Unhealthy fats, artificial sweeteners, additives, stabilizers… These days, finding treats in stores that are both healthy and affordable is practically a miracle. That’s why we’ve gathered recipes for healthy sweets that are very easy to make at home. They’re so simple, in fact, that children can help you make them.
Are you trying to guide your children towards healthy eating? Then you probably know that the biggest challenge often lies in finding healthy sweets. And the craving for sweets doesn’t just affect children, but parents, too. The good news is that you can prepare healthy treats for your children at home, quickly and easily. We offer you 8 recipes for healthy homemade sweets that children will enjoy as much as, or even more than, store-bought cookies and chocolates.
Caution: Several recipes contain peanut butter or other nut butters, oats, and dairy products. Always make sure your child doesn’t have any allergies to the ingredients before serving. If your child is allergic to an ingredient, you can substitute it or try a different recipe.
oat-peanut energy balls
Ingredients
- ¾ cup chopped dates
- ½ cup of rolled oats
- ¼ cup peanut butter
- Chia seeds
Preparation
- Pit and chop the dates, then soak them in a bowl of water for 5 to 10 minutes and drain them.
- Blend the dates with the oat flakes and peanut butter until the ingredients “stick” together.
- From this dough, form balls (about 12 balls with this quantity) and roll them in chia seeds.
- The balls, called energy balls, can be dipped at the end in high-quality melted dark chocolate with a drizzle of maple syrup. This will give children the impression of enjoying a real treat.
- Place the finished balls in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes. They will keep for a week, but we think they will disappear much faster.
Strawberry-chocolate frozen yogurt squares
Ingredients
- 3 cups of plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup of maple syrup or honey
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries
- ¼ cup of chocolate chips
Preparation
- Line a large baking dish or rimmed baking tray with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix the Greek yogurt with the maple syrup (or honey) and vanilla extract, then spread it onto the parchment paper.
- Arrange the sliced strawberries on top of this mixture and sprinkle with chocolate chips.
- Place the tray in the freezer for at least three hours.
- Once thoroughly frozen, cut the yogurt into smaller squares. The pieces may break under the knife, but that’s perfectly fine. It will actually look nicer, and the delicious taste will remain intact.
Sugar-free oat biscuits
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups of rolled oats
- 1 cup of oat flour
- ¾ teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon of baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- 2 ripe bananas
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil or melted butter
- ¾ cup chopped dates or raisins
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix the rolled oats, oat flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
- In a smaller bowl, mash the bananas, add the eggs, coconut oil (or butter), and vanilla extract, then mix.
- Combine the dry ingredients with the “wet” ingredients and the dates, and mix thoroughly until a paste is formed.
- Using a large spoon, scoop out some dough, form balls, and place them on the lined baking sheet (you will get about 15 balls).
- Gently flatten the balls with a fork.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for approximately 15 to 17 minutes and allow to cool completely before serving.
Chocolate-cherry popcorn cupcakes
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil
- 100g of popcorn kernels
- 2 egg whites
- 2 teaspoons of unsweetened cocoa
- 65g of dried cherries
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 180°C and place paper baking cups in a muffin tin.
- In a large saucepan, heat the oil, add the corn, cover, and shake the pan until all the corn has popped. Of course, you can also use a popcorn machine if you have one at home.
- Allow the finished popcorn to cool for at least 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk the egg whites with the cocoa.
- Gently fold the popcorn and chopped dried cherries into the egg white mixture and divide the mixture into the paper cases.
- Cook for approximately 8 to 10 minutes and let cool.
Stuffed dates
Ingredients
- 8 dates
- 4 tablespoons of peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons of chopped dark chocolate
- Fleur de sel
Preparation
- Make a lengthwise incision in the dates and remove the pits – do not cut them in half.
- In a bowl, mix the peanut butter and chopped chocolate.
- Fill each date halfway with the peanut butter-chocolate mixture and gently press the incised edges.
- Sprinkle with chopped chocolate and fleur de sel, and enjoy this quick and healthy dessert.
- Tip: Instead of sprinkling them with chocolate, you can dip the nut butter-stuffed dates in melted chocolate and let them harden.
Cranberry-almond cereal bars
Ingredients
- 3 cups of oatmeal
- 1 cup of rice flakes
- 1 cup of dried cranberries
- ½ cup chopped almonds
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- 2/3 cup of corn syrup
- ½ cup smooth peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 160°C. Line a 23 x 33 cm dish with baking paper and spray it with oil.
- In a bowl, mix the oats and rice flakes, cranberries, almonds, pecans,a nd salt.
- In a smaller bowl, combine the corn syrup, peanut butter, and vanilla extract and microwave for 30 seconds.
- Add this liquid mixture to the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.
- Spread the entire mixture in the dish and press down gently.
- Bake for approximately 20 to 25 minutes; if you prefer drier bars, leave them in the oven for 10 minutes longer.
- After removing the dish from the oven, let it cool slightly, then cut it into bars. Let it cool for another half hour before separating them.
Quick Apple “Donuts”
Ingredients
- 1 medium-sized apple
- 3 tablespoons of almond butter
- 2 teaspoons of unsweetened shredded coconut
Preparation
Remove the core from the apple using an apple corer.
Slice the apple crosswise into 8 slices about 6 mm thick.
Spread almond butter on each slice and sprinkle with coconut.
And there you have it! A healthy and ultra-quick treat is ready.
Mango leathers
Ingredients
- 3 large ripe mangoes
- ½ cup of water
- 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
Preparation
- Peel the mangoes and cut them carefully. A ripe mango is slippery, so be careful when cutting it.
- Preheat the oven to 90°C and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Blend the mangoes with the water and lemon juice until you obtain a fine and smooth consistency.
- Pour this juice into a medium-sized saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. As soon as the juice boils, reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the water evaporates and about 2 cups of puree remain in the pan.
- Spread this puree evenly on the baking sheet and dry in the oven at 90°C for approximately 4 to 6 hours. You can also use a dehydrator, but it’s not essential.
- Once completely dry and cooled, roll up the fruit leather and cut it into 5 cm strips using a sharp knife. Fruit leather will keep for about a week in the refrigerator. You can prepare any type of fruit leather this way, even using different kinds of fruit.
So, are you enjoying them already? If you’re still hungry, you can get inspired by our healthy muffin recipes. Remember that in addition to healthy eating, play is essential for children. Combine learning with fun and keep the kids entertained while you prepare the treats by letting them play in a toy kitchen. Shaping balls or mixing ingredients is certainly something they can do in their own little kitchen, don’t you think?
