After all the food and sweets we enjoy over the holidays, many may feel a little guilty about those extra calories. That said, we still tend to crave sweets and carbohydrates due to the colder temperatures. This is where these light dessert recipes will come to the rescue!

Apple Sauce Spice Cakes

Ingredients:

1/3 cup of butter, softened

3/4 cup of sugar

2 large eggs. room temperature

1 tsp of vanilla extract

1-1/3 cups of all-purpose flour

1 tsp of baking powder

1/2 tsp of baking soda

1/2 tsp of salt

1 tsp of ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp of ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp of ground cloves

3/4 cup of applesauce

1 cup of prepared cream cheese frosting (optional)

Directions:

  • Cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl.
  • Add the eggs one at a time. Beat well after adding each egg.
  • Add the vanilla and beat well.
  • Combine all dry ingredients in another bowl.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and alternately add the applesauce for moisture.
  • Mix well.
  • Line muffin trays with paper cups and fill them to the 2/3 mark.
  • Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes or until they pass the ‘toothpick test’.
  • Allow to cool in the tray for a few minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.
  • Once cool, decorate with frosting or you can simply dust with powdered sugar.

Banana Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

1/3 cup of butter, softened

Sugar substitute of your choice (equivalent to 3/4 cup of sugar)

1/3 cup of packed brown sugar

2 tsp of vanilla extract

2 large eggs, room temperature

1/2 cup of water

1-1/3 cups of all-purpose flour

1/2 cup of non-fat dry milk powder

3 Tbsp of baking cocoa

1 tsp of baking powder

1/2 tsp of baking soda

1/2 tsp of salt

1 cup of mashed ripe bananas (about 2 medium bananas)

Confectioners’ sugar

Directions:

  • Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Coat a 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
  • Cream together the butter, brown sugar and sugar substitute until light and fluffy.
  • Add the eggs and eggs one at a time.
  • Mix well after adding each egg.
  • Stir in the water.
  • Whisk together the flour, milk powder, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
  • Add the dry mixture to the creamed mixture and mix just enough to combine the two.
  • Stir in the mashed bananas.
  • Transfer to your baking pan and bake for up to 28 minutes or until your cake passes the ‘toothpick test’.
  • Allow to cool in the pan before transferring to a wire rack.
  • Dust with powdered sugar.

Peanut butter cookies

Ingredients

3 Tbsp of butter

2 Tbsp of reduced-fat peanut butter

1/2 cup of packed brown sugar

1/4 cup of sugar

1 large egg white

1 tsp of vanilla extract

1 cup of all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp of baking soda

1/8 tsp of salt

Directions

  • Cream together the butter, peanut butter and sugars in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
  • Add the egg white and beat until blended.
  • Add the vanilla and beat well.
  • Combine the flour, salt and baking soda.
  • Gradually combine the dry mixture to the creamed mixture and mix well.
  • Shape into an 8-inch roll and wrap in plastic.
  • Freeze for 2 hours or until firm.
  • Unwrap and cut into slices.
  • Place them on your baking sheets (coated with cooking spray).
  • Create a criss-cross pattern by pressing fork in the middle.
  • Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 6 – 8 minutes if you want them chewy or 8 – 10 minutes if you want them crunchie.
  • When cooked, allow to cool for 2 minutes before placing on wire racks to cool completely.

These are just a few delicious light dessert ideas that you can make quickly and easily. Not to mention the fact that they do not require anything more than basic ingredients. This makes them really budget-friendly too!