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Taste Testing Fall Desserts: Are These Healthy Treats Worth the Hype?

Olivia Light
Allison Attarian
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at St. Law U chapter.

As the leaves begin to change and Starbucks starts releasing their pumpkin-spice collection, we know that Fall is officially upon us. While the season brings a plethora of amazing things, like sweaters and apple-picking, nothing compares to the tasty treats that come along with the cooler weather. Both my family and I have a major sweet tooth, and we are always looking for a healthier dupe for our favorite treats. So, for this article, I figured I’d test out some of the healthy fall recipes I’ve been seeing all over my Instagram. With help from my mom and dad, we will be rating these recipes on a scale from 1-10, ten being the most delicious, and one being the least. Let’s see which “healthy” fall recipes live up to the hype!

Healthy Soft Pumpkin Cookies

The first recipe that I tried was a pumpkin cookie recipe by Ambitious Kitchen. I have tried many of her recipes in the past and had nothing but good reviews, however, these “Healthy Soft Pumpkin Cookies” were by far the biggest disappointment of the day. While they looked pretty on the outside, the inside was utterly flavorless. The grainy texture and lack of flavor resulted in a combined score of 2.5/10. These cookies definitely did not live up to the hype.

Pumpkin Pie Truffles

These Pumpkin Pie Truffles were such a pleasant surprise. The recipe, posted by Stacie Hassing and Jessica Beacom from The Real Food Dietitians, promises a healthy truffle that is dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, grain-free, paleo, vegan, vegetarian, and delicious. With all these modifications, I thought there was no way that these truffles would live up to the hype. However, these truffles turned out to be a family favorite. They were by far the easiest recipe to make, and one of the most delicious. The truffles are easy to store, don’t require any baking, and taste like real pumpkin pie. The combination of the dark chocolate shell, with the soft pumpkin inside, makes this recipe a solid 8.5/10.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Protein Muffins

For my third attempt, I chose to make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Protein Muffins. According to the creators of Eat The Gains, these muffins are “high protein & low carb, gluten-free, and less than 130 calories.” My initial thought was that they sounded too good to be true. Unfortunately, I was correct. Even though the recipe was easy enough to follow and the muffins looked delectable coming out of the oven, the rubbery consistency made these muffins unappetizing. The only good part of these Pumpkin Protein Muffins were the chocolate-chips, earning this recipe a 1/10.

Vegan Gluten-Free Apple Crisp

The final recipe that I attempted was a Vegan Gluten-Free Apple Crisp, posted by Lisa from Okonomi Kitchen. I have never heard of her page before, yet I was intrigued by the promise of a delicious and healthy, vegan, gluten-free dessert. Out of all the recipes that I tried, this one definitely takes the cake (pun intended). Right off the bat, this recipe was easy to follow, and fun to make. Not to mention the aroma of warm apples and cinnamon that continues to fill our kitchen. This is the best apple crisp I’ve ever had, and on top of that, it’s vegan and gluten-free. This tasty fall treat received a 10/10 from all parties. So, consider this PSA from me, run to your kitchen right now and whip one up for yourself. ​

Overall, it seems that these healthy dupes for your classic fall treats are truly hit or miss. In the end, my only advice to you is that you should definitely not bake and eat four recipes in one day. Unless it’s four servings of that Apple Crisp. 

 

If you want to try any for yourself, here are the links to the recipes! 

 

 

Disclaimer: Her Campus St. Law U is neither sponsored by nor affiliated with any brands or companies mentioned in this article.

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Olivia Light

St. Law U '23

Olivia is 19 years old and a current sophomore at St. Lawrence University in Canton, NY. She was raised on Hilton Head Island, Sc, and graduated from Hilton Head Preparatory School. She is currently undeclared in terms of major and minor, and is so excited to be part of Her Campus this year!
Allison ("Allie") Attarian studied Psychology and Communications at St. Lawrence University where she was a Campus Correspondent for HC St. Law U. Allie was also a Campus Community Management Intern for the Community Team at Her Campus Media. Her combined passion for creativity, reading, and writing sparked her interest in joining Her Campus. She loves traveling, listening to music, creating visual art, and spending time with friends. Check out her personal blog here.