Fun fact: there are a lot of people with serious sweet tooths in the bulldog community. Don’t let our yoga obsession fool you — we’re pretty much just as into chocolate and ice cream and other sweet treats as we are into hitting our mats. We do like to keep things as balanced as possible, though, so if we can get our dessert fix in a healthier package, we’re all for it… especially if we don’t have to sacrifice on taste.

Now that you know this about us, you probably won’t be surprised to find out that healthy desserts are a prettttty big deal around here. 

When it comes to living a healthy lifestyle, we like to think that moderation is the most important thing, which means we don’t hesitate to indulge in our favorite treats. After all, if we’re feeling especially low-energy or draggy for any reason, we can always get back on track with a butt-busting workout or cardio session. Still, it never hurts to get ahead of those low-energy, draggy feelings… and having some foolproof healthy dessert recipes up your sleeve is one way to do that. Some healthy desserts even offer health benefits! Who knew?

Once again, we have our in-house nutrition pro Haley Halteman here to share her expertise. Haley is a Boulder-based class leader and a certified nutrition therapy practitioner, so she knows her stuff. Plus, she’s tried her hand at plenty of healthy desserts — and she was kind enough to take us on a tour through her healthy dessert Pinterest board and share some highlights.

Read on for some especially awesome, mouth-watering healthy dessert recipes. Bon appétit!

Cookies + Cookie Dough

Chickpea Cookie Dough (POPSUGAR) 

Honestly… is there anything more delicious (or more deliciously off-limits) than eating raw cookie dough? This recipe allows you to enjoy the indulgence guilt-free — and without the fear of salmonella! — thanks to a secret ingredient: chickpeas. It might sound crazy, but Haley has made this healthy dessert herself and can vouch for the magical combination of chickpeas and “cookie dough.” Plus, Healthline notes the many health benefits of chickpeas, which are chock full of nutrients and a great source of protein. Sounds like a win-win to us!

3 Ingredient Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (Gemma’s Bigger Bolder Baking)

YUP. Believe it or not, this healthy dessert recipe really does require just three ingredients. This definitely makes them easier to bake, but it also makes them a cleaner option to eat! Chocolate chips, quick oats, two large bananas, and 20 minutes of baking time… that’s really all it takes to whip these up.

Healthy Pumpkin Cookie Dough (The Big Man’s World)

If you’ve never added pumpkin to your cookies, you may want to start — and not only because it’s yummy. According to Medical News Today, regularly incorporating pumpkin into your diet has been proven to reduce the risk of cancer, delay age-related vision issues, and protect against heart disease and asthma, among other things. Oh, and did we mention that it can also be delicious in a healthy dessert? Haley is a big fan of adding pumpkin to cookie recipes like this one. It’s practically a breakfast cookie.

Brownies

Healthy 3 Ingredient Flourless Pumpkin Brownies (The Big Man’s World)

Remember all of the health benefits of pumpkin that we just mentioned? If you’re a fan of brownies, you can reap those benefits — and get an amazing sweet tooth fix — with this healthy dessert. Bonus points for a short ingredient list (again, just three items needed!) and simple instructions.

Dark Chocolate Raspberry Walnut Brownies (Wholesomelicious) 

Put raspberry and chocolate together and you’ve got one of the ultimate dynamic duos of the dessert world. That’s true even in the healthy dessert world! The finished product of this healthy dessert recipe is a pan of gluten-free and paleo brownies that will definitely be in high demand among your loved ones.

Ultimate Unbaked Brownies (Chocolate Covered Katie)

The only thing better than eating cookie dough is eating brownie batter… especially when that brownie batter can be considered a healthy dessert. This recipe incorporates clean ingredients like pure maple syrup, walnuts, pitted dates, coconut oil, and cocoa powder. And don’t forget that chocolate itself has its own set of health benefits.

Ice Cream + Ice Cream Lookalikes

Blended Frozen Bananas “Ice Cream” 

Bulldoggers, meet one of Haley’s favorite tried and true healthy dessert recipes. All you have to do to sample it for yourself is mix frozen bananas and cocoa powder in your blender! It’s the ideal blend of fruity and chocolate flavor and you can use it to make the ultimate (healthy) sundae.

Healthy No Churn Brownie Batter Ice Cream (The Big Man’s World)

We said before that the only thing better than eating cookie dough is eating brownie batter… but we might stand corrected, because brownie batter ice cream sounds pretty darn good. This healthy dessert recipe is a dreamy hybrid of two already delicious desserts, and because it’s made with dark cocoa powder, pure maple syrup, and coconut cream, you can feel really good eating it. Toss in your favorite brownie mix-ins and enjoy!

Avocado Ice Cream

Consider this a plug for the brands of avocado ice cream that have recently been cropping up at local supermarkets. Haley says avocado ice cream is her “go-to healthy dessert for a chocolate fix,” which seems like a serious endorsement to us! You can even skip the DIY with this one.

Paleo-Friendly Healthy Desserts

Paleo Edible Cookie Dough (Paleo Running Momma)

Who says that desserts are off-limits if you’re following the paleo diet? Not us — and, more importantly, not Haley, who recommends this healthy dessert recipe for the cookie dough fiends out there. Per the Mayo Clinic, sticking to a paleo regimen can improve blood pressure and glucose tolerance, while also supporting appetite management and weight loss. But you won’t be thinking about that when you’re eating this healthy cookie dough straight from the bowl!

Paleo Brownies (All Natural Ideas) 

The recipe for this particular healthy dessert is just a little more complicated than some of the others Haley recommends, but if you’re up for a bit of a project, it will be well worth it (especially if you’re a chocolate lover!). This recipe calls for paleo chocolate, so rest assured these brownies will fit into your paleo regimen.

Raw Chocolate Cashew Tart (Paleohacks)

Never baked a tart before? No worries — we haven’t either… and this healthy dessert recipe is making us feel like we might actually be able to pull it off! Paleo-friendly and packed with nutrient-rich cashews, this dessert will taste delicious and seriously impress your friends and family.

Paleo Almond Butter Chocolate Fudge (Paleo Running Momma)

If you thought special treats like fudge were off-limits to you because you eat paleo, you are so wrong. This healthy dessert recipe calls for clean ingredient like raw honey, almond butter, and coconut oil, plus plenty of chocolate chips (duh).

Enjoy, bulldoggers!

Ready to work up a healthy appetite for these treats? Check out our studio schedules! (Villanova | Boulder | Malvern)

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Featured image: Erol Ahmed/Unsplash ; Cookie dough image: Pam Menegakis/Unsplash; Brownie image: Michelle Tsang/Unsplash; Ice cream image: Mark Cruz/Unsplash; Brownie image: Alison Marras/Unsplash