8 Tips for Delicious and Healthy Baked Goods

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A balanced diet wouldn’t be complete without a few sweet treats here and there. But not every indulgence needs to break your healthy diet! By educating yourself and becoming familiar with simple baking swaps, you’ll be decreasing calories and increasing nutrients in no time!

The Internet is full of some intense baking tips—replacing oil with tofu, swapping sugar for beets, etc. Here you’ll find a few quick and easy tips that require ingredients you probably already have on hand.

Be sure to share your healthy baking tips in the comments below. Happy baking!

1Cut Down Proportions

Start by cutting down on proportions. Use less frosting, make mini cupcakes or try smaller sized cookies. Sometimes all you need to satisfy a sweet craving is just a bite, not a whole jumbo muffin!

2Swap Out Unhealthy Fats

You can easily trade (start with half if you’re hesitant) the vegetable oil or canola oil with coconut oil, olive oil or even pureed fruit. Try apple sauce or pureed pumpkin to reduce the calories. Check out these Top Butter Substitutes for Cooking and Baking if you are looking to get some more ideas.

3Replace Sour Cream

Replace the sour cream with Greek yogurt. Many cake and bread recipes call for sour cream because it results in a moist, flavorful product. But Greek yogurt delivers almost the same result, all while adding protein and cutting the fat content!

4Use Healthier Flour

Experiment with whole wheat flour or coconut flour. Bleached white flour is often full of chemicals and very few nutrients. Whole wheat flour isn’t as processed and is full of nutrients! Start by using half white and half whole wheat flour in your recipes, since you’ll likely be able to taste a difference. With coconut flour, swap out 1/4 cup of your regular flour.

5Incorporate Flaxseed

For a nutritional boost, add flaxseed to your recipes. It’s full of essential fatty acids, fiber, protein and lignans. It can add a bit of a nutty flavor though, so be sure to add it slowly and experiment with your taste preferences.

6Ditch the Sprinkles

Swap sprinkles and artificial dyes for something like a chocolate drizzle, crushed nuts or a dusting of cocoa powder. You can also try replacing chocolate chips or white chocolate chips with dried fruit. Your treats will still look beautiful, and they’ll be much better for you!

7Replace an Egg

Eggs are healthy, but there are some swaps that will allow you to have a finished baked good with a lower calorie count. Try substituting one egg with 1/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce. You can check out our other egg substitutions, which are perfect for vegan baking.

8Use Whipped Coconut Cream

Try whipped coconut cream instead of frosting or traditional whipped cream. It tastes nearly the same, and includes only three ingredients!

Now, to get you off on the right foot, here are some awesome recipes for health-ified baked goods!

Flourless White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Muffins