Unique Thanksgiving Desserts for Your Diet

If pumpkins aren’t the official vegetable of fall, then there is something very wrong. Everyone knows that anything pumpkin reigns supreme around this time of the year. Still, if you’re on a strict diet, you may be second-guessing this specific food choice, especially around the holidays. And while you’re prioritizing your health, we’re sure you’re still planning to attend Thanksgiving dinner and other holiday festivities with friends and family.

To prevent yourself from becoming an attendee sans a delicious dish, Merry Maids® put together a list of some delightful desserts to help stick to your diet and potentially get other party-goers eating healthily, too!

Various Popular Diets

Before we dive into the decadent delights, let’s first look at some of the diets we’ll be highlighting. We know maintaining a healthy eating lifestyle can be difficult during the holidays, but you shouldn’t have to miss out on all the festive goodies. You should be able to have your ketogenic, vegan, Atkins Diet, or gluten-free cake and eat it too (so to speak).

Many of these “diets” are more lifestyle changes, and if you’ve been considering taking the plunge and kicking off your health journey the right way, we’re here to give you the scoop on some of the healthy eating routines out there.

• Keto Diet – If you want a high-fat, low-carb diet that allows you to eat all the bacon and butter you want (within reason), the ketogenic diet may be right for you. If you’re already following this health trend, you understand how to continue eating the foods you love while developing a healthy routine for you and your family.
• Vegan Diet – The one restriction of a vegan diet is that individuals following this lifestyle don’t eat foods made from animals. According to WebMD, around 3% of Americans are vegans who have various reasons for changing their eating habits. When preparing a holiday meal for someone following a vegan diet, plant-based foods are okay but ensure that dishes don’t have animal products in them.
• Gluten-Free Diet – People with a gluten allergy or celiac disease are negatively affected by a specific protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. A gluten-free diet is essential in living a pain-free life for those suffering from gluten sensitivity.
• Atkins Diet – In the 1960s, cardiologist Robert Atkins developed the Atkins Diet, offering high caloric intake with low-carb foods. Mayo Clinic reports that a study showed that people following the Atkins Diet saw improved triglyceride levels, suggesting better heart health.

Remember, the diets above may not be a nutritional choice for some. It may be a matter of avoiding severe physical reactions. When thinking about your Thanksgiving menu, ask guests if they have specific allergies or food sensitivities. This information may save you and your loved ones a trip to the ER.

Keto Diet Recipes

Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin pie is a Thanksgiving staple, so of course, it had to be the inaugural entry on our list—with a keto twist. This easy healthy dessert recipe will definitely become a classic in your home and be a hit at all the holiday parties you’ll attend for the foreseeable future. Wholesome Yum has an easy keto recipe that we absolutely love!

Ingredients

• 1 almond flour pie crust
• 1 15-oz can pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup heavy or coconut cream
• 2 large room-temperature eggs
• 2/3 cup Besti Powdered Erythritol
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
• 1 teaspoon blackstrap molasses (optional)

Check out the full recipe and baking instructions: wholesomeyum.com/recipes/easy-keto-low-carb-pumpkin-pie-recipe/

Pecan Pie Tart

Our team came to a consensus that pecans are to Thanksgiving what chestnuts are to Christmas—perfection. So, of course, we had to add a guilt-free delight to our list in the form of Joyfilled Eats’ keto-friendly pecan pie tart. You get the classic flavors you love without the indignity that you cheated on your diet. And the best part is, you can make your own crust and keep the recipe purely low-carb. Your Thanksgiving dinner guests will be wondering how you packed such indulgence into these bite-sized pieces.

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 1 ⅓ cups almond flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons coconut flour
• 2 tablespoons cold butter
• 1 ½ teaspoons cold water

For the filling:

• 6 tablespoons softened butter
• 3/4 cup blended sweeteners (xylitol, erythritol, and stevia)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon molasses (for flavor)
• 1 oz heavy cream
• 1 egg
• 1 cup pecans divided

Check out the full recipe and baking instructions: joyfilledeats.com/pecan-pie-tarts/

Fudgy Pumpkin Brownies

Brownies don’t exactly scream, “Thanksgiving!” but, the pumpkin is included, so we thought this would be a departure from the norm. With this delightful dessert, you’ll be adored by kids and adults alike. And the best part is, no one will know it’s sugar-free (unless you spill the beans, of course). We can’t get enough of Sugar Free Londoner’s fudgy pumpkin brownies. She also provides instructions for the optional glaze by melting sugar-free dark chocolate or cocoa solids.

Ingredients

• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 cup almond flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup granulated sweetener of choice
• 1/3 cup + 3 tablespoons cacao powder, unsweetened
• 1/4 cup coconut oil or melted butter
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice/pumpkin spice (optional)

Check out the full recipe and baking instructions: joyfilledeats.com/pecan-pie-tarts/

Gluten-Free Diet

Chocolate Cake

A list of healthy dessert recipes wouldn’t be complete without a chocolate cake. Chocolate lovers at all your holiday parties will be praising your culinary skills while diving into this gluten-free masterpiece. Gluten-Free Palate has an 11-ingredient recipe, which is a far cry from other low-carb desserts with several hard-to-find ingredients. You can knock this cake out quickly and still have enough time left over to marvel at your holiday baking skills.

Ingredients

For the icing:

• 1/2 cup dairy-free butter
• 1 ½ teaspoon gluten-free vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 4 ½ cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup dairy-free milk

For the cake

• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour blend
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 large room-temperature eggs
• 1 cup milk dairy-free milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 ½ teaspoon gluten-free vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup boiling water (to activate cocoa)

Check out the full recipe and baking instructions: glutenfreepalate.com/easy-gluten-free-chocolate-cake-11-ingredients/

Fruit Cobbler

Are you the type who doesn’t care for cookies, cakes, or pies during Thanksgiving? We’re going to guess that your favorite dessert is a cobbler? If we’re right and you’re following a gluten-free diet, we’ve got you covered with GF Jules’ fruit cobbler recipe, and her gluten-free maple pumpkin cobbler is also perfection in a pan. What makes this recipe one of our go-tos is that you can use virtually any fruit and take it to any friend or family function. Go crazy with a peach cobbler for a summer get-together or a blueberry cobbler from grandma’s birthday party. Trust us, no one will be complaining.

Ingredients

For the filling:

• 2 cups fresh or frozen fruit of choice
• 1/4 cup granulated cane sugar
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon (optional)

For the topping:

• 1 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour
• 1 cup granulated cane sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup melted butter

Check out the full recipe and baking instructions: gfjules.com/recipes/easy-gluten-free-fruit-cobbler-recipe/

Vegan Diet

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Vegans are going to have a ball with this healthy and guilt-free take on your classic chocolate chip cookie. Love and Lemons has the fudgiest cookie bars we’ve seen in a long time, and we can’t get enough of them! When you walk in with a Thanksgiving dessert that isn’t a pie, you may get a few side glances, but that will all change once party-goers take a bite of this cocoa-rich sweet treat. Don’t be surprised if people are fighting over the recipe.

Ingredients

For the cookie layer:

• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 ½ cups almond flour
• 2 ½ tablespoons maca powder
• 1 cup chocolate chips

For the cacao layer:

• 1 ½ cups walnuts
• 2 tablespoons cacao powder
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 10 soft Medjool dates
• 2 tablespoons water

Check out the full recipe and baking instructions: loveandlemons.com/peanut-butter-chocolate-chip-cookie-bars/

No-Bake Cookies

If you don’t consider yourself a master baker (or a baker at all), these no-bake cookies are exactly what you need to fulfill your promise to bring a homemade dessert to Thanksgiving. We continue to find inspiration and some of the best desserts at Love and Lemons, and we hope you’ll agree. With a total prep and “cook” time of 35 minutes, you can make these cookies the day of your holiday dinner party, and none would be the wiser. And with so much time on your hands, you could easily turn on your favorite song and get the kitchen back in order.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup almond milk
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 ½ cups whole rolled oats

Check out the full recipe and baking instructions: loveandlemons.com/no-bake-cookies/

Atkins Diet

Mint Chocolate Chip Avocado Ice Cream

In general, ice cream isn’t usually a dessert you find at a fancy holiday party, but we think it’s time to throw a wrench in people’s idea of party-staple foods. For Atkins Diet followers, you can use Tasty’s mint chocolate chip avocado ice cream recipe to end a fantastic three-course meal or sate hungry children before dinner is served. Either way, you’ll be the hero of Thanksgiving.

Ingredients

• 2 large ripe avocados
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup full-fat coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1 pinch sea salt
• 1/2 cup chopping dark chocolate

Check out the full recipe and baking instructions: tasty.co/recipe/mint-chip-avocado-ice-cream

Low-Carb Cheesecake

We couldn’t end our list without a timeless cheesecake recipe from Food.com. There’s virtually no one who doesn’t love a good cheesecake to round out an enjoyable night with good friends, hearty food, and a Thanksgiving dessert (that isn’t pie). With only five ingredients, this light, low-carb sweet dish will make you the envy of your next Thanksgiving dinner soiree.

Ingredients

• 3 8-oz packages cream cheese
• 3 eggs
• 25 packets Splenda sugar substitute
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract

Check out the full recipe and baking instructions: food.com/recipe/low-carb-cheesecake-17263

With these healthy dessert options for your next holiday get-together, you’ll have everything you need for a relaxing evening without the worry of interrupting healthy eating habits. Merry Maids can provide home cleaning and organizational services to help make life a bit easier to go along with this new lease on a wholesome lifestyle.

Call (888) 490-4227, or find your location and request your free estimate today!