‘Tis the season for Peeps and Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs! Easter is a holiday practically dedicated to receiving baskets filled with sugary treats. While indulging during these special holidays is an important part of living a healthy, balanced lifestyle, it’s also a great chance to whip up something equally decadent and indulgent but with a healthy twist.
So today, I’ve gathered five of my favorite recipes from fellow bloggers who know a thing or two about satisfying a sweet tooth healthfully.
Gluten Free Gingerbread Cookies by The Roasted Root
Ingredients:
- 1-1/4 cup tightly packed blanched almond flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1-1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger peeled and grated
- 3 tablespoons molasses
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil melted and cooled
Instructions:
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
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Add the first seven ingredients (dry) to a bowl and mix together.
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Pour in the molasses and oil and mix well.
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Use a spoon to scoop out mounds of cookie dough. Form the dough into cookie shapes (they will bake to the same size and shape you form them into) and place them on a baking sheet.
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Bake for 10 to 14 minutes or until browned around the edges.
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Allow cookies to cool at least 10 minutes before removing from the cookie sheet and enjoying
Fudgy Chocolate Brownies by Gwyneth Paltrow
Ingredients:
- 2 cups gluten free flour
- 1 cup cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
- 1 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup brown rice syrup (or light agave nectar)
- 1/2 cup strong brewed coffee
- 1/2 cup almond milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, divided
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and a pinch of salt into a bowl.
- Whisk maple syrup, oil, brown rice syrup, coffee, almond milk and vanilla in another bowl.
- Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients.
- Pour half the batter into a greased 9″ x 11″ baking dish; top with half the chips.
- Pour remaining batter into dish and top with remaining chips.
- Bake until knife comes out with crumbs adhering to it, 30 minutes.
- Let cool for 15-30 minutes before serving.
Banana, Date and Walnut Muffins by Jessica Sepel
Ingredients:
- 2 cups almond meal
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 2-3 ripe bananas
- 1 cup dates, pitted and chopped
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted.
- 3/4 cup walnuts, chopped/crushed
- pinch of sea salt
Instructions:
- Preheat oven on bake to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, combine almond meal, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
- In a food processor, combine dates, bananas, eggs and oil.
- Add mixture from food processor to dry mixture in the large bowl and combine thoroughly.
- Fold in nuts.
- Spoon mixture into paper lined muffin tins.
- Top with chia seeds and banana slices
- Bake for 25 minutes.
Healthy Peanut Butter Fudge by The Minimalist Baker
Ingredients:
- 2 cups desiccated (finely shredded) unsweetened coconut
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter (best ingredients: just peanuts + salt)
- 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
- 3–5 Tbsp maple syrup, or other sweetener of choice, i.e. stevia
- optional: Pinch sea salt (depending on saltiness of peanut butter)
- optional: 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions:
- Line a standard 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- To a food processor, add desiccated coconut and blend on high until a creamy butter is formed – about 4 minutes. Scrape down sides as needed.
- Then add peanut butter and melted coconut oil and mix once more. Then add maple syrup 1 Tbsp at a time until desired sweetness is reached. If you add too much maple syrup, the mixture can seize up and get thick. If that happens, thin with a bit more melted coconut oil.
- Optional: Add sea salt and vanilla and mix once more. Taste and adjust flavors as needed, adding more salt or vanilla for overall flavor or maple syrup or stevia for sweetness.
- Transfer mixture to lined loaf pan and spread into an even layer. You can add crushed peanuts or coconut flakes on top, but I chose not to.
- Freeze until firm – about 15 minutes. Then use a hot knife to slice into even squares – about 21. Enjoy immediately and store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 10 days or in the freezer up to 1 month. If frozen, let soften at room temperature for 5-10 minutes for best texture/flavor.
Coffee Chocolate Chip Blondies by Cookie and Kate
Ingredients:
- 1½ cups gluten free all-purpose flour, or whole wheat flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) Earth Balance, or unsalted butter
- 2 cups packed coconut sugar, or 1½ cups packed brown sugar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons strong coffee, room temperature
- 1 egg
- 1½ tablespoons vanilla extract (yes, tablespoons)
- ¾ cup chopped pecans
- ¾ cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions:
- With the oven rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9 by 13-inch baking dish and line it with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the Earth Balance, coconut sugar and salt. Cook, stirring often, until the butter is completely melted and the mixture is hot but not simmering. Remove from the heat and stir in the coffee until well combined (if the mixture refuses to come together, let it cool for a minute or two and try again). Let the mixture cool to room temperature, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- In the meantime, pour the pecans onto a small rimmed baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 5 to 8 minutes, until they’re nice and fragrant, stirring halfway. Set aside to cool.
- Once the butter and sugar mixture has cooled to room temperature, add the egg and vanilla and whisk until combined. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Add the flour mixture and stir just until combined. Add the pecans and chocolate chips and stir gently to combine.
- Using a spatula, spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan (this is a little tricky with the parchment paper, but you can do it, I promise). Bake for 18 to 24 minutes, until the blondies are set on the edges and the top is golden brown and just beginning to form cracks. A wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the blondies should come out with just a couple of crumbs.
- Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let it cool completely. Grab opposite corners of the parchment paper and gently lift the blondies from the pan onto a flat surface. Cut them into squares (big or small, up to you) and serve.
Happy Easter, everyone! If you have a healthy recipe you’d like to share, please comment below!
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