Cutting Back on Sugar? Try One of These 16 Delicious Dessert Recipes (2024)

Staying healthy doesn't have to mean skipping sweets. These low-sugar desserts 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 they contain reduced sugar or naturally sweet ingredients, these healthy desserts taste indulgent without a high sugar count.

01of 16

Easy Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies

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Cutting Back on Sugar? Try One of These 16 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

02of 16

Fudgy Black Bean Brownies

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Cutting Back on Sugar? Try One of These 16 Delicious Dessert Recipes (2)

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.

03of 16

Key Lime Mason Jar Cheesecakes

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Cutting Back on Sugar? Try One of These 16 Delicious Dessert Recipes (3)

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.

04of 16

Reduced-Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Cutting Back on Sugar? Try One of These 16 Delicious Dessert Recipes (4)

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.

Our Test Kitchen's Top Substitutes for Chocolate of Every Type

05of 16

Cherry-Almond Half-Moons

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Cutting Back on Sugar? Try One of These 16 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.

06of 16

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.

07of 16

Dessert Pizza with Banana Ice Cream

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Cutting Back on Sugar? Try One of These 16 Delicious Dessert Recipes (7)

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.

08of 16

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

09of 16

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.

10of 16

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.

11of 16

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?

12of 16

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.

13of 16

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.

14of 16

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.

15of 16

"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 this low sugar dessert 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. This extra step helps caramelize the fruit's natural sugars. The fluffy coconut cream filling includes just three tablespoons of sugar.

Cutting Back on Sugar? Try One of These 16 Delicious Dessert Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Which sweet has less sugar? ›

8> Date and Nut Barfi: Make barfi using dates, nuts, and a small amount of ghee. Dates provide natural sweetness and are lower in calories compared to sugar. Remember to enjoy these sweets in moderation as even low-calorie versions can add up if consumed in large quantities.

How to cut back on sugar in baking? ›

Substituting Ingredients for Moisture and Sweetness:
  1. Add in honey or agave, but don't cut more than a third of the sugar. ...
  2. If a recipe runs on brown sugar [more so than white sugar], you have to keep moisture in mind, and sometimes I might add a bit of milk or so to make up for that.
Feb 16, 2016

What happens if I put less sugar in a cake? ›

The sweetness of the cake will be reduced, so it may not taste as sweet as a cake made with the original amount of sugar. Additionally, reducing the amount of sugar can cause a change in the texture of the cake. Without enough sugar to create structure, cakes can become dense and heavy.

How much sugar can you cut out of a recipe? ›

Up to 1/3 of the sugar in most recipes can be taken out without a noticeable difference. You should not reduce all the sugar in a recipe, as it is still needed for taste and texture. Note: Do not reduce sugar in yeast breads as the sugar is needed to activate the yeast.

What fruit has the lowest sugar? ›

Eight low-sugar fruits
  1. Strawberries. Strawberries, like many other berries, are often high in fiber and contain very little sugar. ...
  2. Peaches. Although they taste sweet, a medium sized peach only contains around 13 g of sugar .
  3. Blackberries. ...
  4. Lemons and limes. ...
  5. Honeydew melon. ...
  6. Oranges. ...
  7. Grapefruit. ...
  8. Avocados.

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 to replace sugar with in baking? ›

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 should I eat to cut back on sugar? ›

Healthier snack options are those without added sugar, such as fresh or tinned fruit (in juice, not syrup), unsalted mixed nuts, plain popcorn, rice cakes, crackers topped with lower-fat cheese or lower-sugar yoghurts. If you are not ready to give up your favourite flavours, you could start by having less.

What cancels out sugar in cooking? ›

How to Make Food Less Sweet. Add an acid or seasonings such as vinegar or citrus juice; chopped fresh herbs; a dash of cayenne pepper; or, for sweet dishes, a bit of liqueur or espresso powder.

Is it possible to bake without sugar? ›

The most commonly used sweeteners in baking are sucralose (used in Splenda), aspartame and acesulfame K (both used in Canderel). These are 200–650 times sweeter than table sugar and as such either extremely low calorie or calorie-free, making them suitable for diabetics.

Which cake is less sweet? ›

Some common low-sugar cakes include carrot cakes, tofu-based cake, lemon cake, and banana cakes. CakeRush aims to do desserts right with a series of less-sweet cakes. Some of our favourites include: Salted Macadamia Cheese Cake.

Is it OK to eat sugar-free cake? ›

Suitable for people with dietary restrictions: Sugar-free birthday cake is a great option for people with dietary restrictions or health conditions that require them to limit their sugar intake, such as people with diabetes, high blood pressure, or other health conditions.

Is it OK to completely cut out sugar? ›

“Added sugars contribute additional calories and zero nutrients to food,” they add. But even the AHA do not recommend cutting out sugar completely.

Is it OK to cut sugar completely? ›

Reducing your sugar intake may support a healthy weight, decrease your risk of depression, and reduce your risk of heart disease, among other health benefits. The good news is that you don't necessarily have to quit sugar completely. A limited amount of added sugar each day is fine.

What happens if you cut off all sugar? ›

Cutting out or limiting added sugar has several benefits. You might increase your intake of nutrient-rich foods, manage your weight, and reduce your risk of diabetes and heart disease. Still, you might feel an intense and out-of-control craving for sugar if you cut out or limit carbs, your body's primary energy source.

What is the healthiest type of sweet? ›

Healthiest Sweet Snacks
  • Fresh Fruit. 1/14. It's packed with vitamins and minerals that help your body function. ...
  • Dark Chocolate. 2/14. A half-ounce square of 86% dark chocolate contains only two grams of sugar. ...
  • Apple Chips. 3/14. ...
  • Apple and Nut Butter. 4/14. ...
  • Cereal. 5/14. ...
  • Greek Yogurt. 6/14. ...
  • DIY Smoothie. 7/14. ...
  • Dates. 8/14.

Which sweet is healthiest? ›

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.

Which sweet is best for health? ›

10 Healthy Alternatives To Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth
  • Peanut Butter and Banana Ice Cream. ...
  • Chia Pudding. ...
  • Low-sugar Popsicles. ...
  • Nut Butter. ...
  • Baked Pears or Apples. ...
  • Chocolate Dipped Banana Bites. ...
  • DIY Chocolate Truffles. ...
  • Baked Sweet Potatoes. Okay, it's not a dessert or a "treat" but it is a tasty alternative to grabbing a donut!

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