Desserts

Save the best for last with our delicious desserts! Not only are they sweet, creamy, and crunchy, but many of them are low in fat and calories. Enjoy the tastes of chocolate, vanilla, and berries in our cakes and pies. You’ll want to eat our desserts before dinner is over.

Pumpkin Mousse with Granola

You would never guess a dessert as creamy and delicious as this pumpkin mousse recipe could be healthy and low in calories! Just mix the mousse ingredients together and sprinkle the homemade granola on top.

Cinnamon Apple Saute

This recipe is perfect for fall when there are so many different types of apples to choose from. Sautéed in apple butter and mixed with cinnamon—what's not to like about this dessert?

Kheer (Rice Pudding)

This Kheer recipe is an Indian dessert that is especially made on auspicious days. It is a rice pudding, which is a traditional South Asian sweet dish. The dessert can be flavored or garnished with raisins, crushed almonds or cashews.

Submitted by: Manisha Yadav, M.D., Cleveland Clinic Center for Specialized Women's Health

Blonde Brownies

This is our go-to holiday bar cookie for Valentine’s Day or any holiday by using holiday themed chocolate coated candies. Enjoy more recipes from Holly Clegg’s cookbook, trim&TERRIFIC Kitchen 101: Secrets to Cooking Confidence.

New York Style Cheesecake, Light

As we strive to reduce our risk for heart disease (and our waistlines), we often forego some of our most beloved foods, like dessert! While this is a good strategy to follow most of the time (there are a lot of calories in dessert you know!), there is no need to exclude desserts entirely from your life. In fact, rich, decadent desserts can fit into a heart-healthy eating plan, especially when a little culinary know-how and portion control is adopted.

This cheesecake would be delicious set on a pool of raspberry coulis and topped with some fresh berries and a mint sprig. You may also choose to use low fat graham crackers in the crust.

King Cake with Cream Cheese Cinnamon Filling

Now, you can make a quick King Cake recipe in your own home any time, without worrying about a complicated yeast dough. Kids love helping with this cake year round—try red and pink colors for Valentine’s Day, pastels for Easter, and red and green for Christmas! Recipe provided by Holly Clegg, author of Too Hot in the Kitchen: Secrets To Sizzle At Any Age.

Dark Chocolate and Cherry Brownies

This recipe is perfect for Valentine's Day and will fulfill all your chocolate cravings with heart-healthy ingredients.

Chocolate Truffles Dipped in White Chocolate

Chocolate sandwich cookies and reduced-fat cream cheese come together to make an appetizing combination. Sprinkle in white chocolate chips for that extra burst of flavor. Close your eyes for this bite of ecstasy — it takes only three ingredients. Make ahead of time and enjoy this rich and satisfying treat!

Pear Tart with Chocolate Shavings

Fruit tarts are very easy to make and can vary as the seasons change. Mix in your favorite fruits to make different tarts year round! The whole wheat crust adds a crunchy texture and extra fiber to any fruit tart. An addition of chocolate is just what it needs. Get your daily servings of fresh fruit by eating these yummy snacks.

Frozen Fruit Pops

Actually little more than a frozen puree of tropical fruit, these pops never fail to satisfy a sweet tooth and quench your thirst.

Yogurt Parfait

Yogurt Parfait is a healthier alternative to ice cream, but without sacrificing that delicious taste. You can add a variety of flavors to the parfait, too. Include vanilla, lemon, peach, or berry yogurt and top it off with your favorite cereal. The combinations are endless! Make sure you’re using low-fat or non-fat yogurt if you want to enjoy the healthy taste of it. Why head to the soda shoppe when you can make your own tasty treat at home?

Grandma’s Blueberry Cobbler

This is a healthy remake of a classic favorite. Many family recipes can be updated with some healthy substitutions and a watchful eye on portions! Keep in mind healthy substitutions when baking — non-fat milk, egg whites, and applesauce in place of oil...you'll be amazed at the results!

Almost Like Mom’s Apple Pie

Make this, and you'll be the apple of someone's eye. Combine cinnamon and nutmeg together to give this apple pie some bite. Try different types of apples to change the flavor of the filling. It’s a reduced-calorie "sweetie pie" of a recipe.

Angel Food Cake with Raspberry Sauce

This homemade angel food cake has straight-from-the-oven taste and warmth. Fresh raspberries top this wonderful cake and sticky raspberry sauce runs down the side. Your guests will think you're an angel if you serve this cake! Or bake it tonight and make an ordinary dinner with the family heavenly!

Apple Crisp

Warm apple crisps are a great pick-me-up on a cold fall day. Become the talk of your family and friends by serving some hot apple crisps, either by themselves or with a side of ice cream. You can make this delicious apple crisp with any of your favorite fruits. The recipe stays the same, but the taste is limited only by your imagination.

Berry Parfaits

Treat yourself to this refreshing berry parfait recipe.

Chocolate Mint Cake

Chocolate and mint go together wonderfully in this wonderful cake. This is a featured favorite from Canyon Ranch Health Resorts, which provides recipes for our quarterly newsletter. It's sure to please your loved ones, and is a terrific dessert for any occasion that calls for chocolate!

Decadent Chocolate Soufflé

Soufflés sound intimidating, but in reality they are easy to prepare, and, wonder of wonders, you can have everything ready to put together before the guests arrive. From that point, the soufflés will be on the table in 15 minutes.

French Vanilla Cheesecake

Since your birthday only comes once a year, indulge yourself and your soul with this amazing cheesecake. With ingredients such as non-fat cottage cheese and light cream cheese, you can stay focused on your special day. This cheesecake is simple to make but still has loads of wonderful flavoring. Topped with cherries, this dessert is definitely something to celebrate!

Grandma’s Horns

Grandma’s Horns are similar to croissants, covered in a sticky sweet powdered sugar frosting. Almond paste filling makes these Horns gooey and distinctive on your tongue. Grandma would certainly approve of you making her special recipe for the rest of the family. You might consider making a "Family Favorite Recipe Book" for a holiday gift, so everyone can share in Grandma’s cooking!

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

These oatmeal cookies are a healthier option for an after-school snack! They’re low in calories, but high in flavor. Kids will love the smell of cookies warming on the baking pan as they step inside after a long day of school. These oatmeal raisin cookies can even be packed for lunch the next day, if they last that long!

Dessert Party Pizzas

Everyone loves a great pizza, and contrary to what many believe, pizza can be both nutritious and delicious! Experiment with different toppings - brush olive oil on the crust and then add artichoke hearts, herbs, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach leaves. . .or, serve this dessert pizza and the whole family will love it! Who needs to know it's healthy?

Rustic Blueberry Tart

Frozen puff pastry to the rescue for a quickly assembled dessert that can be adapted as various seasonal fruit harvests arrive at the market.

Granola

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! So why not add to the "health experience" by adding some granola and fresh berries! Granola is simple to make and fun to eat. Mix together nuts and fruit to make a healthy granola snack. You might even eat it without the ice cream.

Snickerdoodles

Snickerdoodles are an easy-to-make cookie, perfect for those just starting out in baking. They're popular with both kids and adults. Sinckerdoodles would make a great addition to any party you throw!

If you're interested in expanding your customer base, consider selling snickerdoodles at your child's lemonade stand. You'll have a hard time keeping them in stock!

Peppermint Patty Cheesecake

Don’t let the holiday season be a reason for you to not eat right. Put those candy canes to extra use with this scrumptious dessert from Canyon Ranch. Serving-sized pieces can be individually wrapped and kept frozen to give as gifts. Enjoy!