20 Delicious Desserts (with Hidden Healthier Ingredients!)

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Photos of an assortment of desserts made with hidden healthier ingredients like beans and veggies

Sweet potatoes in your brownies…? Black beans in your pudding…? We know you’re our people because you EAT it up (pun intended 😉). Desserts with hidden healthier ingredients like beans and veggies are some of the biggest hits around here. It was about time we gathered them in one place for easy access! Scroll through to find a new FAVE!

(Note: Dietary symbols listed throughout for easy navigation!)

Stack of Sweet Potato Brownies topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream
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Fudgy Sweet Potato Brownies (V/GF)
Incredibly fudgy sweet potato brownies with cacao, almond butter, and oats. Naturally sweetened with maple syrup and topped with pecans and chocolate chips for the ultimate healthier treat!
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Picking up a sweet potato blondie from a stack
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Tahini Sweet Potato Blondies
Tahini chocolate chip blondies with a secret healthier twist: sweet potatoes! Undetectably vegan and gluten-free, and made in just 1 bowl!
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Stack of 4 Vegan Gluten-Free Black Bean Brownies made with walnuts
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Vegan Gluten-Free Black Bean Brownies
Black bean brownies (vegan and gluten-free) that require just 1 bowl and about 30 minutes to prepare! Healthy, easy, and delicious — the best kind of dessert.
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Stack of four Peppermint Black Bean Brownies with the top one frosted
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Vegan Peppermint Black Bean Brownies
1-bowl vegan brownies infused with peppermint and dusted with crushed candy canes. So delicious and fudgy you’d never guess they were vegan, gluten-free, and made with black beans!
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Stack of Fudgy Vegan Turtle Brownies made with black beans
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Refined-Sugar-Free Turtle Brownies (GF)
Fudgy black bean brownies made in a food processor. Entirely naturally sweetened, swirled with date caramel and pecans. A sneaky vegan, gluten-free dessert.
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Spoonful of peanut butter and plate with slices of our Peanut Butter Swirl Black Bean Brownies
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Vegan Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies
Indulgent, fudgy black bean brownies with a rich peanut butter swirl. Simple with just one bowl and easy-to-find ingredients. Just pure, healthy decadence at its finest.
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No-Bake Lemon Cookie Fruit Tarts in parchment-lined mini tart tins
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No-Bake Lemon Cookie Fruit Tarts
Simple no-bake vegan tarts with a date-walnut crust and a creamy, dairy-free filling that tastes just like a lemon cookie!
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Overhead shot of a glass of chocolate pot de creme
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Easy Chocolate Pot de Crème (Vegan)
3-ingredient vegan chocolate pot de crème that tastes like the REAL deal! Easy to make and perfect for everything from classy parties to everyday dessert needs!
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Close up shot of a bowl of our homemade vegan Chocolate Pudding recipe
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Vegan Chocolate Protein Pudding (Two Ways!)
Rich, chocolaty vegan pudding made two ways: with cashews or black beans! Naturally sweetened and made with just 6 simple ingredients.
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Slice of our easy chocolate mousse pie topped with coconut whipped cream and caramel sauce
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Vegan Double Chocolate Mousse Pie
Decadent chocolate mousse pie with a cloud-like filling and chocolate pecan crust. Vegan, gluten-free, and easy to make with just 7 ingredients required!
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Vegan Peanut Butter Cup Pie in a pie pan with a couple slices removed
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Vegan Peanut Butter Cup Pie
Vegan peanut butter cup no-bake pie with a graham cracker crust and chocolate ganache top! 8 ingredients, simple to prepare, and SO delicious you won’t be able to have just 1 slice.
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Plate with two slices of Vegan Chocolate Silk Pie topped with coconut whipped cream and raspberries
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6-Ingredient Vegan Chocolate Silk Pie
Creamy, 6-ingredient vegan chocolate pie so satisfying you'd never guess it was dairy-free! Silken tofu pulls a sheet over eyes with its super silky texture and neutral flavor. Chocolaty, rich, fudgy — what's not to love?
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Plate of Vegan Chocolate Lava Cakes for a decadent dessert for 2
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Vegan Chocolate Lava Cakes
Easy, one-bowl vegan chocolate lava cakes with beets, cocoa powder, and coconut oil. Super foods packed into a super luscious dessert for two.
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Partially eaten Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcake on a pink wrapper
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The Best Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes
Amazing 1-bowl chocolate cupcakes that are undetectably vegan and gluten-free. Fudgy, moist, insanely chocolaty, and topped with sinful chocolate ganache frosting.
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Slices of fluffy vegan gluten-free zucchini bread
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The BEST Vegan Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread
Comforting, classic zucchini bread that’s undetectably vegan and gluten-free! Just 1 bowl required for this moist, nutty, subtly spiced loaf.
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AMAZING Vegan Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread! 1 bowl, naturally sweetened, SO delicious! #chocolate #zucchini #recipe #vegan #glutenfree #minimalistbaker
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1-Bowl Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Fluffy, tender, incredibly delicious Chocolate Zucchini Bread! Made in just 1 bowl, naturally sweetened, SO delicious!
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Plate with a slice of Vegan Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake topped with coconut whipped cream
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Vegan Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake
AMAZING Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake that’s entirely vegan and requires just 10 ingredients! Crisp, sweet crust and a thick, custard-like filling infused with tons of pumpkin flavor. Perfect for holiday gatherings and beyond.
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Holding a dark chocolate sweet potato truffle
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Fudgy Dark Chocolate Sweet Potato Truffles
Rich, fudgy dark chocolate truffles made with a secret whole food ingredient: sweet potatoes! The perfect healthier treat for Valentine’s Day and beyond. Maple-sweetened and just 6 ingredients required!
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Chocolate cupcake topped with vegan chocolate avocado frosting
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Chocolate Avocado Frosting (Vegan, No Powdered Sugar!)
Chocolate frosting with a secret healthier ingredient: avocado! Vegan, oil-free, nut-free, naturally sweetened, and made without powdered sugar!
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Hand holding the side of a glass filled with our vanilla tahini shake recipe
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Creamy Vanilla Tahini Shake
A SUPER creamy vanilla tahini shake with a hidden veggie: cauliflower! Decadent, naturally sweetened, and just 7 ingredients required!
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If you try any of these hidden ingredient desserts, let us know! Leave a comment, or take a picture and tag it @minimalistbaker on Instagram. We’d love to hear if your friends and family could identify the hidden ingredient. Cheers, friends!

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  1. Claudette Russell says

    Your website is laden with annoying ads. I can hardly read the content because it is overshadowed by ads. Such a shame.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thank you for your honest feedback and sorry for any inconvenience. We always try to optimize for user experience, while also having ads to keep the content free and high quality.

  2. Meggie Wolfe says

    Thanks for highlighting these recipes! I look forward to making the tahini shake and fruit tarts. I’ve made the black bean peppermint brownies before and they were bean-licious!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed that recipe and hope you love the others just as much. Thank you for sharing, Meggie! xo

  3. Jen says

    I love the minimalist baker. The best darn vegan, GF banana bread! The bakery blueberry muffins are a staple in my household!

  4. Lisa says

    What a fabulous collection of healthy vegan desserts. I just printed out the sweet potato chocolate truffles and fruit tarts for a dinner I’ll be hosting in a few weeks. Excited to try! Thanks for sharing.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Yay! Thank you for your kind words, Lisa! We hope you and your dinner guests enjoy the desserts. Let us know! xo

  5. Janet Summerhayes says

    Can i just replace the gluten free flour combo called for with an equivalent amount of regular flour? It is getting so that every recipe you share is GF. My mother was a celiac and I know gluten free recipes are so important, but please not every recipe. Sometimes I don’t bother to open your emails because I know there will be nothing for me to try since I have no gluten free flour substitutes in my cupboard. So if I knew I could make a substitution that would allow me to try your recipes, that would be great!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Janet, we’re not sure which recipe you’re hoping to use all purpose flour in, but it generally subs well in recipes that call for a 1-1 gluten-free flour blend. Start with slightly less as it sometimes absorbs better. Our current team is gluten-free, so we aren’t able to develop recipes with all purpose flour. Happy to offer substitutions when possible (sometimes we include it in the notes section)! Thanks for understanding!