7 Healthy Thanksgiving Desserts That Still Taste Amazing

After the turkey, green bean casserole, and big scoop of stuffing piles on your plate, you may be tempted to skip the Thanksgiving dessert table. While holiday meals are often filled with indulgence (it’s one meal, after all!), there’s nothing wrong with enjoying healthier versions of your favorites, as long as they still taste amazing. This is especially true when it comes to healthy Thanksgiving desserts.

If typical holiday desserts like cakes, pies, cookies, and puddings leave you feeling bloated, foggy, and zapped of energy, try one of these seven healthy Thanksgiving desserts that taste so amazing, no one will know they’re better for you!

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1. Layered Vegan Pumpkin Dessert

Courtesy of Veggies Don’t Bite

Layers of crumbled cookies and pecans, homemade pumpkin caramel sauce, pumpkin yogurt filling, and whipped cream will have you asking “what pumpkin pie?” Each layer adds a new level of decadence and richness while being completely dairy free and vegan. Whip these up in individual glass dishes to admire the beautiful layers or scoop portions out of a square baking dish.

Try the recipe from Veggies Don’t Bite.

2. Maple Walnut Freezer Fudge

Maple and walnut are the perfect flavors to transition out of fall and into the colder winter months. With a melt-in-your-mouth texture, you won’t be able to get enough of this rich and creamy dessert. While most fudge is loaded with sugar, this recipe packs in protein. Made with cashew butter, walnuts, and collagen powder, this fudge is the perfect dessert to snack on after that turkey trot on Thanksgiving day.

Try our recipe on Clean Plates.

3. Pear Cranberry Crisp

Courtesy of Cookie + Kate

This fruit-filled simple and gluten-free dessert is packed with fresh pears and cranberries, sprinkled with a sweet oat crumble topping, and baked to pure pear perfection. With almost half a cup of fruit, each serving of this dessert has over 6 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein! Skip the dense pastry pies and load up on this delicious and healthy crumble for your Thanksgiving dessert.

Try the recipe from Cookie + Kate.

4. Pecan Pie Bars

Courtesy of Ambitious Kitchen

Pecan pie is sticky, sweet, and oh-so-rich, but all of that sugar can leave you feeling zapped of energy and not your best. These pecan pie bars are naturally sweetened with maple syrup and coconut sugar, loaded with healthy fats from pecans and almond flour, and free from dairy, gluten, and grains. They taste like the real deal, only healthier. Each bar has just 16 grams of carbohydrates and 2 grams of fiber, but all the flavor and sticky sweetness you love in pecan pie.

Try the recipe from Ambitious Kitchen.

5. Caramel Apple Sorbet

With only three ingredients, this caramel apple sorbet couldn’t be easier to whip up for a Thanksgiving treat. A simple syrup made from coconut sugar is mixed with cooked and blended apples, then frozen for a perfect fall, sweet apple treat. Serve this sorbet for a refreshing and light alternative to traditional heavy Thanksgiving desserts.

Try our recipe on Clean Plates.

6. Hot Apple Crumble Bars

Courtesy of Chocolate Covered Kate

Skip the apple pie this year and serve up a platter of these hot apple crumble bars. The crust is perfectly moist and made with whole wheat pastry flour for maximum fiber, vitamins, and minerals. With a small amount of coconut sugar, plenty of fresh apples, and vegan butter, this vegan Thanksgiving dessert is sure to impress everyone at the table.

Try the recipe from Chocolate Covered Katie.

7. Pumpkin Spice Pudding

Shutterstock

If food allergies or intolerances are a concern at your Thanksgiving dinner, this pumpkin spice pudding will make everyone happy. Free from gluten, eggs, dairy, peanuts, and soy, this healthy dessert will be safe for everyone at the table. But don’t worry, no one will notice it’s missing a thing. It’s creamy, sweet, spicy, and full of the fall pumpkin flavor everyone loves!

Try our recipe on Clean Plates.

Read next: 10 Vegetarian Thanksgiving Recipes If You’re Not Serving Turkey