22 Healthy Treats that are Absolutely Crave-Worthy

You know that feeling when your sweet tooth is driving you crazy, but you still want to keep your health goals on track?

OR maybe, you want a special treat or dessert without the guilt? I’ve totally been there. In fact, I’m there several times a week, which is why I like to keep this list of healthy treats handy.

These recipes taste indulgent, but they’re also good for you, and each one is made with real ingredients. YES, those treats we should all be enjoying! So pull up a chair, grab your coffee and let’s make our way into the chocolatey, chewy, sweet world of crave-worthy healthy treats.

The Best Things to Eat When You are Craving Sweets

When a craving for sweets hits and you know that fruit, nuts or Greek yogurt aren’t going to cut it – these are the recipes for you. Moist, chocolate cake, fresh-baked cookies, and so much more. 

Living a healthy lifestyle doesn’t mean you have to cover up your cravings, you can eat a fresh, whole-food diet and have your cake too. 

It’s all about balance. 

So acknowledge the craving and then do something about it with one of these healthy treat recipes. Some recipes include chocolate, while others are fresh baked cookies, no-bakes, and cold blended treats. One thing they all have in common- they are made with real, clean ingredients!  

I told you you were going to love this, let’s get to the good stuff!

Types of Healthy Treats

Cake, cookies, brownies, bites, ice cream, shakes- if it’s sweet and you love it, 95% of the time, you can make it into a healthier version with the right ingredients. The other 5% are Apple Fritters and cookie cake; those should be enjoyed as is. 

Here are some ingredient swaps I use to make drool-worthy, healthy treats:

1. Instead of Sugar
   Honey, agave nectar, maple syrup, dates, and coconut sugar. 
2. Instead of regular flour
   Oat flour, almond flour, or whole wheat flour
3. Instead of vegetable oil or butter
   Coconut oil, peanut or almond butter, and sometimes, pumpkin pureé.

You can see my full list of ingredient swaps for baking here if you really want to get swap happy! 

Now, time for the treats.

Smoothie Bowls

Smoothie bowls are a lot thicker than the standard smoothie in a glass, thus the reason they’re best enjoyed from a bowl and eaten with a spoon. It’s a much more satisfying experience and encourages delicious toppings like sliced fruit, chopped chocolate, coconut flakes, and granola. Overall, smoothies and smoothie bowls make a healthy treat that satisfies a sweet tooth and gives ample nutrition.

If you’ve never made one before, I’ll show you how to make a smoothie bowl in this post and video. Then, you can jump right in to these recipes.

Recipe: Strawberry Smoothie Bowl
Full of protein and super refreshing, strawberry smoothies for the win!

Recipe: Chocolate Smoothie Bowl
Chocolate is always a good idea, put it in a smoothie and you have a new favorite chocolate treat! 

Recipe: Peaches & Cream Smoothie Bowl
Peaches and cream make a delicious combo in this healthy smoothie. Add a scoop of vanilla protein powder for an extra protein boost. 

Recipe: Frozen Mocha Frappucino 
A super thick, smoothie of coffee and chocolate- this is heaven!

Bite-Size Treats

When you need something sweet, but only want a little taste, say hello to bite-size treats! They’re packed with all the good things and keep for up to a week in the fridge, so grab 1 or 2 of these bites for a quick treat. 

Recipe: Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Bites
Like the cookie minus the baking, and you can eat 3 without feeling guilty. 

Recipe: Chocolate Bites
One bite, and you’ll be hooked on these high fiber bites. Super chocolatey, it’s in between a brownie and cake bite.

Recipe: Pecan Pie Bites
If you’ve never had pecan pie, you owe yourself the favor, and these bites do a number on any sweet/salty cravings. 

Recipe: Pumpkin Pie Bites
Pumpkin spice everything, and these bites are a healthier option to maneuver your way through pumpkin season. 

Recipe: Coconut Brownie Energy Bites
Made with coconut, cocoa powder, raisins, and cashews these are gluten-free and my go-to for a post-workout snack or whenever I need a pick-me-up. 

Homemade Healthy Bars

Drop those pre-packaged bars and brownies and make one of these recipes. They taste like a treat but are made with real ingredients so that you can get your sweet fix without the guilt.

Recipe: Grab the Gold Bars
I used to buy these at the gym, but with a $2 price tag on each bar, I decided the nix the habit and made my own. Several attempts led to a chocolate version of the real thing, and I don’t plan on going back. 

Recipe: No-Bake Chocolate Chip Blondies
If you take anything away from this post, make sure it’s this recipe. It’s practically chocolate chip cookie dough sans the egg so you can enjoy it by the slice, sign me up!

Recipe: Healthy Fudgey Chocolate Brownies
I’ve had this one around forever and for a good reason! These brownies get their extra fudginess from cocoa powder, chopped dark chocolate, and prune pureé. 

Recipe: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bars
Swap the storebought cookie dough bars for this homemade version, and you won’t go back. Made with dates, cashews, vanilla, and chocolate chips, you get much cleaner and cost-effective results. 

Healthy Frozen Treats

Who can live without ice cream, popsicles, and slushies? These recipes bring out the very best of our favorite frozen treats, minus the excessive sugar and artificial flavorings. Check them out: 

Recipe: Mango Freeze Pops
A kid-favorite popsicle made with coconut milk, maple syrup, and mango. They’re always a good idea on a hot day!

Recipe: Pineapple Whip 
This copy-cat version of the famous Dole Whip at Disney is made with only 3-ingredients. The same tropical deliciousness- no wait necessary.

Recipe: Frozen Yogurt Bark
This yogurt bark comes together quickly and makes a great snack when you need to cool off. Swap the cereal for your favorite grain-free or low sugar granola. 

Recipe: Fruit & Yogurt Popsicles 
These frozen pops are made with 3 simple ingredients, and thanks to the Greek yogurt, they make a great source of protein.

Recipe: Homemade Watermelon Slushee
This healthy icee is made with only two ingredients, watermelon and water! It’s a must on hot days when you want something refreshing and sweet. 

Healthy Cookies

Want something soft, chewy, and warm? It sounds like you could use a cookie, and these recipes are a great place to start. They aren’t heavy on the sugar, and most are made with oats instead of flour. In other words, they double as a healthy breakfast AND treat. 

Recipe: 2 Ingredient Magic Cookies
Oats and bananas make up the delicious cookie base. I add chocolate chips, but you can toss in dried cranberries, nuts, chopped chocolate chunks, or all of the above. 

Recipe: Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
One of my favorite recipes from the Best Homemade Lunches on the Planet, these are gluten-free and sweetened with honey- and actually, taste good.

Recipe: Pumpkin Pie Breakfast Cookies
When your pumpkin obsession and cookie cravings merge into one delicious baked treat, you can enjoy as a snack or healthy breakfast. 

Recipe: Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
Cocoa powder is full of antioxidants, and peanut butter is an excellent source of healthy fats and protein. Combine them in an oatmeal cookie recipe, and you have every reason to eat a second.   

Kid-Friendly Healthy Treats

Each of the recipes above was designed and made with kids in mind. When it comes to sweets, I know if my kids won’t eat it, it’s probably not good, which in most cases for healthy, “store-bought” treats.

Making homemade versions gives you the right to change and swap ingredients to your family’s taste. The recipes also yield enough for me to pack into snack boxes so they can take along to school or you can take with you to the office.

Ready to start making the best healthy treats ever? Let’s start with this recipe for homemade pineapple whip.

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