Desserts are a major grey area of Whole30. The whole point of the 30-day diet is to temporarily eliminate food groups that lead to bad eating habits and the vicious cycle of cravings. So, naturally, even treats and desserts with approved ingredients in them still raise eyebrows with some Whole30 followers. Just because a cake is made with date syrup and alternative flour, doesn't mean it isn't still a cake, right?
While this may be true, 30 days is a long time to deprive yourself of absolutely everything your taste buds want. So instead of completely giving into that moment of weakness and secretly devouring a whole chocolate bar, which counts as falling off the Whole30 bandwagon, step into the light and enjoy a guilt-free dessert made of approved Whole30 ingredients.
Whole30 dessert ingredients
We've developed these recipes especially for the Whole30 diet, because we know that cutting out so many different food groups at once can be a huge challenge, even if only for 30 days.
All the recipes on this list are sweetened with the only Whole30-approved sweetener—dates. Dates are naturally sweet and can be used in baked goods in whole form. A lot of these recipes call for date syrup, which is still compliant as long as dates are the only ingredient on the list.
We also forego grain products, and use alternative flours like coconut flour, almond flour, and tapioca flour, and fruits like bananas and apples, to create our batters.
You won't find dairy in any of these desserts, either. Because dairy is banned on the Whole30 diet, we use coconut milk and cream to whip up delicious fillings, puddings, and even caramel sauce.
When it comes to chocolate, we hack the flavor by using date syrup and raw cocoa powder—but you'll never know the difference!
At the end of the day, besides being Whole30 compliant, these desserts are a healthier choice no matter what diet you follow.
Banana Coconut Ice Cream
Yes, delicious rich ice cream can be made from whole ingredients. This one has a base of bananas and coconut milk and is served with "caramelized" almond slivers. Keep in mind, you'll need an ice cream maker to create this dreamy Whole30 dessert.
Get our recipe for Whole30 Banana Coconut Ice Cream.
Instant Pot Lemon Cake
This indulgent fluffy lemon cake is steamed in an instant pot for 35 minutes, and comes out perfectly moist and tender. The batter combines almond, tapioca, and coconut flours with zest and juice of lemons and creamy coconut milk. Whole30 desserts really don't get a whole lot better than this.
Get our recipe for Whole30 Instant Pot Lemon Cake.
Whipped Chocolate Coconut Pudding
Coconut cream is cooked with cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and salt, to create this airy chocolate pudding. Topped with whipped coconut cream, this beautiful contrasting dessert is worthy of showing off. Serve to guests or keep it all to yourself—we won't judge.
Get our recipe for Whole30 Whipped Chocolate Coconut Pudding.
Warm Sautéed Apples with Caramel Drizzle
Even Whole30 purists would agree that this dessert is a totally acceptable form of indulgence. We go back to basics by gently sautéing apples with cinnamon to bring out their natural moist sweetness, then smother them in caramel sauce. When you're craving warm apple pie, try this instead.
Get our recipe for Whole30 Warm Sautéed Apples with Caramel Drizzle.
Mini Chocolate Cakes
These gluten- and dairy-free mini cakes are moist and delicious as can be. The batter is made of apples, bananas, and almond butter, while the rich chocolate flavor is achieved by combining cocoa powder with espresso. A touch of Whole30 genius, if you ask us.
Get our recipe for Whole30 Mini Chocolate Cakes.
Coconut Fruit Tart
Make this beautiful tart when you're entertaining on Whole30—you can still go all out and present an impressive dessert that both you and your non-Whole30 guests can enjoy together. The best part? You don't even need to turn on your oven. That's right, this no-bake dessert has a sweet, nutty press-in crust, and a whole lot of fragrant coconut cream–cashew filling. Use any fruit that's in season to adorn this picture-prefect tart.
Get our recipe for Whole30 Coconut Fruit Tart.
Date Squares
These date squares are basically Whole30 Fig Newtons. The filling is an unprocessed mix of dates and orange juice, and it couldn't be more satisfyingly sweet. This is a great make-ahead dessert to keep in the fridge for when the sweet cravings hit—no need to abandon your Whole30 diet because you're feeling the sugar fever.
Get our recipe for Whole30 Date Squares.
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Chocolate Pudding Cakes
Need a Whole30 dessert ready in 10 minutes? Get your Instant Pot out and steam these chocolate pudding cakes on high pressure to achieve a hot, cakey crumb with a gooey center.
Get our recipe for Whole30 Chocolate Pudding Cakes.
Blueberry Cobbler
Craving a warm fruit cobbler? Try this simplified Whole30 version featuring a bubbling blueberry filling and a topping of crumbly crust made with almond meal, coconut oil, and date syrup.
Get our recipe for Whole30 Blueberry Cobbler.
Lime Avocado Mousse
This green mousse toes the line between a dessert and a healthy snack, and we certainly recommend it for both. What could be lighter than a no-sugar-added vegan cream full of zesty lime, avocado, cashews, and coconut milk? Nothing, that's what!
Get our recipe for Whole30 Lime Avocado Mousse.
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