Desserts

There are times when one wonders if Desserts are a thing of the past for someone newly diagnosed with diabetes. But that really isn't the case, as these desserts prove. This might mean tweaking favorite recipes, or finding new recipes on diabetic-friendly sites, such as these six desserts. Check out the Pumpkin Cheesecake, the Crustless Apple Pie, and the rest of today's desserts. (Of course, a good helping of moderation helps, too.) Enjoy!

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

This is from Diabetic Gourmet, and begins, "Applesauce replaces part of the fat, Equal all of the sugar, plus you get double the chocolate flavor with both cocoa and chocolate chips – so who can resist these delicious brownies?"

Recipe Yield: Yield: 16 brownies

Source: Equal

Recipe and image appear courtesy of Equal.

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipe/double-chocolate-brownies.

Ingredients

6 tablespoons stick butter, softened

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup Equal Spoonful*

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or mini chocolate chips

6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Optional: Chopped Walnuts

* May substitute 24 packets Equal sweetener

Directions

Beat butter, applesauce, eggs, and vanilla until blended. Stir in combined flour, Equal, chocolate chips, cocoa, baking powder, nuts (optional) and salt until blended.

Spread batter in sprayed 8-inch square baking pan. Bake in a preheated 350F oven 18 to 20 minutes or until top springs back when gently touched. Cool completely on wire rack. Cut into squares.

Store in airtight containers at room temperature.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 105; Fat: 7 g; Sodium: 77 mg; Cholesterol: 38 mg; Protein: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 10 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 fat

BAKED VANILLA CUSTARD

Recipe Yield: Yield: 10 servings

Source: Equal ®

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/baked-vanilla-custard.

Ingredients

1 quart 2% milk

6 eggs

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons Equal® Spoonful*

2-1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

Sliced fresh fruit (optional)

Fresh mint (optional)

* May substitute 27 packets Equal sweetener

Directions

Heat milk just to boiling in medium saucepan. Let cool 5 minutes.

Beat eggs, Equal, vanilla and salt in large bowl until smooth. Gradually beat in hot milk.

Pour mixture into ten 6-ounce custard cups or 1-1/2 quart glass casserole. Place custard cups or casserole in roasting pan. Pour 1 inch of hot water into roasting pan.

Bake, uncovered, in preheated 325F oven 50 to 60 minutes or until sharp knife inserted halfway between center and edge of custard comes out clean.

Remove custard cups or casserole from roasting pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight.

Serve garnished with sliced fresh fruit and mint, if desired.

Notes:

Traditional baked custard with half the calories. Made with Equal and reduced-fat milk, all the great flavor is still there. Garnished with fresh fruit and mint it looks good, too.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 90, Fat: 5 g; Sodium: 124 mg; Cholesterol: 135 mg; Protein: 7 g, Carbohydrates: 5 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1/2 milk, 1/2 lean meat

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

Yield: 12 to 14 slices

Source: "1,001 Delicious Desserts for People with Diabetes"

Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/21.shtml

Ingredients

3/4 cup ground reduced-fat graham crackers

3/4 cup ground gingersnap cookies

8-1/4 teaspoons Equal for Recipes or 27 packets Equal sweetener, divided

4-5 tablespoons margarine, melted

2 packages (8 ounces each) fat-free cream cheese

1 cup canned pumpkin

2 eggs

2 egg whites

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon ground ginger

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup light whipped topping

Chopped toasted pecans, as garnish

Directions

Mix graham cracker and gingersnap crumbs, 1 teaspoon Equal for Recipes, and melted margarine in bottom of 9-inch springform pan; reserve 2 tablespoons crumb mixture. Pat remaining mixture evenly on bottom and 1/2 inch up side of pan. Bake at 350 degrees F. until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Beat cream cheese until smooth in large bowl; beat in pumpkin, eggs, and egg whites. Mix in remaining 7-1/4 teaspoons Equal for Recipes, spices, and cornstarch. Pour mixture into springform pan.

Bake at 300 degrees F. just until set in the center, 45 to 60 minutes; sprinkle with reserved crumbs and return to oven. Turn oven off and let cheesecake cool in oven with door ajar for 3 hours. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1/12 of recipe): Calories: 213, Fat: 9.8 g, Saturated Fat: 4.3 g, Cholesterol: 47.2 g, Sodium: 444 mg, Protein: 12.1 g, Carbohydrate: 18.2 g; Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Bread/Starch, 1 Meat, 2 Fat

CRUSTLESS APPLE PIE

This is from Everyday Diabetic Recipes, and begins, "With all the old-fashioned taste of traditional homemade apple pie, our Crustless Apple Pie is one you'll make all year long. Made with fresh apples and the perfect blend of spices; one whiff of this pie will have you running towards the kitchen!"

Cook Time: 35 minutes; Makes 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.everydaydiabeticrecipes.com/Pie/Crustless-Apple-Pie.

Ingredients

6 Granny Smith apples (about 2 pounds), peeled, cored, and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons honey

1-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 cup light apple juice

2 tablespoons light margarine

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons chopped walnuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, toss apples with lemon juice, honey, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, the nutmeg, and cloves.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring apple juice and margarine to a boil. Whisk in remaining cinnamon and the cornstarch and cook until thickened.

Arrange a layer of apples on bottom of pie plate and brush with thin layer of sauce. Repeat layers until all apples and sauce are used. Sprinkle top with walnuts.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until apples are soft. Let cool and serve.

CRUSTLESS SWEET POTATO PIE

This is from Everyday Diabetic Recipes, and begins, "There's no reason to feel left out during the holidays! Our homemade sweet potato pie recipe makes a great addition to your Thanksgiving menu. Best part? We use real sweet potatoes to make our Crustless Sweet Potato Pie, so you can enjoy a truly authentic taste!"

Cook Time: 1 hour 35 minutes; Serves 10

To view this online, go to https://www.everydaydiabeticrecipes.com/Pie/Crustless-Sweet-Potato-Pie.

Ingredients

2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 4 medium)

1/2 cup skim milk

1 tablespoon sugar-free maple syrup

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tablespoon light margarine, softened

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray.

Place potatoes on a baking sheet and bake 50 to 60 minutes, or until tender. Let cool 10 minutes, then scoop out pulp and place in a large bowl.

Add remaining ingredients to bowl; beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Pour mixture into pie plate. Reduce oven to 350 degrees.

Bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool, then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

Give this pie an extra-special touch by adding a dollop of sugar-free whipped topping!

SPICED APPLE PUDDING

Recipe Yield: Servings: 4 (1/2 cup)

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/spiced-apple-pudding.

Ingredients

2 cups Unsweetened apple juice

1/3 cup Granulated sugar substitute

1/3 cup Cornstarch

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1 Egg

Directions

In a heavy saucepan, combine 1/2 cup apple juice and cornstarch; mix well. Add remaining juice. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring, until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

In a bowl, beat egg with a fork. Add 1/2 cup of hot mixture to beaten egg. Stir until smooth. Return immediately to hot mixture, stirring constantly. (The hot mixture will cook the egg.)

Stir in sweetener and cinnamon. Pour into 4 dessert dishes, cover with plastic wrap to prevent skin from forming. Cool to room temperature or chill in refrigerator.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 117; Fat: 1 g; Protein: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 26 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch; 1 fruit