Are you looking for a way to enjoy the holidays without over-indulging? If you’re trying to maintain some balance this year when it comes to all of those holiday desserts, I’ve got you covered. In this blog post, I’ve put together a round-up of 10 tasty and healthy holiday desserts you can easily whip up at home. (Because let’s be honest, most of us will be spending A LOT of time at home this winter!)
From pie and cake lovers to those who can’t get enough Christmas cookies, there’s something on this list for everyone. And the good news is you can eat these desserts without sacrificing your healthy lifestyle. If that’s not a win-win, I don’t know what is!
So keep reading for my round-up of 10 healthy holiday desserts. And if you’re looking for even more inspiration for tasty and healthy recipes, I highly recommend the following cookbooks: Well Plated, The Easy Gluten-Free Cookbook, and the No Crumbs Left Whole30 endorsed cookbook. They are chock full of nutritious and nourishing recipes that will satisfy your taste buds.
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10 Healthy Holiday Desserts
1. Paleo Gingerbread Biscotti (Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Paleo)
A classic holiday dessert is biscotti. The problem is that Biscotti are typically filled with white flour, sugar, and other processed ingredients. This healthy holiday dessert version created by the Clean Eating Couple is grain and gluten-free and uses maple syrup instead of refined sugars.
A couple of things you’ll want to make sure you have on hand for this recipe are Bob’s Red Mill Paleo Baking Flour, coconut oil, and either a Silpat or parchment paper to use with your cookie sheets.
2. Vegan Cinnamon White Chocolate Cheesecake (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
Would you believe that this healthy holiday dessert has only 6 ingredients and is made with a few simple steps? Head to Contentedness Cooking for the full recipe. You’ll want these ingredients on hand before you start: coconut milk, Medjool dates, vegan white chocolate, and organic vanilla powder. You’ll also need a blender or a food processor.
3. Peppermint Brownie Bites (Dairy-Free, Keto, Nut-Free)
In addition to being low-carb, these peppermint brownie bites are nut and dairy-free, which is great for those who have food allergies. You can find this healthy holiday dessert recipe at A Sweet Life. Make sure you have the following ingredients on hand before making: coconut oil, almond or sunflower seed flour, coconut cream (the thick part from a can of coconut milk), and a powdered sweetener equivalent like Swerve.
4. Dark Chocolate Pretzel Bark (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
I love a sweet and savory dessert combo so this one definitely tops my list. You can find the recipe at Nutrition in the Kitch and make sure you have the following ingredients on hand: coconut oil, gluten-free pretzels, natural, unsalted peanut butter, maple syrup, and almond butter.
5. No-Bake, Chocolate Gingerbread Truffles (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
These Chocolate Gingerbread Truffles are such a great holiday dessert, you’ll barely know notice they are gluten-free, vegan, and healthy! The recipe comes from Purely Kalie, who has tons of great plant-based recipes.
For these truffles, you’ll need a few things that might not normally be in your pantry: Medjool dates, molasses, and vegan chocolate chips (if you want to keep the truffles vegan). You’ll also need a food processor.
6. Low Carb Bourbon Balls (Gluten-Free)
This pop-in-your-mouth healthy holiday dessert is the perfect treat to bring to an adult Holiday party. (Please note, these Bourbon balls are not cooked, so the alcohol is fully potent.) If you don’t like bourbon, you can swap it out for rum or whiskey instead.
Head to Lowcarbology for the full recipe and one pro-tip they shared is that they are even better the next day, so try to make them a day before you want to eat them! Also, make sure to have these ingredients on hand: almond flour, bourbon, powdered Swerve, and milk chocolate.
7. Chocolate Pudding Pie (Vegan)
There’s a secret ingredient in this chocolate pudding pie that gives it the silky texture you expect from pudding – silken tofu. Yep! It might sound gross but it really works. Combined with all of the other ingredients, you would never be able to tell this pie is vegan.
This pie needs to set in the fridge overnight, so make sure to prepare it the day before you want to eat it or bring it somewhere. You can find the recipe at Emilie Eats. Ingredients you’ll want to have on hand include silken tofu, Medjool dates, cocoa powder, maple syrup, apple sauce, non-dairy milk, and coffee grinds. The grinds are optional but Emilie highly recommends using them in this recipe because the coffee flavor really complements the chocolate flavor in this dessert.
8. Peppermint Truffles (Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegan)
These peppermint truffles are quite a healthy holiday dessert. Dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan, and made with only 4 ingredients, they almost sound too good to be true! But Lisa from Downshiftology has managed to create a recipe that works. The end result? A delicious holiday treat that will melt in your mouth.
Please note that you’ll want to use peppermint extract (not mint extract) and Lisa recommends using Nielsen-Massey peppermint extract. The other ingredients you’ll want to have on hand include chocolate chips, cacao powder, and coconut milk.
9. Paleo Apple Crisp (Gluten-Free, Paleo)
Apple Crisp is one of my favorite desserts (year-round, not just for the holidays!) so I was super excited when I found this gluten-free and Paleo version. You can find the full recipe at My Natural Family. Rebecca from My Natural Family recommends using granny smith apples. You also want to make sure you have Arrowroot starch, nutmeg, cinnamon, and almond flour for this recipe.
10. Festive Vegan Jello Dessert (Gluten-Free, Paleo, Vegan)
This gelatin-free jello dessert will be a crowd-pleaser for all the vegans you know! Even if you aren’t vegan, this recipe created by Unconventional Baker is worth trying because it’s much healthier than the store-bought jello we all grew up on. So give this one a try and let me know what you think!
Make sure to have the following ingredients on hand: pomegranate juice (or a juice of your choice), agar agar flakes, tapioca starch, and vegan whipped cream.
Are You Ready to Indulge with These Healthy Holiday Desserts?
So what do you think about these healthy holiday desserts? Which ones do you want to try?
Please let me know if you end up making any of these desserts! Leave your feedback in the comments below.
And even if you don’t have time to make any of these desserts, (or just want to indulge in the real thing), I hope that you and your family have a wonderful and safe holiday season!
Psst: Still haven’t bought all of your holiday gifts? Check out my unique and fun gift ideas for 2020.
And it’s not too late to add some holiday cheer to your home with some festive, holiday decor.
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