Low-Calorie Chocolate Recipes

Inspired by the old-school, ultra-rich, mousselike chocolate cake that usually called for a whole pound of chocolate, half a dozen eggs and lots of butter, this enlightened rendition has deep bittersweet chocolate flavor and dense melt-in-your-mouth texture. No one will guess it's healthier. The secret is excellent natural cocoa powder and good-quality bittersweet chocolate, preferably with 70% cacao. Although the cake can be eaten once it's completely cool, it comes out of the pan much easier and even tastes better if it has been chilled at least overnight.

Applesauce is the secret ingredient that keeps these yummy chocolate brownies dense and chewy even without all the butter you would expect to find. We've used whole-wheat pastry flour for added fiber and nutrients and loaded the brownies with plenty of chocolate chips to keep them rich and satisfying. You won't even miss the 20 grams of fat we've lost in the makeover.

These healthy chocolate cupcakes get a soft, moist texture from their not-so-secret ingredient: beets. The beets act as a natural red food dye, plus they bump up the fiber. Use red beets to give the cream cheese frosting a vibrant pink hue.

Crunchy, sweet, salty ... healthy?! Yes, indeed. We gave this classic sweet treat, also called muddy buddies, a grown-up makeover using whole-grain cereal and dark chocolate. Dig in!

In this quick dessert recipe, fresh strawberries top nondairy chocolate “ice cream” for a cooling treat.

Chocolate mousse for 115 calories? Yes, please! This healthy dessert recipe is perfect for a special occasion or if you just need a sweet treat. For the fluffiest mousse, make as few gentle strokes with your spatula as possible to fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture in Step 5.

Make your own flavored yogurt with fresh fruit and a touch of honey to cut down on added sugars. This healthy snack recipe is flavored with raspberries, but you can use any berries you have on hand.

Both simpler and more decadent than a chocolate croissant, a grilled chocolate sandwich is a marriage of bread and chocolate in which the two components are evenly matched.

These cereal bars are chewy, crunchy and delicious with good-for-you seeds, nuts, fruit and little explosions of chocolate. We like the flavor of dried cherries or cranberries, but any coarsely chopped dried fruit will work.

Serve this dense, fudgy pudding cake with vanilla frozen yogurt.

This whole-grain chocolate chip blondie recipe has half the amount of brown sugar and butter as a traditional recipe and is made with 100% whole-wheat flour. The results: scrumptious toffee-flavored treats with fewer calories and less added sugars per serving.

Dip bite-size pieces of brownie into melted chocolate for an easy treat to satisfy your chocolate craving.

If you lust after those frothy frozen coffee drinks at your local coffee shop, then this mochaccino recipe is for you. This easy homemade version uses low-fat milk, cocoa powder, coffee and just a little bit of maple syrup, so it has a fraction of the calories of a traditional version. (A small mocha frappuccino at Starbucks is 270 calories!) Coffee ice cubes, made by freezing coffee in an ice cube tray, make this drink frosty and give it a big, strong coffee flavor. Recipe by Joyce Hendley for EatingWell.

This creamy, luscious pie is made by combining a fluffy cooked meringue with a raspberry puree, then pouring the mixture into a chocolate-cookie crust.

We like to use chocolate with 60-72% cacao content in these rich, fudgelike brownies, as it imparts a deeper, fuller flavor than less-chocolaty choices. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.

The idea of chile with chocolate still surprises most people, but the duo pairs beautifully in many chocolate desserts. In this silky, luxurious mousse the chile adds a light but bright accent.

Satisfy your sweet tooth with these chocolate-dipped dried apricots for a healthy dessert. Try this chocolate-dipped fruit recipe with slices of your favorite dried fruit.

These super-rich brownies made chocolaty with plenty of cocoa powder have less fat than other brownies, but stay extra gooey and good with marshmallows, nuts and chocolate chunks on top.

This healthy dessert recipe is a quick and healthy way to satisfy your chocolate craving.

Satisfy that chocolate craving with a drizzle of melted chocolate chips over banana slices for an easy treat.

This no-bake "refrigerator cake" evokes pure nostalgia for childhood treats. Fold peanut butter into whipped cream for a delicately nutty frosting. Then, layer chocolate wafers with the creamy filling, and let it all meld together in the refrigerator for a decadent summertime treat.

Crunchy wheat cereal, pretzels and almonds coated in bittersweet chocolate makes an addictive sweet-salty snack.

Malted-milk powder and powdered nonfat dry milk add most of the body to this unbelievably creamy but low-fat ice cream. Stir in 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips or crushed chocolate wafer cookies for a chocolate-lover's delight.

Turn strawberries into a bite-size cocktail in this easy, festive recipe. Just soak the fruit in prosecco or your favorite wine overnight before dipping in chocolate for a classic treat with a boozy upgrade everyone will love.