Our Quickest Slimming-Friendly Desserts
There’s always room for dessert – especially if it tastes just as indulgent as shop-bought versions, for a fraction of the calories! Whether you prefer your homemade puds creamy, gooey, warm or cold, there’s no need to spend lots of time and effort crafting your final course. With our slimming-friendly ideas, you’re only ever 10 minutes of prep away from melt-in-the-middle cakes, fruity treats and custard-based delights.
Some of the desserts on this list are ready to eat straight away and others will need a bit of time to set in the fridge or freezer before they’re ready to be enjoyed. Grab a cuppa and scroll through with your copy of our Family Meal Planner handy – the diary-style pages are perfect for planning puddings ahead of time.
This post contains affiliate links. Find out what this means.
Microwave Lemon Lava Cakes (prep in 5 minutes)
Zesty, warm and oh-so-delicious, our Microwave Lemon Lava Cakes are just the ticket when you fancy a touch of decadence in a hurry. The real reward is at the heart of each pudding – tuck in with your spoon and you’ll discover a lip-smacking tangy lemon curd centre.
Made with a short list of simple store cupboard staples, they’ll go from microwave to plate in 1-2 minutes. The trick is to keep an eye on each of your zesty pots until they’ve risen to the occasion; once they’re warmed through and oozy inside, hangfire for 5 minutes while your puds rest (they’re so worth the wait!).
For an even heartier dessert, there’s nothing to stop you taking things up a notch with a glug of slimming-friendly, homemade Custard (ready to serve in 20 minutes at 58 calories per serving).
S’mores Pancakes (prep in 5 minutes)
It’ll be no surprise to you when everyone around the table wants s’more of this super quick, campfire-inspired dessert. To prepare our S’mores Pancakes with a yummy filling for fewer calories, we’ve paired chocolate spread with mini marshmallows and crumbled, sugar-free chocolate chip cookies.
Don’t skimp on letting your batter rest before swirling it into the pan – it’s the secret behind creating a lighter, fluffier stack.
For an added bit of magic, drizzle any remaining chocolate spread on top and add a swirl of low-fat aerosol cream just before serving.
Biscoff Mousse (prep in 5 minutes)
A roundup of sweet goodies wouldn’t be complete without Biscoff. Luxuriously airy and jam-packed with irresistible caramelised biscuit deliciousness, Biscoff Mousse is one of our dreamiest, quick-fix desserts.
An electric hand mixer makes it nice and easy to whip up your low-fat double cream alternative until silky smooth.
Take care when folding in the melted Biscoff spread and the rest of your ingredients – you don’t want to knock the air out of your mixture! Once everything is prepared, simply sit back and relax for half an hour until you can grab your new-favourite dessert pots from the fridge.
If you’re obsessed with all things Biscoff, we’ve got a full article of lower-calorie recipes inspired by everyone’s favourite spiced biscuit right here.
Winter Berry Ice Cream (prep in 8 minutes)
When you’ve got a hankering for a fruity frozen treat, you’ll never regret trying a scoop or two of Winter Berry Ice Cream. Instead of lashings of cream and sugar, we’ve blitzed together frozen, sliced bananas to make our version of ice cream – just be sure to pop them in the freezer the night before you’re planning to make this one!
Good for your budget and available in supermarkets year-round, a bag of frozen berries goes a long way here. Combine your raspberries, blueberries and bananas with dark chocolate in a food processor until irresistibly creamy.
We’ve topped off our recipe with a tart homemade berry sauce, or you might like to try an added touch of indulgence with crunchy, crushed meringue pieces (just be sure to take account of the additional calories, if you’re counting!).
Biscoff Swirl Ice Cream (prep in 10 minutes)
This is your sign to give unloved, browning bananas a new lease of life! Another creation inspired by the hugely-popular biscuit, it’s hard to believe that you only need 3 ingredients to rustle up our Biscoff Swirl Ice Cream.
After the sliced bananas have been frozen overnight, they’re ready to blend into your velvety base. If you’ve used ripe bananas, you’ll be able to taste so much more natural sweetness.
To give every scoop plenty of Biscoff flavour for fewer calories, we’ve folded in smooth Biscoff spread alongside crushed-up Biscoff biscuits – you can’t beat that crunch!
You can always finish your bowl with a drizzle of Toffee Sauce, if you’re feeling fancy.
Microwave Biscoff Lava Cakes (prep in 10 minutes)
It’s fair to say that Biscoff is delicious enough to keep us endlessly inspired, and you can take our Microwave Biscoff Lava Cakes as further proof. Fluffy and warm with a gooey Biscoff centre, they come delightfully spiced and rich with caramel flavour, for only 240 calories per little pot.
They’ll only need between 1 and 2 minutes in the microwave before they’re risen and runny in the middle. As tough as they are to resist, be sure to let them stand for 5 minutes before you tuck in!
For those occasions where you want your puds to look extra impressive, you can always present them in colourful ramekin dishes! They’re not too expensive and they help keep your portions nice and even.
Mango and Raspberry Ice Cream (prep in 10 minutes)
Rain or shine, our beautiful Mango and Raspberry Ice Cream will always brighten your day. You’ll need a medley of frozen mango chunks, banana slices and raspberries for this sunshine-in-a-bowl recipe.
As usual with bananas and preparing sweet recipes: the spottier, the better! Pop your ripest slices into the freezer the night before you’ll be serving it.
To keep our scoops light and slimming friendly, we’ve sprinkled our fruits with a coating of white granulated sweetener that’s the same weight and texture as sugar (our handy guide to sweeteners is here).
Summer Berry Dessert (prep in 10 minutes)
How about a dessert you can also try for breakfast? Our Summer Berry Dessert has a scrummy, strawberry crunch that’ll keep you coming back for more. Brimming with blueberries, sliced strawberries and crispy cornflakes, each bowl comes topped off with a sweetened blend of fat-free yoghurt and quark.
To complement our fresh fruits, we’ve garnished ours with a sprig of mint. Whether you serve it as an after-dinner treat, or as a dessert-style brekkie, this 168-calorie bowlful never fails to impress.
Crustless Apple Pie (prep in 10 minutes)
It’s no secret that apple and cinnamon are a glorious combination. We’ve borrowed that classic, mildly-spiced sweetness and paired it with homemade custard for our low-effort Crustless Apple Pie. One to curl up with on the sofa, it’s great for those days where you fancy a hug in a bowl (and you’ll use a short list of simple ingredients you’re likely to already have at home!).
You’ll only spend 10 minutes preparing the apple-infused filling, before it can go in the oven to turn a gorgeous golden brown in less than 30 minutes.
Once it’s firm and set, you’re good to slice and serve. Psst! It’s even better with a scoop of low-calorie vanilla ice cream…
Microwave Chocolate Sponge Pudding (prep in 10 minutes)
When those chocolate cravings won’t wait, Microwave Chocolate Sponge Pudding is the order of the day. Don’t be fooled by how slimming friendly it is at 170 calories per portion; it’s still loaded with rich, chocolatey goodness.
When your pud is risen and slightly firm, that’s your cue to take it from the microwave and turn it over onto a plate. The fun really starts when you can lather it with a drizzle of low-calorie chocolate syrup!
Since it’s impossible to have too much chocolate, why not try a glug of Chocolate Custard on top too? You can find the full recipe on pages 240-241 of our fourth cookbook, Pinch of Nom: Comfort Food (if you’ve not got a copy on your shelf, you can grab one here!).
On your marks, get set…prep!
It’s time to crack out your apron and rustle up a speedy sweet treat! Don’t forget to head on over to our Facebook group and let us know which of our delectable dishes you make first. We absolutely love hearing from you!
For more inspiration, have a gander in our Pinch of Nom Gallery – you’ll see what everyone else has been cooking up lately. It’s so easy to share your photos (simply sign up for a free website account and upload your photos!).
And, if you liked this article, you’ll love exploring our blog. Browse for recipe ideas, kitchen equipment recommendations, money-saving tips and LOADS more.