At a glance, that sweet treat looks nothing less than tempting and appetizing. But after deconstructing the ingredients and visualizing all the sugar, butter, and flour sprawled out across the kitchen counter, the treat seems a little less nutritious. And though such components can be consumed within moderated amounts, there are tips and tricks to baking healthy and include these nourishing recipe substitutions!

10 Healthy Baking Swaps

1. Oat Flour

Baking healthy is as simple as swapping out traditional flours with oat flour! Compared to refined flours, oat flour (or flour produced from grinding oats) offers rich nutrients and fiber that can transfer into a more healthful baked product. Oat flour can replace up to 25 percent of the required flour in slow breads, as the gluten is required for yeast activation. It is most recommended in baked goods that do not need gluten to rise, including quick breads and cookies, also including zucchini and banana breads.

2. Stevia

From cookies, to brownies, to donuts, and other pastries, sugar always shows its face on sweet treat recipes. But when it comes to a sugar substitute for baking, utilizing sugar substitutes can offer sweetness without adding unnecessary calories. Stevia is a natural, FDA-approved sweetener with zero calories, zero carbs, and a non-glycemic response. Find out how to replace Stevia for sugar here.

3. Cocoa Powder

Chocolate chips are generally much more than natural chocolate, as those small morsels tend be largely packed with added sugars. Instead of utilizing those sugar-filled chips, keep baking healthy with cocoa powder. Though it does not display the sweetness of packaged chips, using cocoa powder gives you the opportunity to sweeten the product yourself, whether it be with a natural honey or a sugar substitute.

4. Greek Yogurt

Cheesecake is a delectably, creamy dessert most individuals yearn for. But cream cheese can also pack on calories from fat. Fortunately, though, this healthified cheesecake not only reduces fat and sugar content but supplies ample protein utilizing Greek yogurt!

5. Egg Substitute

Despite the controversy of eggs, they certainly can fit into a well-balanced diet. But if concerned about the overall calorie, fat, and cholesterol content of eggs, egg substitute can be interchanged with eggs. One medium-sized egg can be equally interchanged for a ¼ cup of egg substitute. So if the recipe calls for two eggs, swap them out with a ½ cup of egg substitute.

6. Black Beans

Though your brain may feel discouraged to embrace this recipe substitution tip, your taste buds are unlikely to even notice! Black beans have recently become utilized in brownies, largely cutting out the need of flour. And though they are both known carbohydrate sources, black beans boast with more nutritional opportunities, as they also supply fiber and protein like offered in this vegan-friendly, gluten-free black bean brownie.

7. Applesauce

Wanting to reduce the fat content of common baked products? Substitute butter with applesauce! Not only does it also add a natural sweetness, but offers moisture without adding calories from fat. And with these cookies and oats, lessening or eliminating butter will be a simple, yet still flavorful recipe substitution!

8. Avocados

Considering the creaminess of avocado, it really is not too surprising to recognize as a healthy baking swap. Remarkably, they are often used in place of a wide variety of baking products, including butter, shortening, eggs, oil, and sour cream. Find your avocado baking guide and recipe inspirations here.

9. Pumpkin

Utilizing canned pumpkin in the place of oil and eggs is a healthy baking approach. Not only does its use cut down on calories from fat, but supplies ample fiber and vitamin A without compromising a desirable flavor and texture. Pumpkin is shown to offer moisture to brownies and cakes, as described here!

10. Dates

From topping ice cream, brownies, and cakes, caramel pairs with an extensive variety of (if not all!) desserts. But that sought out, decadent topping tends be be a sugar overload! But with Medjool dates, baking healthy is rather unconventional! Fulfill those desirable characteristics with this simple caramel sauce or create these original bistroMD healthified Twix bars!