We are a family dentist that loves food and family traditions! So, obviously, Thanksgiving is one of our favorite holidays. We are also a health-conscious bunch, though, and it’s no secret that Thanksgiving is a calorie-heavy holiday. While we certainly don’t recommend cutting out your favorite Thanksgiving dishes, one course that you can make a bit lighter and healthier is dessert. As dentists, of course, we are in favor of anything on the lower sugar side of the spectrum. Here are five easy-to-make family dentist-approved Thanksgiving desserts that are light on sugar but full on taste.
Flourless Pumpkin Brownies (recipe by SWEETASHONEY)
With only six ingredients, these gooey, fudgy, chocolatey, decadent-tasting brownies are sure to be a crowd-pleaser! They definitely don’t taste like they are “healthy brownies!” Plus, this dreamy dessert is vegan, sugar-free, gluten-free, and paleo-friendly.
https://www.sweetashoney.co/paleo-pumpkin-brownies-vegan-healthy/
Sugar-free Pumpkin Pie (recipe by Taste of Home)
Crunched for time? This healthy pumpkin pie only takes 10 minutes to whip up. It’s low in fat but full of flavor! If you want to make it a vegan pumpkin pie, just swap out the cow’s milk for a plant-based milk of your choice.
https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/sugar-free-pumpkin-chiffon-pie/
Spiralized Apple Crumble (recipe by healthy maven)
This simple, healthy, gluten-free, vegan dessert is a fresh take on a classic holiday dessert. Spiralizing vegetables to make zoodles is all the rage, but what about spiralizing fruit? All you need is nine apples, cinnamon, coconut sugar, coconut oil, nutmeg, an orange, some rolled oats, almond meal, and 10 minutes of prep time, and you’ve got yourself a new Thanksgiving favorite.
https://www.thehealthymaven.com/spiralized-apple-crumble/
Almond and Pear Rose Tart (recipe by EatingWell)
(cover photo)
Seeking a heart-healthy, low-calorie, dairy-free, diabetes-appropriate, egg-free, vegetarian, low sodium, low sugar, and esthetically pleasing bite-size dessert? Well, here it is! This beautiful and dainty dessert is dentist-approved! With only 1.8 grams of sugar and 186 calories per serving, this is the perfect way to wrap up a hearty Thanksgiving meal.
https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/275792/almond-pear-rose-tarts/
Pecan Pie Thumbprint Cookies (recipe by Amy’s Healthy Baking)
Traditional pecan pie is one of the most calorie and sugar-dense Thanksgiving desserts. But what is Thanksgiving without a pecan pie? A healthy and downright delicious alternative is these pecan pie thumbprint cookies! Each cookie only has 50 calories! They are easy to make, soft, chewy, and their filing tastes exactly like pecan pie.
https://amyshealthybaking.com/blog/2016/11/08/pecan-pie-thumbprint-cookies/
So, there you have it—five easy-to-make, family dentist-approved Thanksgiving desserts!
Let us know which one(s) you try! And enjoy every single bite of your Thanksgiving feast.
A little Thanksgiving thought from scientist and writer Robin Wall Kimmerer:
“What would it be like to be raised on gratitude, to speak to the natural world as a member of the democracy of species, to raise a pledge of interdependence? No declarations of political loyalty are required, just a response to the repeated question: “Can we agree to be grateful for all that is given?””