Healthy Cookie & Dessert Recipes

EatingWell reader Beverley Sharpe of Santa Barbara, California, contributed this healthy chocolate chip cookie recipe. She gave chocolate chip cookies a healthy update by cutting back on sugar and incorporating whole grains. To increase protein, Sharpe replaces the rolled oats with 1 cup almond meal.

You don't have to have pumpkin pie to still enjoy pumpkin and spice in a Thanksgiving dessert. Pumpkin helps keep this cake tender and moist while, delicate spices add the classic Thanksgiving flavors.

Turn an easy vanilla cupcake recipe into an impressive mythical creature with just a couple marshmallows, a dash of sprinkles and a perfectly placed candle. Kids will flip for these unicorn treats, and you'll flip over how easy and quick they are to decorate. A birthday party win for kids and adults alike!

Honey and almonds flavor this simple (and gluten-free) cake. It's lovely for afternoon tea or a spring holiday dessert. Be careful not to overbeat the egg whites--they should be white and very foamy, but not at all stiff or able to hold peaks. If you beat them too much, the cake may sink in the middle as it cools.

Almond butter and coconut oil melt together to bind these stovetop cookies without using any eggs. To take the flavor to the next level, try subbing in your favorite nut butter.

This simple two-layer cake has colored sprinkles baked right in for a fun surprise in every bite, just like a Funfetti cake. It's perfect for birthdays or any occasion that calls for a celebration. Look for naturally colored sprinkles in the baking aisle of your local natural-foods store or find them online.

These perfectly portioned molten cupcakes combine two of your favorite things--red wine and chocolate. When cut open, this easy yet decadent dessert oozes with a gooey chocolate center that pairs perfectly with the wine-and-chocolate ganache drizzled on top.

You don't have to be vegan to enjoy this vegan lemon cake! It's moist, delicious and plenty lemony thanks to a combination of lemon juice and zest. A glaze made with lemon juice, confectioners' sugar and almond milk adds a sweet-tangy finish.

This Irish stout cake can't get any easier: everything is mixed in one bowl, poured into the cake pan and is in the oven in 15 minutes flat. Lining the cake pan with parchment paper makes removing the cake easy and helps with cleanup. After this rich chocolate cake has cooled, enjoy it with the espresso- and Irish whiskey-laced whipped cream topping.

Fresh blood oranges are so sweet they almost create their own caramel under the broiler--a little brown sugar on top seals the deal. A hint of cardamom enhances their aroma. Once you scoop out and eat the caramelized sections, squeeze the remaining blood orange juice over the yogurt.

Upside-down cakes have a built-in wow factor with a layer of glacéed-looking fruit. This cake includes almond flour to give it richness and added moisture, plus zest for a more intense layer of blood orange flavor.

Intensely chocolaty with a seductive fragrance of almond, chile and cinnamon, this flourless chocolate cake is complex and rich. It's also an easy do-ahead dessert.

Food is the great unifier--beyond culture, color or creed. Rose McGee used this pie recipe to comfort those grieving from racially motivated crimes, and has expanded her efforts on a national scale. Sweet potato pie is a universal symbol of togetherness and celebration in black culture, and you can practically taste the joy when you take a bite. This recipe makes 2 pies so you can feed a gathering or give a gift.

This beautiful pomegranate dessert is served to celebrate Yalda, the Iranian celebration of the winter solstice. Think of masghati as a cross between Jell-O and panna cotta. It's infinitely more refined and delicate than Jell-O and not quite as wobbly as panna cotta. Prepare pomegranate masghati a few hours in advance, and serve chilled out of the fridge for a light and refreshing dessert.

This eye-catching frozen peppermint-chocolate bark was inspired by Williams Sonoma's Original Peppermint Bark--our loose interpretation of the treat is frozen and made with Greek yogurt, chocolate and crushed candy canes. For the creamiest bark, be sure to use full-fat yogurt, as fat-free yogurt can get icy when frozen. Serve this healthy dessert when you want all those festive holiday flavors in a lightened-up--and totally delicious--package. Just don't stuff your Christmas stockings with this bark because it melts quickly.

It's time to break out your spritz cookie press for these festive Christmas spritz cookies! These easy Christmas cookies can be decorated with sprinkles or flavored with citrus, spices or sweet sugar glaze. And if you're looking for healthy cookies, these fit the bill thanks to whole-wheat pastry flour that keeps their texture soft while giving them a boost of fiber. For ideas on how to dress up these spritz cookies even more with different flavorings or a glaze, see Tips below.

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.

The pumpkin puree in these delicious vegan pumpkin cookies gives them a great orange color and fall flavor and also acts as the "egg" to help bind everything together. Coconut oil takes the place of butter in these cookies and should be solid when you use it--if it's not, stick it in the fridge for a few hours until it firms up. When we were developing this recipe, tasters said they wouldn't have known the cookies were vegan if they hadn't been told. We call that a win!

Can't get enough pumpkin spice and pumpkin? Get those fall flavors you love in this dairy-free and vegan ice cream alternative made with bananas and pumpkin puree. This easy and healthy dessert contains no added sugar, unless you use the optional maple syrup--which is a delicious touch. Add some chopped pecans to make it really special.

Renowned author and spice aficionado Lior Lev Sercarz loves these French sablé-style cookies so much, he sells a collection of five different flavors twice a year. In this variation, he uses tart amchoor (ground dried green mango) to give them a citrusy brightness. These healthy cookies will get you in the holiday spirit.

A mashed russet potato gives a light and tender crumb to this tea cake recipe. Slices of the loaf are wonderful the next day, toasted and glossed with butter.

Expand your holiday desserts repertoire with this cranberry galette. Frangipane is a sweet pastry cream typically made with ground almonds; here we substitute ground sesame seeds in the form of tahini to give it a complex, earthy flavor. If you've made the Cranberry-Almond Thumbprint Cookies (see Associated Recipes), you can use some of the leftover jam in Step 9.

A dip in egg white and a quick roll in sugar adds a delightfully crisp crust to these holiday cookies. You'll have leftover jam--perfect for spreading on toast or for glazing the Cranberry Galette with Sesame Frangipane (see Associated Recipes).

Apple butter and applesauce make this spice cake exceptionally moist and tender. The bright berry compote and billowy whipped cream provide perfect counterpoints.

The key to these decadent treats is the portion size--baking them in mini-muffin tins keeps the carbs and saturated fat in check. And maple syrup allows you to make this pecan pie recipe without corn syrup.

There's no need to peel the apples for this easy apple galette recipe--the skins lend a touch of color and texture.

Round pear slices make whimsical toppers for this cheerful mini cake recipe.