Maybe you’re trying keto, or you’re just hoping to cut back a little for your overall health. Either way, sugar-free doesn’t mean tasteless. It’s actually quite the opposite! I have a few sugar-free recipes that I regularly make when I’m looking for something less sweet or a little lighter, and none of them compromise on flavor. A lot of these include fruit, which is a natural sweetener, and when used right, it means you don’t need nearly as much sugar. But I also have some fun chocolate recipes and even sugar-free brownies! Let’s curb that sweet craving with 25 surprisingly delicious sugar-free desserts.
1. The Best Sugar-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
To get the best chocolate chip cookie, you’ll need a mix of white and brown sugar to get that chewy middle and crisp edge. But how do you get that without sugar? In this recipe, you’ll use sugar substitutes, brown and white, for the right flavor. As for the texture, you’ll need to make a few quick changes, but there’s nothing unusual here. Best of all, the method is the same, so you can make up a big batch with ease.
2. Healthy Fruit Salad Recipe with No Added Sugar
To get the best flavor out of fruit, it’s not uncommon to add sugar to the mix. But if you’re looking for sugar-free options, you’ll need another way. The key is to use the freshest fruit you can find and a healthy squeeze of lemon juice. It’s also a good idea to use naturally juicy fruits, such as oranges and strawberries.
3. Date Shake
If you’ve ever had a shake and felt it was lacking, chances are, it’s missing a touch of sugar. Sugar enhances fruit, and almost every smoothie place will add a dash of simple syrup to the mix. This recipe is so clever, using dates as a sweetener and flavor. Dates are commonly used in baking as a natural sweetener. They’ll also add much-needed fiber to your morning shake without being too overpowering.
4. Easy, Two-Ingredient, Low-Carb Cherry Jello Parfaits
Sugar-free Jello is such a fantastic little snack, and it comes in so many flavors. In this recipe, you’ll mix it with coconut milk for a creamier finish. These are so simple, but you could easily throw in some fruits without adding more than a couple of minutes to the prep time. And if you want to keep it dairy-free, try whipping up some coconut milk for the top. Just be sure to keep it in the fridge and only scoop out the thick stuff.
5. Easy Dark Chocolate Avocado Truffles
Although dark chocolate has a high sugar content, it’s much lower than that of milk or white chocolate. Couple it with creamy avocado, and these little truffles are practically healthy! And don’t worry, you won’t taste the avocado here. It’s here for the texture and the good fats it offers.
6. Keto/Vegan Tiramisu
I know what you’re thinking: how can you make creamy tiramisu without sugar? And make it vegan, too? It’s all about the nuts! You’ll use soaked cashews for the creamy filling, much like a vegan cheesecake. Blend them with unsweetened dairy-free milk, coconut milk, sugar-free syrup, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. When soaking your cake, be sure to use sugar-free syrup, or just keep it pure coffee for a more intense flavor.
7. The Best Keto Sugar-Free Chocolate Pudding Recipe
This recipe calls for powdered erythritol, which is a sugar substitute. Of course, you can always use sugar-free syrup or maple syrup in its place. To get the best flavor, be sure to get good quality chocolate and use unflavored gelatin, so it sets nice and thick.
8. Keto Fluffy Chocolate Mousse
Keto-friendly, sugar-free chocolate mousse with just three ingredients? It can’t be! Unlike the recipe above, which is shiny and more like a pudding, this is such a lovely, light recipe. You’ll essentially make chocolate whipped cream, and it will be thick, smooth, rich, and decadent.
9. Sugar-Free Muffins
If you’re a muffin lover but avoid them due to their high sugar and calorie content, this one’s for you (and me!). I adore muffins for breakfast because they’re sweet, soft, and great for on-the-go breakfasts. In this recipe, you’ll rely on blueberries and apples to add sweetness, along with moisture and amazing color.
10. Strawberry Granita
Granita is like a shaved ice, made with fruit and water and fluffed up for terrific texture. In most cases, there is added sugar – as I mentioned before, it enhances the fruit’s natural flavor. But if you can find beautifully ripe berries, you won’t need it at all! You can always use a sweetener, such as Stevia, if you feel it needs it.
11. Keto Almond Butter Cookies
You probably know that a lot of peanut butter brands add sugar to the mix – it’s why they taste so good! But almond butter is usually sugar-free and just as delicious since almonds are naturally sweeter. Since you’ll use almond flour (ground almonds), you’ll need to be gentle with the mix, and don’t forget to press the cookies down. They won’t spread like regular cookies, so give them a hand.
12. 4-Ingredient Date Caramel Sauce
I think a lack of caramel is one of the reasons I never tried keto. Is that about to change? Maybe… The truth is, this is a beautiful dairy-free alternative that’s full of potassium, copper, magnesium, vitamin B6, niacin, calcium, iron, and vitamin K. However, it’s not smooth, and it won’t pour like a normal caramel.
13. Vanilla Date Ice Cream
You’ll notice dates are used a lot in sugar-free recipes, and that’s due to their mild, naturally sweet flavor. They’re also deliciously sticky and chewy, giving you fantastic texture in your food. For this recipe, they add a very caramel-like color and just the right amount of sweetness to go along with the vanilla.
14. Keto Brownies
If you like your brownies cakey, this isn’t the recipe for you. But if you’re like me and always pull them out early to get the fudgiest middle possible, you’ll love this! Full of rich dark chocolate – the darker, the better – ground almonds and powdered sweetener, these have an almost truffle-like texture to them. The only downside is that you’ll have to let them set if you want to slice them. Or, you could always bake in small ramekins and serve hot with a scoop of that amazing ice cream from above!
15. Apple Chips
Apple chips are such a fabulous little snack, and they travel well to boot! The trick to getting them perfect is to use a mandolin. This will cut them nice and thin, and more importantly, it will keep them all even so they cook at the same time. They need to be cooked low and slow, and the longer you give them, the crispier they will be. I think they’re delicious as is, but feel free to sprinkle them with cinnamon if you want.
16. Date Energy Balls (Vegan & Paleo)
I made these a few months ago and brought them on a hike. They were absolutely perfect and just what we needed to keep us going as we neared the top. I used a combination of walnuts and pecans – because it was just what I had – but you could use anything for the nut element. Walnuts have a great flavor and are lovely and mild, but if you want something stronger, you could always add some peanuts or pistachios.
17. Healthy Homemade Fruit Snacks
I can’t be the only one that steals the kid’s fruit snacks?! They’re so full of flavor, and I love a good gummy. Unfortunately, they’re also often full of sugar. The beauty of making your own is that you can reduce or cut out the sugar completely and even throw in extra veggies when they’re not looking!
18. Strawberries and Cream Energy Balls
Freezer-friendly and ready in just 10 minutes, these are the perfect snack to have on hand for that mid-morning craving. These need both raw cashews and cashew butter, but if you can’t find the latter, feel free to use any nut butter you have. They also call for freeze-dried strawberries, which add lovely texture and an intense berry flavor. I get mine online, but you can usually find them in larger grocery stores.
19. Sweet Potato Truffles
This one’s for the sweet potato pie lovers! Again, you’ll use dates to sweeten the mix and also for a chewy texture. Once blended with the cacao powder and cinnamon, these taste a lot like a sweet potato pie cake pop!
20. Keto Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries
Who doesn’t love cheesecake and strawberry? I’ll bet if you put a tray of these out, the kids will devour just as many as the adults. You’ll ideally need a powdered sweetener to mix with the cheesecake so you don’t get any lumps. Be sure to beat your cream cheese first to soften it up.
21. 2-Ingredient Fudge
Making fudge doesn’t have to be time-consuming. You’ll just need condensed milk and chocolate! To be honest, I didn’t know you could get sugar-free, sweetened condensed milk. It does its job, and you won’t even know the difference. If you really want to keep it sugar-free, use sugar-free chocolate chips, which you should be able to find in the baking aisle, or sometimes near the specialty products (like the gluten-free stuff).
22. Brownie Batter Chocolate Hummus
Who would’ve thought chocolate and chickpeas would work so well? You’ll get all that great texture from the peas, and of course, so much rich indulgence from the cocoa powder. You’ll want to be sure to use Dutch cocoa if possible, or something equally as dark for the most pronounced taste. I used maple syrup, but I’m sure a sweetener would work wonders, too.
23. The Best Keto Coconut Flour Cookies
Going gluten-free has never been easier, and when you have the choice of so many flours, the options are endless! I love coconut flour and have been using it a lot recently. It’s a fantastic nut-free option for those not wanting to use ground almonds. You’ll notice that there isn’t a lot of flour used here, and that’s because coconut flour is super absorbent. It makes them very much like a shortbread – crumbly and melt-in-your-mouth amazing.
24. Keto Snowball Cookies
Speaking of shortbread – these snowball cookies are super buttery and delicate. Using powdered sweeteners will make these just right on the inside, but I’m not the biggest fan of it on the outsides. Instead, I rolled half of my freshly baked cookies in coconut and the other half in cocoa powder!
25. Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookie Energy Bites with Chia + Cacao Nibs
These might taste like peanut butter oatmeal cookies, but they’re also loaded with nutrition, fiber, and protein. Feel free to make a big batch and freeze some down; that way, you’ll have them on hand whenever the craving strikes. If you can’t find cacao nibs or don’t like them, just use good quality dark chocolate or sugar-free chocolate chips instead! Click on a star to rate it!
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