Having desserts post-bariatric surgery can be a unique experience due to changes in lifestyle, diet, and digestion. You can still enjoy sweets and stay on track for a successful weight loss journey.
These ten bariatric dessert recipes can indulge your sweet tooth while supporting your commitment to a healthy lifestyle. This blog aims to provide low-calorie, wholesome, protein-packed, soothing recipes emphasizing a balanced,nutritious diet. Here are the ten best dessert recipes for bariatric surgery patients:
- Coconut Cookies
- Pumpkin Mousse
- Coconut Chia Pudding
- Lava Cake
- Peach Ice Cream
- Cheesecake-Stuffed Strawberries
- Lemonade Cupcakes
- Chocolate Oatmeal Protein Bombs
- Snicker Doodle Cookies
- Protein Cheesecake
- Guilt Free Brownies
1. Coconut Cookies
All coconut lovers can now indulge in a low-calorie treat that is high in protein. These coconut cookies make the perfect guilt-free snack.
Ingredients
- 8 dates
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 4 tbsp almond butter
- 1 tbsp stevia
- 1 cup unsweetened chocolate chips
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375°F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Boil dates for 5 minutes, drain, and remove pits.
- Toast 1 cup of coconut on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 5 minutes.
- Blend ¾ cup of toasted coconut and dates until sticky.
- Press 1 tbsp of mixture into a cupcake pan lined with paper; freeze for 5-10 minutes.
- Mix almond butter and stevia, microwave for 15 seconds, and spread over hardened cookies.
- Sprinkle with ¼ cup of shredded coconut; freeze for 30 minutes.
- Microwave chocolate with coconut oil for about a minute.
- Dip cookies in melted chocolate, then place on a cooling rack to set.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Calories: 79
Carbohydrates: 7g
Protein: 2g
Total Fat: 4g
Sugar: 4g
Makes 8 Servings
Time frame:
- Pre-op: Not okay
- Post-op: 8 weeks post-op
2. Pumpkin Mousse
This delicious, airy dessert is usually served cold, making it a great treat on a warm day or paired with a hot cup of tea.
Ingredients
- 1 cup fat-free cottage cheese
- 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder (or unflavored protein powder)
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 packets stevia, to taste
- Graham cracker for dipping
Directions
- Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
- You can serve it right away or refrigerate it for a thicker texture.
- Use a graham cracker for dipping.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Calories: 107
Carbohydrates: 13g
Protein: 9g
Total Fat: 3g
Sugar: 4g
Makes 4 Servings
Time frame:
- Pre-op: Not okay
- Post-op: Phase 3
3. Coconut Chia Pudding
Chia pudding is a nutritious treat that has become trendy for its health benefits and versatility. It can be made from various liquids and served with a handful of toppings such as fruit, nuts, and seeds.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups of unsweetened coconut milk
- 1/2 cup of chia seeds
- 1 tbsp sugar-free maple syrup
- 1 tsp of vanilla extract
Directions
- Place the ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and thoroughly mix them together.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight or for a minimum of 6-8 hours.
- Serve with fresh fruit, nuts, or seeds as desired.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Calories: 125
Carbohydrates: 8g
Protein: 3g
Total Fat: 9g
Sugar: 1g
Makes 6 Servings
Time frame:
- Pre-op: Okay
- Post-op: 8 weeks post-op
4. Lava Cake
Don’t miss out on this classic dessert. This modified recipe allows you to enjoy a bariatric-friendly chocolatey lava cake without greatly increasing your daily caloric intake.
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 5 ounces sugar-free dark chocolate
- 3 large eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup Splenda granular
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F.
- Grease 6 oz oven-safe containers and arrange them on a baking sheet.
- Melt butter and chocolate.
- With a mixer, whip eggs, egg yolk, vanilla, Splenda, and salt until tripled in volume.
- Add flour and mix until smooth.
- Gently fold in the melted chocolate.
- Divide the mixture into the containers.
- Bake for approximately 9 minutes until the cakes puff up with soft centers.
- Allow them to cool briefly before enjoying them.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Calories: 117
Carbohydrates: 16g
Protein: 3g
Total Fat: 10g
Sugar: 1g
Makes 12 Servings
Time frame:
- Pre-op: Not okay
- Post-op: 8 weeks post-op
5. Peach Ice Cream
What better way to eat peaches than in ice cream form? This refreshing low-calorie ice cream is the perfect refreshing treat on a hot summer day.
Ingredients
- 2 cups of frozen peaches
- 1/2 a frozen banana
- 1/2 cup of unsweetened almond milk
Directions
- Freeze 1/4 cup of unsweetened almond milk in ice cube trays.
- Combine the frozen peaches, banana, almond milk ice cubes, and an additional 1/4 cup of almond milk in a blender.
- Blend until the mixture is completely smooth.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Calories: 95
Carbohydrates: 19g
Protein: 2g
Total Fat: 1g
Sugar: 12g
Makes 2 Servings
Time frame:
- Pre-op: Not okay
- Post-op: Phase 3
6. Cheesecake-Stuffed Strawberries
These mini desserts are perfect for adding to a spread without sacrificing your weight loss goals.
Ingredients
- 16 fresh strawberries
- 1/8 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 tbsp of fat-free cottage cheese
- 3 tsp Stevia
- 1 low-fat graham cracker crushed
Directions
- Wash and hollow out strawberries
- In a bowl, mix vanilla, cottage cheese, and stevia. Put the mixture into a piping bag
- Fill the strawberries and sprinkle graham cracker crumbs on top
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Calories: 30
Carbohydrates: 6g
Protein: 2g
Total Fat: 0g
Sugar: 1g
Makes 4 Servings
Time frame:
- Pre-op: Not okay
- Post-op: Phase 4
7. Lemonade Cupcakes
A classic summer flavor turned into a delicious cake, a low-calorie dessert never tasted so good.
Ingredients
- 1 box of white cake mix
- 1 cup of water
- 1/3 cup natural applesauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp lemon zest
- 1 1/2 tbsp sugar-free lemonade mix
- 1 tub of light whipped topping
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a cupcake pan with liners.
- Mix cake mix, water, applesauce, lemon zest, and 1 tbsp lemonade mix in a mixing bowl.
- Fill cupcake liners evenly with the batter.
- Bake for approximately 16 minutes; check for doneness with a toothpick.
- Prepare frosting by mixing whipped topping with 1/2 tbsp of sugar-free lemonade mix.
- Once the cupcakes are cooled, frost them.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Calories: 98
Carbohydrates: 18g
Protein: 0g
Total Fat: 3g
Sugar: 11g
Makes 24 Servings
Time frame:
- Pre-op: Not okay
- Post-op: 8 weeks post-op
8. Chocolate Oatmeal Protein Bombs
After bariatric surgery, protein is one of the most important macronutrients, and these chocolate oatmeal bombs have 7g in every serving.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup Pitted Dates
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 scoops of Chocolate Vegan Protein Powder
- 1/4 cup All Natural Peanut Butter
- 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
- 1 tsp chia seeds
- 1 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1 tbsp Cacao Powder
Directions
- Blend dates, black beans, chocolate protein powder, peanut butter, sea salt, and cacao powder until smooth in your blender.
- Mix in oats and chia seeds.
- Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls and arrange them on a lined baking sheet.
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to set or freeze.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Calories: 108
Carbohydrates: 14g
Protein: 7g
Total Fat: 3g
Sugar: 2g
Makes 15 Servings
Time frame:
- Pre-op: Not okay
- Post-op: 8 weeks post-op
9. Snickerdoodle Cookies
There is nothing more satisfying than a cookie straight from the oven. Snickerdoodle cookies with the correct modifications keep all their flavor and texture and are enjoyable without worrying about your fitness goals.
Ingredients
- 2 cup almond flour
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. cream of tartar
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 2-4 tbsp Stevia
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, combine almond flour, baking powder, salt, and cream of tartar.
- Mix melted butter and sweetener in another bowl until fully combined, then add the egg and vanilla.
- Combine with dry ingredients for a soft cookie dough consistency.
- Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
- In a separate container, mix additional sweetener with cinnamon.
- Drop one tablespoon of chilled dough into the sweetener-cinnamon mixture and lightly coat it.
- Arrange the dough in rows on your prepared cookie sheet and flatten each into a disc with a spoon.
- Bake for 12 minutes, then cool for five minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Calories: 85
Carbohydrates: 3g
Protein: 2g
Total Fat: 8g
Sugar: 1g
Makes 24 Servings
Time frame:
- Pre-op: Not okay
- Post-op: Phase 4
10. Protein Cheesecake
Don’t miss out on the best part of any meal with this creamy, bariatric-friendly cheesecake slice.
Ingredients
Filing:
- 8 oz. Low-fat cream cheese softened
- 1 large egg
- 4 oz. fat-free Salted caramel Greek yogurt
- 1/3 cup vanilla protein powder
- 1/2 cup Stevia
Optional Crust:
- 2 tbsp Low-fat cream cheese softened
- 2/3 cup high-fiber cereal
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F and line the bottom of a round pan with parchment paper.
- Blend cereal and cream cheese until it forms clumps resembling small peas. Press this mixture into the pan and bake for 10 minutes.
- Combine cream cheese, egg, yogurt, vanilla, protein, and stevia in a bowl. Mix thoroughly with a hand mixer or whisk.
- Pour this mixture into the pan (either over the crust or directly). Place the pan in a larger baking dish.
- In a separate dish, add boiling water and place it on the lowest oven rack.
- Position the cheesecakes on the middle rack and bake for 30 minutes.
- Turn off the oven and crack open the oven door. Allow the cheesecakes to cool down inside.
- When serving, gently remove the cheesecake from the pan and parchment paper.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Calories: 81
Carbohydrates: 12g
Protein: 5g
Total Fat: 5g
Sugar: 2g
Makes 12 Servings
Time frame:
- Pre-op: Not okay
- Post-op: Phase 4
11. Guilt Free Brownies
Enjoy these easy 3 ingredient brownies, that won’t stall your weight loss.
Ingredients
- 2 bananas
- 1/2 cup nut butter
- 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Apply cooking spray to an oven-safe baking container.
- Blend all the ingredients together until smooth.
- Pour the mixture into the container and bake for 20 minutes.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Calories: 255
Carbohydrates: 21g
Protein: 8g
Total Fat: 18g
Sugar: 8g
Makes 4 Servings
Time frame:
- Pre-op: Not okay
- Post-op: Phase 4
Other Great Bariatric Recipes!
- Bariatric Dinner Recipes
- Bariatric Breakfast Recipes
- Spook the Scale with Delicious Bariatric Recipes
- Bariatric-Friendly Recipes: Cookbook On The Go
- Weight Loss Magic Soup Recipe
- 10 Bariatric Meal-Prepping Hacks
