20 Nut-Free Desserts You'll Want to Make This Holiday Season By Leah Goggins Leah Goggins Leah Goggins is a journalist and an editor at EatingWell. She assigns and edits all kinds of news content, from delicious grocery roundups to new studies in health and nutrition. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on December 22, 2021 Close These sweet treats will be a hit with everyone, regardless of nut allergies or aversions. This mix of cookies, cakes, pies and other bites has something for everyone, whether you prefer the refreshing taste of peppermint bark or the warming spices of gingerbread. Recipes like our Ginger Molasses Cookies and Peppermint-Chocolate Greek Yogurt Bark are so tasty, your friends and family will be requesting them for next year. Love any of these recipes? Tap "Save" to add them to MyRecipes, your new, free recipe box for EatingWell. 01 of 20 Flourless Chocolate Cookies View Recipe Save These flourless cookies get their volume from whipped egg whites (like a meringue) instead of grains, making them gluten-free and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. A chocolate chip in each bite adds to the rich chocolate flavor. 02 of 20 Peppermint-Chocolate Greek Yogurt Bark View Recipe Save This eye-catching frozen peppermint-chocolate bark was inspired by Williams Sonoma's Original Peppermint Bark--our loose interpretation of the treat is frozen and made with Greek yogurt, chocolate and crushed candy canes. For the creamiest bark, be sure to use full-fat yogurt, as fat-free yogurt can get icy when frozen. Serve this healthy dessert when you want all those festive holiday flavors in a lightened-up--and totally delicious--package. Just don't stuff your Christmas stockings with this bark because it melts quickly. 03 of 20 Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies View Recipe Save Jacob Fox A generous amount of melted chocolate gives these cookies a fudgy, brownie-like texture, but it also means a very soft dough. Chilling it helps firm the dough up to a scoopable consistency. 04 of 20 Peppermint Chocolate Tart View Recipe Save This rich chocolate tart dessert recipe is low in sugar, making it a perfect healthy finish to a heavy holiday meal. 05 of 20 Ginger Molasses Cookies View Recipe Save Photography / Greg DuPree, Styling / Ruth BlackBurn / Julia Bayless The spelt flour in these ginger molasses cookies offers a chewy texture and a nutty flavor that shines with the ginger in this easy holiday cookie recipe. 06 of 20 Whipped Hot Chocolate View Recipe Save Jason Donnelly Any kind of milk will work in this fun take on hot chocolate that's perfect for special occasions. For other flavor variations, try adding a drop of peppermint extract or a pinch of pumpkin spice or chili powder, depending on the season. You can even swap out half of the milk for coffee for a flavorful twist. 07 of 20 Chocolate-Peppermint Mini Pies This mini pie recipe is an easier option for a holiday dessert that will dazzle a crowd. You can prepare these mini pies through Step 6 up to a day ahead. Remove from the freezer (Step 7) just before serving to keep the whipped topping from melting. 08 of 20 Italian Lemon Cookies View Recipe Save These soft Italian lemon drop cookies feature both sweet and tangy flavors thanks to plenty of fresh lemon juice and a powdered sugar glaze. These easy cookies are perfect with tea and coffee and will make a great addition to your holiday cookie platter. 09 of 20 Gingerbread Tea Cake View Recipe Save This low-calorie cake gets its festive flavor from molasses, cinnamon, ginger and ground cloves. Serve it for dessert at the holidays. 10 of 20 Soft Sugar Cookies View Recipe Save These easy and classic cookies incorporate mild-tasting white whole-wheat flour for extra fiber and nutrients. 11 of 20 Cranberry Cheesecake Bars View Recipe Save A great dessert option for your next holiday party, these sweet cheesecake bars have an oat crust and a cranberry-orange sauce that's swirled on top and baked right in. 12 of 20 Oatmeal-Coconut Cookies with Cranberries & White Chocolate View Recipe Save Our classic oatmeal cookie recipe gets a flavor twist with coconut, white chocolate chips (which have a more delicate flavor than milk or dark chocolate) and tart dried cranberries. The result is a chewy, sweet treat that's sure to leave you coming back for more. 13 of 20 Baked Cinnamon Apple Slices View Recipe Save Caitlin Bensel These baked cinnamon apple slices have just the right level of tenderness and bite and a gooey apple caramel that forms at the bottom of the pan. Enjoy this healthy dessert spooned over ice cream, with biscuits or served over yogurt—the options with these are endless! 14 of 20 Apple-Cinnamon Cake View Recipe Save This simple nondairy apple cake, which is often called Jewish apple cake, has origins in Eastern Europe. Cinnamon and sweet-tart Granny Smith apples make for a fragrant cake, while orange juice in the batter adds a sweet, fresh touch. Make it for Rosh Hashana or any other fall holiday or occasion. The leftovers (if there are any) pair nicely with a cup of coffee the next morning. 15 of 20 Air-Fryer Beignets View Recipe Save Caitlin Bensel Classic beignets are deep-fried, but not these! The air fryer gives these beignets a healthier twist by using less oil to achieve the crispy exterior and soft chewy inside that makes this South Louisiana specialty so mouthwatering. 16 of 20 Dark Chocolate Truffles Ready in under 30 minutes, this truffle recipe is easy to make and you'll love the different coating options! 17 of 20 Snowman Meringue Cookies You've never made a snowman like this! These cute lightened-up cookies are awesome on their own, or float one in a cup of hot chocolate and watch it melt away. When making meringues, make sure that your bowl and beaters are clean and that there is not a trace of yolk in the egg white; the smallest amount of fat will prevent the egg whites from forming meringue. Depending on the humidity in your kitchen, the baking time might vary considerably. Check to make sure your cookies are crisp throughout before removing them from the oven. 18 of 20 Eggnog Pie with Cranberry Sauce This healthy custard pie recipe combines the flavors of gingerbread and eggnog into a festive holiday dessert. An easy cranberry sauce balances the sweetness of the pie with a touch of tartness. To lighten the load of holiday baking, each element can be prepared up to 5 days ahead. 19 of 20 Vegan Gingerbread Cookies Coconut oil stands in for butter in this dairy-free, eggless cookie recipe for completely mouthwatering gingerbread cut-outs. Decorate cookies with a simple vegan icing or sanding sugar. 20 of 20 Caramel Cream Cheese Custard (Flan de Queso) View Recipe Save Every panaderia (bakery) in Puerto Rico has many flavors of flan, from vanilla to guava. Reduced-fat cream cheese gives this version a rich, comforting texture. Explore more: Healthy Recipes Dietary Restrictions Nut-Free Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! 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