Guilt-Free Desserts with Minimal Ingredients [Video]

When you want a quick, easy, and (almost) guilt-free dessert, the simpler and faster, the better. These simple desserts cover all the bases. From easy cookies to decadent chocolates, to smooth and creamy to fun and fruity, these easy-to-make desserts will fulfill your craving for something a little bit sweet, without the guilt.

Flourless Chocolate Chip Cookies

Moist, delicious, and decadent, you won’t believe these cookies contain no flour, no oil, and no butter! These cookies are gluten-free, vegan, grain-free, and you can whip them up in less than 20 minutes. Makes 10 cookies.

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups cashew butter
• ¼ cup + 1 tbsp real maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla paste or vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp fine sea salt
• ¼ cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions:

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Step 2: Using a food processor, pulse the first four ingredients until everything is mixed.

Step 3: Gently mix in chocolate chips.

Step 4: Drop cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Step 5: Bake for 10 minutes.

Step 6: Cool completely before removing from baking sheet.

Step 7: Store in an airtight container for 2 weeks, or in the freezer for 2 months.

Chocolate Peppermint Truffles

Chocolate and peppermint go together like peanut butter and jelly. And there’s nothing more decadent than a rich, chocolate truffle. Unless it’s a healthy chocolate peppermint truffle you can throw together in minutes.

Makes 10 truffles.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup pecan or almond butter
• 9 Medjool dates pitted
• 1 3.5 oz dark chocolate bar
• ½ tsp peppermint extract

Instructions

Step 1: Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until a dough starts to form.

Step 2: Roll dough into balls and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Step 3: Place in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes to firm them up.

Blueberry Popsicles

What’s better than a cool, creamy treat? A cool creamy, treat that’s good for you. This guilt-free dessert is a reimagination of a popular summertime treat, these blueberry popsicles are sure to bring out the kid in everyone.

Makes 6 small popsicles.

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe banana
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
• 10 popsicle molds, small

Instructions:

Step 1: Place banana and coconut milk in a food processor or blender and pulse until smooth and creamy.

Step 2: Mix-in berries by hand, you want them to remain whole.

Step 3: Pour mixture into popsicle molds and place in freezer until solid.

Note: Don’t have popsicle molds? No worries. You can make impromptu popsicle molds out of ice cube trays or by lining a muffin tin with foil cupcake wrappers and wooden popsicle sticks.

Deconstructed Tiramisu

This deconstructed tiramisu is great for those who love the combination of chocolate and coffee in a smooth, creamy dessert. You can throw it together in minutes and have a dessert that will wow a crowd.

Makes 8 individual desserts.

Ingredients:

• 16 ounces ricotta cheese
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2% milk as needed
• 36 Vanilla wafer cookies
• ½ cup strong coffee
• Cocoa powder

Directions:

Step 1: Blend together ricotta cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. If necessary, add a little milk to achieve your desired level of creaminess.

Step 2: Spoon a layer of ricotta mixture into the bottom of a small glass. You can use a martini glass if you’re super fancy.

Step 3: Dust with cocoa powder

Step 4: Dip vanilla wafers in coffee and layer three into the glass.

Step 5: Alternate layers of ricotta, cocoa powder, and vanilla wafers, until you have three layers.

Step 6: End with a layer of cream, dust with cocoa powder, and garnish with a vanilla wafer on top. Serve chilled.

Mini Frozen Yogurt Waffle Sandwiches

This is so simple it needs almost no explanation. You can put together this guilt-free dessert for yourself or set up a minibar and let a crowd make their own. What could be better than that?

Ingredients:

• Frozen yogurt in your favorite flavor
• Frozen mini waffles (if you don’t have mini waffles, you can cut a regular-sized one in half.)

Instructions:

Step 1: Toast the waffles.

Step 2: Place a scoop of frozen yogurt between two waffles. Serve immediately.