Healthy Spring Dessert Recipes

Find healthy, delicious spring dessert recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Staff Picks

Cinnamon-Raisin Oatmeal Cookies

Rating: Unrated
4
This recipe takes oatmeal cookies up a notch with its cinnamony, buttery, delicious take on a much-loved classic dessert.
By Carolyn Casner

Strawberry-Chocolate Greek Yogurt Bark

Rating: Unrated
7
Lightly sweetened Greek yogurt gets studded with fresh strawberries and chocolate chips then frozen so you can break it into chunks just like chocolate bark (but healthier!). This colorful snack or healthy dessert is perfect for kids and adults alike. Use full-fat yogurt to ensure the creamiest bark possible.
By Carolyn Casner

Carrot Cake

Rating: Unrated
40
Carrots give carrot cake a health-halo effect--people think it's health food, but it's usually very high in fat and calories. But our version has about 40 percent less calories and 50 percent less fat than most. First, we use less oil in our batter. Then we skip the butter in the frosting (don't worry, it's still light and smooth). To ensure the cake is moist, we add nonfat buttermilk and crushed pineapple.
By Patsy Jamieson

Flourless Honey-Almond Cake

Rating: Unrated
42
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.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Blueberry-Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake

Rating: Unrated
32
This healthy pound cake recipe isn't just delicious--it also only requires one bowl to make. For the best cake texture, be sure to beat the sugar and butter together long enough in Step 2 to look creamy--the time it takes to get there varies according to the type of electric mixer you have. Serve with brunch or alongside a cup of coffee in the afternoon.
By Stacy Fraser

No-Sugar-Added Oatmeal Cookies

Rating: Unrated
1
Classic oatmeal cookies without all the sugar, these better-for-you gluten-free treats get their sweetness from ripe bananas and chopped dates.
By Carolyn Casner

No-Sugar-Added Vegan Oatmeal Cookies

Rating: Unrated
1
Soft, chewy and no added sugar! Sweeten these classic oatmeal cookies with ripe bananas and raisins or dates. Plus, a touch of nut butter adds lots of flavor and holds the cookies together while keeping them vegan and gluten-free.
By Carolyn Casner

Breakfast Blueberry-Oatmeal Cakes

Rating: Unrated
37
This oatmeal-meets-muffin-tin cake recipe is perfect for having a healthy breakfast available on busy weekdays. Make a batch on the weekend and keep them in your freezer. For a grab-and-go breakfast, reheat the oatmeal cakes in the microwave for about 40 seconds.
By Hilary Meyer

Fresh Fruit Salad

Rating: Unrated
2
This refreshing fruit salad is a classic combination that will be the favorite at any potluck or cookout. Serve with a creamy yogurt dressing to take this side (or dessert) to the next level.
By Carolyn Casner

One-Bowl Monster Cookies

Rating: Unrated
3
If you thought it wasn't possible to make healthier monster cookies, think again. These peanut butter, oatmeal, chocolate chip and M&M cookies have less butter and sugar than traditional recipes, but they have just as much flavor and tenderness, thanks to more peanut butter. Even better, they're made in one bowl for easy cleanup.
By Carolyn Casner

Purple Fruit Salad

Rating: Unrated
2
Serve this refreshing fruit salad featuring juicy plums, grapes and berries on its own or with other colorblock fruit salads (like red, green and orange) for a fun, crowd-pleasing rainbow side dish.
By Carolyn Casner

Must-Have Chocolate Chip Cookies

Soaking the raisins rehydrates them and makes these cookies irresistibly soft and moist.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Inspiration and Ideas

16 Easy Spring Desserts to Make with Frozen Fruit

16 Easy Spring Desserts to Make with Frozen Fruit

20 Stunning Cakes to Bring in Spring

20 Stunning Cakes to Bring in Spring

Celebrate the arrival of spring with these beautiful, fruity cakes. These cakes will look gorgeous on any table and taste even better. Recipes like Strawberry Poke Cake and Orange Ombre Cake highlight the bright, tart flavors of berries and citrus that are sure to brighten everyone’s plate.
Ricotta & Yogurt Parfait

Ricotta & Yogurt Parfait

Rating: Unrated
2
Strawberry & Yogurt Parfait

Strawberry & Yogurt Parfait

Rating: Unrated
2
Mini New York Cheesecakes

Mini New York Cheesecakes

Rating: Unrated
2
Old-Fashioned Fruit Crumble

Old-Fashioned Fruit Crumble

Rating: Unrated
14

Yogurt with Blueberries

Blueberries add all the sweetness you need, naturally, to protein-rich Greek yogurt in this satisfying snack.

All Healthy Spring Dessert Recipes

No-Bake Peanut Butter Cookies

Rating: Unrated
6
We gave no-bake cookies a healthy makeover, bumping up the peanut butter and cutting back on added sugar and butter. The result is a chewy, peanut buttery, oat-packed delicious cookie. It's easy to whip up a batch of these--only a few simple ingredients are needed to make these chewy peanut butter cookies and there's no baking required.
By Carolyn Casner

Nut & Berry Parfait

In this quick high-protein breakfast recipe, Greek yogurt is topped with healthy berries and almonds and lightly sweetened with honey.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Mango Fruit Leather

Rating: Unrated
1
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.
By Carolyn Casner

Blueberry-Swirl Buttermilk Ice Cream

This gorgeous homemade ice cream is a showstopper, thanks to bold swirls of blueberry syrup that cut through tart buttermilk-yogurt cream.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Maple Wild Blueberry Pie

Rating: Unrated
1
Pure maple syrup gives the fruit filling rich flavor in this healthy blueberry pie recipe. If you don't want to make a lattice top, simply lay the second crust on top and cut three slits into the dough to vent steam.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Raspberry-Pistachio Greek Yogurt Bark

Rating: Unrated
3
Mix Greek yogurt with sweet jam and crunchy pistachios and freeze so you can break into chunks just like chocolate bark (but healthier!). This colorful snack or healthy dessert is perfect for kids and adults alike. Use full-fat yogurt to ensure the creamiest bark possible.
By Carolyn Casner

Cranberry-Raspberry Jellies

Deliciously addictive, these simple fruit candies have an intense cranberry-raspberry flavor and a consistency vaguely reminiscent of soft gumdrops. The individual candies are normally rolled in granulated sugar, but for a different, frosted look and smooth consistency, you can roll them in sifted powdered sugar instead. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Buttermilk Oatcakes with Raspberry Compote

Rating: Unrated
11
These high-fiber oatcakes are made with 100% whole grains and no butter. A quick raspberry compote is a nice change from maple syrup.
By Jan Ellen Spiegel

Easy Lemon Soufflés

A pinch of cream of tartar will help your egg whites stabilize in this refreshingly lemon-y soufflé recipe.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Lemon Meringue Tart for Two

Rating: Unrated
2
A mile-high meringue is possible only if the egg white, bowl and beaters are at room temperature.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Healthy Oatmeal-Chocolate Chip Cookies

Rating: Unrated
1
Here's your new cookie jar staple. This recipe for classic oatmeal chocolate chip cookies gets a healthy boost with whole-wheat flour and uses less sugar and butter than traditional recipes. Don't hesitate to make a double batch--they're so satisfying they'll be gone fast.
By Carolyn Casner

Lemon Pavlova

Rating: Unrated
2
This show-stopping dessert is a New Zealand (and Australian) classic reportedly created in honor of the famous ballerina Anna Pavlova when she visited the Southern Hemisphere. Our version delivers a wonderful combination of sweet meringue crunch and velvety tart lemon curd. The meringue is somewhat fragile--expect it to crack and crumble a bit as you slice it into individual servings. For the best results, avoid making the meringue on a humid or rainy day. The extra moisture in the air may prevent it from drying and crisping properly.
By Melissa Pasanen

Chocolate Raspberry Tofu Pie

Rating: Unrated
15
This chocolate raspberry tofu pie gets an amazing smooth, rich, creamy texture from pureed tofu. But no need to reveal that tofu is the secret ingredient--we're sure no one will guess.
By Elisabeth Redman

Skillet Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp

Rating: Unrated
1
Fresh strawberries and rhubarb meld together under a crisp oat crumble in this gluten-free dessert recipe made in just one skillet. If you're not gluten-sensitive, regular rolled oats will work too. Top with a dollop of whipped cream for an extra-special treat.
By Breana Killeen

Oatmeal-Coconut Cookies with Cranberries & White Chocolate

Our classic oatmeal cookie recipe gets a flavor twist with coconut, white chocolate chips (which have a more delicate flavor than milk or dark chocolate) and tart dried cranberries. The result is a chewy, sweet treat that's sure to leave you coming back for more.
By Carolyn Casner

Whole-Wheat Pie Crust

Rating: Unrated
1
This nutty whole-wheat pie crust recipe is a perfect base for fruit pie fillings and quiches. Do not overmix the dough or the crust will become tough, and chill the dough for at least one hour to ensure flakiness.
By Stacy Fraser

Lemon Glaze

This all-purpose lemon glaze recipe is just right for adding a touch more sweetness to scones or muffins. It makes a modest amount--just 1/3 cup--enough to glaze a dozen treats with about 1 teaspoon each. If you want to glaze a cake, double the recipe. For a more neutral flavor, opt for milk, and/or for a hint of vanilla, add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Light Lemon Meringue Pie

Rating: Unrated
2
Smooth and soothing; a great classic pie right down to the crust, redefined with a generous amount of lemon and fewer egg yolks in the filling.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Raspberry-Almond Crumb Tart

Rating: Unrated
15
You can quickly make the crust for this tart in the food processor and then press it into the pan--no need to dig out a rolling pin and struggle to transfer a tender pastry dough from pin to pan. Extra crust dough doubles as a crumbly topping.
By Marie Simmons

Peach & Blueberry Cobbler

Rating: Unrated
39
This is a healthier version of a traditional cobbler, with canola oil in place of some of the butter and whole-wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour. Unlike more classic biscuit-topped cobblers, the peaches and blueberries are nestled into a tender batter that swells around the fruit as it bakes. Other fruits may be substituted. It's especially beautiful when baked in and served right from a cast-iron skillet.
By Virginia Willis

Champagne Raspberry Jello

In this grown-up take on jello, we combine cran-raspberry juice with Champagne and fresh raspberries for a sparkling crimson dessert recipe.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Apple Mini Fruit Pizzas

Rating: Unrated
1
Round apple slices make a sweet, crisp, no-bake crust for these easy fruit pizzas topped with almond butter, chocolate chips and crunchy pistachios. This fun snack or healthy dessert cuts carbs from a classic cookie-crust fruit pizza.
By Hilary Meyer

Strawberry Fruit Salad

Rating: Unrated
1
This summer berry fruit salad recipe makes enough for a crowd. Serve with granola and yogurt at brunch, as a healthy potluck side, or halve the recipe to serve 4.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Bunny Fruit Salad

Rating: Unrated
3
This naturally sweet festive treat is equally fun for kids and adults, with none of the sugary guilt. Arrange this simple fruit salad recipe in the shape of a bunny for Easter or any spring occasion.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen
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