We’d be lying if we told you the following desserts are healthy—they’re desserts, after all. But we’re all about balance, and the occasional sweet treat always has its place on our table. Instead of cutting the category from your diet altogether, look for a nutrition boost in the protein department. It’s an essential macronutrient for muscle building and repair and helps your body produce important hormones, plus it keeps you satisfied between meals and can help prevent a sugar crash. Read on for 26 high-protein desserts to end your meal on a sweet note, including nut-free recipes like tiramisu affogato, as well as nutty crowd pleasers like pecan pie brownies and the biggest peanut butter cup you’ve ever laid eyes on.
27 Healthy Protein Snacks That Actually Taste Good
How Much Protein Should Adults Eat in a Day?
According to Harvard Medical School, the average adult needs about 53 grams of protein a day. But to be more exact, each person should consume 7 grams for every 20 pounds they weigh. The USDA’s dietary guidelines also recommend eating a variety of lean proteins, such as poultry and meat, seafood, legumes, nuts and seeds to reach your daily amount. Doing this will not only keep you full and energized between meals, but it will also produce enzymes that power many chemical reactions throughout your body, as well as the hemoglobin in your blood that carries oxygen, says the Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health.
Nut-Based Desserts
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, make ahead
When it comes to the timeless combination of peanut butter and chocolate, more is more. Let it come to room temperature before slicing and run your knife under hot water first to avoid cracking. Then, set this high-protein dessert on the table and wait for the impending fanfare.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 45 minutes
Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, make ahead, kid-friendly, no bake
Another no-bake high-protein dessert, these portable bars combine all of our favorite easy snacks in one. They’re salty, sweet, crunchy and smooth in every bite. Oh, and they only require eight simple ingredients to come together.
Dominique Lafond/Salad Pizza Wine
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 40 minutes
Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, gluten free
It may look fancy, but this six-ingredient masterpiece is as simple as can be. Thanks to the buttery crust starring mixed nuts and brown sugar, it’s gluten free to boot. Finish it with a flourish of flaky salt.
Mark Weinberg/The Book on Pie
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 45 minutes
Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser
This decadent pie looks like a fairytale and tastes like nostalgia. Be still our fifth-grade hearts. We won’t tell if you substitute store-bought pie crust, but the homemade, all-butter dough is a real game-changer if you have the time.
Erin McDowell
Why I Love It: make ahead, no bake, crowd-pleaser
Believe it or not, the entire thing comes together without turning on the oven. This is a pie best served with a tall, cold glass of milk. (You know, for more protein—wink wink.)
Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly
The crunchy, sugary almond mixture magically transforms into a sweet, caramelized crust during the final 15 minutes of baking. Frosting need not apply.
Nisha Vora
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
Why I Love It: vegan, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
You can thank whole grain spelt flour for the filling nature of this fiber-rich, high-protein dessert. (It packs a whopping ten grams of the latter in each serving.) It’s sweet but not too sweet, and equally tasty for breakfast or dessert.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, beginner-friendly
Cookie sandwiches trump regular sandwiches every time. You can make the simple peanut butter cookies ahead, then fill them with your favorite store-bought jelly or jam as you eat them, so they stay crispy.
Katherine Gillen
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
The indulgent, sticky pecan topping will keep your guests from realizing you used boxed brownie mix. Egg and pecans are the secret to this high-protein dessert’s filling qualities. They’re gooey, decadent—basically, everything you could hope for.
Photo: Mark Weinberg/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why I Love It: make ahead, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
Your favorite sandwich—in cookie bar form. “The key to getting a good swirl on top is to pipe on the jam,” recipe creator Erin McDowell advises. “But if you don’t have a piping bag, you can put the jam in a zip-top plastic bag, cut off one corner and then make big, swirly swoops all over.”
Kristina Cho/Mooncakes and Milk Bread
Time Commitment: 2 hours and 15 minutes
Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
A crepe cake is an easy way to reel in compliments from your guests (or roommates) without too much effort. Need more convincing? According to the recipe creator, Kristina Cho, the crepe layers taste like the leftover milk from a bowl of Cocoa Krispies.
Nut-Free Desserts
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly
Whether your idea of a pick me up is chocolate or coffee, here’s proof that you never have to choose. The crust is made with chocolate cookie crumbs, instant espresso powder flavors and filling and a milk chocolate glaze gilds the lily.
Photo: Mark Weinberg/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 8 hours and 30 minutes (includes chilling)
Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, no bake
Goodbye, fussy water bath. Hello, creamy, dreamy cheesecake. This high-protein dessert recipe comes together with 30 minutes of prep and an overnight trip to the fridge, but little more effort than that. “As someone who is equally obsessed with key lime pie and cheesecake, this one tops my list of high-protein desserts,” says PureWow contributor Emma Singer.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 5 hours and 30 minutes
Why I Love It: make ahead, kid-friendly, slow cooker recipe
Thanks to your trusty Crockpot, a restaurant-level cheesecake is easy to replicate at home. The low-and-slow method ensures silky results, while the airy whipped topping and crushed Oreos will reel in the picky eaters.
Christopher Hirsheimer/Canal House Cook Something
Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
This versatile, elegant treat can be served on its own, crowned with a dollop of freshly whipped cream, or as the filling to a pie or tart. (You can even freeze it so you have a high-protein dessert on deck for whenever a craving strikes.)
Photo: Matt Dutile/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 50 minutes
Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly
Behold, our favorite way to eat vegetables. These cuties have all the flavor of a pumpkin pie without the trouble of a crust. Plus, you get to whip out your blow torch for the marshmallow crème topping.
Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Erin McDowell
Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion-worthy
And here we thought our muffin tin was only good for making, well, muffins. The trifecta of crisp sugar cookie crust, glossy mascarpone filling and fluffy meringue is *chef’s kiss.*
Photo: Matt Dutile/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly
If we’re being honest, we’ll never pass up something that involves cream cheese glaze, but the lightly spiced, melt-in-your-mouth cake is just as delightful. Egg whites in the batter are the key to the cake’s light-as-a-cloud texture.
Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, beginner-friendly
The luxurious rice pudding contains three types of milk (whole, coconut and sweetened condensed) for an extra rich texture, while the tart rhubarb compote balances out the sweetness. Top each serving with toasted coconut flakes to up the tropical ante.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
Why I Love It: kid-friendly, make ahead, beginner-friendly
Finally, a high-protein dessert for people who simply can’t choose between vanilla and chocolate. (TBH, you shouldn’t have to.) Greek yogurt offers both tang and protein to every spoonful.
Photo: Matt Dutile/Styling: Erin McDowell
Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion-worthy
The sweet, creamy custard tastes just like Thai iced tea, but you’ll want a spoon instead of a straw for this version. To achieve the subtle ombré effect, let the tea-flavored layer of panna cotta partially set before adding the vanilla layer on top.
Henry Hargreaves/Avocaderia
Time Commitment: 25 minutes
Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
Who knew dairy-free milk and chocolate could do all *this*? The mousse is vegan, gluten free and downright decadent. Puffed quinoa, flaky salt, Aleppo pepper flakes and a drizzle of quality olive oil act as crunchy, classy finishing touches.
Get the recipe
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion-worthy
Pastry cream? Not today. Instead, the shortbread cookie crusts are filled to the brim with gelatin-based panna cotta infused with fresh blackberries. Feel free to substitute raspberries or blueberries, if you feel so inclined.
Alana Kysar/Dinner Party Project
Time Commitment: 45 minutes
Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, no bake
Any high-protein dessert that doesn’t require me to turn on the oven is one after my own heart. The cake should ideally be assembled and refrigerated for one to three days before serving, but if you’re pressed for time, an overnight chill will do.
Time Commitment: 15 minutes (plus chilling)
Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients, special occasion-worthy, crowd-please
Two Italian classics, one Insta-worthy dessert. Sour cream in the cream layer not only stabilizes the high-protein dessert, but it also infuses it with delightful tanginess.
Time Commitment: 4 hours and 30 minutes
Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, no bake
The vibrant pink finish is nothing but a dusting of freeze-dried raspberries that have been powdered in a food processor. This is enough to wow any dessert lover, but a smattering of fresh berries or a sprinkle of lemon zest would be equally tasty.
