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Tis the season to be jolly, but that’s still no excuse to go overboard on the calories. One reason why many of us seem to gain weight during the holidays is due to extra sugars and fats found in most desserts and candy. Since Christmas is just around the corner, you’re probably looking for dessert recipes to impress your guests with. Lucky for you, there are plenty of low-calorie candy recipes available for a guiltless Christmas celebration. Fans of healthy eating will definitely appreciate these 7 low-calorie Christmas treats that taste just as good as grandma’s.
Fig-Pecan Macaroons
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Two of these fig-pecan macaroons from myrecipes.com contain just 86 calories. The macaroons are very aromatic from the cinnamon, lemon rind, figs, and pecans. The whole recipe makes for 4 dozen macaroons making it a perfect option if you’re planning a big Christmas celebration. Make sure not to skip the cream of tartar here because it will help make the macaroons soft instead of crunchy. If you don’t have cream of tartar at your disposal, you can use lemon juice as a substitute.
Dark Chocolate Peppermint Truffles
You can never go wrong with truffles because everyone loves these little treats. This recipe from Amy’s Healthy Baking requires just 4 healthy ingredients for a punch of flavor. The truffles are sweetened with agave nectar or honey and made with a blend of applesauce and cocoa powder. The recipe makes for 16 truffles, and one truffle contains just 20 calories. Being rich in antioxidants from honey and cocoa powder, these truffles are a great addition to even the best diet plan.
Mint Chocolate Trees
This recipe from Better Homes and Gardens is yet another one that will please a crowd. The amounts provided in this recipe yield a total of 72 mint chocolate trees, and one serving is just 56 calories. These treats also look festive and are sure to impress the kids. Plus, you make the treats ahead and freeze them for up to 3 months then bake them on the Christmas day, or store them in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.
Low-fat holiday sugar cookies
Those with a Christmas diet plan on their mind will love these low-calorie festive cookies by Fiona Haynes. The cookies contain half the butter used in traditional Christmas cookies and just ¾ of a cup of sugar. One serving of these cute-looking treats is just 65 calories, and you also get some fiber and protein. The recipe calls for simple ingredients that you already have in your kitchens such as all-purpose flour, baking powder, egg, and vanilla extract, and they probably won’t take you more than 20 minutes to make. The recipe yields up to 30 cookies, and you should store them in an air-tight container in a cool and dry place.
Weight Watchers Chocolate Marshmallow Fudge
Delicious and enticingly soft, these chocolate marshmallows fudge pieces posted on Laloosh will satisfy your sweet tooth without the extra calories. The recipe yields a total of 36 fudge pieces, and 1 serving (1 fudge piece) contains around 70 calories. The recipe calls for fat-free substitutes for the usual ingredients you find in most fudge recipes. If you want to reduce the calories, even more, you can replace the sugar in this recipe with a sweetener or simply reduce the amount of sugar given here.
Chocolate Raisin Biscotti Recipe
These chocolate raisin biscotti pieces from Taste of Home require just 2/3 cup of sugar to make and only 3 tablespoons of butter. The added raisins give these biscotti pieces just enough sweetness. The creamy frosting makes the pieces look festive, and the vanilla extract makes them a perfect Christmas treat. With only 56 calories in one piece, they’re also diet-friendly, and we see no reason why you shouldn’t enjoy one more piece.
Skinny Eggnog Fudge
This is another low-calorie recipe from Amy’s Healthy Baking that you should try out this Christmas. It also requires just 4 ingredients to make and yields an impressive 34 one-inch squares. One square contains only 35 calories, so you don’t feel guilty after Christmas is over. To make this creamy eggnog fudge, all you need is some eggnog, sugar, butter, and white chocolate. You can store the fudge pieces for up to a week in the fridge.
Even though it’s Christmas, healthy eating is still possible. You just need to make the right ingredient choices, to satisfy your sweet tooth without gaining weight. Many of the recipes listed here are low calorie when compared to traditional Christmas dessert, but they still taste just as good.