Diabetes-Friendly Christmas Dessert Recipes

Holiday cookies don't get any cuter than these mini gingerbread houses that kids and adults alike will love. Use a mini gingerbread house cookie cutter to cut out all the parts (the kids will love helping with this part), then build the houses and let the kids go to town decorating. Line up your finished creations to make a gingerbread house village, eat them up or prop them up on mugs of cocoa for dipping and munching.

This easy chocolate cookie icing recipe is healthier than traditional chocolate icing recipes as it has substantially less sugar. Unlike chocolate icing used for decorating cakes, this thinner icing is perfect for drizzling on cookies or to fill thumbprints.

Suit your taste by using your choice of almond or mint extract for these crisp cookies.

Everyone can get in on the festive fun with this gluten-free cut-out sugar cookie recipe. Use naturally-dyed sugar and icing to decorate these easy cookies.

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.

The oaky taste of Armagnac, a French brandy made in Gascony, has long been paired with prunes. While Armagnac is available in vintage bottlings, nothing so extravagant is needed for this recipe. Use waterproof markers to decorate the outside of glass jars with flowers, abstract designs or a favorite line from a poem.

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.

Molasses, ginger, cinnamon and cloves flavor these holiday cookies which have just 73 calories each.

If pumpkin pie is a must for the holidays, this version fulfills that holiday tradition without derailing your meal plan.

This crisp, paper-thin cookie recipe of northern European descent makes a wonderful low calorie dessert. Just 50 calories for two cookies.

Linzer Tart (or Linzer Torte) is an Austrian specialty: an almond pastry topped with raspberry jam. Here it is reinvented as an American cake: almond-rich layers divided by raspberry jam. It's even better when prepared a day in advance, giving the jam time to soak into the cake. If you like, buck tradition by using strawberry jam and garnishing with fresh strawberries.

Roasted pears and vanilla ice cream complete this diabetic-friendly dessert.

These sweet-tart cranberry-orange bars are a great addition to a holiday cookie tray or cool weather grab-and-go treat.

With just a few simple steps, you can transform plain chocolate into a divine treat with this chocolate bark recipe. We stir chopped peppermint candies and chocolate-covered espresso beans into this chocolate bark, which is perfect for a gift.

This natural cookie icing recipe is quick and uses natural dyes to create vibrant colors for decorating cookies. The basic icing recipe makes natural white icing and has substantially less sugar than traditional cookie icing recipes. For creating colored cookie icings, try thawed juice concentrates: cranberry for pink, orange for pale orange or Concord grape for pastel purple.

With just a few simple steps, you can transform plain chocolate into a divine treat with this chocolate bark recipe. We stir in melted caramel then top this chocolate bark with more melted caramel and flaky sea salt--it makes a perfect gift.

Sturdy apples are flavored with cinnamon and vanilla in this slow-cooker apple compote. Top with low-fat vanilla ice cream and a sprinkling of toasted walnuts for dessert.

You won't believe how much better homemade marshmallows are than traditional store-bought ones until you taste one. They're amazing sandwiched between graham crackers for s'mores or as a topper for hot chocolate. You'll seem like a cooking genius with this easy marshmallow recipe, but rely on the horsepower of a stand mixer to make them--hand mixers typically aren't powerful enough to get the job done.

This luscious swirled cheesecake dessert is a no bake, mix-and-chill recipe. Plus, each slice is under 200 calories!

In a world of designer ice creams, sometimes the simplest can be the best. The full-bodied flavors of brown sugar combined with nutty toasted almonds are all it takes to give this easy-to-make frozen treat a sophisticated distinction. The alcohol in the base mixture acts like an “anti-freeze,” reducing the icy texture sometimes associated with lower-fat ice cream. For a little extra indulgence, try topping a scoop with some crumbled gingersnaps.

Linzer torte, made with a nut crust and filled with raspberry jam, is a favorite treat in Austria. This is a low-calorie, lower-fat version of that classic dessert.

This crunchy Italian cookie recipe isn't traditionally very sweet, so just a touch of honey adds flavor along with mild sweetness. Dipping them in chocolate makes them extra special.

Chocolate-dipped graham crackers make a satisfying after-dinner treat. Customize this chocolate-dipped graham cracker recipe by topping with your favorite dehydrated fruit.

This recipe for the famous pretzel-shaped Scandinavian cookie has been remade so it's lighter but still just as tasty.