10 Light yet Delicious Dessert Recipes for When You’re Craving an After-Dinner Treat
Sometimes when we finish a meal, we want an indulgent dessert, like a thick slice of chocolate fudge cake or a heaping bowl of ice cream. Other times, we just want something, well, lighter. To help with your after-dinner cravings, we’ve rounded up ten delicious recipes that will satisfy your (smaller) sweet tooth.
1. Grilled Peach Crumble
Honestly, what’s not to love about this refreshing dessert? Grilled peaches, homemade crumble and creamy vanilla ice cream. Tip: If you don’t have a grill (or don’t want to go outside), simply use a grill pan instead.
2. Raspberries & Cream Milkshake
We love nothing more than plopping on the couch after a long day, throwing on a movie and sipping on a delicious milkshake. Made with just five ingredients, the real star is Baileys Deliciously Light, which has the taste of the original Baileys you love but with 40 percent less calories and sugar.*
3. Itty-Bitty Sandwich Cookies
We aren’t lying when we say “itty-bitty” cookies. These little guys are so small they’re meant to be enjoyed by the handful. Plus, that means they bake super quick and have the ideal amount of creamy filling. We recommend making two batches at once…trust us.
4. Fresh Fruit Ice Pops
Sure, ice cream pops covered in chocolate and filled with caramel are great and all, but sometimes we crave something lighter and more vibrant. These fresh fruit ice pops are the answer. Add your favorite fruit, lemon juice and agave into a blender and then freeze the mixture in ice-pop molds. Easy as that.
5. Dessert Nachos
Ideal for your next girls’ night, these dessert nachos are so easy to put together and are even easier to devour. Cinnamon sugar tortilla chips are drizzled with hot fudge and caramel while raspberries and homemade whipped cream add a refreshing coolness to the crunch.
6. 4-Ingredient Lemon Cookies
Say hello to your new weeknight staple. These lemon cookies are light as clouds, have only four ingredients and take a total of 15 minutes. We know, it sounds too good to be true. But once you make them, we guarantee you’ll have them on a steady rotation.
7. Salted Caramel “Light” Russian
Meet the cool cousin of the classic white Russian. This one is made with the usual vodka and coffee liqueur but swaps the cream for Baileys Deliciously Light. To make it a little more indulgent (without all the calories), it features homemade caramel infused with—you guessed it—Baileys.*
8. Fruicuterie Board
So you want an after-dinner treat, but you wouldn’t classify yourself as a true dessert lover. Look no further than the fruicuterie board. Pile on your favorite fruits and cheeses, invite some friends over and enjoy.
9. No-Churn, 4-Ingredient Plum Swirl Ice Cream
Who says you need to run out to the store every time you want a scoop of ice cream? This plum swirl ice cream is tart, sweet and made with only four ingredients. Oh, and you don’t even need an ice cream machine. Hint: If you don’t want to make your own plum jam, swap it for any store-bought flavor.
10. Coconut Cookies
Do you love sugar cookies? Do you love macaroons? You’re looking at your new favorite recipe. It’s a perfect blend between classic sugar cookies and chewy coconut macaroons. They also happen to take only 30 minutes from start to finish.
*Please Indulge Responsibly. BAILEYS Deliciously Light Liqueur. 16.1% Alc/Vol. Imported by Paddington, Ltd., New York, NY. *Per 2.5 fl. Oz. serving – Average Analysis: calories-139; carbs-9.3g; protein-0.8g; fat-3. g; sugar-7.8g. Compared to Baileys Original Irish Cream per 2.5 fl. Oz. serving: calories-233; carbs-16.1g; protein-2.1g; fat-10.1g; sugar-13.3g. Do not share with anyone under the legal drinking age.
