There’s nothing more wholesome than spending a few hours of your weekend in the kitchen, baking something delicious. It’s a mindful way to spend your time and can often be a great way to use up ingredients that would otherwise go to waste, like bananas. Not to mention the results can be enjoyed throughout the week by the whole family, at home or packed up into lunchboxes. Plus, there’s no reason your bakes can’t be healthy.
With our easy recipes below, you can make cakes, cookies, brownies and breads with less sugar, without dairy and free from gluten. From fruity treats to pure chocolate indulgence, we really do have something for everyone.
Whether you’re looking for a hobby to keep you (or the kids) busy or a wallet-friendly way to treat yourself, nothing beats home baking. There’s something so satisfying about seeing all of your hard work come to fruition in that perfectly chewy, gooey chocolate brownie.
That said, if you’re trying to look after your health, the unfortunate reality is — not all baked goods are kind to your waistline. The good news is, there are plenty of easy baking recipes that are both delicious and nutritious. Here are 10 of our favourite healthy baked goods you can whip up in the kitchen today.
If you ask Ree Drummond, eating healthy is all about balance. When she set out on her weight loss journey, she was determined to not limit herself to a list of banned foods—and that included dessert! “A small piece o’ cake is the secret to happiness,” Ree says. Instead, paying attention to portion sizes, eating in moderation, and having a few of these healthy dessert recipes handy is the key to staying on track. From lightened-up ice creams and fruit-forward desserts to healthy cookie recipes, you’ll find everything you need to satisfy your sweet tooth. After all, we could never say no to our favorite foods—including chocolate desserts! Luckily, there are plenty of options ahead!
Here, you’ll find delicious healthy desserts that won’t derail you from your New Year’s resolutions. They’re all made with nutritious ingredients, such as oats and alternative types of flour, fresh fruits and natural sweeteners. There are even some dairy-free and gluten-free options ahead, too. Looking for something quick you can whip up when that sugar craving strikes? Try the 10-minute mug cake that’s perfectly portioned or one of the no-bake desserts that are easy to make.
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Healthy muffins
Bake a batch of these tropical crumble muffins – bursting with banana and pineapple, and gently spiced with cardamom and cinnamon – for a healthy treat that just happens to be vegan.
Healthy chocolate cake
Sweet potatoes, sticky dates and almond milk turn this chocolate cake into a healthy treat, with dark chocolate and cacao powder providing a wonderful richness.
Vegan lemon sheet cake
Richard Makin’s zesty sheet cake uses olive oil in place of butter and chia seeds instead of eggs, creating a vegan spin on a classic lemon cake that everyone will enjoy.
Healthy carrot cake muffins
Nadine Brown’s healthier recipe for muffins uses thick Greek yogurt for the frosting, and the sponge is flavoured with mixed spice and orange zest.
Healthy banana bread
A popular bake with a healthy spin, Nadine Brown’s vegan banana bread makes use of coconut oil, desiccated coconut and a healthy glug of maple syrup to create a wonderfully moist banana bread.
Vegan birthday cake
Bake a batch of Nadine Brown’s moreish muesli cookies, made with wholemeal flour and rapeseed oil and a touch of honey, for a sweet but healthy weekend treat.
Sugar-free cookies
Ground almonds provide a nutty flavour and raspberries provide a burst of natural sweetness in these small, sugar-free vegan cookies.
Cardamom biscuits
Maunika Gowardhan’s fragrant cardamon biscuits use Indian wholemeal flour (also called atta), which is great for digestion and full of goodness.
Healthy apple crumble
This crunchy apple crumble with soft cinnamon apples is made healthier by using a refined sugar-free granola topping which can also double up as breakfast.
Healthy blondies
We’ve put a vegan spin on blondies, using coconut sugar for a caramelised flavour, coconut milk for a creamy texture and blueberries for a fruity zing.
Pear and blackberry crumble bars
Use fresh or frozen blackberries to make these delicious oat bars, perfect for breakfast on the go or as an afternoon treat – wholemeal flour gives them a fibre boost and adds to the overall nutty flavour.
Healthier flapjacks
Hurrah for flapjacks, that one-pan baked treat that anyone can master. Make yours healthier with our fruity date, sultana and almond take on a classic recipe.
Healthy breakfast muffins
These easy muffins are made with wholemeal flour, banana, dried fruit and seeds. Pack one for work as a breakfast snack – they’ll provide you with loads of slow-release energy to get you through to lunchtime.
Sugar-free banana bread
This banana berry traybake substitutes silken tofu for eggs, making it a completely vegan treat that’s ready to be enjoyed for a sweet breakfast or brunch.
Healthy baked oats
Make the most of tart, juicy blackberries that grow wild in hedgerows throughout the UK in late summer. Try this bake served with yogurt for breakfast, or with ice cream for dessert.
Breakfast oatmeal cookies
These healthy cookies are easy to make and full of wholesome ingredients including fibre-packed oatmeal and fruit – ideal for a breakfast or a mid-morning snack.
Vegan tiger bread
Bake this crackle-crusted loaf and use it to make seriously good sarnies. With its crunchy exterior and soft, pillowy centre, it is a great bake to master.
Gluten-free banana bread
Flavoured with honey, vanilla and mixed spice, and studded with walnuts, this comforting banana bread is entirely gluten-free, though you’d never guess it.
Vegan lemon meringue pie
A few simple swaps turn classic lemon meringue pie into an impressive vegan dessert that everyone can enjoy.
Gluten-free bread
There’s no need to miss out on freshly baked bread if you’re avoiding gluten – this easy loaf is delicious simply slathered with butter or dunked into a hearty soup.
Do you love the sweet taste of ice cream, cake, and donuts? If you have a sweet tooth, you may have a hard time staying away from desserts.
However, if you also seek to stay healthy, you may need to consider choosing healthy dessert ideas and options like blueberry cobbler, baked apples, and banana oatmeal cookies.
The best way to create tasty yet healthy desserts is to incorporate more fruit into the recipe. For example, you can try a strawberry oatmeal bar recipe or even a fruit pizza recipe.
Baked or sauteed apples make an excellent dessert for both kids and adults.
The sweet and fruity flavors of the apples are enjoyable on a warm autumn day.
Further, you’ll love the sweetness of the maple syrup and the citrusy flavor of the juiced orange. It’s also a perfect dessert for vegans.
Check out other popular apple desserts to try!
If you love oatmeal cookies, you’ll enjoy these chunky monkey oatmeal bars. They make a great snack for athletes or children coming home from school.
The combination of bananas and peanut butter in the bars makes for a truly delicious taste!
You will also enjoy the chocolate taste of dark chocolate chips.
The no-bake peanut butter bars are easy to make as a treat to bring to a Halloween party.
The recipe includes flavorful ingredients like coconut flour, maple syrup, peanut butter, and dark chocolate.
And if you’d like to make the dessert a vegan treat, make sure to choose vegan dark chocolate.
The best time to serve these delicious red, white, and blueberry crumb bars is clearly on the Fourth of July.
You can also try serving these treats on Memorial Day weekend if you’re throwing a barbecue for your best friends and family.
You’ll love the fruity taste of these crumb bars, as they’re filled with strawberries and topped with blueberries.
Another healthy dessert is fruit pizza. The tasty dessert includes a wide range of delicious fruits, like strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, bananas, and kiwi slices.
You’ll get to bake a crust when making the fruit pizza. Then make a frosting to add on top of the crust.
You can involve your kids in baking the fruit pizza and adding sweet fruit as a topping.
To give yourself a nice snack in the late morning when you’re getting hungry, try these no-bake energy bites.
The treat includes oatmeal, peanut butter, shredded coconut, and chocolate chips. The honey also gives the energy bites a sweet flavor.
The tasty treat also makes a great dessert after lunch or dinner. It’s a perfect treat after a workout. Also, it’s great for kids when they get home after school.
These healthy strawberry oatmeal bars can work as both a dessert or even a breakfast if your family is in a rush.
The strawberries and brown sugar give the oatmeal bars a sweet flavor while the lemon juice gives them a citrusy taste.
Once you bite into the oatmeal bars, you’ll feel right at home.
Both the oatmeal and carrot ingredients in these cookies make a very healthy treat for children and teenagers. Athletes also benefit from a healthy dessert like this cookie.
The recipe calls for instant oats, baking powder, a large egg, cinnamon, and grated carrots.
You’ll love the chewy and soft texture of these cookies.
Do you love sweet and chocolatey desserts, but you’re looking for a healthier version?
If so, try this amazing Greek yogurt chocolate mousse recipe!
The mousse has a rich and creamy texture. The honey and chocolate chips make it quite sweet. The dessert is great for kids and adults to enjoy after dinner.
The pumpkin oat cookies in this recipe make for a perfect treat for vegans and vegetarians.
The dessert includes ingredients like pumpkin puree, rolled oats or quick oats, and maple syrup. You can also choose another sweetener to substitute the syrup.
It’s a great dessert to enjoy on Halloween or Thanksgiving day.
Check out other dairy free desserts to try!
Do you love cake? If so, a more healthy version is the lemon blueberry cake, which has a moist and soft texture.
To bake the cake, you will need a few simple ingredients that you likely already have in your pantry, including all-purpose flour, sugar, and salt.
In addition, you’ll need lemon extract to add to the flavor as well as the stars of the cake, blueberries.
The recipe for cake batter balls is a perfect one for those on a unique diet. The dessert is gluten-free and vegan.
The best part includes the colorful sprinkles decorating the cake batter balls.
You’ll love the nutty flavor of the almond extract and the cashew butter. The maple syrup also gives the dessert a sweet taste.
Don’t have time to invest in baking cookies? Then try these no-bake chocolate cookies.
Your kids will love the slightly sweet, chocolatey taste. The cookies have a very rich flavor due to the addition of peanut butter and coconut oil.
These cookies are perfect for the holidays.
Looking for a healthy, vegan, and gluten-free dessert? Then use the recipe here to make delicious peanut butter balls.
The peanut butter gives it a rich and creamy flavor, while the maple syrup provides a sweet taste.
The dessert is perfect for health-conscious people, but it also makes a nice treat for children.
Another healthy addition to your list of desserts is the banana oatmeal cookie.
Add some chocolate chips for a sweeter taste. You can enjoy the treat as a snack, breakfast, or dessert after dinner.
Health-conscious people will love the gluten-free and vegan aspect of these cookies.
The puff pastry tart in the recipe here has a buttery taste and a soft, flaky texture.
The peaches and blueberries give it a wonderfully fruity flavor.
The vegan dessert is a perfect one to add to a barbecue you plan for the summertime.
The cinnamon swirl cake makes a perfect breakfast or dessert.
The sweet flavor of the cake is a wonderful choice for kids during the holidays.
The cake also has plenty of protein and healthy fats. The recipe requires an egg white, oats, vanilla protein powder, and plenty of cinnamon.
The sweet, moist, and fruity flavors in these chimichangas will make your mouth water.
The ingredients for the chimichangas include blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, soft flour tortillas, cream cheese, and vanilla extract.
Your children will love the dessert after a long day at school.
The no-bake coconut cookies make a great treat for vegans and other health-conscious individuals.
You’ll love the tangy lime and coconut taste along with the sweet, chocolatey flavor.
The recipe calls for unsweetened coconut, dark chocolate, lime juice, coconut oil, and a liquid sweetener like maple syrup.
Do you love a fruity flavor in your dessert? Then try to make these raspberry crumble bars.
It’s a great addition to breakfast or holiday party desserts.
You’ll need brown sugar, all-purpose flour, rolled oats, raspberries, raspberry jam, and pecans to make the crumble bars.
The fall is the perfect time to make these pumpkin cookies. They’ll make a great addition to your Thanksgiving dinner.
You’ll love the sweetness of maple syrup and cane sugar.
Looking for a fruity, gluten-free, and vegan option for dessert this weekend? Try making a tasty blueberry cobbler.
The recipe requires blueberries, maple syrup, rolled oats, almond flour, and vanilla.
It makes a great treat for the summer or fall.
Final Thoughts
You can satisfy your sweet tooth without indulging too much. These healthy desserts offer a range of different flavors without the excess sugar and calories!
Check out other desserts from around the world, like Indonesian desserts or Korean dessert recipes!
Ingredients
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Erin lives in East Passyunk and enjoys checking out the local restaurants in South Philly and beyond. Her favorite restaurants are those with spicy food and outdoor seating so that she can bring along her dog, Miss Piggy.
Get more healthy recipe ideas with Noom
Nothing is off limits with Noom — not even baked treats! In fact, we have thousands of indulgent-yet-healthy recipes that will make you feel like you’re not even on a diet (because, you aren’t!) Start your free trial today to see how you can still eat your favourite foods on Noom.
Fruit Salad with Grapefruit-Vanilla Syrup
These muffins are oh-so-simple, but pack a serious punch when it comes to taste. If you’re looking to cut down your sugar intake, you can always lightly sweeten with a drizzle of honey or a pinch of sweetener like Stevia instead. Even better, you can often use what you have on hand for mix-ins while putting to use those overripe, sweet bananas that might otherwise get thrown out.
Healthier Pumpkin Bread
Erica Kastner/The Pioneer Woman
This variation on pumpkin bread uses all natural sweeteners (like banana and maple syrup) and coconut flour which is a low-carb flour alternative. It’s delicious fresh from the oven but even better the next day when the flavors have a chance to meld.
Get the Healthier Pumpkin Bread recipe.
Apple Betty
Skip the pie in favor of this 4-ingredient dessert. It’s loaded with fresh apples so you can feel good about eating it.
Get Ree’s Apple Betty recipe.
Healthy baking recipe #2 Healthy Dessert Mug Cake
In the mood for something sweet after dinner, but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen? This no-bake mug cake is ready in less than 7 minutes (yes, you read that correctly!) With only six ingredients, it gets its natural sweetness from dates, apple and cinnamon. All you need to do is mix together the ingredients and pop it in the microwave for a minute — and voila, you’ve got yourself a hug-for-the-soul in a mug.
Mini Apple Pies
Keep your cravings at bay with these perfectly mini apple pies. There’s only five tablespoons of sugar in the whole recipe—including the streusel topping!
Get Ree’s Mini Apple Pies recipe.
Fudgy chocolate squares
These deeply chocolatey squidgy sponge squares are gluten-free, but you’d never guess. Add walnuts to the top for a bit of crunch.
No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
Old-fashioned oats are a nutrition powerhouse! They pack in a ton of vitamin and minerals, plus they’re a good source of fiber. While these cookies still have sugar and chocolate, remember that they make three dozen so just enjoy in moderation.
Get the No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies recipe.
SHOP MIXING BOWLS
Lemon Blueberry Quick Bread
If you’re a beginner baker, quick breads are an awesome starting point. This particular recipe works well for breakfast, brunch, or even for a lightly sweet snack with your coffee. Plus, this healthy baking recipe includes tons of alternatives, so that you can adjust the flavours or ingredients based on your tastes and the supplies you have available.
Healthy baking recipe #4
Who doesn’t love banana bread? It’s the perfect sweet treat for morning, noon or night. But unfortunately, the cafe-bought varieties tend to be chockful of sugar, calories and fat. Luckily, you can make your own at home that tastes just as good without derailing your healthy eating streak. Oats do a lot of the heavy lifting in this healthy banana bread recipe, making it deliciously dense and filling.
Oaty hazelnut cookies
These soft and chewy cookies are sweetened with apple and maple syrup instead of sugar. They’re packed with hazelnuts so they provide a good hit of nutrients.
Alternatively, make our energy-boosting healthy raspberry and oat cookies – they’re great for packing into lunch boxes or taking to go.
Oat and Peanut Butter Energy Bites
Want a delicious, sweet treat you can easily take on the go? These protein balls from Noom’s consulting nutritionist Kathleen Alleaume provide the perfect bite-sized burst of energy.
Serves: Makes roughly 12 balls.
- 2 tb peanut butter
- 1 cup oats
- 1 tb cacao, extra for garnish
- 1 tb chia seeds
- 2 cups medjool dates, pitted (roughly 10 dates)
- 2 tsp honey
- 3 tb hot water
- Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Process until completely combined.
- With damp hands, roll the mixture into tablespoon-sized balls. Roll balls in cacao, optional.
- Place balls in a container and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until firm.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Berry almond bakewell
Crisp pastry, sweet raspberries and a nutty frangipane filling make this show stopping treat. No one will guess it’s low in sugar.
Healthy chocolate brownies
You’ll never guess the secret ingredient in these dense chocolate brownies – black beans! A few clever swaps keeps them low in fat, with no added sugar and gluten-free.
Red, White, and Blue Trifle
A trifle is the perfect dessert for healthy eating—it’s less dense and rich than a regular frosted cake and it’s loaded with fresh fruit! You can even swap out the pieces of pound cake for a lighter angel food cake.
Get the Red, White, and Blue Trifle recipe.
Gluten-free cupcakes
Treat family and friends to these simple vanilla-flavoured cupcakes, baked with gluten-free flour and baking powder.
Like these? Then you’ll love our gluten-free muffins made with Greek yogurt and amaretti biscuits, they’re perfect with a cuppa.
Mocha Mug Cake
Paying attention to portion sizes is key when it comes to eating healthy. Luckily, these mug cakes make it easy to control how much chocolate cake you actually eat.
Get Ree’s Mocha Mug Cake recipe.
Baked Apples
This is the easiest way to eat an apple a day! You’ll get all the flavor of apple pie without the butter-rich crust.
Get the Baked Apples recipe.
Easy vegan chocolate cake
This indulgent vegan cake, topped with seriously rich frosting, is so good you’d never guess it’s gluten-free and made without eggs or dairy.
Vegan baking recipesHealthy chocolate recipesGluten-free baking recipesHealthy cake recipesAll our family-friendly recipes
Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie
Cookies and pies are both crowd-pleasing dessert classics — but have you ever tried the two together? This cookie pie is the fusion of flavours that we didn’t know we needed. Once baked, the texture of this spectacular creation is quite similar to unbaked cookie dough If you want to make this a healthy, high-protein dessert, you can also bulk up the muscle-building goodness by adding creamy beans and nutty spreads.
Healthy baking recipe #7
Who says baked treats have to be sweet? These carrot oat muffins are perfect for all those savoury tooths out there! Using applesauce as a natural sweetener, they’re packed with flavour but not sugar. The secret ingredient in this recipe is carrot, making it the perfect way to sneak some veggies in. They’re so delicious that the kids won’t even notice!
Vegan carrot cake
Give free-from baking a go with our easy vegan carrot cake. It still has all the familiar cinnamon-spiced flavours you love, but now made with coconut oil, cashew butter and oat milk.
Dole Whip
In its simplest form, dole whip is basically frozen pineapple soft serve. It can be dairy-free by using ice cream that’s made with an alternative like coconut milk or oat milk.
Get the Dole Whip recipe.
Put overripe bananas to good use and make this easy bake using gluten-free flour and ground almonds. Serve warm for an afternoon treat.
Not gluten-free? Check out our healthy banana bread – it’s just as good.
Sugar-free Victoria sponge
A modern take on a timeless classic, this Victoria sponge recipe has plenty of fruity sweetness without the sugar. Top with clouds of whipped cream and fresh raspberries for a real crowd-pleasing treat.
Healthy baking recipe #3 Flourless Pumpkin Brownies
Don’t want to blow your Noom calorie budget even though you are craving something rich and fudgy? These flourless brownies swap calorie-dense ingredients for the nutritional powerhouses, pumpkin and almond butter. The best part is, this recipe uses staples you likely already have in your pantry — so you can still whip it up even if you’ve skipped your weekly grocery shop.
Blueberry Breakfast Cupcakes
Cupcakes are known for being just as decadent as they are delicious. But, this healthier version cuts back on fat and sugar while increasing protein by using cream cheese and greek yoghurt in the “icing”. While still being quite luscious, the hearty whole grains that are the foundation of this dessert could make this a fantastic treat to start (or end!) your day in a healthy way.
Breakfast Cookies
They might be called breakfast cookies, but you can eat them any time of day! They’re loaded with good-for-you ingredients like oats, seeds, and dried fruits.
Get the Breakfast Cookies recipe.
Baked banana cheesecake
We can’t get enough banana bakes. Here, we’ve added them to our low-sugar cheesecake with a chocolate and nut base and a ricotta and yogurt topping.
Love cheesecake? Try our tropical mascarpone & pineapple cheesecake – it’s made with coconut cream and fresh pineapple.
Blueberry Crumble
Fresh blueberries are loaded with good-for-you antioxidants. Top them with healthy oats and cinnamon for a comforting dessert.
Get the Blueberry Crumble recipe.
Lighter lemon drizzle cake
We gave one of our most popular cakes the ultimate healthy makeover by reducing the fat and using natural yogurt to keep the sponge moist. It’s finished with the classic lemon and sugar drizzle.
Vegan flapjacks
Use our versatile recipes for dairy-free flapjacks as a base then add your favourite nuts and dried fruits. Or use up whatever you have in the cupboards – chocolate chips, seeds and goji berries are all healthy options
More like this
We also have fruity gluten-free flapjacks and healthy flapjacks for you to enjoy.
Chocolate Protein Doughnuts
Sometimes you just get a craving for a doughnut and having one is the only thing that will make it go away. However, most doughnuts are very sweet and calorie-laden, so you might not feel your best after eating it, even though it sounded like a stellar idea at the time. Instead of heading down to your local bakery, try making these lower carb, protein doughnuts. In fact, these might be a wonderful replacement for those chocolate peanut butter candies too!
Zucchini Bread
Here’s a way to make your desserts healthier: add some veggies! This quick bread is made with shredded zucchini so it’s nutritious and sweet all at the same time.
Get the Zucchini Bread recipe.
Vegan scones
Enjoy our vegan scones, which use soy milk and vegan vegetable spread to replace the dairy. Serve with vegan cream and your favourite jam for a pleasing afternoon tea.