Dairy-Free & Lactose-Free Dessert Recipes

This no-sugar-added fruit snack is a healthy treat kids and adults will both love. It's perfect for packing in a lunchbox for school or work or just enjoying as a snack or better-for-you dessert at home.

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.

Perfect meringues depend on totally yolk-free whites. The seemingly fussy step of separating each egg into a small bowl before combining them guarantees yolk-free whites for bakeshop-quality meringues every time. These crispy little morsels travel well and make great gifts too.

This low-calorie cake gets its festive flavor from molasses, cinnamon, ginger and ground cloves. Serve it for dessert at the holidays.

Castella cake is a Japanese confectionary staple based on the Portuguese bolo de Castela (or cake from Castile). Originally brought to Nagasaki by Portuguese merchants in the 16th century, it has changed over time to be uniquely its own type of wagashi (or traditional Japanese sweet). Castella is classified as a sponge cake with just four ingredients: eggs, sugar, mizuame and flour. Mizuame is a malt sweetener that gives the cake its distinctive sheen. The cake is typically baked in rectangular pans and served in thick slices, with its signature color being a deep yellow from the inclusion of egg yolks. The addition of matcha powder adds color and an earthy, sweet nutty flavor. Often, the cake is served with trimmed sides, but you can skip that step if you prefer. There is also a Taiwanese adaption of castella cake that is more fluffy and spongy, versus the firm-yet-moist version from Japan. It typically calls for egg whites to be whipped, then folded into the base, whereas most Japanese castella recipes will call for whole eggs to be whipped before adding the other ingredients.

These bite-size frosty morsels of frozen banana, peanut butter and vegan chocolate make a perfect low-calorie snack or easy dessert. These banana bites store well in the freezer, so make some ahead and keep them on hand for those moments you crave a taste of something sweet.

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 so-simple 3-ingredient recipe turns apple slices into “donuts.” Topped with nut butter and coconut, they make a satisfying no-added-sugar dessert or healthy snack.

This quick crumble topping is convenient to have on hand.

This deeply dark chocolate vegan cake is not just for vegans. This fudge-like cake is also gluten-free, perfect for Valentine's Day and can even be made kosher to enjoy for Passover by making your own confectioners' sugar. The fresh berries on the side are a nice addition to the rich chocolate.

With plenty of protein from both tofu and soymilk, this banana-split-inspired breakfast smoothie will keep you satisfied until lunchtime.

This carbohydrate-rich bar, full of nuts, seeds, fruit and oats, was adapted from Amy Harrison's prize-winning submission in the Plains (Georgia) Peanut Festival recipe competition sponsored by The Peanut Institute. It includes a little protein, and is a great grab-and-go pre-workout snack on mornings when you don't have time to digest a full meal.

These one-bowl, no-bake energy squares ensure a quick way to refuel during long meetings, tough workouts or that mid-afternoon energy slump. Feel free to swap the blueberries for your favorite dried fruit and the pistachios for your favorite nut--but keep the maple syrup as is; we found using less than 1/2 cup resulted in crumbly bars.

Easy to make at home, these nut-free granola bars can be adjusted to your taste preferences. Simply vary the add-ins to your taste, swapping 2 cups of any combination of small (or chopped) dried fruit, seeds and/or chocolate chips for the apricots and seeds in this version. We tested several sticky sweeteners, including maple syrup and honey, but found brown rice syrup held the bars together the best.

Sweet satisfaction in seconds.

Frozen mixed berries become an almost instant fruit topping in the microwave. Serve over angel food cake or Greek-style yogurt.

Chocolate-covered vanilla ice cream pops get a vegan upgrade with this healthy copycat recipe. Vegan chocolate forms a shell around creamy peanut butter and banana nice cream garnished with your favorite toppings, like chopped peanuts or shredded coconut.

Creamy avocados make this dairy-free and vegan chocolate dessert recipe super-rich. Serve as a not-so-sweet dessert or with strawberries for dipping.

A hit of lime zest and crunchy salt flakes on ripe watermelon is an addictive, salty-sweet way to enjoy a refreshing and hydrating snack. Pair it with a few pistachios for a protein boost.

This green-as-a-shamrock "nice cream"--made with almond milk, coconut cream and bananas--is loosely inspired by the Shamrock McFlurry. Whip up this dairy-free dessert for St. Patrick's Day or anytime you're craving a minty treat. (To keep this recipe vegan, be sure to choose vegan chocolate chips.)

Broiling fruit brings out its inherent sweetness. A squeeze of tart lime juice balances it out. Try this technique with pineapple as well.

This rich, healthy chocolate shake recipe is dairy-free and gets its creaminess from avocado instead of ice cream. If you aren't avoiding dairy, you can use regular low-fat milk and any type of semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips in place of the nondairy chocolate chips.

With all due respect to baklava, we've found a new favorite Lebanese dessert. This rich, moist cake is sweetened with carob molasses and has a hit of anise. We may or may not have fought over it in the Test Kitchen.

This easy graham cracker crust recipe--made with heart-healthy oil instead of butter--is the perfect base for meringue pies, ice cream pies, cream pies and more. For a different flavor, try crumbled gingersnaps or chocolate snaps instead of the graham crackers.