If you prefer to indulge in nutrient-dense treats while avoiding refined sugar and artificial sweeteners, this collection of naturally-sweetened desserts is for you. These delicious treats are easy to make and nourishing.
Naturally-Sweetened Desserts
Whether you’re in the mood for cake, cookies, muffins, or donuts, there’s no need to sweeten them with regular white sugar. There are so many delicious, nutrient-dense natural sweeteners which you can choose instead. Dates, maple syrup, coconut sugar, agave nectar, monk fruit, and stevia are a few popular options to use in naturally-sweetened desserts.
Desserts Using Dates as a Natural Sweetener
Dates are loaded with nutrients, fiber, and antioxidants. They have a rich, caramel-like sweetness that is perfect in baked goods such as cakes, cookies, and muffins. Here’s a collection of easy and delicious date sweetened recipes to get you started: Desserts Sweetened With Dates
Desserts Sweetened With Maple Syrup
Maple syrup makes a great sweetener for all sorts of baked goods and other sweet treats. It adds a warm, complex flavor that complements many of the other flavors typically used in baked goods such as vanilla and cocoa powder. Here’s a collection of delicious, maple syrup sweetened baked goods: Desserts Sweetened With Maple Syrup
Desserts Sweetened With Coconut Sugar
Coconut sugar has a rich, neutral sweetness similar to brown sugar but with a stronger caramel flavor. It’s delicious in all sorts of naturally-sweetened desserts like these mouthwatering vegan almond butter cookies. They’re soft, chewy, and delicious.
Or try using coconut sugar in these yummy paleo pumpkin cookies. They’re easy to make and perfect for fall.
Desserts Sweetened With Monk Fruit
Monk fruit is a natural sweetener gaining popularity for its unique properties. It’s a zero calorie, natural alternative to sugar made from a small green gourd native to Southeast Asia. Monk fruit is available as a powder or liquid extract.
These yummy monk fruit cookies are naturally sweetened with liquid monk fruit extract. They’re lower in net carbs than most traditional cookie recipes and have a satisfying, chewy texture and a delicious peanut butter and chocolate flavor.
Sweetening Desserts With Stevia
Stevia offers a low-calorie, low-carb alternative to traditional white sugar. Made from the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana plant, stevia is a natural sweetener that is much sweeter than regular white table sugar, so only a small amount is needed to sweeten desserts. Stevia is available as a liquid extract or in powder form and can be purchased at many grocery stores these days or ordered online.
Using Agave Nectar as a Natural Sweetener
Agave nectar, derived from the agave plant, has gained popularity as a natural sweetener. It has a mild, neutral flavor that works well in a wide variety of desserts. If you have trouble finding agave nectar at your local grocery store then it can be easily purchased online.
Refined sugar-free treats can be just as delicious and easy to make as their traditional counterparts made with regular white sugar. So try one of those naturally-sweetened desserts the next time you’re in the mood for a treat!
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