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.

Old-fashioned desserts like blueberry cobbler never go out of style, but this updated version has significantly fewer grams of sugar than traditional recipes. To cut carbs, gluten-free flours replace wheat flour in the biscuit topping.

Baking homemade graham crackers with a touch of brown sugar and honey makes this cheesecake recipe an extra-special dessert.

The dough in this easy dessert recipe does double duty--it creates a sturdy crust to hold all the gooey strawberry filling and also makes a crisp crumb topping. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream to take this to the next level.

Most raw cookie dough isn't safe to eat, but this recipe for vegan edible cookie dough is designed to be eaten raw. Canned chickpeas and nut butter form the base of this dough, making it healthy too! In this recipe, we roll the dough into little bite-size balls, perfect for snacking. Keep a stash in your freezer for a healthy treat.

Almond butter and coconut oil replace dairy butter and eggs in these vegan treats, giving them the crisp but chewy texture that we all love. On its own, chocolate is a vegan ingredient but dairy products are often introduced during processing. Some chocolate chips may not be labeled vegan, but if they do not contain dairy products, such as whey, casein, milk, milk fat and milk solids, they are vegan. Check labels carefully.

This yogurt parfait makes a great snack for after school but it's also a nice healthy dessert choice for after dinner. It's light, fresh, and full of fruit, and you'll love the contrast of crunchy toasted nuts in each spoonful.

These buttermilk cupcakes look like the ones you can now buy at fancy cupcake shops, but are easily made at home. The cream cheese frosting is decadently delicious, and so are the cupcakes--take a bite and you'll find a surprise filling of strawberries and orange marmalade inside each one!

This homemade rice pudding is a sweet treat after any meal. Apricots and orange peel combine with the complex flavor of cardamom to deliver intense flavor to this simple dessert recipe.

Chocolate, nuts, and caramel are certainly hard to resist so it's easy to see why turtle brownies are always a favorite. This recipe has black beans in the batter for added fiber. We won't tell if you won't--and we promise nobody will ever know!

Using peel and juice from a fresh lemon gives this pineapple tart a tang that's as refreshing as a tropical breeze.

This sweet dessert pastry is made with thin, flaky, buttery layers of phyllo dough and filled with sweet apricots, lightly salted pistachio nuts, and a bit of brown sugar. An apricot caramel sauce is drizzled over the cooled baklava and the entire dessert is sprinkled with coarse salt, providing a sweet and salty bang with each bite.

Cooks tend to bring their most diet-undoing desserts to the potluck table. Why not offer these creamy bars and treat diners to something more healthful they can enjoy?

Smooth and creamy, these two-tone desserts are rich in flavor but low in fat because they're made with reduced-fat peanut butter and fat-free half-and-half.

The scent of this moist fruit-filled pudding cake will whet your appetite as it bakes. Fortunately you don't have to wait until it cools to enjoy--it's meant to be served warm.

Forget the fork! Just pick up one of these fruit-filled pastries and bite in. Perfect for a brunch gathering, dessert, or a sweet treat with your afternoon tea.

Wedges of juicy watermelon topped with nondairy coconut yogurt and berries make for a crisp and refreshing dessert. To feed a crowd, leave the wedges blank and let guests add their own toppings to the yogurt.

This health-conscious makeover of a classic Tiramisu dessert uses silken tofu instead of mascarpone cheese, contains no alcohol, and is served in shot glasses for smaller portions. It's a lower-fat dessert that's simple to make, tastes delicious, and wins big points for presentation.

Who doesn't love a homemade ice cream cake? This dessert recipe is simple to make and so beautiful your guests won't believe you made it yourself. A chocolate brownie crust layered with mocha ice cream and topped with raspberry sauce, fresh raspberries, and chocolate syrup--it's so thick we recommend serving it with a long cake knife, a chef's knife, or a bread knife.

Uunsweetened applesauce, fat-free milk, and oatmeal transform traditional custard into a yummy good-for-you treat.

Mochi (made from glutinous sweet rice flour) is a pillow-like dough that the Japanese fashion into all kinds of confections. In Hawaii it's made into this simple, rich cake with the addition of eggs. We love it with this zesty lime curd topping for an extra-special dessert. Recipe adapted from Chef Greg Harrison, Pacific'O Restaurant.