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18 Low-Sugar Desserts That Won’t Destroy Your Diet

By Sarah Stiefvater

| Feb. 15, 2022

Additional reporting by Taryn Pire

We’ve been told time and time again that we eat too much sugar. But, like, it’s so good, you know? Luckily, just because you’re trying to cut back on the sweet stuff doesn’t mean you have to entirely give up delicious treats. To prove it, allow us to present these 18 mouthwatering low-sugar desserts that will satisfy your cravings for chocolate, cheesecake, cobbler and more.

RELATED: 20 Easy Plant-Based Dessert Recipes

Henry Hargreaves/Avocaderia

1. Avocado Chocolate Mousse (12 grams sugar)

Total Cook Time: 25 minutes
Why We Love It: Easy, less than 10 ingredients, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan

From the world’s first avocado bar, Avocaderia. This is the first dessert the Brooklyn eatery ever served. Decadent, smooth and intense, the treat is packed with protein and will keep in a resealable container in the fridge for two days.

Half Baked Harvest

2. 6-Ingredient, No-Bake Chocolate Chip Cookies (12 grams sugar)

Total Cook Time: 20 minutes
Why We Love It: Easy, no-bake, less than 10 ingredients, gluten-free

Yep, you read that correctly—and they're so easy to pull off. These plant-based, gluten-free chocolate chip cookies have just six ingredients, the main ones being salted cashews and Medjool dates.

Wholesome Yum

3. Low-Carb Cheesecake (2 grams sugar)

Total Cook Time: 1 hour and 10 minutes
Why We Love It: Easy, less than 10 ingredients, gluten-free, low-carb, keto-friendly

Complete with raspberry sauce. The secret to its low-sugar numbers is granular or powdered erythritol in the almond flour crust and cheesecake filling instead of the real stuff.

4. Sugar-Free Blackberry Cobbler (3 grams sugar)

Total Cook Time: 35 minutes
Why We Love It: Easy, gluten-free, dairy-free, low-carb, keto-friendly

Low-carb and keto dieters, this one's for you. Traditional cobblers typically call for a ton of sugar and cornstarch as a thickening agent. This take on the tasty treat uses a zero-calorie monk fruit allulose blend as a sweetener and—wait for it—grass-fed gelatin, which boosts the dessert's protein content.

Cupcake Project

5. Paleo Carrot Cake (9 grams sugar)

Total Cook Time: 50 minutes
Why We Love It: Easy, gluten-free, dairy-free, Paleo-friendly

Made with almond flour, sweetened with maple syrup and dates and frosted with whipped coconut cream, this healthier take on carrot cake is low in sugar and rich in protein and fiber. Oh, and it tastes damn delicious.

6. Keto Peanut Butter Fudge (1 gram sugar)

Total Cook Time: 2 hours and 15 minutes
Why We Love It: Easy, less than 10 ingredients, gluten-free, low-carb, keto-friendly

How does dessert with a side of protein sound? Cream cheese, peanut butter and whey protein unite to create this decadent treat that's delicious enough to give as a gift.

Minimalist Baker

7. Refined Sugar-Free Turtle Brownies (13 grams sugar)

Total Cook Time: 1 hour
Why We Love It: Easy, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, Insta-worthy

Flaxseed meal takes over for eggs to bind the brownies and keep them vegan. Maple syrup and coconut sugar keep things just sweet enough, but the real treat is the date caramel on top.

Food Faith Fitness

8. Low-Carb Lemon Bars (1 gram sugar)

Total Cook Time: 1 hour and 25 minutes
Why We Love It: Easy, less than 10 ingredients, gluten-free, dairy-free, low-carb, keto-friendly

Fresh lemon juice is the key to making these citrus bars taste like their sugary predecessors. The coconut flour crust adds a nice touch of tropical flavor to boot.

Life Made Sweeter

9. Gluten-Free Apple Crisp (12 grams sugar)

Total Cook Time: 45 minutes
Why We Love It: Easy, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, Paleo-friendly, Insta-worthy

In case you needed a good excuse to treat yourself to a set of teeny-tiny cocottes. Might we suggest finishing each crisp with a scoop of sugar-free vanilla ice cream?

Life Made Sweeter

10. Keto Pumpkin Doughnuts (0 grams sugar)

Total Cook Time: 25 minutes
Why We Love It: Gluten-free, low-carb, keto-friendly, Paleo-friendly, Insta-worthy

A sweet that’s just as delish for breakfast as it is for dessert, these keto pumpkin doughnuts are sweetened with granulated monk fruit instead of real sugar. They’re also grain-free and coated in sugar-free chocolate glaze.

Low Carb Yum

11. Keto Tiramisu (4 grams sugar)

Total Cook Time: 1 hour
Why We Love It: Gluten-free, low-carb, keto-friendly, Insta-worthy

Instead of using store-bought ladyfingers, this masterpiece calls for almond-based cake made with sugar substitutes. The custard still has all the espresso, rum and mascarpone of the O.G.

Life Made Sweeter

12. Vegan Vanilla Ice Cream (1 gram sugar)

Total Cook Time: 3 hours and 15 minutes
Why We Love It: Easy, less than 10 ingredients, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, low-carb, keto-friendly

Vanilla bean paste drives the flavor home, but coconut cream and cashew butter offer a unique nuttiness (and plenty of richness) to this otherwise plain ice cream flavor.

40 Aprons

13. Flourless Chocolate Torte (0 grams sugar)

Total Cook Time: 45 minutes
Why We Love It: Easy, less than 10 ingredients, gluten-free, dairy-free, low-carb, keto-friendly, Paleo-friendly, Insta-worthy

This dinner party-ready gem is only six ingredients away. Top the crowd-pleaser off with whipped coconut cream and fresh berries if you're feeling fancy.

Wholesome Yum

14. Keto Custard (2 grams sugar)

Total Cook Time: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: Less than 10 ingredients, gluten-free, low-carb, keto-friendly, Insta-worthy

Aka low-carb crème brûlée. Finish them with nutmeg and berries or sprinkle each ramekin with zero-calorie sweetener and torch your heart out.

Low Carb Yum

15. Pecan Pie Bars (1 gram sugar)

Total Cook Time: 55 minutes
Why We Love It: Easy, less than 10 ingredients, gluten-free, low-carb, keto-friendly

Bookmark this sticky, Southern-inspired recipe for Thanksgiving—your low-carb relatives will be thrilled.

Minimalist Baker

16. Coconut “Snowball” Cookies (6 grams sugar)

Total Cook Time: 25 minutes
Why We Love It: Easy, less than 10 ingredients, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan

Here are three fun facts about these cute little cookies: They’re made from just seven ingredients (including shredded unsweetened coconut, maple syrup and aquafaba, or chickpea water), they only require one bowl and they take less than 30 minutes to make.

Food Faith Fitness

17. Healthy Greek Yogurt Brownies (8 grams sugar)

Total Cook Time: 35 minutes
Why We Love It: Easy, less than 10 ingredients, gluten-free, Paleo-friendly, Insta-worthy

Thanks to Greek yogurt and eggs, these dark chocolate chunk-studded treats boast 3 grams of protein a pop.

Low Carb Yum

18. Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie (7 grams sugar)

Total Cook Time: 1 hour
Why We Love It: Easy, gluten-free, low-carb, keto-friendly, Insta-worthy

Picture vanilla-cream cheese filling and glazed strawberries, nestled in a flaky, keto-friendly pie crust that will fool even the most advanced sweet tooth.

RELATED: 17-High Protein Desserts That'll Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth

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