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A healthy fruit crisp loaded with fresh summer fruits! The perfect warm-weather dessert, best served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Super easy to make with just one bowl, in 30 minutes.

Close-up overhead image of summer fruit crisp in a baking dish with vanilla ice cream on top.

What You’ll Need to Make Summer Fruit Crisp

Summer Fruit – I used fresh blueberries, strawberries, and peaches in my summer fruit crisp, but any fruit will work! Feel free to use whatever you have on-hand, or whatever’s on sale at the grocery store that week. The only thing to note is, whichever fruit you use, make sure it totals to about 5-6 cups for this recipe.

Maple Syrup – This healthy dessert recipe is sweetened with maple syrup! It’s refined sugar-free and honestly so healthy you could get away with eating it for breakfast.

Rolled Oats – Any type of rolled oats will do – old-fashioned, quick cook, etc. The only type of oats you’ll want to avoid for your fruit crisp topping are whole oats, steel-cut, or Irish oats.

Almond Flour – The almond flour keeps this recipe gluten-free! However, if you don’t have almond flour, or want to make this nut-free, you can replace the almond flour with all purpose flour.

Butter or Coconut Oil – Use whichever you prefer in your crisp! I typically just use whichever I have on-hand. Coconut oil is obviously the healthier option, but butter adds a bit more flavor, which I love.

Overhead image of summer fruit crisp in a baking dish with vanilla ice cream on top.

Tips and Tricks

  • Keep this recipe simple! You’ll only need one bowl, which is used to first mix together the filling, then the crisp. There’s no need to dirty any extra dishes for this healthy dessert recipe.
  • This summer fruit crisp is best served warm with a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream on top. Though feel free to serve it however you’d like. On its own is delicious, or with a dollop of fresh whipped cream – yum!
  • Store leftover fruit crisp in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. If enjoying leftovers, I recommend reheating in the microwave for just about 30 seconds before eating.

Adjust This Recipe to Your Dietary Needs

Make it Dairy-Free: Use either non-dairy butter, or take the coconut oil option in the crisp.

Make it Nut-Free: For a nut-free dessert, replace the almond flour with 1/2 cup of all purpose flour.

Overhead image of summer fruit crisp in a baking dish with vanilla ice cream on top.
5 from 1 vote

Healthy Summer Fruit Crisp

A healthy fruit crisp loaded with fresh summer fruits! The perfect warm-weather dessert, best served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Super easy to make with just one bowl, in 30 minutes.
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

For the filling:

  • 2 cups blueberries
  • 2 cups sliced strawberries, or raspberries
  • 2-3 peaches, pitted and sliced
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the crisp:

  • 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup almond flour
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/4 cup butter or coconut oil, solid
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
  • Mix together all filling ingredients in a large bowl, then transfer to a 9-inch baking dish.
  • Mix together all crisp ingredients in a large bowl (you can use the same bowl you used to make the filling), then evenly sprinkle crisp over top of the filling.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes or until fruit is soft, then let cool slightly before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 300kcal

Soft and perfectly sweet carrot cake cookies with a cream cheese icing! Gluten-free, dairy-free, and naturally sweetened with maple syrup. These healthy carrot cake cookies are the perfect springtime (or anytime) treat!

Healthy gluten-free carrot cake cookies on a baking sheet.

What You’ll Need to Make Carrot Cake Cookies

Oat Flour – Either homemade or store-bought oat flour will work in this cookie recipe! Oat flour replaces all purpose flour, making these cookies gluten-free.

Almond Butter – Smooth and unsweetened almond butter helps hold these cookies together. If you don’t have almond butter, you can use any other nut or seed butter you’d like. Cashew butter would make a great substitute here!

Maple Syrup – These healthy carrot cake cookies are naturally sweetened with maple syrup. The maple adds a touch of flavor, and the perfect amount of sweetness.

Shredded Carrots – Wash and peel about three large carrots, then run them down a box grater to make shredded carrots. Or, to make things even easier, simply buy pre-shredded carrots from the store for this dessert recipe!

Overhead image of healthy gluten-free carrot cake cookies on a baking sheet.

Tips and Tricks

  • Gently flatten each carrot cake cookie before baking. If you skip this step, they’ll bake up like round little balls. Therefore, for a more classic flat-looking cookie, give them a gentle press right before putting in the oven.
  • Allow your cookies to cool completely before icing! If the cookies are still too warm when iced, the cream cheese icing will melt and slide right off. (I’ve learned from my mistakes here – ha!)
  • These cookies are best stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. However, if you live in a warm client/are baking these in the summer – it’s best to store them in the fridge instead. If the cookies with cream cheese icing are left in too warm of an environment, the icing may melt and spoil.
close up image of a healthy gluten-free carrot cake cookie with a bite taken out.

Adjust This Recipe to Your Dietary Needs

Make it Dairy-Free: While the cookies themselves are already dairy-free, make a dairy-free cream cheese icing by subbing your favorite non-dairy cream cheese, butter, and milk.

Make it Vegan: For vegan carrot cake cookies, replace the egg with a flax egg, and take the dairy-free icing option above!

Close-up overhead image of carrot cake cookies on a baking sheet.
5 from 3 votes

Carrot Cake Cookies

Soft and perfectly sweet carrot cake cookies with a cream cheese icing! Gluten-free, dairy-free, and naturally sweetened with maple syrup. These healthy carrot cake cookies are the perfect springtime (or anytime) treat!
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 27 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies

Equipment

  • 1 large bowl
  • 1 medium bowl
  • 1 large baking sheet

Ingredients

For the dry ingredients:

  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1 cup oat flour made by pulsing rolled oats in a blender until ground into a flour
  • 1/2 cup almond flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the wet ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup almond butter unsweetened
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil melted (or butter)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 egg at room temperature
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans unsalted
  • 1/4 cup raisins

For the cream cheese icing:

  • 1/4 cup cream cheese softened (I used non-dairy cream cheese)
  • 3 tablespoons butter softened (I used non-dairy butter)
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2-3 tablespoons milk (I used non-dairy milk)
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Add all dry ingredients to a large bowl and whisk to combine.
  • Then, in a separate bowl, add all the wet ingredients except the carrots, walnuts, and raisins, and whisk to combine.
  • Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and use mix until fully combined. Then, fold in the carrots, walnuts, and raisins.
  • Scoop tablespoon-sized balls of cookie dough onto your prepared baking sheet and slightly flatten each ball with the palm of your hand.
  • Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges. Then, transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
  • While cookies cool, make the cream cheese icing by adding all ingredients to a bowl and whisking until smooth and well-combined. Then, spread or pipe cream cheese icing on top of each cooled cookie.

Notes

Nutrition info is for one cookie out of 24 cookies and does not include the cream cheese icing.
  • These cookies are best stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. However, if you live in a warm client/are baking these in the summer – it’s best to store them in the fridge instead.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 119kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 6g | Sugar: 5g

Just 3 ingredients to make these maple candied pecans! Perfectly sweet, crunchy, and totally delicious. Cooked on the stovetop in under 20 minutes!

maple candied pecans in a jar

What You’ll Need to Make Maple Candied Pecans

Pecans – Start with raw and unsalted pecans for this recipe. The cooking and flavoring of the pecans happens throughout this recipe, so it’s best to start with a blank canvas! Also, be sure to use whole pecan halves, not pecan pieces.

Maple Syrup – Just half a cup of maple syrup to sweeten these maple candied pecans! I love this unrefined sugar alternative, it’s healthier and tastes just as good. As the pecans cook, the maple syrup will begin to crystalize and coat the pecans, just like sugar would.

Salt – A pinch of salt to help round out those flavors! Salt seems like a counteractive addition to this recipe, but trust me, it brings it all together. And believe it or not, salt actually brings out the sweetness in this candy recipe!

maple candied pecans on a baking sheet

Tips and Tricks

  • Avoid cooking these maple candied pecans at a high temperature. High heat will quickly cause the maple syrup to burn, which could ruin your recipe. Therefore, maintain a simmer, and continue stirring the pecans every few minutes to avoid burning.
  • Have fun with this recipe! Throw in a pinch of cinnamon, or a dash of vanilla extract while the pecans cook. Or, for an extra festive addition, serve them with a handful of festive candies or sprinkles!
  • Maple candied pecans are best stored at room temperature, in an airtight container for up to one week. You can even store them in the fridge for up to one month, or the freezer for up to three months!
overhead image of maple candied pecans on a baking sheet.

This Recipe Is…

Maple Candied Pecans

5 from 1 vote
Recipe by Samantha Course: Dessert, Snacks, SidesDifficulty: Easy
Servings

2

cups
Prep time

0

minutes
Cooking time

20

minutes
Total time

20

minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups raw pecan halves

  • 1/2 cup maple syrup

  • Small pinch of salt

Directions

  • Add all ingredients to a large pan over medium heat. Stir and bring the maple syrup to a simmer. Once simmering, reduce the heat to low.
  • Continue cooking on low for 20 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes. After 20 minutes, the maple syrup should begin to crystalize and look like sugar coating the pecans.
  • Once syrup has crystalized, pour the pecans onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spread pecans into an even layer, then let cool completely before eating or storing.

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Crunchy peanut butter balls covered in chocolate! Perfectly sweet, surprisingly healthy, and super easy to make. This no-bake dessert is the perfect summer treat when it’s too hot to turn on the oven!

crunchy peanut butter balls stacked on parchment paper with milk on the side.

What You’ll Need to Make Crunchy Peanut Butter Balls

Creamy Peanut Butter – Unsweetened, creamy peanut butter is the base of this easy dessert recipe. Check your peanut butter labels closely and make sure it doesn’t contain any sugar! Added sugar in the peanut butter would totally throw off the sweetness in this recipe. For unsweetened peanut butter, I love both Trader Joe’s and Teddie’s brand.

Maple Syrup – Really any liquid sweetener will work in these peanut butter balls. Maple syrup, along with honey and date syrup, are the three least processed options which is why I always use and recommend them. Though is you don’t have those, you can use agave nectar instead. Or, for a sugar-free dessert option, check the “Make it Sugar-Free” section below!

Almond Flour – This gluten-free, low-carb flour is one of my favorites! It’s healthy, super easy to find, and virtually flavorless. The almond flour is also super helpful in holding these dessert balls together, so don’t go without it.

Crispy Rice Cereal – One cup of crispy rice cereal gives these peanut butter balls their unexpected crunch! Feel free to use whichever brand you like best. Or, for an even healthier option, use one cup of puffed quinoa instead.

overhead image of crunchy peanut butter balls on an upside-down pie pan.

Tips and Tricks

  • Don’t feel like dipping in chocolate? Save major time and energy my melting the chocolate, then simply drizzling over the top of each ball!
  • For an extra salty plus sweet combo, finish off these crunchy no-bake peanut butter balls with a pinch of flaky sea salt! A bit of salt balances out the sweetness, and adds an extra layer of crunch.
  • These treats are best stored in the refrigerator! The freezer works too, but the fridge helps them hold their shape while also maintaining their crunchiness. But whatever you do, don’t store them at room-temperature, and especially not in the summertime because they will melt!
a stack of no-bake peanut butter balls, one with a bite taken out.

Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

Make it Nut-Free: For a nut-free no-bake dessert, sub sunflower seed butter for the peanut butter and 3 tablespoons of coconut flour in place of the almond flour! Still just as delicious, and totally nut-free friendly.

Make it Sugar-Free: Replace the maple syrup in this recipe with your favorite liquid sugar-free sweetener.

Crunchy No-Bake Peanut Butter Balls

5 from 3 votes
Recipe by Samantha Course: Dessert, SnacksDifficulty: Easy
Servings

16

balls
Prep time

15

minutes
Cooking time

0

minutes
Total time

10

minutes

Crunchy peanut butter balls covered in chocolate! Perfectly sweet, surprisingly healthy, and super easy to make. This no-bake dessert is the perfect summer treat when it’s too hot to turn on the oven!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter, unsweetened

  • 1/3 cup maple syrup

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1/2 cup almond flour

  • 1 cup crispy rice cereal

  • For dipping/drizzling:
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

  • 1 teaspoon coconut oil

Directions

  • Mix together the creamy peanut butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract in a large bowl.
  • Add in almond flour and crispy rice cereal, mix to combine.
  • Scoop and roll tablespoon-sized balls of the peanut butter ball mixture between the palms of your hands. Repeat this process until no more mixture remains, should make about 12 crunchy peanut butter balls.
  • Place balls in freezer for 10-15 minutes, and add chocolate chips and coconut oil to a small bowl. Microwave chocolate in 30 second increments until fully melted.
  • Once crunchy peanut butter balls are chilled, dip or drizzle with melted chocolate before placing back in the freezer. Freeze for at least 10 minutes before eating, then store in the fridge.

Recipe Video

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A delicious peach crisp loaded with fresh fruit, and an easy crump topping. Loaded with simple, good-for-you ingredients, a dessert so healthy you could even eat it for breakfast! Perfectly sweet, best served warm with a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream – YUM.

peach crisp in a pie dish with vanilla ice cream on top.

What You’ll Need To Make Peach Crisp

Peaches – Use fresh, not frozen peaches for this easy crisp recipe! Slice each peach in half, remove the pit, then slice them into 1/4-inch pieces. Either leave the skin on or peel them before slicing, it’s up to you!

Corn Starch – Corn starch, arrowroot starch, or tapioca starch will all work in the filling of this recipe. A tablespoon of either thickening agent will help the filling stick together.

Rolled Oats – Any type of rolled oats will work! The only oats you should avoid are steel-cut and/or Irish oats. Or, for a paleo version of this recipe, replace the oats with extra almond flour and chopped nuts!

peach crisp in a bowl with vanilla ice cream on top.

Tips and Tricks

  • Let the peach crisp cool for 5-10 minutes before serving! This’ll give the filling enough time to set, and prevent those peach juice from running out when served. Also, don’t forget to serve it with a big ole’ scoop of cold vanilla ice cream – it’s simply the BEST!

Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

Make it Paleo: For a paleo fruit crisp, use arrowroot starch instead of corn starch in the filling, and replace the rolled oats with an extra 1/4 cup almond flour plus 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans.

Make it Gluten-Free: This recipe is already gluten-free! However, to ensure no traces of gluten in your peach crisp, be sure to use a gluten-free certified corn starch as well as gluten-free certified rolled oats.

Easy Peach Crisp (One-Bowl!)

5 from 1 vote
Recipe by Samantha Course: DessertDifficulty: Easy
Servings

8

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

30

minutes
Total time

35

minutes

A delicious fruit crisp loaded with fresh peaches, and an easy crump topping. Loaded with simple, good-for-you ingredients, a dessert so healthy you could even eat it for breakfast! Perfectly sweet, best served warm with a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream – YUM.

Ingredients

  • For the filling:
  • 4-5 peaches, pitted, pitted, cut into 1/4-inch slices

  • 1 tablespoon corn starch

  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • small pinch cinnamon

  • For the crumb topping:
  • 1/2 cup rolled oats

  • 1/2 cup almond flour

  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

  • pinch of salt

  • 1/4 cup coconut oil, solid

  • 1/4 cup maple syrup

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
  • Add all filling ingredients to a bowl and toss to coat peaches, then transfer to an 8×8-inch baking dish.
  • Add all crisp ingredient to a bowl and mix together until combined.
  • Sprinkle topping over filling and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly.

Recipe Video

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