Eating healthy doesn’t have to mean giving up all the foods you love—not even desserts! Whether you make smart swaps like using fruit to sweeten your baked goods, prefer something quick and simple, rely on clever baking hacks or reach for treats that are low in carbs, there are plenty of ways to incorporate sweets into your healthy eating plan. Take this bright, lemony pound cake, for example. Heart-healthy olive oil and protein-rich Greek yogurt take the place of butter. Egg whites also help reduce calories, fat and cholesterol, and whole-wheat flour boosts fiber. You’ll end up with a classic pound cake—that you can feel good about indulging in!

This luscious chocolatey pudding has a secret ingredient – sweet potatoes! With the addition of creamy milk chocolate and rich cocoa powder, you’d never guess there are veggies inside this velvety treat.

It only takes 10 minutes to prep these stunning, no-bake chocolate treats that are completely covered in juicy strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. This treat’s beauty secret is simple: we tightly pack the berries in a single layer in a loaf pan, then pour over a combination of melted chocolate, creamy almond butter and blitzed bananas. Once set, just flip over the pan and you’ve got a showstopper dessert or snack that no one will believe is just this easy.

Make the most of special winter citrus with this show-stopping tart that’s filled with tangy blood orange curd and topped with a silky-smooth and pillowy pomegranate meringue. The tender, flaky tart crust comes together quickly, and the curd includes blood orange and lemon juice for the perfect sweet-tart balance. Reduced pomegranate juice gives the meringue the perfect concentrated flavor and a quick pass of a kitchen torch at the end (or a minute under the broiler) gives this gorgeous dessert a dramatic toasted finish.

Shredded carrots and apples provide the sweetness for this tender spiced cake that’s topped with a cloud of whipped cream. The cake’s moistness comes from applesauce, coconut oil and buttermilk rather than butter, and whole-wheat flour in place of white flour lends a helping of whole grains. It’s a perfect treat if you’re craving a lightly sweet snack or dessert or looking to reduce your intake of added sugar (each serving has less than a gram).

Cara Cara oranges bring bright flavor and bold color to this healthy and gluten-free citrus dessert. Perfect for entertaining, the crumble can be made ahead and served at room temperature.

The test kitchen combined the beloved ingredients in pumpkin bread — creamy pumpkin puree, warm fall spices and a generous pour of vanilla — but omitted any dairy or eggs for a completely plant-based seasonal treat. Vegan dark chocolate chips stirred into the batter and scattered on top add extra flavor and texture. We found the pumpkin bread to be easiest to slice at room temperature, but feel free to enjoy a piece while it’s still warm if you can’t resist!

This version of banana “nice cream” is one of the most delicious we know. Better yet, you won’t even need an ice cream maker for this healthy treat, just a blender or food processor. The combination of fresh sweet strawberries and frozen ripe bananas delivers vibrant fruit flavor and amazingly creamy texture, no actual cream (or dairy) needed. Here’s the nutritional scoop: It's naturally lower-sugar, with just 2.5 grams of added sugar per serving from a rippling of strawberry preserves; lower-calorie with just 141 per serving; lower-fat with just 1 gram per serving; lower sodium; and an excellent diabetes-friendly and heart-healthy recipe. But you’ll still get all the sweet, refreshing flavor you want in an ice cream. One of the secrets is using very ripe bananas — wait until the peels are mostly covered in black spots for a perfect balance of sweetness and silky texture.

Daifuku are a popular wagashi (Japanese confection) consisting of the chewy rice-flour dough known as mochi wrapped around a sweet filling. Anko (sweet red bean paste) is one of the most common fillings, here paired with strawberries (ichigo). Other fillings include white bean paste, whole soybeans, and the popular ice cream. Strawberry daifuku are often served in the spring, but they're a fun treat to serve for Valentine’s Day, especially when tinted pink. For an authentic experience, enjoy this sweet with a cup of green tea. And remember that the mochi coating is very chewy, so savor your daifuku in small bites.

A sweet and savory mix of pistachios and pistachio butter, dried cherries and rolled oats come together in these satisfying and wholesome no-bake treats. A melted chocolate coating and sprinkle of crushed pistachios give these healthy chocolate balls an indulgent “truffle” flair.

These chocolate bites are perfect to keep in the fridge anytime you’re craving a chocolate pick-me-up. Whole-grain cereal gives them a satisfying crunch, while the raisins add a nice chew and extra sweetness. With only 2 grams of added sugar per piece they’re a nice alternative to store-bought candy and energy bars.

Chinese egg tarts come in a few varieties: These tarts hail from Hong Kong and consist of a puff pastry crust with a slightly less sweet and rich filling than other versions. They are enjoyed throughout the year for breakfast or as an after-school or mid-afternoon snack. In Hong Kong, there are specific bakeries that specialize in egg tarts; when a fresh batch is hot out the oven, the beautiful sweet aroma travels down the block to attract customers.

The difference between Turkish rice pudding and other rice puddings is that sütlaç is baked in the oven, which gives it a delicious caramelized topping. Milk based desserts are very popular in Turkey and sütlaç is a classic. Though it is common to make the sweet at home, it can also be found at almost every Turkish restaurant and muhallebici (milk-based dessert shop). Sütlaç is even tastier the next day once it's completely chilled.

The nutty flavor and varied textures of chewy puffed millet, crunchy brown rice and a touch of honey come together with a little marshmallow for a more complex version of your standard rice cereal treat.

This soup is based on a common Chinese dessert soup, taro sago, which features delightful little tapioca pearls suspended in a creamy blend of coconut milk and taro (and sometimes sweet potato). My version omits the taro but includes two kinds of sweet potatoes—orange and vibrant purple—for a taste and color contrast. Similar to tapioca pudding, this comforting dish can be served warm or cold and makes for a restorative snack in the middle of the day or not-too-sweet dessert at the end of a big meal.

These moist, chewy blondies are sweetened with dates and bananas, which means there’s zero added sugar. They’re an irresistible treat for anyone craving a fudgy blondie packed with flavor. Half the dates are blended with the banana to sweeten the batter, while the other half are chopped and added with walnuts to give the blondies crunch and chew.

Tangyuan, or chewy rice balls, are traditionally eaten as a dessert during the family reunion dinner on Chinese New Year's Eve. Each bowl of tangyuan symbolizes unity; and the smoothness of each ball represents how smooth the family's year will be. The rice balls have a soft and slightly bouncy texture and a sweet surprise in the center. The traditional filling for tangyuan is made with black sesame seeds, but we chose a less typical version--a sweet, nutty and luscious peanut filling. Kneading in a small amount of cooked rice ball (very similar to a flour paste used for Japanese milk bread) helps to lock in moisture and make the wrapping process easier. Tangyuan are usually white, but we couldn't resist the eye-catching effect of tinting a batch pink and arranging them like petals around a single white ball.

Whole-wheat flour and Greek yogurt keep these cakes flavorful and moist while adding fiber and protein. Each cake gets 1 teaspoon of sweet cream cheese glaze — far fewer calories than the multiple tablespoons of frosting piled onto your typical cupcake.

These crêpes may look and taste indulgent, but they’re surprisingly healthy and light — and have just under 8 grams of added sugar per serving. We whip high-protein cottage cheese with strawberry preserves to create a fluffy, airy filling, then spoon it into store-bought crêpes. Fresh strawberries macerated with strawberry preserves make a beautiful, glazed topping and add brightness. The result is a a lower-sugar treat that’s perfect for a feel-good breakfast or easy, elegant dessert.

At the Rosh Hashanah meal, apples and honey symbolize the hope for a sweet new year. While this next-level cake isn’t traditional, it’s a fun dessert you can serve for the holiday or really anytime you want to impress. Scented with warm spices like cinnamon, cardamom, allspice and nutmeg, it requires just two bowls and no special equipment to whip up. And that’s not even the best part: When you cut into the loaf, entire slices of tart apples are revealed. At the very end, everything is drizzled with a salted honey glaze for a dessert that is sure to knock their socks off.

Sweet red bean soup is a dessert fixture at Chinese banquets and during the Lunar New Year, when many households also enjoy it as a light snack. It may owe part of its popularity to the fact that in Chinese culture red beans are said to provide strength because of their color (red symbolizes power) and the amount of protein they contain. The soup, which contains chewy small tapioca pearls, is typically thin. We wanted a heartier version, so developed this recipe accordingly. You can always thin it with some water, if you prefer. It’s also lightly sweetened, so feel free to add more sugar.

Reducing balsamic vinegar with a little bit of sugar brings out a sweet and tangy flavor that goes perfectly with tart strawberries and creamy ricotta.