Low-Fat Dessert Recipes

The intense blend of spices in these cookies is a tip of the hat to Venice's history as a conduit for the spice trade between Europe and the Far East.

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.

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.

This mini pie recipe is an easier option for a holiday dessert that will dazzle a crowd. You can prepare these mini pies through Step 6 up to a day ahead. Remove from the freezer (Step 7) just before serving to keep the whipped topping from melting.

Jammy and fruit-forward, this granita recipe is one you'll make again and again, especially when blueberries are at their peak. This treat takes some time with all of the freezing and scraping, but if you start in the morning it'll be ready for an afternoon barbecue. If fresh blueberries aren't available, you can substitute with frozen, thawed wild blueberries (which will give you a little extra nutrition, too!).

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.

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.

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.

Crispy meringue shells, rich vanilla filling, and in-season fresh fruits combine to make a special dessert that your guests will love.

This low-fat custard owes its tangy, sophisticated flavor to dried lavender and store-bought lemon curd. Decorate each custard with fresh lavender, thyme sprigs, or--for real style points--edible flowers!

Jazz up that leftover pound cake sitting on your counter by turning it into a sweet dessert kebab with fresh or frozen fruit.

This Italian-inspired mango custard is beautiful to look at and delicious to taste. Serve this chilled dessert after dinner on a warm summer night.

Need a sweet dessert for a group of six? Try this yummy pudding recipe and serve up individual ramekins full of fresh blueberries with a decadent brown sugar and cornmeal topping.

This sweet pudding pop recipe is actually a fun craft project you can make with your young children--they'll love to help mix the ingredients, line up the paper cups, layer in the different mixtures, and pop in the craft sticks. The most difficult part may just be waiting for them to freeze!

Instead of heading down to your local coffee shop to purchase an afternoon iced coffee, grab this summer treat right out of your freezer. All you need to make this 3-ingredient popsicle recipe is chilled coffee, half-and-half, chocolate syrup, and some popsicle molds--it will cool you off and give you a little pick-me-up at the same time.

Classic cherry cobbler is studded with a sweetened cream cheese swirl in this easy cherry dessert you can make any time of year.

These summer-fresh parfaits are full of vanilla pudding and cubes of airy angel food cake. Fresh berries and lemon peel add a fruity zing to each bite, but feel free to substitute sliced strawberries, coarsely chopped nectarines, or ripe, juicy peaches.

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.

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.

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.