Diabetes-Friendly Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes

With the news that dark chocolate contains some healthful properties, there is a better excuse than ever to indulge during the holiday season. Specks of green pistachios and red dried cherries in this chocolate confection make for a festive holiday gift.

Get the classic creamy pumpkin taste but less saturated fat and sugar with this lightened-up recipe.

The pastry for this rustic tart features gets a nutty flavor from fiber-rich oat flour and flaxseed meal. Pecans top it off.

Classic banana bread gets a delicious twist with chai spices and a cheesecake layer.

Homemade fudge isn't hard to make--and this version uses low-fat milk for a healthier indulgence.

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.

Cinnamon, ginger, allspice and nutmeg add lots of flavor to these rich pumpkin cookies.

Apple pie has never been so quick to put together. After tossing unpeeled apples and spices in a baking dish, you'll assemble a quick lattice from pastry strips. This lattice topping is not woven like a traditional one--it takes less time to assemble this way but is just as eye catching!

This delicious cranberry pudding recipe is diabetic-friendly.

While orange adds an exotic note, much of the flavor of these simple yet sophisticated candies comes from the chocolate, so choose a semisweet or bittersweet with a flavor and level of sweetness you enjoy. The recipe makes a big batch of truffles--plenty for gift-giving. Although they should be stored in the refrigerator, they're best served after sitting at room temperature for about 5 minutes. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.

This no-crust sweet potato pie is a great addition to your holiday dessert table. Sweetened with honey and flavored with warm spices, it's topped with crunchy cereal and pistachios. Any leftover topping can be stored for up to a week and is delicious added on top of your breakfast yogurt.

If pecan pie is a thanksgiving "must" at your house, there's no need to skip the tradition because you're on a diabetic meal plan. These mini pies with only 19 carbs per serving let you enjoy the festive treat without a second thought.

Crunchy pecans and warm vanilla add the perfect touch to these breakfast bars.

Use these crisp phyllo cookies as a base for frozen yogurt sundaes.

With just a few simple steps, you can transform plain chocolate into a divine treat with this chocolate bark recipe. We stir graham cracker pieces and mini marshmallows into this chocolate bark, which is perfect for a gift.

Biscotti are always sweetly welcome dippers for coffee or tea, but you can see how well they accompany cold favorites when you serve them with sorbet.

There's no need to peel the apples for this easy apple galette recipe--the skins lend a touch of color and texture.

Lemon zest enlivens the anise biscotti.

A perfect ending to a Passover seder.

These updated lemon squares are sure to be the hit of any picnic or potluck. We've improved the shortbread crust by using white whole-wheat flour and a butter-canola oil blend to cut saturated fat. The velvety filling has fewer eggs and gets a flavor boost from freshly grated lemon zest.

Get your pumpkin flavor fix with this diabetic-friendly crème brûlée recipe! Allow for ample time for this recipe to chill and set before adding the melted sugar topping.

In this pretty marbled cookie, one half of the dough is almond-flavored like the traditional biscotti di Prato, and the other half is chocolate/coffee flavored.

Toasted oats, maple syrup, walnuts and dates are a great combination in these crisp biscotti.

These brownies are a high-energy treat you can pack in your lunch bag or tuck into your fanny pack when you are out walking. Wrap cooled brownies individually for fast picnic assembly or lunchbox fill-ups.