10 Healthy Baking Recipes That Are Kind To Your Wallet and Waistline

Whether you’re looking for a hobby to keep you (or the kids) busy or a wallet-friendly way to treat yourself, nothing beats home baking. There’s something so satisfying about seeing all of your hard work come to fruition in that perfectly chewy, gooey chocolate brownie.

That said, if you’re trying to look after your health, the unfortunate reality is — not all baked goods are kind to your waistline. The good news is, there are plenty of easy baking recipes that are both delicious and nutritious. Here are 10 of our favourite healthy baked goods you can whip up in the kitchen today.

Healthy baking recipe #1 Easy Banana Muffins

These muffins are oh-so-simple, but pack a serious punch when it comes to taste. If you’re looking to cut down your sugar intake, you can always lightly sweeten with a drizzle of honey or a pinch of sweetener like Stevia instead.  Even better, you can often use what you have on hand for mix-ins while putting to use those overripe, sweet bananas that might otherwise get thrown out.

Healthy baking recipe #2 Healthy Dessert Mug Cake

In the mood for something sweet after dinner, but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen? This no-bake mug cake is ready in less than 7 minutes (yes, you read that correctly!) With only six ingredients, it gets its natural sweetness from dates, apple and cinnamon. All you need to do is mix together the ingredients and pop it in the microwave for a minute — and voila, you’ve got yourself a hug-for-the-soul in a mug.

Healthy baking recipe #3 Flourless Pumpkin Brownies

Don’t want to blow your Noom calorie budget even though you are craving something rich and fudgy? These flourless brownies swap calorie-dense ingredients for the nutritional powerhouses, pumpkin and almond butter. The best part is, this recipe uses staples you likely already have in your pantry — so you can still whip it up even if you’ve skipped your weekly grocery shop.

Healthy baking recipe #4: Oaty Choc Banana Bread

Who doesn’t love banana bread? It’s the perfect sweet treat for morning, noon or night. But unfortunately, the cafe-bought varieties tend to be chockful of sugar, calories and fat. Luckily, you can make your own at home that tastes just as good without derailing your healthy eating streak. Oats do a lot of the heavy lifting in this healthy banana bread recipe, making it deliciously dense and filling.

Healthy baking recipe #5: Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

Cookies and pies are both crowd-pleasing dessert classics — but have you ever tried the two together? This cookie pie is the fusion of flavours that we didn’t know we needed. Once baked, the texture of this spectacular creation is quite similar to unbaked cookie dough  If you want to make this a healthy, high-protein dessert, you can also bulk up the muscle-building goodness by adding creamy beans and nutty spreads.

Healthy baking recipe #6: Blueberry Breakfast Cupcakes

Cupcakes are known for being just as decadent as they are delicious. But, this healthier version cuts back on fat and sugar while increasing protein by using cream cheese and greek yoghurt in the “icing”. While still being quite luscious, the hearty whole grains that are the foundation of this dessert could make this a fantastic treat to start (or end!) your day in a healthy way.

Healthy baking recipe #7: Carrot Oat Muffins

Who says baked treats have to be sweet? These carrot oat muffins are perfect for all those savoury tooths out there! Using applesauce as a natural sweetener, they’re packed with flavour but not sugar. The secret ingredient in this recipe is carrot, making it the perfect way to sneak some veggies in. They’re so delicious that the kids won’t even notice!

Healthy baking recipe #8: Chocolate Protein Doughnuts

Sometimes you just get a craving for a doughnut and having one is the only thing that will make it go away. However, most doughnuts are very sweet and calorie-laden, so you might not feel your best after eating it, even though it sounded like a stellar idea at the time. Instead of heading down to your local bakery, try making these lower carb, protein doughnuts. In fact, these might be a wonderful replacement for those chocolate peanut butter candies too!

Healthy baking recipe #9: Lemon Blueberry Quick Bread

If you’re a beginner baker, quick breads are an awesome starting point. This particular recipe works well for breakfast, brunch, or even for a lightly sweet snack with your coffee. Plus, this healthy baking recipe includes tons of alternatives, so that you can adjust the flavours or ingredients based on your tastes and the supplies you have available. 

Healthy baking recipe #10: Oat and Peanut Butter Energy Bites

Want a delicious, sweet treat you can easily take on the go? These protein balls from Noom’s consulting nutritionist Kathleen Alleaume provide the perfect bite-sized burst of energy.

Serves: Makes roughly 12 balls.

Ingredients

• 2 tb peanut butter
• 1 cup oats
• 1 tb cacao, extra for garnish
• 1 tb chia seeds
• 2 cups medjool dates, pitted (roughly 10 dates)
• 2 tsp honey
• 3 tb hot water 

Method:

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Process until completely combined.
2. With damp hands, roll the mixture into tablespoon-sized balls. Roll balls in cacao, optional. 
3. Place balls in a container and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until firm.
4. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Get more healthy recipe ideas with Noom

Nothing is off limits with Noom — not even baked treats! In fact, we have thousands of indulgent-yet-healthy recipes that will make you feel like you’re not even on a diet (because, you aren’t!) Start your free trial today to see how you can still eat your favourite foods on Noom.