When you’re living with diabetes, it’s essential to keep track of how much sugar you eat. In many cases, people interpret this to mean that they can never have dessert again. According to the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), however, that doesn’t have to be true. You can enjoy desserts occasionally if you know what to do. If you’d like to have a small dessert at the end of the day, you should cut back on the carbs you eat during the day. It’s also good to keep the dessert portions small so they don’t have a significant impact on your blood sugar levels. Finally, modifying recipes is an excellent way to make the desserts you like without having too much sugar. Using substitutes such as blended fruits can reduce the effect on your blood sugar. Certain flavorings can also give the impression of sweetness, though they have no sugar content.
10 Diabetes-Friendly Recipes You’ll Love
1. Strawberry Chocolate Yogurt Bark
Servings: 22
Ingredients
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- 3 cups whole-milk plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup or honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups sliced strawberries
- ¼ cup mini chocolate chips
Method:
- Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Stir yogurt, maple syrup (or honey), and vanilla in a medium bowl. Spread on the prepared baking sheet into a 10-by-15-inch rectangle. Scatter the strawberries on top and sprinkle with chocolate chips.
- Freeze until very firm, at least 3 hours. To serve, cut or break into 32 pieces.
2. Chocolate Cookies
Servings: 16
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Ingredients
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 2 large egg whites
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup bittersweet chocolate chips or chunks, chopped
Method:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Coat the paper with cooking spray.
- Combine confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat egg whites in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add vanilla. Fold in the cocoa powder mixture with a rubber spatula until combined. Fold in chocolate chips (or chunks).
- Drop the batter by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie. Bake, one sheet at a time, until the cookies are just beginning to crack on top, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool slightly in the pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
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3. Crustless Pumpkin Pie
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
- ⅓ cup sugar or sugar substitute
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ½ cup refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¾ cup evaporated fat-free milk
Cranberry-Orange Almond Crunch:
- ½ cup lightly sweetened toasted oat bran cereal flakes with oat clusters
- ⅓ cup coarsely chopped almonds, toasted
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- ½ teaspoon finely shredded orange peel
Ginger-Chocolate Crunch:
- 8 gingersnaps, broken
- 2 ounces dark or bittersweet chocolate (60 to 70% cacao), chopped
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped crystallized ginger
Maple-Apple Pecan Crunch:
- 2 Gala or Jonathan apples (or 2 ripe pears)
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
Method:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8-inch springform pan. In a medium bowl, combine pumpkin, sugar, honey, and pie spice. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat lightly just until combined. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Pour into prepared pan and place on a foil-lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until center appears set when gently shaken. Cool for 1 hour on a wire rack. Cover with foil and chill for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours before serving.
- To serve, loosen pie from sides of pan by running a thin metal spatula around the edge. Remove sides of pan. Cut pie into wedges to serve.
- Cranberry-Orange Almond Crunch: In a small bowl, combine lightly sweetened toasted oat bran cereal flakes with oat clusters (Smart Start®); coarsely chopped almonds, toasted; dried cranberries; and finely shredded orange peel. (This makes a great snack mix or breakfast cereal: make extra of the mixture and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks.)
- Ginger-Chocolate Crunch: Top chilled pumpkin mixture with 8 gingersnaps, broken. Then top evenly with 2 ounces dark or bittersweet chocolate (60 to 70% cacao), chopped, and 2 teaspoons finely chopped crystallized ginger.
- Maple-Apple Pecan Crunch: Core, quarter, and thinly slice Gala or Jonathan apples or ripe pears. In a large skillet, cook apples and pears, covered, in water over medium heat for 5 minutes or just until softened and pliable but not mushy. Drain off liquid. Arrange apple or pear slices atop pumpkin when directed in step 3. Sprinkle with coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted, and drizzle with pure maple syrup.
4. Strawberry Ice Cream
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh strawberries
- 2 medium bananas
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup ice-cold water, as needed
Method:
- Hull and coarsely chop strawberries. Peel and coarsely chop bananas. Spread the strawberries and bananas on separate sides of one baking sheet or on two sheets. Freeze until solid, at least 12 hours.
- Let the strawberries thaw at room temperature for 15 minutes. Transfer to a food processor; pulse until finely chopped, about 10 pulses. Add the frozen bananas and lemon juice; process until smooth, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, adding up to 1/4 cup cold water if needed to achieve desired consistency, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Serve immediately or, for a firmer texture, transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 30 minutes.
5. Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Servings: 15
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup smooth natural peanut butter
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup semisweet chocolate chips
Method:
- Position rack in middle of oven; preheat to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk egg and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in peanut butter, brown sugar and chocolate chips until combined. Place slightly rounded tablespoons of dough about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Use a fork to flatten each cookie to a 1 3/4-inch diameter by gently pressing in a crisscross pattern. Bake the cookies one sheet at a time until just set, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes. Repeat with the remaining cookies.
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6. Vegan Oatmeal Cookies
Servings: 12
Ingredients
- 1 cup quick-cooking oats
- ¾ cup almond flour or almond meal
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 medium ripe bananas, mashed
- ½ cup almond butter or natural peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup raisins or chopped dates
Method:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Whisk oats, almond flour (or almond meal), cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Mash bananas, almond butter (or peanut butter), and vanilla together in a large bowl until creamy and well combined. Add the dry ingredients and raisins (or dates) to the banana mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until combined. Scoop or roll level tablespoons of dough into balls and place on the prepared baking sheet, making 12 cookies per batch. Press with a fork to flatten slightly.
- Bake until firm to the touch and light brown on the bottom, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining batter.
7. Apple Crisps
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 5 cups sliced peeled baking apples
- 6 tablespoons brown sugar, divided
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ¾ teaspoon apple pie spice, divided
- ¼ teaspoon plus a pinch of salt, divided
- ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Method:
- Preheat oven to 375℉. Combine 5 cups apples, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon flour, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, ½ teaspoon apple pie spice, and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Transfer to a 2-quart square baking dish.
- Combine ½ cup oats and the remaining ¼ cup brown sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, ¼ teaspoon apple pie spice, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Cut in 4 tablespoons butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the topping over the filling.
- Bake until the apples are tender and the topping is golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Serve warm.
8. Meringues
Servings: 80
Ingredients
- 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Method:
- Separate one egg at a time into a small bowl, letting the white fall into the bowl and discarding the yolk. If there’s any trace of yolk in the white, discard the white and start over. If it’s yolk-free, transfer to a clean medium mixing bowl. Repeat with the remaining 2 eggs.
- Add cream of tartar to the whites and beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Slowly add sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time, until all the sugar has been added. Continue beating until the whites are stiff and glossy. Add vanilla and beat for 30 seconds more.
- Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 200 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Place a small amount of the meringue under each corner of the paper to secure it to the pan. Fill a 1-quart sealable plastic bag (or pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip) with the meringue. Seal the bag almost completely, leaving a small opening for air to escape from the top as you squeeze. Snip off one corner of the bag with scissors, making a 3/4-inch-wide opening. Fold the top of the bag over a few times, then gently push the meringue down to the snipped corner. Working with the bag perpendicular to the baking sheet, pipe the meringue into 1 1/2-inch-diameter cookies, spacing them about 1/2 inch apart.
- Bake the cookies until dry and crisp throughout, about 1 1/2 hours. Transfer the pans to wire racks and let the cookies cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
9. Chocolate Fudge Pudding Cake
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- ½ cup whole-wheat pastry flour
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup sugar or 3 tablespoons Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup 1% milk
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola or avocado
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips (optional)
- 1 ⅓ cups hot brewed coffee
- ⅔ cup packed light brown sugar, or Splenda Granular
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts, or pecans, toasted
- Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Method:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 1 1/2- to 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray. Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar (or Splenda Sugar Blend), cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk egg, milk, oil, and vanilla in a glass measuring cup.
- Add to the flour mixture; stir with a rubber spatula until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips, if using. Scrape the batter into the prepared baking dish. Mix hot coffee and brown sugar (or Splenda Granular) in the measuring cup and pour over the batter. Sprinkle with nuts. (It may look strange at this point, but don’t worry. During baking, cake forms on top with sauce underneath.)
- Bake the pudding cake until the top springs back when touched lightly, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool for at least 10 minutes. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve hot or warm.
10. Gingerbread Tea Cake
Servings: 35
Ingredients
- 2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ cup neutral oil, such as canola or avocado
- ¼ cup granulated sugar or sugar substitute blend equivalent to ¼ cup sugar
- 1 ¼ cups cold water
- ⅔ cup full-flavor molasses
- ½ cup refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed, or 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
- Fresh raspberries for garnish
Method:
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly coat a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and cloves; set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together oil and sugar until combined. Add the cold water, molasses, and eggs; whisk until combined. Add the reserved flour mixture all at once to the water mixture, whisking just until smooth. Pour into prepared pan.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack. Sift confectioners’ sugar over the top and garnish with raspberries, if desired.
