Healthy Dessert Recipes for the Holidays
The chilly weather is the perfection invitation for holiday baking! Be sure to stock your pantry with the staples for making healthy dessert recipes. For us, that means calling on healthy favorites (almond flour, chia seeds, coconut flour, glazed fruit and fresh chestnuts) for holiday baking success.
1) Almond Flour
As a one-to-one substitute for all purpose flour, almond flour gives your baked goods a healthy spin! Our almond flour is a Certified Gluten-Free baking delight that is low in carbs and loaded with nutrients. Per serving, it provides the same health benefits as the premium almonds it’s made from. Finely ground from smooth blanched almonds, this flour has a very fine consistency that lends the perfect texture to baked goods. Since you can use it as a cup-for-cup replacement for wheat flour, you can recreate your favorite holiday treats using almond flour. We have a few of our own favorite almond flour recipes for you to bake this season!
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake: Moist and chocolaty, this cake is everything you want from dessert, plus some extra health benefits. Your guests will never believe that it’s gluten-free!
- Gluten-Free Apple Crisp: The crumbly oat and almond flour crust on this baked dessert perfectly complements the sweet and juicy apples.
2) Chia Seeds
Ward off weight gain this holiday season with the superfood powers of chia seeds! Packed with 11 grams of dietary fiber per serving, chia seeds reduce food cravings by helping you feel full longer. Chia seeds are the perfect way to fuel up before embarking on your holiday shopping ventures. They can absorb up to 10 times their weight in water to keep you well-hydrated. Loaded with plant-based omega-3 fatty acids, they’re a great food to add to your eating routine. Toss two tablespoons of chia seeds in a recipe for granola bars, muffins or other baked goods. Be sure to try our tried-and-true chia seed recipes, too!
- Blueberry Chia Jam Bars: This recipe has three delicious parts – a nutty oat layer, covered in a fruity chia layer, and finished with an antioxidant-rich chocolate topping.
- Pumpkin Chia Seed Pudding: One of the most popular way to enjoy chia seeds, this pudding is flavored with real pumpkin for a fall twist!
Coconut flour may be lesser-known than its almond cousin, but it’s still a gem in the gluten-free baking world. It lends rich textures to baked goods, especially when combined with other gluten-free flours. A powerhouse of protein, fiber and iron, coconut flour gives a boost of nutrition to recipes that you can’t get with all purpose flour alone. It has a low-glycemic index which makes it a better alternative for people watching their blood sugar levels. If you’re just starting out with coconut flour, we recommend following a recipe that specifically calls for it. Check out one of these popular ones:
- Gluten-Free Almond Cake: The combination of almond flour and coconut flour makes an elegant dessert with the perfect texture.
- Gluten-Free Banana Bread: Who doesn’t love waking up to the smell of freshly baked banana bread on a chilly winter morning?
4) Glazed Fruit
Holiday baking just wouldn’t be complete without the sweet, familiar goodness of glazed fruit. We know you put a lot of love and care into your holiday baking, which is why we make sure our glazed fruit is superbly fresh, moist and delicious. Glazed mixed peel is a favorite for traditional fruitcakes, while glazed red cherries look stunning atop any dessert. And we can’t resist the allure of glazed pineapple rings. If you don’t already have a special family recipe for fruitcake, give this one a try:
- Fruitcake: A classic holiday dessert, this fruitcake is filled with chopped nuts and glazed fruit, a hint of spices and a touch of liquor.
Nothing says it’s the most wonderful time of the year like fresh chestnuts. You won’t need an open fire to roast these beauties; you can roast them right in the comfort of your own home. Simply bake the chestnuts at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-15 minutes, or until the outer skins peel back and their savory aroma fills your kitchen. These fresh chestnuts can be used in baking or simply enjoyed just as they are. Adorn this lovely cake with fresh chestnuts:
- Gluten-Free Chestnut Cake: Dark chocolate and chestnuts are put to good use in this delectable, crowd-pleasing creation.
Are there any healthy dessert recipes you will be making this holiday season?
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