I may run a healthy meal planning site, but I also love sweets and sharing sweet things with others. Here are nine of my favorite mini-desserts. All of these cuties are easy to make and absolutely share-worthy!
I’m a big believer in the idea that food serves a number of important roles in our lives: it nourishes our bodies, it gives us energy, it unites people and communities, and brings joy to our lives. This means that I believe that food should be savored, enjoyed, and shared, rather than controlled, limited, or argued over (internally or with others).
So, while The Scramble focuses on easy, healthy dinners and side dishes that everyone in your family will love, I also think it’s important to provide sweet options that can brighten the end of the meal or serve as a sweet treat in the middle of the day. And one of my favorite ways to serve sweet dishes is in the form of mini-desserts – easy bite-sized treats that are fun, flavorful, and (in some cases) pretty healthy, too!
I love mini-desserts for a number of reasons:
- They’re fun!
- A smaller portion can make it easier to stick to health goals, while still enjoying sweet treats.
- As I have gotten older, I have found that while I do still want to have sweet dishes, smaller portions are increasingly appealing as my body just doesn’t want as much sugar as it used to.
9 Mini-Desserts: Easy Bite-Sized and Share-Worthy Desserts
To help you get on the mini-desserts train, I’ve pulled together 9 of my favorite mini-desserts. All of these recipes are packed with flavor, easy to make (some very easy!), and a number of them are surprisingly healthy as well!
Crispy Honey Peanut-Oat Bites
These are one of my kids’ favorite desserts! We all love the crunchy texture, the balance of sweet from the honey and chocolate chips (or raisins) and savory from the peanut butter, and how fun they are to pop into your mouth! Plus, with only 15 minutes of active time, these Crispy Honey Peanut-Oat Bites are perfect for a weeknight treat. And, added bonus, they’re simple enough that you can either have your kids make them with just a little oversight or completely on their own (there is a little bit of time at the stove, but no baking or sharp knives needed).
Chocolate Banana Poppers
Chocolate + Peanut Butter + Chocolate = a winning combination! You won’t believe how easy these are to make, and when you pair that with the fact that they are made up of bananas, peanut butter, and a small amount of chocolate, you will feel good about eating them, too.
Figs in a Blanket
I made these for the first time on a day when I was really craving baklava but didn’t want to spend the hours and hours it takes to prepare it. I realized that rolling the figs and nut mixture in phyllo dough, rather than building layers would save me a huge amount of time, while still giving me the sweet-crunch that I love so much.
Mini Phyllo Raspberry Cheesecake Bites
A Scramble classic! These little cheesecake bites are so cute that you could absolutely serve them at a party, but the prep is actually simple enough that you could make them as a special weeknight treat, too! While the recipe calls for raspberries on top, you can always get creative and use other berries or little pieces of diced fruit such as kiwi, mango, or stone fruit.
Fudgy Figgy Balls
A dessert with no added sugar, a pop of protein, and a dose of fiber? Now that’s something to get excited about! This version of energy balls absolutely delivers, not to mention they are super simple to make and store nicely in the fridge. And they’re so healthy that you can feel good about enjoying them for breakfasts and snacks, too.
Peanut Butter Bites
Peanut Butter, Oats, Honey, and Cocoa Powder. Yeah, nothing wrong with that combo! These are so simple to make and you can get the kids in on the action by inviting them to help you rolling the dough into little bites.
Celia’s Chocolate Marshmallow Clusters
Sweet, salty, and crunchy is a winning combination in these little clusters. And given the fact that they take 10 minutes to assemble, 15 minutes to cool, and no oven or stove time, these are an awesome option for a weeknight treat. Again, these are easy to get creative with – you just want to keep the ratios about the same. Some fun options include: nuts, dried fruit, potato chips, cereals.
Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
Always a classic. Once you’ve made them, you’ll see how simple they are and realize that they can become a regular dessert option in your house!
Fruit Kabobs
Not quite bite-sized, but each piece of fruit is! These are always a hit with my family and at parties. I love that I can build them with whatever fruits are in season at the moment. I also love that I can get creative with add-ons. Two that I find go over well: adding in small cubes of cheese for a sweet and savory experience or adding in marshmallows. You can also serve it with vanilla yogurt or your own homemade yogurt sauce made up of plain yogurt, a drizzle of honey, and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon.
I hope you find these ideas for mini-desserts inspiring and that they bring a little more sweetness into your life! Do you have a favorite mini-dessert? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!