You might think that a Low Carb diet means giving up sweet desserts for good. That is hardly surprising, since this way of eating sharply limits carbohydrates and sugars, so how could you possibly have treats like these? But what if a sweet craving suddenly hits? Is there anything that can satisfy it?
Don’t worry, even on a Low Carb diet you can enjoy really tasty treats without losing any flavour or undoing your hard work. Satisfy your cravings with low-carb desserts. You’ll see, they will win you over.
You really don’t have to give up tasty desserts. Try these irresistible Low Carb recipes, which will fill you up and chase away your sweet cravings. Even sweets can contain very little carbohydrate and sugar.
Table of contents
1. Low Carb cocoa mug cake
Is there anything simpler than a quick cake made in a mug? What’s more, you can eat the whole thing in one go with a clear conscience. So grab your favourite mug (as long as it is microwave-safe) and make this sweet treat, which will win you over with its cocoa flavour.
You will need
- 4 tablespoons almond flour
- 1 tablespoon cocoa
- 2 tablespoons erythritol
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- a pinch of salt
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil or butter
- roughly chopped dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa)
Mix the dry ingredients in a small bowl. Then add the egg, melted coconut oil or butter and the chocolate, and stir into a smooth batter. Spoon the batter into a suitable mug and bake in the microwave for about 2 to 3 minutes. Take it out, leave it to cool for 1 minute and turn it out onto a plate.
Serve with plain yoghurt, quark or whipped cream and strawberries, blueberries or raspberries. It is also delicious with nut butter, spread on the cake while it is still warm so that it melts nicely.
Remember that the mixture in the mug doubles in size while it bakes in the microwave and then shrinks again when you take it out. Fill the mug no more than two-thirds full.
2. Low-carb banana waffles
Do you love waffles? Are you crazy about bananas? Then you have to try this recipe. Because waffles combined with banana create perfection on a plate. These delicious waffles make a great breakfast or dessert
You will need
- 1 banana
- 4 eggs
- ¾ cup almond flour
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 tablespoon psyllium
- a pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil or butter for frying
Mix all the ingredients together and leave the batter to rest for a while.
Grease the waffle iron with coconut oil or butter, then add the batter. Bake for about 5 minutes, keep checking them and don’t cut the baking short, so that they are properly cooked through.
Serve with nut butter or whipped cream and a little fresh fruit. They are also delicious simply with melted butter, you really can’t go wrong with that.
💡 Tip: Do you have several overripe bananas? Make extra waffles and freeze them for later. You’ll find they come in handy as a quick and easy breakfast. Wrap each waffle individually in cling film so they are easier to defrost.
3. Raspberry crumble cake
Even a fruit crumble cake can be made in a Low Carb version. It is an easy and tasty treat. Instead of raspberries, you can also use any other berries (fresh or frozen).
You will need
Dough
- 2 cups (250 g) almond flour
- 1 cup (100 g) unsweetened finely desiccated coconut
- 3 tablespoons erythritol
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 150 g melted butter
Filling
- 1 ¾ cups (250 g) frozen raspberries or frozen blackberries
- ⅓ cup water
- 1 ½ teaspoons chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon erythritol
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a square cake tin (about 20 × 20 cm) with baking paper.
Mix all the dough ingredients until they come together properly into a dough. Spread 2/3 of this mixture evenly over the base of the prepared tin. Press the base down and bake for about 10 minutes, or until lightly golden on top. Take it out of the oven and leave to cool.
Put the filling ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Stir with a wooden spoon until the raspberries break down and the mixture starts to thicken. Adjust the sweetness to taste.
Pour the filling evenly over the baked base and cover with the rest of the dough as a crumble. Return to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes, or until golden.
After baking, leave it to cool completely in the tin. Before slicing, chill it in the fridge for 2 hours so that it cuts more easily (if you can resist, that is).
4. LC chocolate Termix
Termix is essentially a quark dessert, but the shop-bought ones tend to be full of unnecessary sugar. You can, however, make it yourself at home easily, in just a few minutes, and it is cheaper and low in carbs too. And if you are a chocolate lover as well, you have to try this treat.
You will need
- 200 g whipping cream
- 100 g high-cocoa dark chocolate
- about 50 g sweetener (erythritol/chicory syrup), adjust the amount to taste, or leave it out entirely
- 250 g full-fat soft quark
Pour the cream into a saucepan and heat it until it starts to bubble. Then break the chocolate into it and whisk until it has completely melted. Remove from the heat, add the quark while the mixture is still hot and mix thoroughly again. Spoon into bowls.
Then all you need is a little patience: let it chill, ideally for a few hours in the fridge, before you blissfully taste the first spoonful. It is excellent with fresh fruit.
💡 Tip: Have you also heard of the keto diet? Not sure what the difference between the ketogenic diet and a Low Carb diet actually is? Read this article, which explains everything.
5. Quark dumplings with fruit and minimal carbs
Quark fruit dumplings are a wonderful treat for anyone who loves sweet main courses. Children are usually among them, but plenty of adults are too, especially in summer, when fruit is everywhere. What’s more, this Low Carb dough is smooth to work with and the dumplings are easy to fill.
You will need
Dough
- 250 g soft quark (foil-wrapped)
- 60 g coconut flour
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons psyllium
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)
Also
- blueberries/strawberries
- erythritol/xylitol
- butter
- hard quark for grating
- a little good-quality cocoa
Make a dough from the ingredients above, divide it into pieces and fill them with fruit. Shape into balls and leave to rest for 20 minutes.
Steam the dumplings for about 20 minutes. Once cooked, sprinkle with grated quark, sweetener and cocoa, and drizzle with butter.
6. Low-carb cinnamon rolls
Who doesn’t know this popular dessert from Sweden? The scent of cinnamon combined with delicious butter is simply a treat. And you can whip it up in a Low Carb version too. And although it is more of an autumn treat, it tastes great at any time of year.
You will need
Dough
- 125 g mozzarella
- 60 g full-fat soft quark/cream cheese (Lučina, žervé…)
- 1 egg
- 40 g flaxseed flour
- 40 g almond flour
- ½ packet of baking powder
Filling
- 40 g butter
- 20 g erythritol
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Icing
- 40 g cream cheese
- 20 ml whipping cream
- 10 g erythritol
Blend the mozzarella with the quark or cheese and the egg using a stick blender. Mix the dry ingredients and then add them to the blended mixture. Work it into a dough, place it between two sheets of baking paper and roll it out.
For the filling, mix the softened butter with the sweetener and cinnamon. Spread it over the dough, roll it up and leave it to firm up in the fridge for a while. Only then slice it into rolls and bake in the oven at 180°C for about 15 minutes.
Once the rolls have cooled, drizzle them with an icing made by mixing the cream cheese, whipping cream and erythritol. Then just enjoy them and try not to eat them all at once.
💡 Tip: Not sure what you can eat on a Low Carb diet? Take a look at these tips, including a sample sustainable meal plan for a week.
7. Low-carb chocolate mousse
Want a super-easy, tempting low-carb dessert you can make in about 5 minutes? Then try this seductive, fluffy chocolate mousse, light as a cloud and made from just 3 ingredients.
You will need
- 200 g whipping cream
- ⅓ cup good-quality cocoa
- ⅓ cup powdered erythritol or chicory syrup
Use a mixer to whip the cream with the sweetener. Then add the cocoa (ideally through a sieve) and keep whipping until stiff peaks form.
Serve it simply in a bowl, perhaps with grated dark chocolate and fruit, or use it as a decorating cream for other desserts. It also works well in a piping bag.
8. Carb-free Raffaello slices
The great thing about coconut is that it is one of the best Low Carb foods. Of course, ordinary cakes and sweets made with it do contain carbohydrates. But that doesn’t change the fact that you can use it to make tasty desserts without carbohydrates. Like these Raffaello-style slices.
You will need
Sponge
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon erythritol
- 20 g coconut flour
- 20 g almond flour
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
Cream
- 200 g soured cream
- 100 g full-fat soft quark
- 1 tablespoon erythritol
- 2 tablespoons desiccated coconut
- coconut for sprinkling
Whisk the eggs with the sweetener until frothy. Gently fold in the remaining ingredients and spread the mixture into a tin lined with baking paper. Bake at 170 °C for about 15 minutes and leave to cool.
Meanwhile, whisk the sour cream with the sweetener, quark and coconut.
Cut the cooled base in half horizontally and spread one half with half of the cream. Place the second half of the sponge on top, cover with the rest of the cream, smooth it out and sprinkle with more coconut.
Try to resist and let the slices chill and rest in the fridge, as this makes the base lovely and moist and the slices tastier.
9. Low-carb chocolate sponge biscuits
Even a treat like chocolate-topped sponge biscuits can be made in a low-carb version. Shop-bought ones unfortunately contain plenty of carbohydrates and sugar, but this healthier version tastes just as great. When a sweet craving strikes, they will help you beat it.
You will need
Sponge biscuits
- 60 g almond flour
- 50 g erythritol (or another low-calorie sweetener)
- 2 eggs
- 30 g melted butter
Jelly
- 200 ml strawberry juice
- 2 tsp cake jelly powder
- 2 tsp erythritol
Topping
- 50 g dark chocolate
- 1 tsp coconut oil
To make the sponge, whisk the whole eggs with the sweetener until frothy, then add the flour and butter. Pour the mixture onto a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake for about 8–10 minutes in an oven preheated to 180 degrees. Leave to cool.
Meanwhile, make the jelly by cooking the gelling agent with the sweetener in the strawberry juice. Then pour it into a container lined with cling film and leave to set.
You will need a round cutter to cut circles out of the baked sponge. Then use a smaller cutter to cut circles out of the set jelly as well. (biscuit cutters in different sizes work brilliantly, for example).
Then simply place a jelly circle on each sponge circle, pour over the chocolate melted with the coconut oil and leave to set.
10. Low-carb marble quark cake
Quark lovers, take note. This recipe is made just for you. It is also a quick, delicious and refreshing dessert. It gives you plenty of protein and a minimum of carbohydrates. And above all, it looks fantastic.
You will need
Batter
- 400 g sour cream
- 4 eggs
- 40 g powdered milk
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp sweetener
- 1 tbsp Dutch-process cocoa
The method is simple. Just mix everything together, divide between two bowls and add the cocoa to one half of the batter. Line a tin with baking paper.
Using a spoon, place the batter in the centre of the tin, alternating between the two halves. Keep alternating like this to fill the whole tin until both colours of batter are used up.
Bake in an oven preheated to 170 °C for about 50 minutes, but test with a skewer, as quark desserts bake more slowly and take longer. Once baked, leave to cool and store in the fridge.
You can enjoy low-carb desserts with a clear conscience even when losing weight or shaping your figure in other ways, but always keep an eye on your total calorie intake. Healthy cakes are also part of a varied diet, and with the right ingredients you certainly do not have to give them up. Believe us, once you discover their magic, you will not feel deprived at all. Simply put, low-carb sweets can taste amazing too.
