The holiday season has officially begun, which means that there are plenty of tasty desserts in your future. We’re talking pie, cake, and – of course – plenty of cute, holiday-themed cookies. With so many special occasions around the corner, even the strongest of us can struggle to stick to our diets. But just because this time of year tends to be extra delicious does not mean that the holidays have to be a time to overindulge. In fact, healthy alternatives to traditional desserts can be just as delicious as the treats mom used to make.
Here are our three favorite dessert recipes for healthy holidays.
Apple Crumble
Pumpkin isn’t the only star this holiday season. Chances are you’re also indulging in one of fall’s other great treats: crisp, beautiful apples. While it’s easy to convince ourselves that anything with apples is already healthy (and we can’t say we blame you for that), the truth is that traditional apple pies are usually filled with excess sugar, fat, and carbohydrates. We recommend switching out your usual pie for this delicious Apple Coconut Crumble from PopSugar. Bonus: it’s vegan (not that anyone would ever know)!
Whole Wheat Sugar Cookies
If you’re aiming to have healthy holidays, one of the biggest pitfalls is the Christmas cookie. Traditionally, Christmas cookies are snow white, with plenty of butter and delicious colored frosting on top. But healthy holidays don’t have to be cookie-less. Swap out your sugar cookie recipe for this one from Health Magazine. It calls for whole wheat flour in place of traditional leached flour. They’re just as cute as their pale counterparts, but with only 126 calories per serving. We’re sure Santa Claus won’t mind if you leave these out for him, too! Maybe with a big glass of skim milk?
Banana-Bran Muffins
Healthy holidays don’t have to mean dry, boring desserts. These banana-bran muffins from Eating Well have a 5 star rating. They are moist and super flavorful, which makes the a healthy holiday win. Plus, they are incredibly easy to prepare and take just an hour from start to finish.