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.

These air-fried mini dessert egg rolls are stuffed with a one-two punch of cherry (from jam and dried cherries!) plus yummy cream cheese, and a sweet cinnamon-sugar coating.

Rich, creamy Nutella(R) and toasted hazelnuts will delight your taste buds in each bite of these air-fried mini turnovers. Dust with powdered sugar for added sweetness.

A sweet and nutty brown sugar and pecan topping adds incredible flavor to apples as they cook to tender perfection in the air fryer.

Traditional s'mores get a fun and tasty PB and J makeover in the air fryer with chocolate graham crackers, peanut butter cups, and raspberry jelly.

Sweet dessert empanadas, full of melty chocolate and creamy banana, are made in the air fryer and topped with cinnamon whipped cream for an easy dessert that's sure to impress.

Normally fried, these makeover apple fritters are cooked in an air fryer and served with a sweet and savory sea salt and caramel sauce.

Little chocolate chip cookie bites with tasty, toasted pecans come out nice and crispy when cooked in an air fryer.

Put down that cookie scoop! Baking one giant cookie in a skillet saves time and produces craveable results: a cookie that's crispy on the edges and oh-so-soft on the inside. This easy dessert is sure to please your family and friends.

This creamy strawberry-mango nice cream is a delicious healthy ice cream alternative. It's all fruit, dairy-free, vegan and contains no added sugar. And this three-ingredient dessert is super-fast and easy to prep. Serve it as a snack or light dessert on the hottest days of the summer--or any time you want a refreshing treat.

Get all the tropical flavors you love in a piña colada in this creamy dairy-free dessert. This ice cream alternative gets its sweetness from pineapple and coconut and is just as delicious with or without the optional rum. Either way, it's sure to put you in a beachy state of mind--not bad for a treat that takes just 10 minutes to whip up in your food processor.

Popsicles take a boozy turn with these ginger, lime and vodka ice pops inspired by a classic Moscow Mule cocktail. These simple ice pops have only 47 calories per pop and take just 5 minutes to prep--just remember to stick them in the freezer at least 8 hours before you're ready to serve them.

How can you go wrong with the combination of apples and caramel, especially in a fall dessert? This caramel-apple cake recipe is surprisingly easy to make and requires just 20 minutes of active time--not bad for a such a good-looking treat! We call for white whole-wheat flour in this recipe; it has a milder flavor than regular whole-wheat flour and more fiber than all-purpose flour, so it's perfect for making healthier baked goods.

This crock pot apple cobbler couldn't be easier: just spend 15 minutes prepping the apple mixture and cake topping, then let the slow cooker take care of the rest. We like the mixture of Honeycrisp and Fuji apples, but you can use other apples, such as Gala or Pink Lady, or add some Granny Smiths for tartness. Just steer clear of softer apples like Macintosh or Golden Delicious, which will get too mushy in the slow cooker. The apples release their juices, which marry with the sugar to create a delicious caramelly sauce, while the topping puffs up and takes on a lovely brown color. This simple fall dessert is delicious as-is or with a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream.

This easy apple cobbler recipe takes just 15 minutes of active time to prep, then it's a hands-off affair as it bakes up to bubbly goodness. Granny Smiths add a nice tartness to the cobbler and play nicely off the Honeycrisps. You could swap other sweet apples, such as Gala or Fuji, for the Honeycrisps. The part of the cake topping coming in contact with the apple mixture stays moist while the top gets crispy--the perfect combo of textures. Serve as-is or with vanilla ice cream for a classic fall dessert that can't be beaten.

Apricots signal the start of the stone-fruit season. Here they're tossed with a squeeze of lemon and a pinch of nutmeg, which highlights their flavor. You can also make this easy pie recipe with nectarines or peaches.

This pavlova is a great way to show off fruit that's at its peak, plus it's super-adaptable. The easy-to-make meringue, which is crisp outside and marshmallow-like inside, can be topped with any assortment of stone fruits and berries that are ripe and ready. Bonus points for the fact that this impressive summer dessert requires just 25 minutes of active prep time.

When you have a hankering for pie, try making crostatas instead. These open-face hand-pies are just right to highlight the sunshine flavor of fresh ripe peaches, nectarines, plums or pluots. Sprinkle a little sugar on top before baking for extra sparkle and crunch. This is a great summer dessert for any party and can even be made ahead.

The only difference between sorbet and sherbet is that the latter has a bit of dairy. In the case of this easy summer dessert, sweetened condensed milk adds sweetness plus a touch of creaminess.

You'd never know that these delicious gluten-free cookies are made without wheat flour. A blend of gluten-free flour and almond flour--plus butter and brown sugar--gives them a classic chocolate chip cookie flavor and the ideal balance of crispiness and chewiness. Make a batch as a treat for your family or to bring to parties, potlucks and picnics.

This sweet green tomato pie--also sometimes called mock apple pie--is a great way to make use of extras from a bumper crop of tomatoes. Be sure to select firm, green unripe tomatoes for this pie; there are heirloom tomatoes that are green when ripe--those would turn to mush in this pie, which is not the result you want. Served on its own or with a dollop of whipped cream, this summer dessert is sure to impress.