Diabetes-Friendly Desserts

First, the good news. If you've been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes , you can eat dessert. But the reality is that you do have to choose carefully, limit your portions, and it's probably best to save them for special occasions. That said, here are 10 dessert recipes to consider making the next time you need a sweet treat. They use simple substitutions to cut the fat, calories, and sugar. Make sure to cut back on other carbs during your meal to leave room for your dessert.

Who says you can't have chocolate when you're watching your sugar intake? Made with sugar-free chocolate-cake mix and instant pudding, this moist trifle will have your resident chocoholic licking her lips. Cool Whip trims the fat off traditional recipes and cherries add a boost of vitamin C and antioxidants, which are thought to reduce bad cholesterol.

Ingredients: Sugar-free, low-fat cake mix, water, sugar-free instant pudding mix, fat-free milk, frozen no-sugar-added pitted cherries, red food coloring, frozen whipped topping, sugar-free chocolate curls

Calories: 132

Try this recipe:Black Forest Trifle

Don't be fooled by this dessert's sinful appearance. Made with sugar-free cookies and no-sugar-added ice cream, this dish can be made the night before a party and stored in the freezer. Sprinkling chopped pecans will add a nutty flavor and healthy monounsaturated fat.

Ingredients: Sugar-free chocolate sandwich cookies, chopped pcans, margarine, vanilla no-sugar added fat-free ice cream

Calories: 232

Try this recipe:Cookies 'n' Cream Crunch

These festive treats will be a hit at any holiday party. By mixing sugar with calorie-free sweetener, these cookies have just the right amount of sweetness. Plus, studies have shown that peppermint may help with indigestion, in case you overindulge on the buffet.

Ingredients: Margarine, sugar, brown-sugar calorie-free sweetener, egg substitute, vanilla extract, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, unsweetened cocoa, sugar-free peppermint candies, cooking spray

Calories: 70

Try this recipe:Chocolate-Peppermint Cookies

Using less than half the sugar of traditional brownie recipes, these tasty treats sneak in 1/4 cup of calorie-free sweetener. Reduced-calorie margarine and low-fat dairy products knock off an additional 15 grams of fat. If you're serving these at a festive occasion, add a few drops of red food coloring to the cream-cheese mixture!

Ingredients: Sugar, reduced-calorie stick margarine, egg, egg white, vanilla extract, all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa, cooking spray, 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, calorie-free sweetener, low-fat milk

Calories: 127

Try this recipe: Fudgy Cream-Cheese Brownies

Kids and adults alike will gobble up this PB&J in cookie form. Use low-sugar strawberry spread (we like Smucker's low-sugar jelly) to keep the same fruity taste without spiking your blood sugar. Also try all-natural peanut butter, which is naturally low in sugar and full of iron and immunity-boosting zinc.

Ingredients: Margarine, no-sugar-added creamy peanut butter, calorie-free sweetener, sugar, egg whites, vanilla extract, all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, cooking spray, low-sugar strawberry spread

Calories: 97

Try this recipe:Peanut-Butter-and-Jelly-Sandwich Cookies

Fresh berries get a boost with a two-ingredient sauce made from fat-free sour cream and maple syrup. This recipe is perfect for summer evenings when you want a sweet treat, stat—it's ready in less than 5 minutes.

Ingredients: Fat-free sour cream, maple syrup, fresh blueberries, fresh raspberries

Calories: 140

Try this recipe: Fresh Berries with Maple Cream

You may be surprised to learn that this classic dessert recipe contains just 1 gram of fat and 113 calories per serving. Making your own strawberry sauce from fresh strawberries, orange juice, and calorie-free sweetener cuts back on the sugar you'd find in a store-bought variety.

Ingredients: Calorie-free sweetener, cornstarch, orange juice, vanilla or almond extract, fresh strawberries, spongecake dessert shells

Calories: 112

Try this recipe: Strawberry Shortcakes

Making your own ice cream allows you to monitor the amount of fat and sugar that goes into your creamy treat. Make this easy recipe in the summer, when peaches are in season, for a seasonal dessert that's refreshing, full of antioxidants, and provides a dose of bone-building calcium.

Ingredients: Evaporated fat-free milk, fat-free milk, calorie-free sweetener, egg substitute, almond extract, peaches

Calories: 58

Try this recipe: Homemade Peach Ice Cream

Vitamin-C-rich cantaloupe is the star ingredient in this unique, low-sugar sherbet recipe. At less than 100 calories per serving, you can enjoy a summery dessert without the fat, sugar, and calories of ice cream.

Ingredients: Ripe cantaloupe, calorie-free sweetener, lemon juice, unflavored gelatin, cold water, vanilla fat-free yogurt sweetened with aspartame, cantaloupe wedge (optional)

Calories: 93

Try this recipe: Cantaloupe Sherbet

Fruit is an all-natural alternative to treats loaded with added sugar, and this grapefruit-and-banana dish is sure to satisfy. The two fruits are tossed with honey and mint, making for a refreshing and fiber-filled end to any meal. Ingredients: Red grapefruit, banana, mint, honey

Calories: 122

Try this recipe: Honey Grapefruit with Banana