It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Lights are twinkling everywhere you look, and joy is in the air. For many of us, the holiday season is a special time where we can gather together with friends and loved ones to celebrate life’s blessings. But along with those happy moments comes the stressful reality of event planning, which often includes bringing a dessert to share.
While some might opt to pick up a cake or cookies at the nearest grocery store, many enjoy baking treats at home. However, for those who wish to be cautious about sugar consumption at a time when it is available in excess, finding tasty yet healthy recipes can be difficult.
At Solidarity HealthShare, we understand how hard it can be eat well – especially during the holidays, and are committed to ensuring our Members have access to the resources they need in order to maintain healthy lifestyles. To that end, we’ve put together a list of recipes for some of our favorite healthier holiday desserts – we hope you enjoy them as much as we do!
1. Peanut Butter Balls
Finding time to bake during the bustle of the holiday season can be tricky. If you’re looking for a delicious yet simple dessert to make, this no-bake recipe is an excellent choice! Made with less than 10 ingredients, these creamy peanut butter balls are gluten free and include a tasty chocolate drizzle on top. The only issue you may have with this recipe is the possibility that you’ll love it so much, you’ll want to make an extra batch just for yourself!
2. Gingerbread Muffins
If there’s one flavor that’s synonymous with the Christmas season, it’s gingerbread. This time of year, gingerbread can be found nearly everywhere, whether in teas, candles, lotions… you name it! But where gingerbread shines the brightest is in baked goods, as these gingerbread muffins prove. Perfect for any party, they are topped with a delicious cream cheese frosting, (which can also be made vegan-friendly), and are sure to be a hit wherever you go!
3. Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake
Yes, you are reading that correctly! We’ve included this scrumptious cheesecake in our list because with a few ingredient substitutions, it can be a healthier recipe without sacrificing any of its flavor. To lower the calorie count of this dessert, the filling is made with 1% cottage cheese, and cocoa powder is added to give it a robust chocolate flavor. If you’re looking for a sweet treat to satisfy everyone’s taste buds, look no further!
4. Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroons
Looking for a new delicious gluten-free recipe? We are in love with these chocolate-dipped coconut macaroons! This recipe uses 70% dark chocolate and kosher salt, and takes less than an hour to make. While it’s unlikely you’ll have any left after Christmas, these macaroons freeze really well, so you can save any extras for your New Year’s party!
5. Allergy-Friendly Brownie Christmas Trees
Are you looking for a fun baking project for kids? We found this sweet recipe that is not only gluten free, but also omits nine ingredients that are common food allergy irritants. And the best part? Kids can help decorate the trees, adding their own holiday flair to each brownie!
Wherever this holiday season takes you, we hope that it finds you with loved ones. At Solidarity HealthShare, we want to help people live their best possible lives. If you’re looking to learn more about how our programs can do that, give our Member Care team a call at 737-SHARING.
