Healthy Recipes Healthy Cookie & Dessert Recipes 23 Healthy Desserts You Can Make in Three Steps or Less By Dillon Evans Dillon Evans Dillon Evans fell in love with cooking at a very young age. He remembers the novel experiences of microwaving a bowl of oatmeal without his parents' permission and asking to make his mother's morning pot of coffee. These moments became catalysts for his interest in cooking and baking. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on July 16, 2023 Trending Videos Simple has never been more delicious than with these delectable dessert recipes. In just three steps or less, you can enjoy a no-bake treat as a midday snack or even whip up some fruity nice cream as a perfect way to end the night. Try recipes like our Low-Carb Blueberry Muffins and Pineapple Nice Cream, and you're sure to keep these refreshing desserts regularly stocked in your kitchen. 01 of 23 Low-Carb Blueberry Muffins View Recipe Just because you're watching carbs doesn't mean you can't have the classic breakfast pastry. In place of all-purpose flour, nutty almond and coconut flours make these muffins fluffy while slashing carbs. A bit of brown sugar blunts the tartness of fresh blueberries. Make these ahead for a grab-and-go breakfast for the week. 02 of 23 One-Bowl Chocolate Cake View Recipe This easy-to-make chocolate cake is dark, moist, and rich, and it's made with healthful canola oil and whole-wheat flour. Plus, it only dirties one bowl! It's not quite as easy as boxed cake mix, but our simple 3-step recipe gives you an entirely homemade cake in about an hour. 03 of 23 You'll Want to Make This Peach Crisp Recipe All Summer Long View Recipe Photography / Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling / Margaret Monroe Dickey Sweet summer peaches star in this easy peach crisp. The crunchy topping adds nutty flavor and texture to juicy peach filling. When peaches are out of season, you can use frozen peaches instead. Be sure to let them thaw completely before using. 04 of 23 3-Ingredient Chocolate & Almond Butter Dates View Recipe Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle These stuffed dates can be an easy dessert or snack when you're craving something sweet. We love the mild flavor of almond butter, but natural peanut butter would be a nice substitute. A flaky sea salt like Maldon elevates the flavor. Be sure to sprinkle the salt over the dates before the chocolate has set. 05 of 23 Strawberry-Chocolate Greek Yogurt Bark View Recipe Greek yogurt gets studded with fresh strawberries and chocolate chips then frozen so you can break it into chunks just like chocolate bark (but healthier!). This colorful snack is perfect for kids and adults alike. 06 of 23 Whipped Frozen Lemonade View Recipe Whipped frozen lemonade combines the creaminess of a milkshake with the thirst-quenching tanginess of freshly squeezed lemonade for an incredibly refreshing treat. And this simple frozen lemonade treat comes together with just four ingredients and a blender. You can use light coconut milk or refrigerated coconut milk in place of full-fat coconut milk, though the end result won't be as rich and creamy. 07 of 23 Pineapple Nice Cream View Recipe ll-fruit, dairy-free and with no added sugar--these are the hallmarks of nice cream, a healthy alternative to ice cream. This pineapple nice cream has tropical flavors, thanks to a hit of mango and lime. It takes just minutes to make this naturally sweet frozen dessert in the food processor or a blender. Enjoy it alone, or top with fresh fruit and toasted coconut. 08 of 23 Capirotada (Mexican Bread Pudding) View Recipe Karry Hosford This capirotada, or Mexican bread pudding, features layers of nuts, cheese, dried fruit and bread drizzled with cinnamon-infused sugar syrup. 09 of 23 Chocolate Zucchini Bread View Recipe Photogrpaher: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer This simple chocolate zucchini bread recipe is rich and chocolaty with pools of molten chocolate chips on top. The subtle sweetness makes it perfect for breakfast or snack served with vanilla Greek-style yogurt and raspberries. 10 of 23 Strawberry Nice Cream View Recipe Jennifer Causey This luscious strawberry nice cream is a wonderful healthy ice cream alternative. It's all fruit, dairy-free, vegan and contains no added sugar, but is bursting with sweet berry flavor. And it takes just minutes to whip up this easy healthy dessert in a food processor if you freeze the fruit ahead. While you'll get the best flavor from fresh berries, if you don't have them on hand, feel free to use store-bought frozen fruit in this recipe. Serve the nice cream on its own or top it with more fresh berries for a refreshing summer treat. 11 of 23 Pumpkin-Oatmeal Muffins View Recipe These healthy pumpkin-oatmeal muffins will get you in the mood for fall. Sprinkling the muffins with pecans adds a nutty crunch to every bite. Serve them for breakfast or as a grab-and-go snack. 12 of 23 No-Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies View Recipe Creamy natural peanut butter and chocolate team up in these easy and healthy no-bake cookies! Whip up a batch for after-school snacks, dessert or anytime your sweet tooth comes calling. 13 of 23 Apple-Pie Baked Oats View Recipe Casey Barber Slices of these apple-pie baked oats make a great snack or midday pick-me-up, with an added energy boost coming from vanilla protein powder. If you individually wrap the slices, they make an excellent grab-and-go breakfast. Servings may also be reheated in a toaster oven or microwave. 14 of 23 Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies View Recipe Kids and adults alike will love this easy peanut butter chocolate chip cookie recipe, which--unlike most cookie recipes--doesn't call for flour. These gluten-free peanut butter chocolate chip cookies are soft and chewy and, with only five simple ingredients, they can easily be whipped up by young chefs and enjoyed as an after-school treat. They're also perfect for a holiday party or for a cookie swap. 15 of 23 Classic Fudge-Walnut Brownies View Recipe Oxmoor House These fudge-walnut brownies are so delicious, you won't believe that they're lower in fat than traditional brownies. To ensure a nice fudgy texture, take care not to overbake. Large chocolate chunks create big pockets of melty chocolate in the brownies, but you can always substitute chocolate chips. 16 of 23 Citrus Salad with Pomegranate & Mint View Recipe Brittany Conerly This citrus salad, made with grapefruit, tangerines and navel and blood oranges, is equally at home as part of your brunch spread or served as a refreshing low-sugar dessert. A sprinkle of orange blossom water gives it a heady fragrance. 17 of 23 Apple Crisp View Recipe Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf Keeping the peel on the apple gives a bit of texture and color to this apple crisp recipe. A topping made from oats and pecans adds nuttiness. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. 18 of 23 Coconut-Cream Fruit Salad View Recipe Photographer: Greg Dupree, Food Stylist: Ana Kelley, Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman Dragon fruit, kiwi, watermelon, pineapple, papaya and mango all feature in this colorful fruit salad, but you can easily swap in your preferred fruits. You can use either white- or purple-flesh dragon fruit—just be careful with the latter as the juice can leave stains. A zingy dressing made from lime and ginger completes the dish. 19 of 23 Low-Sugar Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp View Recipe Sara Haas Rhubarb and strawberries are signs of spring in much of the United States. Rosy rhubarb is technically a vegetable, but it's quite tart, making it a bit more at home in the sweet kitchen. Strawberries share the same season and temper rhubarb's astringency, making the duo a classic pairing. 20 of 23 Cranberry-Coconut Oatmeal Cookies View Recipe Brittany Conerly In this installment of Diaspora Dining, Jessica B. Harris' series on foods of the African diaspora, the author and historian rings in some changes to the Christmas traditions of her own childhood. 21 of 23 5-Ingredient Chocolate-Peanut Butter Nice Cream Sandwiches View Recipe Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Holly Dreesman "Nice cream" is a nondairy alternative to ice cream that uses frozen bananas whirled in a blender to achieve a creamy texture. Natural peanut butter helps keep the mixture soft and adds a nutty flavor to complement the chocolate. If the mixture becomes too loose to spread, pop it back in the freezer to let it firm up again before continuing. 22 of 23 2-Ingredient Banana Bread Cookies View Recipe Jennifer Causey To create these cookies, all you need are a few overripe bananas and some old-fashioned oats. When combined, they bake into soft, chewy cookies that are especially delicious when warm—and will fill your kitchen with the sweet smell of banana bread. If you're OK with just a few more ingredients, try tossing in some chocolate chips, raisins, a spoonful of peanut butter or a handful of nuts. 23 of 23 Chocolate-Peanut Butter Protein Ice Cream View Recipe Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn Chocolate protein powder adds staying power to this tasty protein ice cream. Maple syrup lends a touch of sweetness, while peanut butter powder provides nuttiness for a flavorful sweet treat. Toppings like cacao nibs and crushed peanuts provide a satisfying crunch. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit