10 Delicious & Easy Diabetic-Friendly Desserts

Living with diabetes doesn’t have to mean giving up dessert completely. With the right ingredients and a little creativity, you can satisfy your sweet tooth without spiking your blood sugar. We’ve put together 10 easy, diabetic-friendly dessert recipes that are not only tasty, but low calorie and blood sugar safe.

It's important to remember that everyone’s glucose levels respond differently to various foods and portion sizes. That’s why monitoring your blood sugar and learning what works best for your body is key. Using a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) or gaining insight from a registered dietitian can be valuable tools to help you understand how what you eat and drink affects your glucose levels.

• Low-sugar: Traditional sugar (sucrose) causes a rapid spike in blood sugar. Diabetic-friendly desserts use alternatives that don’t have the same effect.

• Low in carbohydrates: Carbs break down into glucose, affecting blood sugar levels. Choosing low-carb ingredients helps keep these levels stable.

• High in fiber and healthy fats: Ingredients like almond flour, chia seeds, or avocados slow digestion and sugar absorption, which helps control blood sugar.

• Low glycemic index (GI): Desserts made with ingredients that have a low GI release glucose more gradually into the bloodstream.

Diabetic-friendly desserts use sugar substitutes that help prevent blood sugar spikes. Natural sweeteners like fruit, dates, maple syrup, honey, and raisins can be good alternatives to added sugars when used in moderation. Artificial and non-nutritive sweeteners like stevia, monk fruit, erythritol, and allulose are also effective options, as they have a glycemic index close to zero.

These sweeteners provide the sweetness of sugar without the blood glucose impact, making them ideal for people with diabetes. They’re also great for baking, especially when blended to improve taste and texture.

Source: EatingWell

• 3 cups whole-milk plain Greek yogurt.

• ¼ cup pure maple syrup or honey.

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

• 1 ½ cups sliced strawberries.

• ¼ cup mini chocolate chips.

Makes 32 servings.

Line your pan with parchment paper, mix and spread the yogurt, freeze for about three hours (or until firm) then cut and enjoy!

Source: EatingWell

• 1 (16-ounce) package frozen pineapple chunks.

• 1 cup frozen mango chunks or 1 large mango, peeled, seeded, and chopped.

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice or lime juice.

Makes 6 servings.

Blend pineapple, mango, and citrus juice in a food processor until smooth. Serve immediately or freeze for a firmer texture.

Source: EatingWell

• 1 cup quick-cooking oats

• ¾ cup almond flour or almond meal

• ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• 2 medium ripe bananas, mashed

• ½ cup almond or peanut butter

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• ¾ cup raisins or chopped dates

Makes 12 servings.

Mix dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, mash bananas and mix with nut butter and vanilla. Combine with dry mixture and raisins. Form into cookies, flatten, and bake at 350°F for 15 minutes.

Source: EatingWell

• 1 pound fresh strawberries

• 2 medium bananas

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

• ¼ cup ice-cold water (as needed)

Makes 4 servings.

Blend strawberries, bananas, and lemon juice in a food processor until smooth. Add water if needed. Spread on a baking sheet, freeze until firm, then scoop and serve.

Source: EatingWell

• 3 ripe but firm pears, sliced

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 3 tablespoons granulated or light brown sugar

• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon ground ginger

• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

• Pinch of salt

Makes 6 servings.

Toss pears in lemon juice. Cook covered in butter for 10 minutes. Add spices and sugar, then cook uncovered until tender and glazed (4–6 minutes). Serve warm.

Source: Chocolate Covered Katie

• 2 ripe avocados (240g)

• ¼ cup regular cocoa powder

• ¼ cup Dutch cocoa or melted chocolate chips

• 3–4 tablespoons milk of choice

• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

• ⅛ teaspoon salt

• ¼ cup maple syrup (or sweetener of choice)

Makes 4 servings.

Blend all ingredients until smooth. Chill before serving for a firmer mousse.

Source: Minimalist Baker

• ¼ cup cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder

• 3–5 tablespoons maple syrup

• ½ teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

• Pinch of sea salt

• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 ½ cups unsweetened almond or coconut milk

• ½ cup chia seeds

Makes 4 servings.

Whisk cacao, maple syrup, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla. Gradually add milk. Stir in chia seeds and refrigerate for at least 3–5 hours or overnight.

Source: Chocolate Covered Katie

• 1 ½ cups black beans (1 can, drained and rinsed)

• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

• ½ cup quick oats

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• ⅓ cup maple syrup, honey, or agave

• ¼ cup oil (coconut or vegetable)

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• ½ teaspoon baking powder

• ½–⅔ cup chocolate chips

Makes 9-12 servings.

Blend all ingredients except chips in a food processor until smooth. Stir in chips. Bake in a greased 8×8 pan at 350°F for 15–18 minutes. Cool before slicing.

Source: Minimalist Baker

• 1 heaping cup packed dates

• ¼ cup maple syrup, agave, or honey

• ¼ cup natural peanut or almond butter

• 1 cup roasted unsalted chopped almonds

• 1 ½ cups rolled oats

Makes 10 bars.

Process dates into a paste. Mix with nuts and oats. Warm syrup and nut butter, combine with dry mixture, press into a lined pan, and chill for 20 minutes. Cut into bars.

Source: The Big Man’s World

• 1 cup cooked, mashed sweet potato

• ½ cup almond butter (or other nut/seed butter)

• 3 tablespoons maple syrup

• ¼ cup cocoa powder

• ½ cup chocolate chips (optional)

Makes 6 servings.

Blend all ingredients until smooth. Pour into a greased pan and bake at 350°F for 20 minutes. Let cool before slicing.

When choosing store-bought diabetic-friendly desserts, check the nutrition label for low carbs and no added sugars. Look for natural sweeteners like fruit, dates, maple syrup, honey and raisins, or artificial sweeteners like stevia, monk fruit, or erythritol, while avoiding hidden sugars and high-carb ingredients. Watch portion sizes, as even healthy options can add up quickly.

Learning about the right nutrition to support healthy blood sugar levels can be overwhelming, but Aeroflow Diabetes goes beyond Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs). Get support from registered dietitians and take control of your nutrition.

If you don’t feel like making a sweet treat from scratch, there are several pre-made options to grab from the store. Some store-bought options that may be friendlier for blood sugar levels include:

• Simple Mills Crunchy Cookies

• UNREAL Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

• ChocZero 70% Dark Chocolate Squares

• Lily's Chocolate Bars

You can still enjoy sweet treats with diabetes. Along with choosing low-carb, sugar-free options, using a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) helps to keep your levels in check.

With a CGM, you’re able to notice how desserts affect your glucose levels in real time, making it easier to treat yourself wisely and stay on track.

Disclaimer

Information provided on the Aeroflow Diabetes blog is not intended as a substitute to medical advice or care. Aeroflow Diabetes recommends consulting a doctor if you are experiencing medical issues or concerns.

References

Higgins, K. (2015, October 15). Avocado chocolate mousse – TWO recipes! Chocolate Covered Katie. https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/avocado-chocolate-mousse-vegan-healthy/

Kast, L. (2023). Strawberry-chocolate Greek yogurt bark. EatingWell. https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/259080/strawberry-chocolate-greek-yogurt-bark/

Liew, A. (2024, April 17). 4‑Ingredient Sweet Potato Brownies {Super fudgy}. The Big Man’s World. Retrieved from https://thebigmansworld.com/4-ingredient-flourless-sweet-potato-brownies-paleo-vegan-gluten-free/

Minimalist Baker. (n.d.). Overnight Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding. Retrieved from https://minimalistbaker.com/overnight-chocolate-chia-seed-pudding/