3 ways to make your dessert sugar-free

Help win the war against the white stuff (the sweet kind) with our top 3 ways to make your dessert sugar-free – without compromising on flavour!
We’re all beginning to realise just how much sugar has been dominating our lives. For people with a sweet tooth, like myself, acknowledging this has definitely been a struggle. Waving goodbye to doughnuts, ice cream and cake feels like a nightmare playing out in real life. As a dessert lover, finding sugar-free ways to enjoy a sweet treat was something I knew I had to do. And, with these three tips, I’ve been able to make something that’s refined-sugar-free but still sweet and tasty.

1. Find alternatives

At first, you may think that there are no other substitutes for sugar. However, after a little searching, it’s amazing just how many different ingredients are available to buy. Sugar alcohols are becoming increasingly popular now as they have significantly fewer calories than standard sugar, and you don’t need to use as much of them. Two of my favourites are Xylitol and Stevia. Xylitol has the same sweetness and taste as sugar, but only 40 per cent of the calories! So it’s perfect for if you’re looking to bake a lighter treat. Stevia is 200 times sweeter than sugar, and calorie-free. It’s available as a powder or liquid, and even as a flavoured version. It’s perfect for adding into a sweet drink or stirring into pancake batter!

2. Add flavours and spices

Reducing or removing sugar can result in a dessert that’s bland and dull. To make a recipe that still has lots of flavour, I like to add in rich, powerful spices. Ingredients like cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice or ginger add a subtle sweetness to desserts, and also add a nice depth of flavour. These spices are perfect for baking in treats like carrot or courgette cake, and easily mask the lack of sugar. Then, for the ultimate recipe boost, nothing beats a vanilla pod! Naturally sweet, it instantly adds excitement to a dish without any of the added guilt that sugar brings.

3. Keep it simple

If you find yourself craving something sweet, then one of the best things to do is quickly whip up something healthy that can banish your sugary desires, and keep your appetite happy. Making a simple treat without added sugar can actually be very easy. In a rush, a milkshake is perfect option. Combining rice milk – which is naturally very sweet, with some stevia, vanilla, cinnamon and additions like cocoa, cacao or maca powder. For creaminess, you can then blend with some nuts or oats to can create a satisfying, flavoursome drink. When you’re craving a proper dessert, you can just use the same ingredients above, blend, then add in some chia seeds. After setting aside briefly, the ingredients gel together to form a pudding consistency. Easy!