A collection of my all-time favourite healthy desserts recipes – so that when the sugar craving strikes, but you still want to stay on the healthy eating side, you know exactly where to look. From raw vegan desserts to a paleo chocolate cake – there’s something for every taste and every dietary requirement!
It’s no secret that I have something of a sweet tooth. In fact, “something of a sweet tooth” is a huge understatement – a quick browse through my recipes will reveal that my sweet tooth is well and alive… and thriving. But in order to gain balance and feel good, a fair number of the desserts I make (and love) are healthy.
There’s nothing bad or sad or disappointing about a healthy dessert. It can be just as satisfying, just as decadent and just as comforting as any butter-sugar-flour kind of sweet treat. (And that’s not to say that there’s anything wrong with the latter kind of dessert – not at all! It’s just that if you’re like me, you want a dessert every day… preferably twice per day. And if that’s the case… triple chocolate salted caramel-stuffed cookie-bottom brownies might not be the best idea.)
To make it easier for you, I’ve collected some of my very favourite healthy desserts in one post, so you can have a dessert every day and still be healthy! They’re all gluten, dairy and refined sugar free, and some of them are also (raw) vegan and paleo, so there’s definitely something for any dietary preference.
While I’m always dreaming up new healthy desserts (and when I say always, I do mean always – yes, even when I’m sleeping… that’s probably why I wake up hungry 99% of the time), these are my go-to desserts I would never say no to. I hope you love them as much as I do!
1. RAW VEGAN TIRAMISU BITES
Tiramisu in a healthy raw vegan form. If you’re a coffee and chocolate lover, this is the dessert for you. The bottom layer is pure crunchy chocolate goodness, followed by a creamy coffee layer and topped with a delicious vanilla cream based on cashew nuts and coconut cream. The chocolate drizzle is optional… but who are we kidding. We’re totally going all out with the melted dark chocolate. This raw vegan dessert just so happens to be also gluten free, with a paleo option. Get the recipe for raw vegan tiramisu bites here!
2. THE BEST PALEO CHOCOLATE CAKE
This healthy chocolate cake is a love letter to all things chocolate, and it’s been getting rave reviews left, right and centre. And I’m not surprised at all. It’s my favourite chocolate cake recipe hands down, plus it’s so healthy you could actually have it for breakfast. Just think about it: chocolate cake for breakfast… It’s a no-brainer. Get the recipe for the best paleo chocolate cake here!
3. RAW VEGAN RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE
No baking required for this one – just a few cups of cashews, a small heap of raspberries, a food processor or blender, and a bit of patience. With its pretty pink colour, this healthy vegan dessert is the perfect centrepiece for any occasion – and it’s loved by both vegans and non-vegans alike. Get the recipe for the raw vegan raspberry cheesecake here!
4. HEALTHY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE CARAMEL BROWNIES
You know what I said about those triple chocolate salted caramel-stuffed cookie-bottom brownies? I might have been kinda lying. And okay, as far as healthy go, these still aren’t the very definition of healthy but (!!!) they contain no gluten, no dairy and no refined sugar, and are paleo to boot. And for something that has ‘cookie’, ‘caramel’ and ‘brownies’ in its name… that’s pretty impressive. Get the recipe for healthy caramel chocolate chip cookie brownies here!
5. CHOCOLATE & MINT RAW VEGAN CHEESECAKE BITES
This is actually one of the most popular recipes here on The Loopy Whisk, and with good reason. First of all, the chocolate + mint flavour combo is pretty much legendary, and the textures are on point in this raw vegan dessert. The crunch from the chocolate shell with the creaminess of the mint filling… nothing short of heavenly. Get the recipe for chocolate & mint raw vegan cheesecake bites here!
6. EASY HEALTHY FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE
Yay for more chocolate! You can’t ever go wrong with a flourless chocolate cake, but here we’re going one step further by chucking in more chocolate, together with some chopped pecans for that extra crunch. Plus, this cake is made from start to finish in under 45 minutes, which makes it the perfect weekday treat. Get the recipe for the easy healthy flourless chocolate cake here!
7. RAW VEGAN CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES
This one isn’t for the faint of heart. If, however, you’re a serious chocoholic (who thinks that anything below 70% cocoa mass isn’t chocolate), you’ll absolutely love these. With only 5 ingredients (one of which is water), these healthy truffles couldn’t be easier to make – and I bet you have all the ingredients on hand right now! Plus, they’re not only dairy but also refined sugar free! Get the recipe for the raw vegan chocolate truffles here!
8. RAW VEGAN CHOCOLATE COVERED COCONUT BARS
Do you love Bounty (for UK and European peeps) or Mounds bars (for USA folks)? Yes? Then you’ll adore these. I’ve brought these coconut bars to a few gatherings… and they were gone quicker than you can say “chocolate covered coconut bars”. Raw vegan, paleo and refined sugar free – these are the perfect healthy dessert for any coconut lover. Get the recipe for the raw vegan chocolate covered coconut bars here!
9. GLUTEN & DAIRY FREEE CARAMEL MOUSSE CAKES
We’re going fancy with this one. I know I’m probably repeating myself… but this is one of my favourite desserts. I mean… there’s (refined sugar free!) caramel mousse, a chocolate shell AND a crumbly, buttery (dairy and gluten free!) cookie base. Can you say perfection?! Get the recipe for the gluten & dairy free mousse cakes here!
10. RAW VEGAN COOKIE DOUGH CHOCOLATE CUPS
You’ve read that right. These cookie dough stuffed chocolate cups… are healthy. I pinky promise I’m not joking. It’s all healthy stuff – there’s no gluten, no dairy and no refined sugar in these lovelies. And yet, they taste like everything decadent and delicious and luxurious rolled together. High five. Get the recipe for the raw vegan cookie dough chocolate cups here!
11. RAW VEGAN CHOCOLATE COFFEE CHEESECAKE BITES
Another one for all coffee and chocolate lovers. (That’s everyone everywhere, right?) There’s honestly nothing not to love about these. I still have people asking begging me to make them again… and again. They don’t taste “healthy” – even though they really really are. They don’t taste gluten free, dairy free, vegan or paleo either – even though they are. (And just for the record: the people asking after them… they’re 100% not vegan or paleo.) Get the recipe for the raw vegan chocolate coffee cheesecake bites here!
So there you have it folks.
11 amazing healthy desserts – and I guarantee you that you’ll love every single one of them. Because, honestly, when you’re eating them… you don’t think how this or that is vegan or gluten free or paleo. You just think… that’s a bloody good dessert right there.
On a final note, this list will grow. It’s 11 desserts now, it will probably be 11 going on 30 within a few months. My brain is always occupied with new recipe ideas – but if you’ve been craving a dessert and want it healthified: tell me in the comments below! I’m always on the lookout for new (healthy-ish) recipe ideas!
