Sweet Treats For Keto: Delicious Dessert Options

The ketogenic diet is a very restrictive one, with 80 to 90 percent of calories coming from fat, 5 to 15 percent from protein, and 5 to 10 percent from carbohydrates. This means that desserts are usually off the menu. However, there are plenty of sweet treats that can be enjoyed as part of a keto diet.

Simple swaps, such as using almond or coconut flour instead of white flour, and sweeteners like erythritol or stevia instead of sugar, can make classic desserts like chocolate chip cookies, apple pie, and cheesecake keto-friendly. There are also plenty of keto dessert recipes available online, including brownies, cheesecakes, and even cupcakes.

Keto-friendly fruits with sugar-free whipped cream

If you're craving something sweet while on the keto diet, there are plenty of keto-friendly fruits you can enjoy.

Fruits to Enjoy with Sugar-Free Whipped Cream

• Avocados
• Watermelon
• Strawberries
• Lemons
• Tomatoes
• Raspberries
• Peaches
• Cantaloupe
• Star fruit
• Blackberries

Sugar-Free Whipped Cream

To make sugar-free whipped cream, you'll need heavy whipping cream, a sweetener, and vanilla extract.

For the sweetener, you can use a powdered sugar substitute such as Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend, or stevia glycerite. If you use a granulated sweetener, it may crystallize and not mix fully.

For the vanilla extract, opt for pure vanilla extract instead of imitation vanilla for a better flavour.

Add your ingredients to a chilled mixing bowl and use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the mixture until soft peaks form. This should only take a couple of minutes.

Your keto-friendly fruits with sugar-free whipped cream are now ready to enjoy!

Keto chocolate treats, e.g. chocolate bars, chocolate-covered cheesecake bites, and chocolate mousse

There are plenty of sweet treats that can be enjoyed while on a keto diet. Here are some chocolate treat ideas, including chocolate bars, chocolate-covered cheesecake bites, and chocolate mousse.

Chocolate Bars

Keto chocolate bars are an easy treat to make at home, with just a few ingredients. They are typically made with unsweetened chocolate, a sweetener such as sugar-free maple syrup or keto milk chocolate chips, and a binding agent like coconut oil or almond butter. You can also add crushed nuts and seeds to give them a crunchy texture similar to a Crunch bar. Simply melt the ingredients together, mix in any additional ingredients, and pour the mixture into a square pan to set in the refrigerator.

Chocolate-Covered Cheesecake Bites

For a more indulgent treat, you can make chocolate-covered cheesecake bites. These are made by creating a low-carb cheesecake mixture with cream cheese, a sugar substitute such as monk fruit blend sweetener, and lemon juice. This mixture is then shaped into balls and frozen before being dipped in melted sugar-free chocolate. The bites can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer and enjoyed as a sweet treat.

Chocolate Mousse

For a quick and easy dessert, keto chocolate mousse can be made with just a few basic ingredients. The base of the mousse is typically heavy cream or full-fat coconut milk, which is whipped until stiff peaks form. Unsweetened cocoa powder and a sweetener of choice are then added to create a rich, chocolatey mousse. This dessert can be made in under 10 minutes and can be customized with additional ingredients such as vanilla extract or instant coffee.

Keto-friendly baked goods, e.g. keto bread, keto cookies, and keto brownies

Keto-friendly baked goods

Keto bread

Keto bread is a gluten-free, airy, and fluffy bread with a neutral flavour. It is made with almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, butter, egg whites, and salt. The bread is sturdy enough to be used as a sandwich bread and can be toasted. It is also easy to make, requiring only 10 minutes of active prep time.

Keto brownies

Keto brownies are rich, fudgy, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. They are made with almond flour, cocoa powder, coconut oil or butter, eggs, and granulated erythritol or regular sugar. The brownies can be made with or without frosting, and you can add chopped pecans, almonds, or walnuts to the batter.

Keto cookies

Keto cookies are soft, flourless, and completely sugar-free. They are made with almond flour, chocolate chips, powdered sugar or erythritol, vanilla extract, and milk. The cookies are delicate when they first come out of the oven but firm up after cooling.

Keto candies, e.g. peanut butter cups, chocolate-peanut butter bark, and gummy bears

If you're craving something sweet while on a keto diet, you might want to try making some candies such as peanut butter cups, chocolate-peanut butter bark, or gummy bears. Here are some recipes to try:

Keto Peanut Butter Cups

Peanut butter cups are a popular choice for a sweet treat, and you can make your own keto-friendly version with a sugar-free chocolate shell and a rich, creamy peanut butter centre. This recipe makes 16-18 cups and will take around an hour to prepare and cook. You will need:

• 6 ounces of sugar-free dark chocolate, chopped
• ½ ounce of cocoa butter or 2 teaspoons of coconut oil
• ½ cup of peanut butter
• ¼ cup of powdered sweetener
• ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract

First, melt the chocolate and cocoa butter together in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water. Use the back of a small spoon to spread a little over half of the chocolate mixture on the bottom and up the sides of your candy moulds. Freeze for 10 minutes.

Next, melt the peanut butter and butter together in a microwave-safe bowl on high in 30-second increments, stirring until smooth. Whisk in the powdered sweetener and vanilla extract. Remove the chocolate cups from the freezer and fill almost to the top with the peanut butter mixture, leaving enough space to cover with the remaining chocolate. Return to the freezer for another 10 minutes.

Finally, gently rewarm the remaining chocolate and stir until smooth. Spread it over the peanut butter filling to the sides of each cup. Chill until set, for around 20 minutes.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Bark

This chocolate peanut butter bark is sugar-free and low-carb, with only 2g net carbs per serving. It's a simple recipe with just two main ingredients and will satisfy your chocolate cravings. You will need:

• 7 ounces of milk chocolate baking chips (use dark chocolate for a deeper, richer taste)
• 7 ounces of peanut butter baking chips
• Sea salt (optional)

First, melt the chocolate and peanut butter chips in separate bowls. You can use a double boiler or place a glass bowl over a saucepan of boiling water. You can also melt them in the microwave very slowly, at 10-second intervals, stirring well in between.

Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. After the chocolate and peanut butter are completely melted, pour the chocolate onto the baking sheet first, then pour the peanut butter on top. Use a butter knife to swirl the two together in a circular motion, being careful not to overmix.

Place the swirled mixture in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to harden, then break the bark into smaller pieces. You can sprinkle some sea salt on top before it sets to enhance the sweet and salty flavours.

Keto Gummy Bears

These sugar-free gummy bears are a fruity, chewy treat with zero carbs. They are easy to make and will take around 40 minutes in total. You will need:

• 1 small (0.3oz) package of sugar-free Jello in your choice of flavour
• 1 envelope of unflavoured gelatine
• Water
• Powdered erythritol (optional, for extra sweetness)

Mix the Jello, unflavoured gelatine, and water in a medium-sized saucepan. Cook over low heat until fully dissolved, for about 2 minutes. Fill the wells of a candy mould with the mixture, using a pipette, right after cooking. Refrigerate for 30 minutes until fully gelled, then pop the gummies out of the mould.

You can store these gummy bears in a resealable container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or at room temperature for up to 1 week. They will be firmer if kept in the fridge and softer if kept out.

Keto smoothies, e.g. strawberry-avocado and chocolate-collagen smoothies

Keto Smoothies: Strawberry-Avocado and Chocolate-Collagen Smoothies

Keto smoothies are a great way to start your day, especially if you're short on time in the mornings. They're easy to make, tasty, and can be adapted to your personal preferences. Here are two delicious keto smoothie recipes for you to try: the strawberry-avocado smoothie and the chocolate-collagen smoothie.

Strawberry-Avocado Smoothie

This smoothie is a creamy, fruity, and nourishing blend, packed with vitamins, minerals, fibre, and antioxidants. It's the perfect dairy-free, gluten-free, and sugar-free breakfast or afternoon pick-me-up. Here's what you'll need:

• 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (or any nut/seed milk of your choice)
• 1/3 cup frozen strawberries (or fresh, but the smoothie will be less thick)
• 1 oz avocado (about 1/4 of a small avocado)
• 2 tbsp coconut cream (or Greek yogurt)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
• 1 tsp powdered sweetener (optional - use erythritol or allulose for a keto-friendly option)

Simply add all the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. This recipe makes one serving, with net carbs per serving at 5.3g.

Chocolate-Collagen Smoothie

This smoothie is a delicious, creamy, and nutritious chocolate treat, perfect for breakfast or an energy boost throughout the day. It's gluten-free and can be made dairy-free. Here's what you'll need:

• 1/2 medium avocado
• 2 scoops chocolate collagen powder
• 1 tbsp chia seeds, soaked in 3 tbsp water for 15 minutes
• 1 tbsp almond butter or nut butter of choice
• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream or full-fat coconut milk
• A sprinkle of sea salt (optional)
• Sugar-free chocolate chips (optional)

Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend until well combined. This recipe makes two servings, with one serving containing 8g of carbohydrates and 4g of net carbs.

Both of these smoothie recipes are delicious, healthy, and simple to make. They're a great way to get your day started on a keto-friendly note!

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