easy desserts Archives - Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Sugar cookie is one cookie that I get along with. It’s my kinda pairing. …Maybe yours too?

And with strawberry (or any berry), that’s berry good! 🍓 Like this plate of cookies is made low-sugar, gluten-free… and tasty good. Recipe below 👇

How this low-sugar sugar cookie recipe is different and can be cookie controversial is that there is no white sugar (or sugar crystal substitutes like Stevia that alters tastes).

With an optional light strawberry chocolate glaze at the end, you can keep this naturally low-sugar without missing a sugar beat! 🎉

Think of the strawberry seeds as sugar seeds 😊 And the gluten-free cookie crumbly bits falling off as sugar bits to please your sweet cravings.

This is a cookie challenge because with sugar in the name, NO table sugar doesn’t make sense… but if you’re like me, you’re up for the low-sugar challenge for your healthy body!

It’s a good balance FOR sweet taste buds with a healthy mix so there’s NO compromise.

And this is an EASY challenge because there are only 3 wholesome ingredients needed for this one-bowl sugar cookie to come together.

But it was not easy to come up with this on my end…

This was a journey… because I remember the crunchy hard sugar cookie vividly with sugar crystals on top shaped in dainty flowers with a whole in the middle that I once happily dreamed about. 🧒🏻

I had a sweet relationship with sugar.

…Never in my wildest dreams did I think making and eating my own cookies would be a typical Day in the Life that I’m happy about.

…And I never thought I’d graduate to making my own sugar cookie… without sugar crystals.

Maybe you get it because you too ate spoonfuls of sugar (and enjoyed every sugary food thing out there) like those of us who have a sweet tooth (or a full set of sweet teeth 😊)?

Thankfully for us who also aspire to healthy… the less sugar we eat, the less we crave and the fewer sweet taste buds as we get older.

That helps us align happy and healthy living.

Happy living is good for mental health.

And so if you want to add a glaze top to cookies and desserts, you can balance the healthy and happy ways (…and that’s what pleases my healthy and ex-catering self 😊).

Here on this plate I use a melted chocolate. I chose strawberry chocolate, but white or dark chocolate would work great too.

But in reality, most people use powdered sugar with a flavored liquid for a quick sweet glaze.

And that’s where sugar amounts can be over the top (in more ways than one!). ☹️

Because powdered sugar glazes are using another form of potent table sugar and even more white sugar, that’s not good and can tip the scales.

…AND you need a-lottta powdered sugar to make very little glaze. About 1-3/4 cup of powdered sugar is needed to replace 1 cup of granulated sugar… UGH!

So finding healthier ways like melting real chocolate is a smart and sweet tasty idea…

And you can happily smear the melted chocolate glaze on tops as you anticipate your cookie plate.

That’s one glaze that will go far! A mere 2 oz. of chocolate with a teaspoon of coconut oil will give the shine and get the job done for half-a-dozen cookies.

…You can make this no-guilt, low-sugar cookie batch in minutes when you get the sweet hankering!

Comment below whatcha think 💕

Sugar Cookie - Low Sugar

This is a beautiful cookie with ingredient pairing with no white sugar.

Ingredients

1/2 cup almond flour
1 tbsp honey, raw
1 tbsp refined coconut oil

Instructions

Combine ingredients.
Bake at 300°F for about 15 minutes or until cookie tops are baked (not soft).

Holiday time reminds me of comforting pumpkin that matches the fiery orange leaves of the season.

A couple pumpkin holiday easy desserts you can make are below…

These days, our culture is rediscovering pumpkin pie from the lens of healthy foods. And maybe you have an extra can of pumpkin in your pantry ready to be used?

Pumpkin pie is one of the healthiest desserts on the planet with antioxidants (Vitamins A and C) minus the buttery pie shell that you can easily turn into a pretty trifle.

Trifles are easy desserts to make with as little as 3 ingredients in one bowl.

Like this trifle parfait, where all you need is a can of pumpkin, Greek yogurt, and ricotta for starters!

…A parfait is btw my favorite sweet for year-round brunch (all day) because it has probiotics and protein.

And well, it’s kinda exciting! Like jumping into the pool… except your spoon is coming out full of tasty filling goodness onto your plate. 🍽️

Assembling a parfait trifle like this requires no baking skills.

But if you want to add a baked egg-filled sponge cake, that’ll make it super delicious and even more worth sharing.

Like a family style and sized one to share.

I worked in event planning in Mediterranean cuisine (Spanish, Italian, and Lebanese) restaurants where family-style sharing plates were always part of the dining experience, so that’s always on my mind. 💭

It even makes a pumpkin smile.

To make the trifle: bake your sponge cake (or you can use light tea cookies of your choice).

You can dip in coffee (like you would for tiramisu lady fingers) if you like, and leave overnight in the fridge so the flavors soak in.

This gives a nice brunch vibe.

Then when assembling, layer the canned pumpkin that you can douse with cinnamon and allspice for fall tasting vibes.

Add a layer of ricotta or mascarpone cheese (that’s more healthy than most cream cheeses).

Then add another layer of the canned pumpkin.

Add more sponge cake and melted chocolate for some dramatic color and taste.

Then top off with Greek yogurt… and make a fun swirly design with a knife. Dust with cocoa if you like!

And that’s it!… then you’re ready to share!

And if a trifle doesn’t excite you…

Another great dessert is a ricotta scone you can put together in one bowl with as little as 3 ingredients.

Add ricotta, a small amount of flour (about 2 parts ricotta to 1 part flour) and 1 egg for healthy. You can always add more flour for a more traditional scone.

Add any fruits, zest, and/or spices you would like. I added banana and dried cranberries (craisins) and cinnamon.

Form into a circle. The thickness will remain the same.

Cut or score the circle before you bake so there are less crumbs after you bake and cut.

Oh, and if you want a more traditional crumbly scone (that’s expected for your afternoon tea 🫖… and if you’re watching The Great British Baking Show)…ah, and is still healthy, you can try a low-sugar orange scone.

That was a mouthful… and you can get your sweet mouth-filled in minutes after you bake.

Bake on 350°F for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. And voila!

And finally… even easier for easy desserts, you can always make a chocolate pumpkin mousse that you don’t need to share! 😊

Category: easy desserts

Easy Desserts – Pumpkin Healthy For Holidays