Over the three-week holiday break during my sophomore year of college, I finished nearly every meal with a sweet treat. I nibbled on one of the hundreds of individually wrapped dark chocolate peppermint bark pieces after breakfast (yes, even on the days we served coffee cake!), a sugar cookie or two after lunch, and a cupcake or slice of cake after dinner. Grandma’s buckeyes and jam-filled Ghirardelli squares became regular snacks, too—we were a family of chocoholics, after all!
When I woke up on New Year’s Day after eating way too many cookies and chocolate squares while counting down to midnight the evening before, I decided to stop eating dessert. Originally, my goal was to hold out until my birthday in late June, but when that day arrived and I realized I was basically halfway through the year, I continued to skip dessert until the following January.
(For the record, small pieces of plain dark chocolate don’t count as dessert! They’re a basic human necessity, just like water. Or oxygen. Or coffee.)
Although I still find it hard to believe that I made it through the entire year without a single dessert, I would never do it again—and I think it’s a really unhealthy thing to do! Being healthy is not about deprivation. It’s about listening to our bodies, recognizing our cravings for both sweet and savory foods, and satisfying those cravings with moderation.
Whenever I swear something off, like donuts or French fries, that’s all I think about… And while I’m able to avoid them for a while, I’m much more likely to cave eventually, eat too much, and feel a little guilty about it!
So instead of entirely giving up desserts to achieve your New Year’s Resolution of being healthier, losing weight, or becoming fitter, try occasionally indulging in one of these 32 Healthy Desserts instead! They’re all completely clean eating friendly and contain NO butter, refined flour or sugar!
Click on the photos below to get the recipes! {If viewing this on a mobile device, click on the corresponding link beneath the images instead.}
THE RECIPES
- Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
- Skinny Single-Serving Chocolate Mug Cake
- Carrot Cake Oatmeal Cookies
- Lemon Poppy Seed Protein Cookies
- Clean & Fudgy Dark Chocolate Frosted Brownies
- Simple Cinnamon Apple Cake
- Classic Carrot Cake Cupcakes
- Apple Pie Oatmeal Cookies
- Ultimate Healthy Soft & Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Raspberry Oatmeal Cookies
- Ultimate Healthy Soft & Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Lemon Chia Seed Protein Cookies
- Strawberry Oatmeal Cookies
- Almond Joy Oatmeal Cookies
- Clean Blueberry Almond Crumble
- Ultimate Healthy Soft & Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Oatmeal Cookies
- Skinny Single-Serving Microwave Fudge Brownie
- Classic Carrot Cake
- Blueberry Oatmeal Cookies
- Peanut Butter Banana Bread Brownies
- Soft-Baked Ginger Cookies
- Pumpkin Pie Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
- Clean Eating Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Low-Carb Coconut Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Peach Pie Oatmeal Cookies
- Chocolate Protein Milkshake
- Maple Cupcakes with Pumpkin Pie Frosting
- Carrot Cake Oatmeal Cookie Cake
- Pineapple Coconut Oatmeal Cookies
- Clean Peach Crumble
- Chocolate Chip Protein Cookies
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Although not entirely clean eating friendly, the following desserts are still much lower in calories than their traditional counterparts. Therefore, they deserve their moment in the spotlight—and can still help you achieve your healthy New Year’s Resolutions, too!
- Eggnog Snickerdoodles
- Skinny Chocolate Caramel Seven Layer Bars
- Skinny Cookies ’n Cream Brownies
- Healthy Classic Monster Cookies
- Skinny Lemon Snickerdoodles
- Skinny Raspberry Cheesecake Bars
- Dark Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes
- Skinny Heart Shaped Sugar Cookies
- Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf Cake
- Lemon Cupcakes with Raspberry Vanilla Yogurt Frosting
- Skinny Double Dark Chocolate Cupcakes
- Skinny Slow Cooker Chocolate Fudge Cake
- Skinny Peanut Butter Banana Seven Layer Bars
- Skinny Peanut Butter Cheesecake
- Skinny Eggnog Fudge
- The Ultimate Healthy Fudgy Cocoa Brownies
- Double Lemon Pudding Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites
If you like these dessert recipes, then you’ll love my newly released Healthier Chocolate Treats cookbook! It’s full of sweet and healthy recipes just like the ones listed above! Reserve your copy here today!
Love all of your recipes! I am going to have to try some of these I haven’t seen before!
Thanks Shannon! I’m excited to hear what you try! 🙂
These healthy yet delicious recipes for desserts are just what i was looking for , i love my treats and i always end up eating too much of them : this will hopefully satisfy my sweet tooth in a healthier- but just as yummy- way .✨😃✔
I’m so honored that you’d want to try some of my recipes Cassandra! That truly means a lot — thank you for taking the time to let me know! 🙂 I’m so excited to hear what you think of the recipes you decide to try making!
I cant wait to try some of them , i think im going to try the carrot cake oatmeal cookies first and i would like to say that this is one of the best cooking/baking websites i have seen : i will definitely be using this website in the future and recommending it to my friends and family. Its pretty difficult to establish a healthy yet tasty website and u have done just that , i will be sure to tell u how it goes .😊✨🎉💖
You just made my entire day, Cassandra — thank you SO much for your kind words! That truly means a lot, especially that you think you’ll visit my website often and that you’d share it with your friends and family. I’m incredibly honored! 🙂 And I’m really excited to hear what you think of my carrot cake oatmeal cookies recipe!
Thanks for compiling these. I’ve tried the carrot cookies and the healthy chocolate chip cookies, and I look forward to trying some new variations! 🙂
My pleasure Elaine! I’m so glad that you enjoyed both cookie recipes, and I’m excited to hear what you try next! 🙂
╰(*°▽°*)╯I want to try the carrot cake oatmeal cookies , i was just wondering if i can just use any type of oats and if i have to add salt .Also does anybody know an alternative flour i can use instead of the whole wheat one in this recipe , like can i use plain flour ?༼ つ ◕_◕ ༽つ
If you look at my Oatmeal Cookie FAQ Page (there’s a link to that FAQ Page at the bottom of the Notes section of my Carrot Cake Oatmeal Cookies recipe, which is located directly underneath the Instructions!), then you’ll find the answers to your questions about the oats and flour. I know it can be really easy to miss that section, but I promise it’s there and covers the answers you’re looking for! 🙂 Unless you’re on a super low-sodium or no-sodium diet, then I recommend using the salt. It’s a small amount, but it does make a big difference in the flavor!
I can’t wait to hear what you think of these oatmeal cookies if you try making them, Cassandra!
Thank u and i will certainly tell u how they turn out , its pretty inspiring to see how passionate u are about baking Amy .😀💜
It’s my pleasure, Cassandra! And thank YOU!! 🙂 Can’t wait to hear all about your cookies!
What is better to use as a substitute for whole wheat flour , corn flour , almond flour or brown rice four ?
It actually depends on the exact recipe! For the majority of my recipes, I’ve already included the best alternatives in the Notes sections (located directly underneath the Instructions). I know it can be easy to miss! 😉
I have checked the FAQ page for the cookies , i wanted to use the exact same recipe , except im going to use honey instead of maple syrup but when i went to the shops i couldnt find any wheat flour so i just thought why not use an alternative and according to quite a few people almond flour works wonderfully so i guess that is what i will be using as a substitute.
Its as if the world is against me , every time i get prepared to bake them , something else comes up !😀😌😫 ¯_(ツ)_/¯
Oh no!! I have faith in you Cassandra — I’m sure you’ll get these cookies made and they’ll turn out wonderfully! 🙂 I’m really excited to hear what you think once that day finally comes! 😉