I’ve been cutting back on sugar lately — yes I know, right in time for Valentine’s Day, yay — so I’ve been searching for low-sugar Valentine’s treats. And I have company! So many of our readers and followers have been asking for low-sugar treats and desserts lately too, and I wouldn’t be surprised at all if it’s partly inspired by the success of Jennifer Tyler Lee and Anisha Patel’s cookbook Half the Sugar, All the Love. (It’s so good if you haven’t read it yet.)
So Lisa and I looked around for some low-sugar Valentine’s treats that don’t rely on sugar substitutes (like sucralose or stevia) but instead, get their sweetnesss naturally from fruit, or sometimes honey, maple syrup, or a little bit of refined sugar.
Top: Frozen Raspberry Yogurt Hearts from Sneaky Veg
To be clear, if you’re like an OMG FRUIT HAS SUGAR DUH YOU GUYS person, these may not be what you’re looking for. But if you’re looking for low-sugar Valentine’s treats relative to say, frosted donuts or a 6-layer red velvet cake, but not quite cucumbers cut into hearts, I think you’ll like these.
(Not that anything’s wrong with cucumbers cut into hearts.)
Also, be sure to check out some of our other posts that may give you some great ideas too!
Healthy Valentine’s treat ideas made with fruit
7 sweet non-candy Valentine’s treat ideas
40 foods you can make more festive with a heart-shaped cookie cutter
Deliciously healthy Valentine’s Day treats made with fruit
7 chocolate dipped fruit ideas that go beyond strawberries
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Frozen Raspberry Yogurt Hearts from Sneaky Veg
Talk about a speedy, low-sugar Valentine’s Day treat! All you need are five minutes to blend natural plain yogurt with raspberries — and okay, add in some freezing time in a cute heart-shaped tray. (Wilton’s is popular, and works for ice cubes, candy, you name it.) They’ll taste like little ice cream bites and kids will love them.
Valentine’s Strawberry Heart Pancakes from Weelicious
We can always count on Catherine McCord to make healthy foods more fun for kids, and these super cute pancakes with a heart-shaped strawberry in each one is no exception. There’s just a tablespoon of sugar in the entire recipe, making them a fun choice for breakfast — or hey, breakfast for dinner which is a fun way to roll on Valentine’s night with the kids.
Strawberry-Banana N’Ice Cream from The Real Food RDs
We’ve already tested one-ingredient banana ice cream and deemed it worthy. But here, you can make it a little more Valentine’s-ready with the addition of strawberries, for both flavor and color. It’s a particularly great low-sugar Valentine’s treat if you need a recipe that’s dairy free. Psst…I’d say go ahead and skip the optional collagen peptides.
Low-Sugar Chocolate-Peanut Butter Candy Hearts from Rachael’s Good Eats
I have not made these myself, but they look so easy, I’d grab that silicone heart mold just to try them. Of course the kids need to be okay with peanuts for this recipe, but if that works for you, know that the sweetness comes from the maple syrup in an easy DIY chocolate recipe that enrobes the semi-homemade,refined sugar-free pb filling. This is my kind of candy!
Heart Kabobs with Yogurt Dip from Parents Magazine
This is one of those healthy Valentine’s treat recipes we keep coming back to every year, because it’s so cute and so so easy. You can even skip the popsicle stick skewers if your kids just want to dip each melon piece individually but considering food-on-a-stick is always a winner for kids, I say go for it if it’s not a hassle. As for the sweetness in the dip, it comes from a little honey and a little orange juice concentrate. Clever.
Cream-Filled Strawberries from Cafe Johnsonia
If your kids have a more sophisticated palate, they might like the simplicity of these simple cream-filled strawberries. Actually, my own kids love them and they don’t have a sophisticated palate at all. Hm. I guess it just comes down to liking strawberries? The recipe only requires 2-4 tablespoons of confectioners sugar for as many as 16 servings, and the sugar can be adjusted to taste. In fact, I like my homemade whipped cream a little less sweet making this a terrific low-sugar Valentine’s treat even if you don’t have kids to feed on the 14th.
After-dinner dessert that won’t weigh you down and make you sleepy? Sounds like Valentine’s perfection to me.
