NYC has always been known for its food, but especially during the hot summer months, social media blows up with pictures of ridiculously epic NYC desserts from all across the city. In the “concrete jungle where dreams are made of,” dreams really do seem to come true with churros becoming ice cream cones and cookies becoming shot glasses.
But, while Black Tap’s milkshakes, Levain’s chocolate chip cookies, and Dominque Ansel’s cookie shots are all delicious and definitely Instagram-worthy, there is one thing that they are not: healthy.
Of course, as a foodie, it’s necessary to taste all of these crazy desserts at least once (or twice…or three times), but what if you want a dessert that tastes great and won’t make you feel like you need to run a 5k after? Enter: NYC’s best healthy desserts. Here is a list of desserts that are good for you and your tastebuds, guaranteed to satisfy any sugar craving.
1. Chloe’s Soft Serve Fruit
At first glance, this cup of soft serve looks like any other delicious cup of soft serve, but just as the name suggests, Chloe’s Soft Serve Fruit Co. frozen soft serve dessert is made entirely of fruit. The only ingredients in their dairy-free soft serves are fruit, water, and a touch of cane sugar. Once you top your creation with a mountain of tasty toppings, you’ll even be able to convince your six-year-old cousin, who is afraid of the word organic, to take a bite.
2. Hu Kitchen’s Mashbar
Hu Kitchen’s mashbar is the answer to all your make your own sundae bar prayers – and it’s healthy. The bar is dairy-free, paleo, and uses bases such as homemade chia pudding, taro pudding, and cashew cream. If you don’t believe that those ingredients are epic components of a healthy dessert, this video of them making a mashbar creation will definitely prove you wrong.
3. by CHLOE Cinnamon Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookie
With their colorful vegan and plant-based options, by CHLOE has been taking Instagram by storm, but the real MVP is their larger than life chocolate chip cookie. By CHLOE’s cookies might not be the healthiest dessert on this list, but they do use brown sugar and they are 100% vegan. That’s gotta count for something, right?
The queen of vegan cooking, Chef Chloe, will also be expanding By CHLOE’s vegan sweets selection with a new vegan bakery in NYC called Sweets-by CHLOE. Get hype people.
4. People’s Pops
People’s Pops are the ultimate ice pops. They use only the best fruit from NYC greenmarkets, they’re handmade in Brooklyn, most pops are under 100 calories, and their flavors are seasonly inspired – yes, that means they make frozen hot chocolate pops in the winter.
5. Juice Generation’s Baked Cacao Donuts
Juice Generation’s baked goods are often overlooked because of their beloved açaí bowls and smoothies, but as far as healthy desserts go, they do a damn good job. Their vegan and gluten-free cacoa mini donuts are made with quality ingredients and are about as guilt free as you can get. If you don’t like donuts (I don’t like you), they make healthy versions of other baked goods such as pop tarts, muffins, macaroons, and cookies. Yum.
6. Vegan Diva’s Cupcakes
The divas that work at Vegan Divas certainly live up to their name by making every single baked good you can imagine without any dairy products at all. After one bite of their cupcakes, you’ll definitely be convinced that going vegan would be a piece of cake *pun intended.* Plus, you can ship their goods to all 50 states. Healthy birthday cupcake package anyone?
7. Erin McKenna’s Bakery Donuts
I could write a whole article about the healthy desserts you can get at Erin Mckenna’s bakery because everything is refined sugar-free, gluten-free, wheat-free, soy-free, egg-free, vegan, and kosher. I know what you’re thinking – there is no way a baked good with so many “free” statements can taste good. WRONG. Look at their menu of donuts, cookies, and cakes and then try to tell me that.
8. The Protein Bakery’s Blondies
Do you consider it unhealthy to eat a cookie, a brownie, or a blondie after a workout? Clearly, you have yet to try The Protein Bakery’s all-natural, protein-packed treats. Their sweets are made with ingredients such as rolled oats, light brown sugar, high quality chocolate, and most importantly, whey protein concentrate. What other baked good can help you make #gains?
9. Hu Kitchen’s Dark Chocolate
Last but not least, Hu Kitchen’s insane dark chocolate bars land them a spot on this list twice. With flavors like cashew butter & vanilla cream, hazelnut praline dark chocolate, almond butter and puffed quinoa, and crunchy mint, there is no reason to eat any other chocolate bars for the rest of your life. You can also order them online here because everyone should get the chance to taste one of these chocolate bars.
#SpoonTip: If you are a fan of crunch bars, the almond butter and puffed quinoa bar is a healthy swap that tastes almost identical, and if you’re a Nutella addict, the hazelnut praline dark chocolate bar will change your life.
These healthy desserts are giving Instagram famous NYC desserts a run for their money. Hopefully, this article has proven to you that #foodporn doesn’t have to be synonymous with unhealthy. Now go out and enjoy some healthy NYC treats. Both your sweet tooth and your inner health-conscious will be satisfied.