14 Healthy Thanksgiving Desserts

Indulge your cravings and skip the bloated, heavy feeling with these healthy Thanksgiving desserts. These easy recipes take your favorite flavors like maple cinnamon and warm pumpkin pie and add a healthy, high protein twist to them.

Two images with text between them the top of pumpkin protein balls and the bottom of pumpkin mousse.

As a Certified Nutrition Coach, I truly believe that we should satisfy our sweet tooth with healthier alternatives. So, I use dessert recipes like the ones below to help clients get the best of both worlds.

The Thanksgiving dessert recipes below have all the deliciousness of the flavors you crave but with a healthy twist. All of them are naturally dairy-free, and gluten-free, and most of them are packed with protein to help stabilize blood sugars too.

Whip up a few to try and get some new ideas for the Thanksgiving dessert table. Ones that you can feel GOOD about munching on.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Donuts

Indulge in your favorite fall flavor while increasing your energy! These gluten-free pumpkin donuts are soft, chewy, and totally paleo. Whipped up in just one bowl and baked in the oven they make the perfect addition to an afternoon coffee. To learn more: Gluten-Free Pumpkin Donuts

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Protein Bread

Healthy pumpkin bread in slices on a cutting board and around it with peanut butter on the side. — Image Credit: Fit as a Mama Bear

Deliciously soft, you’ll want to cozy up with a coffee and this pumpkin protein bread on those chilly fall days. Made with a blend of almond flour, vegan protein powder, and the classic flavor of pumpkin spice, this gluten-free pumpkin loaf is great for giving you fuel and comfort. To learn more: Pumpkin Bread

Homemade Vegan Snickers

vegan homemade snickers bars lined up in front of a pink mold with more bars and a purple bowl with peanuts in it — Photo Credit: Fit as a Mama Bear

Curb your sweet tooth with these vegan snickers! With a chewy chocolate base and topped with homemade caramel sauce and peanuts, this gluten-free candy bar makes the perfect no-bake dessert!

Get the recipe: Homemade Vegan Snickers

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Chocolate protein zucchini in a loaf pan lined with parchment paper and chocolate chips around it. — Photo credit: Fit as a Mama Bear

Amp up your intake and enjoy something sweet with this protein zucchini bread! Naturally dairy and gluten-free but loaded with comfort, this chocolate zucchini bread makes the perfect addition to any dessert table.

Get the recipe: Protein Zucchini Bread

Frozen Berry Crisp

Triple berry crumble in a white ramekin with pecans around it and more crumble behind — Image Credit: Fit as a Mama Bear

A refreshing burst of flavor, this grain-free, healthy berry crumble makes the perfect dessert. This paleo dessert can be made with frozen or fresh berries and is topped with an almond flour pecan crumble.To learn more: Carrot Cake Protein Balls

High Protein Cinnamon Sugar Donuts

Cinnamon sugar protein donut with a bite out of it on a cooling rack with more donuts around ti and cinnamon beside it — Photo Credit: Fit as a Mama Bear

Soft and sweet, these cinnamon sugar donuts melt in your mouth! Baked in the oven and made with gluten-free flour, this protein donut recipe is a great one to have on hand for breakfast, a post-workout snack, or those days when you have a sweet craving!

Get the recipe: Cinnamon Sugar Donuts

Dairy-Free Banana Bread

Sliced high protein banana bread with chocolate chips on a wooden cutting board with a blue linen beside it. — Photo Credit: Fit as a Mama Bear

Moist and indulgent without the sugar rush this dairy-free banana bread makes the perfect everyday dessert. A delicious almond flour banana loaf with just the right amount of cinnamon and walnuts for crunch.

Get the recipe: Soft Sugar-Free Banana Bread

Chocolate Protein Mousse

Combining the rich flavor of chocolate with the nutritional benefits of protein powder, this protein mousse recipe is a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth! To learn more: Chocolate Protein Mousse

High Protein Pumpkin Pie Pudding

Pumpkin protein pudding in a jar topped with cinnamon and a spoon in the jar. — Image Credit: Fit as a Mama Bear

Rich, indulgent, and full of pumpkin pie spice flavor, this protein pumpkin pudding recipe is the perfect way to curb a fall craving. With a thick but creamy texture and 25 grams of protein, you can enjoy this no-bake dessert guilt-free. To learn more: High Protein Pumpkin Pudding

High Protein Strawberry Cheesecake

Protein cheesecake topped with strawberries topping on a white plate. — Photo credit: Fit as a Mama Bear

Rich and indulgent but high in protein this strawberry protein cheesecake recipe makes the perfect dessert! Made with a chewy protein cookie base and topped with a creamy cheesecake filling, this protein dessert is worth the extra effort.

Get the recipe: High Protein Cheesecake

Dairy-Free Twix Protein Bars

Chocolate coated Twix protein bars with two broken in half and stacked on top of each other. — Image Credit: Fit as a Mama Bear

Crumbly cookie base, chewy caramel center, and coated in a rich chocolate sauce… and all high in protein! These protein Twix bars are a dairy-free, gluten-free twist on your favorite candy bar. To learn more: Dairy-Free Twix Protein Bars

Peanut Butter Protein Fudge

Soft, salted, and the perfect protein dessert. This peanut butter protein fudge will be hard to put down. A freezer fudge recipe that requires no tempering but makes the perfect midday treat. Dairy-free, paleo, and high-protein to give you some fuel at the same time.

Get the recipe: Peanut Butter Protein Fudge

2-Bite Protein Brownies

Three two-bite protein brownies stacked on top of each other with more in the background. — Photo Credit: Fit as a Mama Bear

The perfect blend of a crispy outer shell and a dense, fudgy inside. These chocolate protein brownies are gobbled up in no time! Naturally dairy and gluten-free, the best part about these bite-sized brownies is that they’re high in protein too!

Get the recipe: 2-Bite Protein Brownies

Peanut Butter Choco Rice Krispie Treats

Two squares of protein rice krispies topped with chocolate leaning on each other and more in the background. — Image Credit: Fit as a Mama Bear

A crunchy, healthy dessert with a high protein twist. These protein rice Krispie treats are a rich combination of peanut butter, maple syrup, and collagen powder to bring you 12 grams of protein. To learn more: Protein Rice Krispie Treats