Indulge your sweet tooth this holiday season with our collection of delectable dessert recipes, offering a delightful balance between festive cheer and health-conscious choices.
These healthy Christmas treats are designed to satisfy your cravings for something sweet while ensuring you stay on track with your wellness goals. From the gooey warmth of a simple gluten-free apple crisp to a rich and creamy vegan cheesecake, each recipe promises a guilt-free indulgence.
Whether you’re crafting a menu for Christmas dinner or seeking a wholesome addition to your holiday desserts, these healthy options are perfect for creating a festive atmosphere without compromising on your commitment to wellness.
Now, explore the joy of the season with this list of our favorite, specially curated healthy Christmas desserts. Merry Christmas!
1. Simple Gluten-Free Apple Crisp
This gluten-free apple crisp is a delectable and healthier alternative to apple pie. The gooey interior and crisp topping, made with wholesome ingredients like old-fashioned oats, almond meal, pecans, honey, and fresh apples, create a delightful dessert. The recipe has been improved for better texture, ensuring the apples release their moisture adequately. Granny Smith apples are recommended for their ability to retain shape and balance tartness, while the topping, featuring almond meal, oats, and pecans, adds a rich crunch. The result is a delightful, honey-sweetened treat perfect for fall and holiday gatherings.
2. Paleo No Bake Christmas Cookies
These paleo no-bake Christmas cookies offer the delightful taste of chocolate peanut butter without the peanuts. With a hint of peanut butter flavor, these no-bake cookies strike a perfect balance between sweetness and bitterness. The recipe is simple and requires a food processor to blend mixed nuts, dried berries, cacao powder, shredded coconut, and a pinch of salt into a moist “dough.” The addition of melted coconut oil, almond butter, vanilla extract, and a sweetener like maple syrup forms a sticky cookie “dough.” The mixture is then shaped into cookies using a scoop, garnished with toppings like shredded coconut or chopped nuts, and flash-frozen for 15-20 minutes. These cookies are easy, delicious, chocolate-peanut butter flavored (without peanuts), and freeze well for convenient storage and transport. Perfect for holiday gifts or everyday healthy snacks.
3. Healthy Peppermint Brownies
Indulge in the perfect blend of chocolate and peppermint with these healthy peppermint brownies. This festive treat, ideal for the holidays, features a simple mix of ingredients including eggs, coconut sugar, almond flour, and a touch of peppermint extract. Drizzle with melted chocolate and top with crushed candy canes for a delightful and nutritious seasonal dessert.
4. Vegan Cheesecake (No tofu or cashews!)
Indulge in the richness of a vegan cheesecake that’s free from tofu and nuts, yet maintains an irresistibly thick and creamy texture. This recipe, inspired by the Cheesecake Factory’s New York Style cheesecake, requires no fancy kitchen mixers and boasts a simple ingredient list. The dairy-free cream cheese, sugar, cornstarch, almond milk, lemon juice, and vanilla extract come together to create a decadent filling that can be paired with your favorite pie crust—whether homemade or store-bought. Impress your friends, vegan or not, with this deliciously authentic dessert that can also be easily made gluten-free and sugar-free.
5. Festive Cranberry Cake
Indulge in the festive spirit of Christmas with a delightful vegan cranberry cake, infused with the fragrances of orange and toasty walnuts. Boasting a light, tender crumb and the perfect blend of sweet and tart flavors, this cake, enriched with olive oil, is easy to prepare and stays delicious even on the following day. Whether topped with an orange glaze or a dusting of powdered sugar, it’s a vegan holiday treat that effortlessly disguises its dairy-free secret.
6. Healthy Ginger Cookies (Gluten-free, Paleo)
Indulge in the festive spirit with these healthy ginger cookies, a gluten-free and paleo-friendly alternative to traditional gingerbread cookies, ready in under 30 minutes. Soft, chewy, and perfectly spiced with ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg, these cookies boast a crinkled top and a buttery taste without molasses or wheat flour. Made with almond flour and coconut sugar, they offer a delightful treat that’s low-carb and can be adapted for various dietary preferences, making them an ideal healthy Christmas dessert.
7. Healthy Pecan Pie Bars
Savor the rich taste of pecan pie in a healthier form with these delectable healthy pecan pie bars. This paleo, vegan, and gluten-free treat mirrors the authentic pecan pie flavor while being easy to prepare, requiring only 15 minutes of prep time. With a nutty pecan filling atop a wholesome crust, these bars are perfect for any time of the year, providing a guilt-free indulgence that captures the essence of pecan pie. Serve with coconut whipped cream or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a decadent Christmas dessert.
8. Italian Chestnut Cake: Castagnaccio
Indulge in the delightful flavors of Italy with castagnaccio, a simple chestnut cake that boasts a fudgy base and a crunchy nut top. This dairy-free, egg-free, and gluten-free treat is infused with honey and rosemary, offering a unique blend of sweetness and herby fragrance. Originating from Tuscany, castagnaccio is a winter delicacy that captures the essence of chestnuts, and it’s easy to prepare, making it a wholesome and satisfying dessert option to end your Christmas dinner.
9. Healthy Sugar Cookies Perfect For Decorating
These healthy, low calorie sugar cookies, ideal for festive decoration with toddlers and kids, offer a versatile and allergy-friendly recipe. This cookie recipe can be adapted to various dietary preferences, including gluten-free, dairy-free, and egg-free options. With easy-to-follow instructions, these holiday cookies make a delightful treat for your family (and Santa!), featuring a simple 3-ingredient icing and dye-free decorations.
Want more healthy Christmas cookie recipes? Check this list of our 15 favorites.
10. Best Ever Healthy Pumpkin Pie
This best ever healthy pumpkin pie is a homemade delight, naturally sweetened with pure maple syrup and boasting a creamy texture. The recipe, a favorite for the holiday season, replaces condensed milk with dairy-free almond milk and uses coconut sugar for added richness. The pumpkin pie can be enjoyed with a buttery crust or made crustless, offering a gluten-free and paleo option, and can be prepared ahead of time or frozen for convenience.
11. Keto Fruitcake
This keto fruit cake offers a delightful, nutty richness without excessive sweetness, making it a perfect treat for various occasions. With just 15 minutes of preparation time, this cake features ingredients like eggs, unsalted butter, vanilla extract, stevia glycerite, orange zest, almond flour, baking soda, dried cranberries, and chopped walnuts. The simple steps involve whisking, folding, and baking, resulting in a deliciously moist and flavorful low-carb fruit cake that can be enjoyed for breakfast, as a snack, or as a healthy Christmas dessert. The recipe also provides storage and serving suggestions, making it a versatile and satisfying option for those following a keto lifestyle.
12. White Chocolate Peppermint Fudge
This white chocolate peppermint fudge is a delightful and easy-to-make holiday treat with layers of dark and white chocolate, sweetened condensed coconut milk, and a hint of peppermint. The recipe is vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free, making it a versatile option for various dietary preferences. The dark chocolate layer, white chocolate layer, and optional peppermint candy garnish create a visually appealing and delicious fudge. The detailed instructions guide you through the simple process, and the fudge can be stored in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to three months. The post also provides tips for success, variations, serving suggestions, and storage guidelines, making it a perfect healthy Christmas dessert or gift.
13. Healthy No-Bake Snickers Pie (Raw Vegan & Gluten Free)
This raw vegan and gluten-free healthy Snickers pie is a superior take on the classic dessert, boasting three layers of bliss. The chocolate coconut crust, almond-butter-date caramel middle, and peanut butter mousse create a symphony of flavors. Despite its decadent taste, this pie is made with wholesome ingredients, such as cocoa powder, dates, nuts, coconut, and nut butter, providing energy without the sugar crash. Easy to prepare in a food processor, it’s a guilt-free treat that captures the essence of Snickers in a nourishing, delightful form.
14. Avocado Chocolate Mousse
This avocado chocolate mousse is a quick, healthy dessert with a classic mousse texture, blending ripe avocados, melted chocolate, cocoa powder, almond milk, maple syrup, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. This vegan and refined-sugar-free treat, lasting up to five days in the fridge, boasts a rich, decadent flavor that can be enhanced with whipped cream and berries. The recipe’s simplicity, using just seven ingredients, makes it an ideal go-to for a guilt-free indulgence filled with healthy fats and a delicious chocolatey richness.
15. Homemade Ferrero Rocher (Hazelnut Truffles)
These 2-ingredient condensed milk chocolate truffles offer a homemade twist on Ferrero Rocher, combining hazelnuts, cacao powder, hazelnut butter, coconut oil, and maple syrup. Vegan, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free, these creamy hazelnut chocolate truffles lack only the crispy wafer shell, offering a guilt-free delight that’s easy to make and store in the fridge or freezer. The recipe includes a chocolate coating with chopped hazelnuts for added crunch, providing a perfect no-bake treat with a rich and creamy texture.