Need ideas for easy gluten free desserts? Moms, do you need a lunch-box treat that’s healthy and sweet, or maybe you’re looking for your own chocolate treat? This chocolate oatmeal dessert is easy, quick, and sure to satisfy any sweet tooth. Plus, it’s a no bake recipe that can easily be whipped up with your kids and served as a snack!
Easy gluten free desserts
If you have to eat gluten free, it’s important that you make sure you’re getting enough fiber. Often, gluten free options are missing fiber and nutrients, so you shouldn’t just rely on packaged gluten free foods. Instead, look for higher fiber options, and consider making homemade goodies so you can swap ingredients. There are so many ways to make healthy and easy gluten free desserts, meals, and snacks! Take my (seriously drool-worthy) gluten free salisbury steak for example: I replaced the breadcrumbs with oatmeal, adding more nutrition to these tender meat patties without sacrificing flavor or texture.
Some other ingredient swaps you can make include flaxseed for eggs, applesauce for oil, and bananas for sugar. I made all of these swaps happen in this gluten free carrot cake recipe that was a huge hit at my son’s first birthday party! (I promise you, you need this carrot cake recipe in your life even if you don’t eat gluten free. It’s my family’s favorite cake I make.) And the possibilities don’t stop there! There are so many ways you can make healthy food substitutions while still enjoying your favorites.
Make healthy food delicious
Did you know that foods at room temperature have the most flavor? They do! So, if you’re looking to satisfy your sweet tooth, you may enjoy a room-temperature piece of chocolate more than one that is hot or cold. That being said, sometimes you just have a particular craving for a hot brownie or a cold scoop of ice cream, and that’s perfectly fine! In fact, being in touch with your cravings and knowing exactly what it is you want is a key characteristic of an intuitive eater.
As a dietitian, that’s something I remind people of often: There’s nothing wrong with wanting something sweet, and it’s even better if you know exactly what will satisfy you most. Do you feel ashamed of your cravings? Do you feel like you can’t own them because they’re not healthy? Remember, true health is not perfect eating. Rather, it’s being able to balance healthy choices with foods that satisfy you best.
Being truly satisfied with your food can actually lead to better health. How? When you’re eating a lot of food in the name of “health” that you don’t really enjoy, you’re left wanting more. So, you end up eating the healthy stuff AND what you really want (often a large quantity of it, too), which means you wind up eating more calories than you would have if you would have just gone for what you wanted!
Am I saying that you can always just eat only what you want?
Not exactly. But what I do encourage is that everything you eat is something you enjoy. Find a way to make healthy food taste better, and you’ll get nutrition plus satisfaction. And that’s the real goal.
How to make healthy desserts
So how do you make healthy and easy gluten free desserts? Pair them with protein or fiber. Balancing the sugar in chocolate with protein or fiber helps keep your blood sugar more stable, which means you won’t be riding the roller coaster of cravings. Not only will you feel more satisfied with a reasonable portion, but your satisfaction will last longer.
In these chocolate oatmeal fudge bites, you’re adding healthy protein from peanut butter and fiber from oatmeal. Plus, it’s a winning flavor combination, so basically what we have here is satisfaction city!
I share a list of more snack pairings like this in my healthy meal planning guide!
Also, watch for the type of fat you’re cooking with. Extra-virgin olive oil is preferred but sometimes doesn’t taste good in desserts. And while coconut oil is metabolized differently, it still contains a lot of saturated fat, which may not be so good for your heart. Instead, try using whipped butter when you can. The whipping process removes a lot of fat and extra calories while still keeping ingredients simple and real.
Portion size
The original recipe for these were cut into bars. However, you can try them as small, square-sized bites. They’re cute, perfectly finger-sized, and will make you feel like you’re eating more when you can eat 2-3 of them. 😉
Two or 3 pieces of fudge vs. 1 fudge bar? When it comes to chocolate, I always like the idea of having more!
Simple and quick no bake recipe
Not only is this recipe a nutritious dessert option, but it’s simple, quick, and no bake. With only 6 ingredients, you can let your kids help in the kitchen without making too big of a mess. Supervise them while using the stove (or try using the microwave), but other than that, they can mix this together and feel so proud of their efforts. My son loves to help me in the kitchen, and it’s a great way to help them get used to new food ideas while learning basic life skills!
Need a dairy free option?
Looking for easy gluten free desserts that are also dairy free? Use dairy free chocolate chips! Check out these chocolate chips by Enjoy Life that are allergy-friendly. (This isn’t an ad, I just really like their products!
This recipe is the perfect fix for a chocolate craving or afternoon pick me up, at least I think so. I’d love to hear if you agree!
Passionately,
Alyssa
No Bake, Gluten Free, Chocolate Oatmeal Fudge Bites
Ingredients
- 1 cup natural peanut butter
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 cup whipped butter coconut oil may also be substituted
- 2 cups gluten free oats quick oats or 1 minute oats recommended
- 1 1/4 cups dark chocolate chips
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Grease a 9x9 pan with nonstick cooking spray, or line the pan with parchment paper to keep from sticking.
- In a medium-sized sauce pan, melt together the peanut butter, honey, and butter over medium-low heat. (Watch closely so it doesn't burn.) Stir occasionally with a spatula.
- Once melted, remove from heat and add in the oats, chocolate chips, and vanilla. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.
- Pour mixture into the prepared pan and distribute evenly. Cool and store in the refrigerator or freezer.
- *Optional: Consider substituting almond butter for peanut butter or stirring in dried fruit or nuts for fun flavor combinations!
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