fresh fruit. Whether it's a cooked-fruit compote, a bowl of chilled strawberries, or an artfully sliced pear on a plate, it's hard to beat fresh fruit for a tasty dessert. ...
  • Angel food cake. It's low in calories, with no fat. ...
  • Brownies and cakes. ...
  • Cheesecake. ...
  • Key lime pie.

Is there anything sweet a diabetic can eat? ›

According to the American Diabetes Association, people with diabetes can still have sweets, chocolate, or other sugary foods as long they are eaten as part of a healthful meal plan or combined with exercise.

What fruit is best for diabetics? ›

Top Fruits for Diabetics
  • Apples. According to the American Diabetes Association, the GI of an apple ranges from 32 to 38. ...
  • Berries. Berries, such as blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries, have a GI range of 28-40. ...
  • Kiwi. ...
  • Citrus fruits. ...
  • Avocados. ...
  • Apricots. ...
  • Peaches. ...
  • Cherries.
Oct 1, 2023

How can I satisfy my diabetic sweet tooth? ›

Try these ideas to satisfy your sweet tooth:
  1. Sliced strawberries with low-sugar Greek yogurt and chopped nuts.
  2. Chia pudding (made with cow's milk or a milk alternative) topped with blueberries.
  3. Dark chocolate-covered frozen banana bites.
  4. Chocolate frozen yogurt pops.
  5. Low-sugar fruit crumble or cobbler.
Aug 24, 2021

What type of dessert should a diabetic customer avoid? ›

The combination of flour, sugar, and dairy found in most high-carb desserts can contribute to blood sugar spikes, making diabetes harder to manage. For example, a single serving of strawberry cheesecake may contain more than 30 grams of carbohydrates.

What ice cream can diabetics eat? ›

Edy's: This manufacturer produces several varieties of their slow-churned ice creams, which contain around 20 g carbohydrates or less per ½-cup serving. The Neopolitan flavor of Edy's contains only 14 g. Halo Top: Halo provides ice cream flavors with additional protein and low carbohydrates.

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