Guilt-Free Desserts to Start the New Year
A fresh calendar usually comes with a side of healthy resolutions. We vow to exercise more, eat better, and do a laundry list of things to maintain or regain our health. That is, we admit, a little tricky—especially when we're surrounded by so many divine Southern desserts. It's hard to say no to a generous slice of chess pie or towering layer cake. But thankfully, there are better-for-you desserts out there that can still deliver on the sweets while scaling back a bit. Don't believe a dessert can be healthy and still taste good? Just wait until you taste our Lightened Hummingbird Cake and Key "Light" Pie. We promise you won't even realize what you're missing. Plus, healthy doesn't always mean substituting ingredients. Portion sizes can also play a large part in keeping us on track, so we included a few of our miniature desserts, too. These healthy dessert recipes are proof that you can have your cake and eat it, too. Here's to a healthier year—and you.
Meyer Lemon-Cheesecake Bars
Recipe: Meyer Lemon-Cheesecake Bars
These lemony bars are a great make-ahead treat. Use fresh orange juice and zest instead of lemon for a different flavor profile.
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Key "Light" Pie
Recipe: Key "Light" Pie
Fat-free condensed milk, egg substitute, reduced-fat graham cracker crust, and fat-free whipped topping considerably lighten the traditional key lime pie.
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Brown Sugar Baked Pears
Recipe: Brown Sugar Baked Pears
No crust, no cake, and if you want to lighten it up further, just reduce the amount of butter, sugar, and ice cream that you use. A baked pear with just a little cinnamon on its own is guaranteed to be sweet and delicious.
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Raspberry Crumble Bars
Recipe: Raspberry Crumble Bars
Packed with raspberries, rolled oats, and almonds, it's almost like breakfast in a bar. Cut down on the sugar in the filling, or swap it with a different sweetener.
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Banana Pudding
Recipe: Banana Pudding
This pudding delivers a velvety rich custard, ripe banana flavor, vanilla wafers so soft they melt in your mouth, and an irresistible golden-baked meringue topping. All this, and it's lower in fat and calories than traditional versions. These make great individual party desserts, or make it in an 8-inch square pan. We love it with extra wafers.
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Rainbow Fruit Pizza
Recipe: Rainbow Fruit Pizza
Use whatever fruit is in season—pomegranates, bananas, oranges, and pineapple all make for a stunning presentation.
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Tip
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Lightened Hummingbird Cake
Recipe: Lightened Hummingbird Cake
While we love the classic, this lightened version is equally good. All you have to do is sub some of the oil for applesauce and scale back on the butter, sugar, and eggs. As for that creamy frosting, use a light cream cheese instead.
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Chocolate-Pecan Tassies
Recipe: Chocolate-Pecan Tassies
Healthy isn't just about ingredients. It's also about portion sizes. Whip up these little tassies and they're a satisfying, bite-sized treat after dinner.
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Mini Berry Cobblers
Recipe: Mini Berry Cobblers
These mini cobblers are packed with juicy berries and topped with a simple biscuit. Just one will serve up the satisfying sweetness needed to finish off a meal without going overboard on the sugar and fat.
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Carrot-Pineapple Mini Bundt Cakes with Buttermilk-Vanilla Glaze
Recipe: Carrot-Pineapple Mini Bundt Cakes with Buttermilk-Vanilla Glaze
Get your year off to a vibrant start with these tiny Bundt cakes, which are perfect individual servings and also packed with carrots. Serve with or without the glaze.
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Instant Pot Applesauce
Recipe: Instant Pot Applesauce
It's a dessert, snack, breakfast, and baking substitute all in one. You'll definitely want to keep some in your fridge, and with an easy recipe like this one, it won't be hard. Make sure to enjoy a cupful warm, too.
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Mini Red Velvet Cakes
Recipe: Mini Red Velvet Cakes
Another individual dessert that helps control portion size but doesn't skimp on ingredients. And that frosting—mascarpone and cream cheese? Oh, yes.
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Apple Butter Cobbler with Drop Biscuits
Recipe: Apple Butter Cobbler with Drop Biscuits
When preparing the apples, you can moderate the amount of sugar or sub it out for something like honey, maple syrup, or agave.
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Roasted Pears
Recipe: Roasted Pears
Aside from snacking on one straight from the fruit bowl, this might be one of the healthiest ways to enjoy a pear. The recipe uses honey as a sweetener and just a dab of butter for richness.
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Winter Blackberry Cobbler
Recipe: Winter Blackberry Cobbler
Frozen berries make this recipe a possibility in the cold months. The minimal pastry allows the fruit to shine and limits the amount of sugar and butter you'll consume.
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Summer Fruit Skewers
Recipe: Summer Fruit Skewers
Sub the summer fruits for winter ones, like persimmons, oranges, bananas, and pineapple. It'll be bright, vibrant, simple, and good for you.
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Gluten-Free Peach Cobbler
Recipe: Gluten-Free Peach Cobbler
Peaches in January? Yes, thanks to the frozen section. And, making it gluten free ensures all can enjoy.
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Blackberry-Yogurt Grits
Recipe: Blackberry-Yogurt Grits
Grits for dessert? Only if they're Blackberry-Yogurt Grits. Greek yogurt keeps the grits nice and creamy, honey cuts the tartness, and blackberry jam adds a little sweetness.
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Simplest Pear Tart
Recipe: Simplest Pear Tart
There's not much to this tart, but that's the beauty of it, as the pears are allowed to shine.
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Sweet Potato Cobbler
Recipe: Sweet Potato Cobbler
The hearty, healthy sweet potato shines in this cobbler, which uses just a bit of brown sugar and cinnamon to flavor.
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Fresh Fruit Salad
Recipe: Fresh Fruit Salad
This is the one instance in which salad can be dessert. Choose your favorite fruit medley and garnish with fresh mint leaves and a drizzle of honey.