12 Healthy Holiday Treats
Between family gatherings, office parties and other themed events, the holidays always bring plenty of tempting treats, which can make it difficult to keep the family on any kind of healthy track. Fortunately, you don’t have to throw great flavor out the window just to make a nutrition-friendly holiday snack. Below is a roundup of 12 holiday treats that will please even the most discerning of taste buds, while keeping those healthy habits intact.
1. Healthy Fig Newtons
Dairy-free and gluten-free, this recipe for healthy fig newtons leaves nothing lacking. These delicious treats are packed with healthy fruit and nuts, and since they’re a grab-and-go type of food, you can use them for snacks, dessert or anything in between.
2. Strawberry Santas
This adorable and inventive snack is primarily made of one of the healthiest fruits on the planet–strawberries–and it adds a splash of fun to any snacking session.
3. Reindeer Pretzel Candy
From the fertile mind of a very creative kid (Hallecake) comes this delectable yet healthy treat that’s fun to make, and even more fun to eat!
4. Gluten-Free Frosted Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Believe it or not, this rich and indulgent treat is fully vegan, with no butter, wheat or cream involved. With a soft cookie texture, creamy chocolate peppermint frosting and a nice topping of crunchy peppermint, these gluten-free treats will easily become a smash hit at any holiday party or family get-together.
5. Cranberry Orange Pull-Apart Bread
There’s nothing quite as heartwarming as the smell of baked bread in the oven on a cold winter’s day. With colors and flavors that exude the holiday spirit, you’ll love this healthy alternative to the many preservative-laden boxed bread recipes on the market.
6. Healthier Sugar Cookies
Finally, a recipe for delicious sugar cookies that doesn’t include insane amounts of sugar. These wonderful treats are light and crunchy, and with the various snowflake designs you can create, they will add a nice visual touch to any holiday dessert spread.
7. Snowman Pretzels
These charming and creative snacks are a blast to make, and they look great inside of a candy jar as well!
8. Gluten-Free Chocolate Fudge Crinkle Cookies
If you’re like most people, you were sold as soon as you saw the word “fudge”. These wonderfully gooey treats are flour-free and gluten-free, and they can put a smile on the face of any die-hard chocoholic.
9. Gluten-Free Lemon Almond Butter Cookies
Almond butter is one of the best kept secrets in the nut butter world, and it adds an unmistakable touch of decadence to these delicious cookies.
10. Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Packed with oats, flaxseed and raisins, these chewy, puffy and thoroughly delicious cookies offer plenty of fiber as well as heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. You also have the option of adding nuts or semi-sweet chocolate chips to the recipe to provide a new layer of texture and flavor.
11. Easy Gluten-Free Oreo Cookies
Made with only 5 ingredients and sweetened with pure maple syrup, milk’s favorite cookie gets a gluten-free makeover that leaves nothing to be desired.
12. Chocolate Covered Mint Patties
Made from coconut, cashews, cinnamon, coconut oil, peppermint oil, cacao powder, and agave honey, these decadent treats are the raw food lover’s dream, plus they’re a cinch to make.
The delicious treats listed above are proof positive that you and your family can fully enjoy sumptuous holiday fare without overdoing it on the bad ingredients. So be sure to add these ideas to your list, and have a happy and healthy holiday season!
