Red, White, and Blue Desserts

This Fourth of July, celebrate your independence—from high-calorie desserts. These red, white, and blue sweets are festive in color and 100% diet-friendly.

Fresh Berries With Maple Cream
Though this dessert seems decadent, it can be enjoyed guilt-free. Blueberries and raspberries are low-cal and packed with antioxidants, and research suggest they may even prevent wrinkles. The creamy topping has a heavier texture than whipped toppings and adds a new element of flavor by using maple syrup.

01 of 03

Cheesecake With Fresh Strawberry Sauce

cheesecake-strawberry-sauce — Randy Mayor

You won't feel guilty about indulging in this classic dessert. Using low-fat cream cheese and replacing butter with egg whites in the cookie-crumb crust reduces total calories by one-third and slashes fat to less than half the traditional recipe. And using fresh strawberries in the sauce cuts down on refined sugars. Be sure to allow yourself plenty of time, though, because it tastes best when it's been chilled for 8 hours.

02 of 03

Blueberry-Lemon Sorbet

berry-lem-sorb-1208194-l — Antonis Achilleos

Even a serving of light ice cream contains about 120 calories, so make dessert even lighter with this blueberry sorbet. A 77-calorie serving is full of antioxidant-rich blueberries and honey, a great way to naturally sweeten desserts. If you're feeling adventurous, substitute other berries to get fresh flavors!

03 of 03

Coconut Chiffon Cupcakes With Marshmallow Frosting

A meringue-based frosting and a classic chiffon cake batter made with eggs and oil (instead of butter) give these dainty treats one-third the calories and fat of traditional cupcakes. Add a touch of fiber with unsweetened coconut or add your favorite red, white, and blue sprinkles.

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Tell us why!