14 Healthy Desserts for Kids They’ll Actually Want to Eat

Updated on Jun. 03, 2024

Kids love all things sweet but not all things healthy—so let's give them the best of both worlds! Here's how to make healthy desserts for kids that your little ones will actually want to eat.

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1/14

Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake

Total Time 1 hour 10 min
Servings 16 servings
From the Recipe Creator: This gluten-free chocolate cake is a yummy treat that everyone can enjoy. Sometimes I stir in gluten-free chocolate chips or chopped nuts for variety. —Nichele McCague, Poway, California

Find all of our best kids’ recipes here.

2/14

Carrot Cookies

Total Time 20 min
Servings 4-1/2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator: These cookies are both flavorful and colorful. The shredded carrots add nice bright flecks of orange color.

3/14

Strawberry-Rhubarb Ice Pops

Total Time 25 min
Servings 8 pops
From the Recipe Creator: These cool, creamy pops are a deliciously different way to use up the bounty from your rhubarb patch. —Donna Linihan, Moncton, New Brunswick

Now that you know how to make healthy desserts for kids, try these meals they’ll love!

4/14

Cranberry Stuffed Apples

Total Time 3 hours 10 min
Servings 5 servings
From the Recipe Creator: Cinnamon, nutmeg and walnuts add a homey autumn flavor to these stuffed apples, while the slow cooker does most of the work. —Graciela Sandvigen, Rochester, New York

Find healthy candy options the kids will enjoy, too!

5/14

Chunky Banana Cream Freeze

Total Time 15 min
Servings 6 servings (3 cups)
From the Recipe Creator: Everyone loves ice cream, but we all know it doesn't make a great after-school snack. Until this! With its sweet banana-almond flavor and chunky texture, this appealing banana peanut butter "ice cream" is a crowd-pleaser. People who ask me for the recipe can't believe how easy it is to make. —Kristen Bloom, Okinawa, Japan
6/14

Mixed Berry Sundaes for 2

Total Time 10 min
Servings 2 servings
From the Recipe Creator: These delightful yogurt sundaes are an easy way to add fruit and calcium to your diet. Berries star in the dish, which I enjoy as a simple breakfast or healthy dessert for two. —Edie DeSpain, Logan, Utah
7/14

Frozen Berry & Yogurt Swirls

Total Time 15 min
Servings 10 pops
From the Recipe Creator: I enjoy these frozen yogurt pops because they double as a healthy snack and a cool, creamy sweet treat. —Colleen Ludovice, Wauwatosa, Wisconsin

These quick and kid-friendly dinners are perfect for weeknights.

8/14

Fruit & Granola Crisp with Yogurt

Total Time 10 min
Servings 4 servings
From the Recipe Creator: Here's an easy recipe you can feel good about. Blueberries and peaches are such a delightful flavor combination. —Sue Schmidtke, Oro Valley, Arizona
9/14

Berry White Ice Pops

Total Time 10 min
Servings 10 pops
From the Recipe Creator: Nothing says summer like an ice pop. Kids and adults alike love this fruit-filled version. —Sharon Guinta, Stamford, Connecticut

Treat your little one to all the best snacks.

10/14

Saucy Spiced Pears

Total Time 20 min
Servings 4 servings
From the Recipe Creator: We serve these tangy, saucy pears over angel food cake, pound cake or with a little yogurt or vanilla ice cream. Sprinkle with a favorite topping. —Joy Zacharia, Clearwater, Florida
11/14

Mango Rice Pudding

Total Time 55 min
Servings 4 servings
From the Recipe Creator: Mangoes are my son's favorite fruit, so I was ecstatic to incorporate them into a healthy dessert. You can also use ripe bananas instead of mango, almond extract instead of vanilla or regular milk in place of soy. —Melissa McCabe, Victor, New York
12/14

Frosty Watermelon Ice

Total Time 20 min
Servings 4 servings
From the Recipe Creator: Here's a fun twist on watermelon. It's so refreshing on a summer day, and you don't have to worry about seeds while you're enjoying it. —Kaaren Jurack, Manassas, Virginia
13/14

Slow-Cooker Baked Apples

Total Time 4 hours 25 min
Servings 6 servings
From the Recipe Creator: Coming home to this irresistible dessert on a dreary day is just wonderful; it’s slow-cooker easy. — Evangeline Bradford, Erlanger, Kentucky
14/14

Star-Spangled Parfaits

Total Time 15 min
Servings 4 servings
From the Recipe Creator: The best time for this dessert is midsummer, when the blueberries are thick in our northern woods. Red raspberries can be added to the mixed berries, too, to brighten the patriotic colors. —Anne Theriault, Wellesley, Massachusetts