Sugar-Free and Naturally Sweetened Desserts

These sugar-free and naturally sweetened desserts will help you cut processed sugar from your diet without compromising on the flavors. Incredibly delicious, they are your way to a healthier life.

We know as a fact that refined sugar is not our best friend. As such, we all need to reduce our sugar intake on our way to a healthier life. Sugar is not to be excluded from our diet entirely though, as it provides us with energy. Rather than saying “no” to sugar altogether, which is barely achievable on the long run, let’s begin with baby steps on our journey to sugar-less, using natural alternatives to sugar in our baking. 

On a journey to “sugar-less”

Sugar-free seems like the ultimate goal to achieve, naturally sweetened a more reasonable one, but wherever you find yourself at, the idea is to getting started on our journey to sugar-less. It doesn’t have to be perfect, and this why I encourage the word “moderation” when it comes to consuming sugar, whether we’re talking refined or natural sugar (unless for medical reasons of course).

So, rather than cutting all the sugar from your diet, I invite you to experiment a new way of baking, using natural alternatives to sugar. With a lower amount of sugar than refined sugar itself, natural sweeteners are also loaded with fiber and help you regulate your blood sugar level. It’s also a great way to re-discover the true taste of ingredients. In fact, soon enough you will notice that traditional desserts tend to be too sweetened to your tastes. You will be surprised!

What is the difference between sugar-free and naturally sweetened?

Now what’s the difference between sugar-free and naturally sweetened recipes, you may ask? Although there are different definitions, here’s what we can agree on for the desserts I am presenting below:

• Sugar-free: when a recipe doesn’t use any kind of natural sweetener outside the core recipe ingredients, usually fruit (rather whole or mashed).
• Naturally sweetened: when a recipe use natural sweetener (as opposed to refined/processed sugar) to enhance the taste of dessert. It can be dates, honey, maple or agave syrup, coconut sugar, etc.

1. Vegan Apple Tart (Sugar-Free)

Vegan Apple Tart (Sugar-Free). This apple tart is minimalist and all about the apples. Naturally vegan, it is prepared with an unsweetened apple sauce and a rustic whole-wheat crust. A great sugar-free dessert for any occasion.

2. Raw Coconut Cheesecake (Naturally Sweetened)

Raw Coconut Yuzu Cheesecake (Naturally Sweetened). This wonderful vegan cashew cheesecake with a refreshing touch of yuzu is naturally sweetened with dates for the base and agave syrup for the cashew-“cheese” part. Easy to make, it’s also the perfect customizable dessert we can serve garnished with fresh fruits.

3. Healthy Vegan Chocolate Chip Blondies (Naturally Sweetened)

Healthy Vegan Chocolate Chip Blondies (Naturally Sweetened). You won’t resist these incredible blondies, naturally sweetened with dates. Note that chocolate chips contain sugar, unless you go for the unsweetened chocolate chips.

4.  Easy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars (Naturally Sweetened)

Easy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars (Naturally Sweetened). These bars are super simple, soft and chewy, and naturally sweetened with sugar contained in fruits, bananas and dates here. As I said earlier, feel free to use unsweetened chocolate chips too.

5. Vegan Raspberry Cheesecake (Naturally Sweetened)

Vegan Raspberry Cheesecake (Naturally Sweetened). Indulge to a wonderful raspberry cashew cheesecake, naturally sweetened with a few dates in the base and coconut sugar for the “cheese” part. Everyone falls in love with it!

6. Healthy Double Chocolate Avocado Cookies (Naturally Sweetened)

Healthy Double Chocolate Avocado Cookies (Naturally Sweetened). You are all crazy about them and we understand why. Prepared with unsweetened cocoa powder, these avocado cookies are naturally sweetened with coconut sugar. They also exist in a vegan version, and are available with a little video tutorial.

7. Mini Healthy Key Lime Pies (Naturally Sweetened)

Mini Healthy Key Lime Pies (Naturally Sweetened). Prepared in mini portions or in a large round pan, these key lime pies will surprise you. A few dates for the base, a touch of agave for the filling, and that’s pretty much it. They are also raw, vegan and gluten-free.

8. Healthy Extra Moist Chocolate Cake (Naturally Sweetened)

Healthy Extra Moist Chocolate Cake (Naturally Sweetened). Say “hello” to one of the most popular recipe from the blog (also available with a video tutorial – over 1 million views on YouTube). No refined sugar for this recipe that is naturally prepared with unsweetened cocoa and dates. And no, your guests won’t even see the difference with a classic chocolate cake. Bluffing!

9. Healthy Oat Peanut Butter Cups (Naturally Sweetened)

Healthy Oat Peanut Butter Cups (Naturally Sweetened). Don’t you just want to grab a bite of these adorable mini cups through the screen right now? Dates and maple syrup naturally sweetened the all recipe. Feel free to adjust the quantities according to your own tastes.

10. Vegan Chocolate Cashew Cheesecake (Naturally Sweetened)

Vegan Chocolate Cashew Cheesecake. This is, in my opinion, one of the easiest dessert to bake on your journey to a sugar-less lifestyle. And it tastes absolutely delicious. Make sure you give this recipe a try!

11. Cocoa Raspberry Granola (Sugar-Free)

Cocoa Raspberry Granola (Sugar-Free). Make simple sugar-free desserts by simply topping your fruits with this homemade sugar-free granola. Apple juice and a few finely chopped pitted dates lightly sweeten the granola prepared with unsweetened cocoa and dried raspberry.

12. Vegan Banana Oatmeal Cookies (Naturally Sweetened or sugar-free)

Vegan Banana Oatmeal Cookies (Naturally Sweetened or sugar-free). Use ripe bananas to sweeten these healthy and minimalist cookies to enjoy anytime of the day. They make a perfect entirely sugar-free dessert but you can add a drop of maple syrup for additional sweetness.

13. Cardamom-Infused Pears with Quinoa-Nut Crunch (Naturally Sweetened)

Cardamom-Infused Pears with Quinoa-Nut Crunch (Naturally Sweetened). Bake them in the oven and drizzle just the right amount of the cardamom-honey syrup over. Don’t forget the irresistible quinoa-nut crunch!

14. Beet Ginger Granola with Superfoods (Sugar-Free)

Beet Ginger Granola with Superfoods (Sugar-Free). Full of health benefits, this vibrant pink-colored granola loaded is naturally sweetened with beetroot, apple sauce, and optionally a few chopped dates. Sprinkle over a lovely fruit salad or with oatmeal, cottage cheese, etc.

So yes, you can have dessert with no refined sugar, naturally and lightly sweetened with fruits, and still find it good enough for your sweet tooth. I hope you enjoy!

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