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Hello! I’m Anjali. I’m a board certified health coach, author, wife, mom and food lover from the SF Bay area (now living in Seattle, WA!); with a passion for delicious food and a desire to make healthy eating easy, tasty and fun! Learn more about me here and stay for a while!

Anjali Shah

35 Low Sugar Desserts You Won’t Believe Are Healthy!

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Most people believe that desserts taste good only if they contain tons of sugar, but these healthy low sugar desserts are here to prove you wrong!

Low sugar desserts: Black bean brownies on a black cutting board.

Staying healthy doesn’t mean you have to say bye to sweets forever.

Fortunately, plenty of tasty low-sugar desserts let you enjoy all your favorites without going overboard on sugar!

And we’re talking ice cream, cupcakes, cheesecakes, and even a pumpkin pie!

Let’s face it – sugar isn’t the best thing in the world, and there are plenty of reasons to consider cutting back on sugar.

Regardless of why you’re looking to use less sugar, these naturally low sugar desserts taste absolutely indulgent and delicious. 

You won’t even be able to guess they don’t have a ton of added sugar! 

This list includes my 35 go-to low sugar recipes that not only taste great but will satisfy all your dessert cravings!


Gluten-Free Brownies

These gluten-free brownies are seriously fudgy and packed with rich chocolate flavor!

You’ll be shocked at how easy it is to whip them up in just 10 minutes. The best part is you can make them dairy-free or vegan if you want.

I’m telling you, these healthy brownies with no flour are so decadent and delicious that no one will believe they only have 10g of sugar per serving!

Low sugar desserts: Black bean brownies on a black cutting board.

The Best Low Sugar Desserts Your Family Will Love!

Making sure my family stays healthy is one of the most important things to me, and low sugar desserts is helping them get one step closer to that goal. 

These low sugar dessert recipes not only taste great but they’re easy to make too and use healthy ingredients and natural sweeteners. This is a collection of my favorite recipes that I always refer to when the sweet cravings strike. 

These desserts will prove to you that low-sugar doesn’t mean tasteless. In fact, these are some of the tastiest treats I’ve ever tried! 

A lot of these recipes include fruit, which is a natural sweetener, and when used properly it can result in a delicious dessert that doesn’t require added sugar.

The nutritious ingredients help combat weight gain and excessive sugar intake giving you healthy recipes you’re going to love!

Try these recipes out and you won’t even be able to guess that they’re low in sugar! You’re bound to find some easy ways to satisfy your sweet tooth. And they’re perfect for any special occasion!

1. Vegan Nutella

Easy homemade vegan nutella in a glass mason jar.

This dark, rich, creamy vegan Nutella is made with raw hazelnuts, dark chocolate, and naturally sweetened with maple syrup. 

It’s a low sugar, decadent chocolate hazelnut spread for dipping fruit or slathering over pancakes, toast, and more!

What’s best is that it only has 3.5 grams of sugar per serving compared to 21 grams of sugar that regular Nutella has. And you can enjoy it in so many different ways!

The healthy fat from nuts and the low-sugar content make this the perfect way to start the day! Perfect for when the sweet craving strikes.

2. Mango Nice Cream

mango nice cream in a glass container with sliced bananas

This creamy, homemade mango nice is cream made with frozen bananas, mangos, natural sweetener, and almond milk. Plus, it’s a dairy-free healthy treat! 

With four simple ingredients and a few minutes, you’ll have a decadent low-sugar dessert in no time! This recipe makes four serving with 18.6g of sugar each! Yet it still tastes deliciously sweet.

3. Vegan Chocolate Truffles

These vegan chocolate truffles are super easy to make, chocolatey, and absolutely delicious! 

They are the perfect healthy no bake dessert and taste like a gooey brownie! Perfect for meal prepping! This recipe makes 8 truffles with only 6 grams of sugar in each!

4. Vegan Lemon Tart

easy, healthy, gluten free vegan lemon tart recipe on a white plate

This vegan lemon tart features a nutty crust and sweet but tangy lemon curd filling. It’s a simple but elegant dessert even dairy-lovers can’t resist.

Plus, it’s sweetened with maple syrup and dates! This tart is vegan, gluten-free, and refined-sugar-free with zero artificial sweeteners!

What’s best is that each serving of this low sugar lemon tart only has 10 grams of sugar each!

5. Sugar Free Oatmeal Cookie

When it comes to healthy sugar-free dessert recipes, nothing beats these cookies! Each cookie has only 1 gram of sugar and also features sugar-free chocolate chips.

They’re chewy, sugar-free cookies that are the perfect tasty treat for just about everyone! 

6. Tofu Chocolate Mousse

Healthy desserts including tofu chocolate mousse on a wooden cutting board.

With only 9.6 grams of sugar per serving, this rich, decadent, silky vegan chocolate mousse is the perfect dessert. It’s absolutely delicious and sugar-free!

Made with silken tofu, ripe bananas, tahini, cocoa powder, and real maple syrup, this mousse is healthy, chocolatey, easy to make, and will totally satisfy any sweet craving. 

7. Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Healthy, gluten free chocolate chip banana bread sliced on parchment paper.

You don’t have to sacrifice great flavor when you make lightened-up baked goods! This healthy chocolate chip banana bread recipe is super moist and tastes delicious. 

It’s a healthier take on one of the most popular traditional desserts out there. And the best part is that this low-sugar dessert only has 12 grams of sugar per slice!

Plus, it’s kid-friendly, gluten-free, and can easily be made vegan too!

8. Vegan Carrot Cake

This is the best healthy vegan carrot cake recipe you’ll ever make! This dairy-free, lightened-up carrot cake is soft, moist, and beautifully sweet. 

There’s plenty of cinnamon, allspice, and walnuts in every bite, and it’s topped with a rich vegan cream cheese frosting!

And each piece has only 12.2 grams of sugar. This is a way healthier cake than any store-bought version you’ll ever find!

9. Whipped Cottage Cheese Dessert Cups

These whipped cottage cheese dessert cups are incredibly satisfying and easy to make with only 3 grams of sugar per serving!

What’s best is that it’s not only one of the best low-sugar desserts but also low carb making it keto diet friendly too!

10. Pumpkin Greek Yogurt Parfait

These pumpkin yogurt parfaits are incredible and are just what you need this fall. I just love how each of the servings just has 10 grams of sugar despite its delicious flavor.

Healthy ingredients like old-fashioned oats, cinnamon, pumpkin spice, vanilla extract, pumpkin puree, and honey give you a perfect breakfast, snack, or dessert!

11. Powdered Peanut Butter Cookies

Powdered peanut butter cookies stacked on a sheet of parchment paper.

These delicious powdered peanut butter cookies are moist, chewy, perfectly sweet, and so easy to make! This sweet treat is a fun twist on a traditional peanut butter cookie, and much healthier too. 

Plus, it’s low sugar, with only 6 grams of sugar per serving! It’s also low calorie, and includes a vegan and gluten free option! These pb powder cookies are great for the whole family!

12. Cheesecake Bites

You’ll want to savor every taste of these rich low-sugar cheesecake bites! They are velvety smooth, creamy, and the best decadent dessert for all occasions.

And what’s best is that they taste incredible but only have 5.3 grams of sugar per serving!

Plus, you’ll love how absolutely easy they are to make! I’m sure this will going to become your new favorite!

13. Vegan Apple Crisp

Side shot of a plate of vegan apple crisp with a scoop of ice cream. A pan of the crisp sits in the background.

This apple crisp is made with sweet cinnamon apples, and then topped with a nutty oat crisp! And each serving of this easy low sugar dessert only has 14.6 grams of sugar and has all the flavors of a traditional apple pie.

Plus, it’s easy to make, gluten-free, dairy-free, family-friendly, and makes the entire house smell amazing!

14. Healthy Peanut Butter Cups

These sugar-free peanut butter cups are a great option for people who love Reese’s but want something healthier. Each peanut butter cup has only 1.5 grams of sugar!

Plus, you only need five easy ingredients to make these delicious treats. The combination of chocolate and peanut butter is delicious!

15. Gluten Free Brownies

Flourless gluten free brownies stacked on a white plate.

With only 10 grams of sugar per servings, these gluten free brownies are fudgy, rich, and full of chocolate flavor!

They are super easy to make with just 10 minutes of prep time. It’s the perfect healthy treat.

And the best part? These healthy flourless brownies can be made dairy-free or vegan! It’s seriously one of the most favorite sugar-free dessert recipes!

16. No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake

This no-bake chocolate cheesecake recipe has a graham cracker crust and a creamy light chocolate cheesecake filling. 

It’s an easy and simple dessert that doesn’t require you to fire up the oven! And, of course, it’s low sugar too with only 12.4 grams of sugar per mini cheesecake!

17. Sesame Tahini Cookies

Sesame tahini cookies stacked on a wooden cutting board.

Try out these sesame tahini cookies for a tasty snack or healthy dessert that have only 3 grams of sugar per cookie! 

Made with eight simple ingredients that you probably already have on hand, these easy cookies come together in under 30 minutes. 

It is the perfect combination of nutty flavor and chewy texture. The best part? They are naturally vegan, gluten-free, and packed with delicious flavors!

18. Almond Flour Peanut Butter Cookies

Almond flour peanut butter cookies on a white plate.

These super easy almond flour peanut butter cookies require only six simple ingredients and with only 2g of natural sugar (no added sugar) per cookie. 

They’re one of our favorite sugar-free desserts because they also happen to be low-carb, gluten-free, and a total treat making them perfect for just about everyone!

19. Low Carb No-Bake Cheesecakes in Cups (Keto-Friendly)

These mini cheesecakes are absolutely delicious and low sugar too with only 2g of sugar per serving! This easy recipe packs a lot of flavor without any fuss! 

Strawberries make the whole thing super tasty without any added sugar. Plus, you can whip them up in just 15 minutes, but every bite will feel like a fancy dessert.

20. Peanut Butter Bliss Balls

no bake peanut butter bliss balls on a white platter

These healthy, no-bake peanut butter bliss balls are easy to make, super delicious, kid-friendly, and decadent. Made with a few simple ingredients, plust chocolate chips for a little bit of decadence, this is a dessert you won’t be able to stop eating.

Amazingly, each ball has only 3.2 grams of sugar! They also happen to be dairy-free, vegan, and gluten-free.

At less than 100 calories, they make for a healthy and tasty snack or dessert!

21. Vegan Protein Balls

Stack of vegan protein balls made with peanut butter, oats, protein powder, and chocolate chips, in a white bowl.

These delicious vegan protein balls are the perfect healthy snack for a boost of energy and nutrition. 

Plus, they have no refined sugar which means each ball has only 6 grams of sugar!

The best part? This easy recipe comes together in only 10 minutes.

22. Zucchini Bread with Brown Sugar

If you craving for some classic zucchini bread but don’t want the sugary options out there, then this recipe is perfect for you! With only 2 grams of sugar per serving, it’s a delicious dessert you can feel good about eating.

For an even healthier option, feel free to swap the all purpose flour with whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour.

This incredibly easy recipe doesn’t require any fancy ingredients or equipment either, so you can make it anytime!

23. Cherry Pie With Frozen Cherries

This cherry pie with frozen cherries is an absolute delight, made with sweet cherries, lemon zest, and almond extract. And the best part is, each slice has only 17 grams of sugar!

Bite into the most delicious cherry mixture paired with a buttery flaky pie crust – guaranteed to be the hit of any party, picnic, or holiday event. 

This is the perfect dessert to make year-round, whether it’s cherry season or not!

24. Vegan Breakfast Cookies

Healthy gluten free vegan breakfast cookies served on a white plate.

With only 9 grams of sugar per cookie, these vegan breakfast cookies are the perfect grab-and-go breakfast option for busy mornings. 

Make this easy recipe in just 20 minutes and have on hand for a quick meal, wholesome snack, or healthy dessert!

25. Best Ever Sugar Free Carrot Cake

This sugar free carrot cakes is delicious and the recipe also features a velvety smooth creamy cheese frosting that tastes anything but sugar free!

You won’t be able to believe each serving has only 1.1 grams of sugar!

It’s the perfect dessert for the holidays when you’re looking for a classic option with low sugar!

26. Healthy Pumpkin Pie

Slice of healthy pumpkin pie cut, topped with whipped cream, and served on a white plate, side view.

This easy healthy pumpkin pie is a slimmed-down version of the classic recipe using less sugar and evaporated skim milk. Each serving has only 18.4 grams of sugar!

It’s the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving table topped with whipped cream, and can easily be made gluten-free too!

27. Instant Pot Applesauce

easy healthy vegan apple curd recipe in a glass jar

This delicious, homemade, instant pot applesauce with cinnamon and honey is one of the easiest things to cook and is ready in just 20 minutes!

And once you taste it, you won’t be able to believe that each serving only has 18.7 grams of sugar with zero refined sugar! It’s such a great option for a low fat, low sugar dessert, I love it!

28. Gluten-Free Apple Cake

Gluten free apple cake on a plate with maple syrup, garnished with apple slices.

This gluten-free apple cake makes an excellent breakfast bake or dessert! It’s topped with a cinnamon oat crumble, and packed with warm spices and sweet apples. 

A super easy apple cake recipe, that’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser. It is also a healthier dessert option, with only 4 grams of added sugar per serving!

29. Mexican Fruit Salad

Mexican fruit salad with tajin seasoning, cilantro and fresh lime served in a bowl with a fork.

This Mexican fruit salad is a simple but delicious salad with the natural sweetness of cubed melon, mango, papaya, and pineapple shining through in each bite.

It’s truly an unexpected and unique take on the traditional fruit salad recipe and surprisingly low in sugar, with only 16 grams of sugar per serving!

This fruit salad is great for an outdoor BBQ, for holidays like Cinco de Mayo, or really any time of year!

I love making a big batch of it for summer picnics!

30. Breakfast Fruit Salad

Low calorie breakfast fruit salad served in a white bowl, topped with yogurt and mint.

Low sugar fruit desserts are some of my all-time favorites, and this easy breakfast fruit salad is sweet, healthy, and only has 22 grams of sugar per serving.

Plus, it has zero refined sugar with the sweetness coming only from fruits like fresh strawberries and honey.

It’s super versatile – you can use any fruits you like, and it works great as a quick breakfast, a brunch side dish, an afternoon snack, or even a healthy dessert! 

It’s vegan, gluten-free, and kid-friendly. The best part? It’s ready in less than 15 minutes!

31. Healthy Red Velvet Cupcakes

This easy low sugar dessert is absolutely delicious! Some secret healthy swaps make for a lightened-up nutrition profile, but it certainly isn’t lacking in flavor.

With only 14.5 grams of sugar per cupcake, this healthy red velvet cupcake is low sugar and incredibly delicious!

It’s waistline-friendly but also rich and tasty! It’s a cupcake you can feel good about eating.

32. Chocolate Banana Ice Cream

Chocolate banana ice cream in a black serving bowl with chocolate chips on top.

This healthy chocolate banana ice cream recipe is made with frozen ripened bananas, dark chocolate, walnuts, and your choice of yogurt for an delicious treat that is great all year long! 

But the best part is that each serving has only 13.2 grams of sugar!

Creamy, soft, and naturally sweetened, this ice cream can easily be made into a vegan version, too, and is full of natural fiber!

33. Chocolate Almond Milk Pudding

Healthy chocolate almond milk pudding served in white bowls topped with chocolate shavings.

This creamy and delicious chocolate almond milk pudding is made with avocado, almond milk, and cacao powder. This no bake recipe comes together in minutes and only has 6 grams of sugar per serving!

With the creaminess of avocado, paired with the richness of chocolate, it’s a naturally sweetened, totally guilt-free, super decadent treat!

I’m sure it’s going to become your new favorite dessert.

34. Mini Bundt Cakes

Mini bundt cakes served on a baking sheet.

If you love banana bread, this will be the best mini bundt cake you’ve ever made. With only 6 grams of sugar per mini cake, this is one of the best low sugar desserts!

It’s probably a good thing they’re lightened up with healthier ingredients (like yogurt instead of oil and whole grains instead of refined grains) and perfectly portioned with a mini bundt pan. Because you’ll definitely be back for seconds…and thirds!

35. Vegan French Toast Casserole

Overhead shot of a white pan of vegan french toast casserole with a serving spatula.

This vegan French toast casserole is a quick, healthy breakfast that tastes like dessert even though it only has 8 grams of sugar per serving.

Made with sprouted wheat bread, apples, soy milk, flax seeds, and maple syrup, you’ll get all the decadence of a bread pudding in a nutritious package. 

They’re family-friendly and easy to make gluten-free!

Why Would You Make Low Sugar Desserts?

There are several reasons why you may want to reduce the overall sugar in the desserts you make.

Reduce Calories: Sugar is extremely high in calories, with absolutely no nutritional value. When you indulge in a high calorie dessert you are eating empty calories. Making desserts with less sugar will reduce the overall calories naturally.

Reducing Sugar Intake: If you are trying to not use as much sugar in your diet, either for health reasons (e.g. diabetes) or just for overall wellness, adding less sugar to your desserts will help you to do so!

Less Sweet Desserts: If you don’t like your desserts overly sweet, this is another reason to make low-sugar dessert recipes.

What Are The Benefits Of Using Less Sugar?

It would probably be best if we didn’t consume any sugar at all, with the exception of fruit. However, that can be extremely challenging! I aim for the 80-20 rule – to go with no sugar 80% of the time, and very low added sugar 20% of the time. Reducing your overall sugar intake, and limiting the amount of sweet treats you indulge in, can have significant health benefits.

Weight Loss: Using less sugar means that you will consume fewer calories, which helps in weight loss. In addition, according to researchers, fructose can cause fat storage, so less fructose = less fat storage. High sugar foods also cause you to feel hungrier more quickly or frequently. This is because sugar is quickly processed through your digestive system, leaving you feeling hungry and unsatisfied. So using less sugar will help you to feel more satisfied after a meal, leading to less overeating.

Improve Mood: When you consume sugary foods your blood sugar spikes. This gives you a quick boost of energy, but then your blood sugar levels drop quickly, causing you to feel moody. Reducing sugar can help stabilize your mood.

Healthy Teeth: Consuming high sugar foods can cause tooth decay. The natural bacteria in your mouth uses sugar to grow. Overtime this causes a build up of plaque, which in turn causes tooth decay.

Improve Skin: Blood sugar spikes and drops causes inflammation and stress on your body. This can either cause acne, or dull dry skin.

Stabilize Energy: Without the sudden spikes and drops in blood sugar levels, your energy will stabilize, and increase. While sugar can give you a quick boost of energy, the sudden drop leaves you feeling even more tired.

Improve Digestion: Just as sugar can cause inflammation in your skin, it also causes inflammation in your digestive tract. While in the digestive tract, sugar ferments, and turns into glucose. As a result, you can feel quite a bit of stomach discomfort and indigestion.

Reduce Risk of Heart Disease: When sugar doesn’t get used as energy it converts into fatty acids that become triglycerides. Triglycerides are a type of fat that circulates in the blood. When you have a high level of triglycerides you run the risk of developing heart disease, or stroke.

Improve Brain Function: A study at UCLA found that high sugar diets have a correlation with cognitive function. High sugar diets can have a negative impact on memory by causing insulin resistance, which can cause damage communication between brain cells. Sugar can also cause inflammation in the brain which in turn can make it difficult to focus and concentrate.

What Is The Difference Between Refined Sugar And Natural Sugar?

Natural Sugars: Natural sugars are found in fruit and dairy products. In fruit, the sugar comes in the form fructose. In dairy the sugar comes in the form of lactose. These foods contain nutrients, in the form of vitamins and minerals. They are also digested more slowly, so they help you feel fuller longer. As a result, consuming foods with natural sugars are high in nutritional value while also keeping you full and satiated.

Refined Sugars: These types of sugars come from cane sugar or sugar beets which are processed to extract the sugar from the original source. You will also find processed sugars added to foods such as high fructose corn syrup. These types of sugars are processed through the body quickly, causing a blood sugar spike, and sudden drop. These types of sugars have no vitamins or nutrients, and leave you feeling unsatisfied and hungry quickly.

What Are The Best Sugar Substitutes?

While white sugar or high fructose corn syrup is the worst sugar to use, there are types of sweeteners that you can use in desserts that are less offending. These natural substitutes for sugar are less processed, and more natural than white sugar.

  • Monk Fruit Sweetener: A type of sweetener that is extracted from monk fruit. It contains zero calories and is 100-250 times sweeter than white sugar. Monk fruit gets its sweetness from antioxidants called mogrosides.
  • Coconut Sugar: Coconut sugar is extracted from the sap of the coconut palm. It has some nutrients including iron, zinc, calcium, potassium, and antioxidants. It’s lower on the glycemic index than regular sugar. However, it is still high in calories.
  • Honey: This syrup produced by bees has small amounts of vitamins and minerals, and many antioxidants. Flavonoids are where honey gets most of its antioxidants. While there are some health benefits to honey, it still contains sugar, and is high in calories.
  • Maple Syrup: The sweet liquid that comes from the sap of maple trees. It contains minerals minerals including calcium, potassium, iron, zinc, and manganese, and even more antioxidants than honey. It is slightly lower on the glycemic index than regular sugar, but still high in calorie and can cause blood sugar spikes.

What Foods Can You Eat To Fight Sugar Cravings?

Fresh Fruit: The best way to enjoy something sweet that is also nutritious is to stick with fresh fruit. Slice an apple and enjoy with a tablespoon of peanut butter or almond butter. Raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries are also delicious with a dollop of plain unsweetened yogurt.

Dark Chocolate: If you are a chocolate lover like me, dark chocolate is the way to go! It has much less sugar then milk chocolate. The higher the cocoa content the lower the sugar. While 90% dark chocolate can taste rather bitter, 70%, or 80% is just right! Just eat a small square to satisfy your sweet tooth!

Homemade Smoothies: Whip up a smoothie at home. The ones you get from the smoothie places are usually high in sugar. But making your own doesn’t have to be! Add a frozen banana, fresh berries, and leafy greens, or carrots, with some dairy milk.

Trail Mix: Make your own trail mix with a variety of nuts, and dried fruit. Be sure to stick to 1/4 cup serving. It’s easy to go overboard with trail mix!

More Low Sugar Desserts We Can’t Live Without!

Strawberry Santa Hats – These strawberry Santa hats are an easy and fun snack to make with the kids! With only three ingredients and a few minutes, you’ll have a healthy snack for the holidays!

Gluten Free Lemon Bars with Coconut Custard – With a sweet, tart coconut milk lemon curd filling, and almond flour crust, these gluten free lemon bars are the perfect dessert for picnics, bake sales, and more! What’s best is that they’re naturally sweetened and vegan friendly.

Love THESE LoW SUGAR DESSERT recipes? Please leave a 5-star rating 🌟 in the recipe below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page!

You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, and PINTEREST to see more delicious, healthy, family-friendly food, and if you have any questions, I’m here to help!

22 responses to “35 Low Sugar Desserts You Won’t Believe Are Healthy!”

  1. The link to “Delicious Flourless, Gluten Free Brownies!” is not working.. Can you please fix it?

    Thanks for all the wonderful recipes.5 stars

  2. These low sugar desserts are absolutely the best! My favorite is the mango ice cream! I love how it uses a real fruit! Yum.5 stars

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