How to Bake Guilt-Free Desserts

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Baking a sugary dessert for yourself can feel like you’re a kid getting caught taking a cookie from the cookie jar.
 
You shouldn’t have to give up sweets just because you’ve committed to a healthy lifestyle. Everyone loves desserts and you should satisfy your sweet tooth on occasion. It’s easy to indulge in a clean way without feeling guilty. Here are our top five suggestions for baking guilt-free, feel-good desserts.

 

Opt for whole grain flour

Refined white flour is stripped of the most nutritious parts of the grain, leaving you with the remnants of a once-great grain. Whole grain flour, can offer many health benefits and keep your desserts clean. Home-milled flour provides substantially more nutrients than their processed counterparts. Plus, with your Nutrimill grain mill, freshly ground flour is easy to achieve!

 

Ditch the saturated fats

Butter and shortening can make your baked goods feel heavy and have a similar effect on your body. Opt instead for recipes that use unsaturated fats, like canola oil. Or better yet substitute applesauce or greek yogurt for oil. Trade 1/3-1/2 of the butter in a recipe for a heart-healthy alternative, such as coconut oil or olive oil without changing the texture.

 

Utilize fruits

Do you find yourself reaching for chocolate chips and sprinkles in the moment, but regret it later? Replace them with the healthy sugars of fruits. Fresh fruit toppings, preserves and jam for cake fillings, and dried fruit in your cookie batter will give the sweet taste you crave without the processed sugar of confectioneries.

 

Substitute sweetener

Many people equate healthy eating with a no-sugar diet. That will often leave you craving the sweetness you love and eventually caving in. Agave nectar or cane sugar are great natural alternatives.
 
Follow the package instructions when using a sugar substitute like Stevia or Truvia Baking Blend. They’re often sweeter than sugar itself and you won’t need as much as the recipe calls for.

 

Go miniature

Another easy way to enjoy yourself without guilt is to shrink your portions. If you’ve got giant pieces of cake in front of you, you’ll naturally eat more cake, whereas if you make them mini, having a small piece won’t feel nearly as bad. Mini muffins, portioned cookies (use a tablespoon to measure out small, even scoops), and bite-sized bars are just as fun!

Ready to take these healthy dessert-baking tips to the kitchen? Try our gluten-free chocolate zucchini muffins that check all of our clean-eating boxes: uses whole grain flour, oil instead of fattening butter, honey instead of white sugar, and heart-healthy dark chocolate!

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