Healthy Guilt-Free Dessert Recipes That Actually Taste Good

Dessert does not have to be the thing you feel bad about. Over the years Juliann has tested and refined a collection of recipes that use real ingredients, skip the refined sugar, and actually satisfy a sweet tooth. These are the ones that made the permanent rotation in our house.

The staple ingredients that make healthy dessert work: almond flour, dates, maple syrup, coconut sugar, coconut oil, and coconut milk. Stock these and you can make almost anything on this list without a grocery run.

Jump to Chocolate Chip Cookies Lemon Bars Banana Cake Chia Pudding Tahini Fudge Avocado Mousse Pumpkin Brownies Nilla Wafers Fudge Bars Almond Butter Cups

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Gluten-free, dairy-free, no refined sugar

Ingredients

• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp organic pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups Enjoy Life semi-sweet chocolate mini chips (dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free)
• 1/2 cup organic coconut oil
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 2 whole eggs
• 3 cups blanched almond flour

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients and mix together.
2. In a small bowl, beat together eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla with a hand mixer.
3. Pour wet ingredients into dry and beat with a hand mixer until well combined.
4. Melt coconut oil, pour into batter, and blend until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
5. Drop tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool.

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Gluten Free Lemon Bars

Gluten-free, dairy-free

Crust Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups almond flour
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/3 cup coconut oil
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp salt

Filling Ingredients

• 3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
• 3/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 4 large lemons)
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 tbsp coconut flour, sifted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line an 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper. Mix all crust ingredients until well combined. Press into the bottom of the dish and bake for 15 minutes.
2. While the crust bakes, whisk together all filling ingredients, adding the sifted coconut flour last. Whisk until all clumps are gone.
3. Once the crust comes out of the oven, pour the filling immediately on top. Lower oven temp to 325 degrees F and bake for 20 to 22 minutes or until filling is set. A little jiggle is okay.
4. Let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes then transfer to fridge for at least 3 hours before slicing.

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Banana Cake with Chocolate Frosting

Gluten-free, dairy-free

Cake Ingredients

• 2 large ripe bananas (use 3 if small)
• 3 large eggs
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups almond flour
• 1/2 cup tapioca flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

Frosting Ingredients

• 3/4 cup full fat coconut milk (thick part only)
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 2 tbsp cacao or cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of sea salt
• Chopped dairy-free chocolate for sprinkling

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish with parchment paper. In a large bowl, mash bananas then whisk in eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla until smooth.
2. Stir in almond flour, tapioca flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until a smooth batter forms. Pour into the baking dish and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
3. For the frosting, scoop the hardened coconut milk into a chilled bowl. Whisk with coconut sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Refrigerate until the cake is completely cool.
4. Frost the fully cooled cake, sprinkle with chopped chocolate, slice, and serve.

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Healthy Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

Vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup almond milk or other non-dairy milk
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions

1. In a bowl, mix together chia seeds, cocoa powder, and salt. Whisk in almond milk, maple syrup, and vanilla until well combined.
2. Refrigerate for one hour then stir. Let sit for at least 2 more hours or overnight.
3. When ready to eat, add a splash of almond milk and stir. Top with banana, peanut butter, or whatever you like.

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No Bake Salted Tahini Cookie Dough Fudge

Vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free

Ingredients

• 1 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips, plus 2 tbsp for topping
• Flaky sea salt for sprinkling

Directions

1. Line an 8x4 inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Mix together tahini, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Fold in 1/4 cup chocolate chips. Pour into the pan.
2. Freeze for 5 to 10 minutes, then press remaining chocolate chips into the top. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
3. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Cut into 15 squares. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

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Avocado Chocolate Mousse Parfaits

Dairy-free, gluten-free

Ingredients

• 3 avocados
• 4 tbsp cocoa powder
• 3 tbsp honey
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• Pinch of salt
• 1 scoop collagen peptides
• 1 can full fat coconut milk, chilled overnight
• 1/2 cup pecan pieces
• 1 banana, sliced

Directions

1. Blend avocados until smooth. Add cocoa powder, 2 tbsp honey, vanilla, salt, and collagen peptides and blend until combined. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
2. Scoop the hardened coconut milk fat into a chilled bowl with the remaining 1 tbsp honey. Whisk until smooth and fluffy.
3. In a glass or bowl, layer banana slices, chocolate mousse, pecans, and coconut whipped cream. Top with cacao nibs, shredded coconut, or strawberries if desired.

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Slow Cooker Pumpkin Brownies

Grain-free, gluten-free

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups pumpkin or sweet potato puree
• 3 large eggs, whisked
• 1/3 cup maple syrup or honey
• 3 tbsp ghee, melted (or coconut oil or butter)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup coconut flour
• 2/3 cup baking cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips plus more for topping
• 1/3 cup walnuts, chopped, plus more for topping

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients and mix well. Line a 6-quart slow cooker with parchment paper. Transfer batter and spread evenly. Top with extra chocolate chips and walnuts.
2. Cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours. Remove carefully to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes before serving.
3. Oven directions: preheat to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x9 dish. Pour batter in and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before cutting.

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Nilla Wafers

Gluten-free, grain-free

Ingredients

• 2 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup melted ghee
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups almond flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine yolks, honey, ghee, and vanilla. Stir until completely smooth. Add almond flour, salt, and baking powder. Mix well until no lumps remain.
2. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour or overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Roll dough into 1-teaspoon balls, 16 per sheet. Bake one sheet at a time for 14 minutes.
4. Remove from oven, press each cookie down lightly, then bake for 4 to 6 more minutes until edges are slightly golden.

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Almond Coconut Fudge Bars

Sugar-free, vegan, dairy-free

Chocolate Layer

• 3/4 cup coconut oil
• 1 cup raw cacao powder
• 2 tbsp full-fat canned coconut milk

Top Layer

• 1 cup creamy almond butter
• 1/3 cup coconut oil
• 2 tbsp full-fat canned coconut milk
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

Directions

1. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper. In a small saucepan, melt coconut oil, cacao powder, and coconut milk over medium-low heat, stirring until smooth. Pour into the pan and freeze while making the top layer.
2. Whisk together almond butter, coconut oil, and coconut milk until creamy. Pour over the chocolate layer, sprinkle with sea salt, and freeze for about 1 hour.
3. Lift out using the parchment and slice into bars. Store in the freezer for up to 1 month.

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Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Cups

Dairy-free, gluten-free, no refined sugar

Ingredients

• 12 oz high quality dark chocolate
• 1 tbsp refined coconut oil
• 1 cup natural almond butter (almonds and salt only, no added sugar)
• 4 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• Flaky sea salt for topping

Directions

1. Line a mini muffin tray with 24 mini cupcake liners. Mix almond butter, maple syrup, and vanilla until well combined. Spoon about 1 tbsp of the almond butter mixture into the bottom of each liner. Place the tray in the freezer.
2. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt dark chocolate and coconut oil in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until fully melted.
3. Remove the tray from the freezer and pour chocolate over each almond butter portion until fully covered. Sprinkle each with a little flaky sea salt.
4. Return to the freezer until hardened. Store in the freezer or refrigerator.

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