Labor Day is a time for backyard barbecues, family gatherings, and oh yes — desserts. If you’re hosting a summer soirée or just looking for a dish to bring over to your bestie’s, these 5 healthier dessert recipes won’t disappoint. Pick a party theme, turn up the music, and gather up your nearest and dearest.

It’s almost the unofficial end of summer and the whole neighbourhood seems to have started on their yearly mission to squeeze in as many outdoor parties before autumn sets in as humanly possible. To me that screams of opportunity to treat my friends and family to some of my most more-ish creations.

To some, Labor Day is the day we all gather around turkey sandwiches and give thanks to the corny one-liners on screen, but to me, what takes the cake (pun intended) are the sweet treats that finish off your meal and round everything out.

As we head into the home stretch of beach-going season, Labor Day is a great chance to enjoy some homemade goodies, and these 5 healthier desserts aren’t just delicious, they’re guaranteed crowd-pleasers.

Peach Picnic Cake (Gluten Free)

In my house, peach season means peach salads, jams, cobbler, and cakes like this one. Peaches are one of my favorite fruits. this might be in part to their elusiveness. they are in season for a mere month or two up here in Connecticut, and that is the only time i eat them through the year. Unlike apples or pears, in-season peaches are miles away from out-of-season ones. So let’s just say that August is this recipe’s time to shine. 

Salted Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars (Paleo)

I’m almost embarrassed to say how many times I’ve made these since this recipe was born.  Let’s just say it’s a lot, and I’m still not sick of them.

I was on a particularly strong tahini kick and in a moment of creativity, decided to throw the rules out the window on my Paleo Salted Blondies (which can do no wrong in my opinion). Get ready for rich, dense, dark chocolate-y goodness that is the perfect balance of gooey and chewy.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp with Ginger Crumb Topping (Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free)

When it comes to baked fruit desserts, I am firmly in the Team Crumble camp. Now don’t get me wrong, I’ll happily enjoy any fruit pie you put in front of me… so long as someone else made it (go on, bake one for me!). But back to this crumble: it’s a lighter take on the baked fruit desserts we all love. It’s so simple to make, can be assembled ahead of time, baked whenever you’re ready and is endlessly adaptable. Simple spices, juicy fruit and topped with the most delicious, crispy oat topping flecked with warm ginger. Frankly, I can’t be trusted around a whole pan of this.

Coconut Lime Sheet Cake with Lime Glaze (Gluten Free, Dairy Free)

This delicious cake has a moist, dense crumb and the perfect hint of lime and coconut. It’s topped with a simple, bright glaze and toasted coconut. It feeds a lot of people and I promise everyone will want a slice (or two!).

Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread Cookies

If banana bread and chocolate chip cookies had a baby, this would be it. They’re soft with loads of texture from the coconut, banana and oats, oh and the pools of melted dark chocolate certainly don’t hurt either. I have been known to reach for one of these for breakfast, but these are the perfect throw together cookie (especially with kids in tow), and are almost impossible to dislike!

If you make any of these 5 Healthier Dessert Recipes, and I hope you do, please leave me a comment and rate the recipe. Your feedback means a lot to me! You can also post to Instagram and tag me so I can share your creations! 

If you like full recipe videos, you’ll want to follow me on Facebook and Youtube as I publish new videos daily!

I will start this post simply with this:

This is my favorite chocolate cake of all time.

When it comes to a celebratory, layered and frosted chocolate cake I have turned to the Horseradish Grill’s chocolate cake ever since learning the recipe in culinary school.  It is excellent, impossibly fudgy and decadent.

But there is another place in my life for an everyday chocolate cake that is easier to make and a bit more virtuous.  You know by now that I am very much an “everyday baker” type of person and don’t need a reason to eat a slice of cake any night of the week.

This Chocolate Olive Oil Cake is perfect, truly.  Whether you want to eat a piece with your hands, in your pajamas (the most common way for me, admittedly) or serve to a room full of guests for Christmas or a dinner party, you simply won’t be disappointed.

Watch Me Make My Chocolate Olive Oil Cake

If you’re in need of some more delicious dessert recipes, be sure to follow me on Facebook, or see all of my favorites (and so many other sweet treats) over on Pinterest.

How To Make My Chocolate Olive Oil Cake

Step 1. Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F. Spray a 9 or 10 inch cake pan with nonstick spray and line the bottom with parchment paper.

Step 2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, and salt.

Step 3. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, eggs, vanilla, milk, and coffee until blended.

Step 4. Add liquid to the flour mixture and mix together until no traces of flour remain.

Step 5. Pour cake batter into the prepared pan and bake for 60-75 minutes, until the a cake tester comes out just clean.

Step 6. Allow cake to cool in the pan for 20 minutes before inverting onto a cooling rack to cool for at least two hours.

Step 7. Serve dusted simply with powdered sugar, or with a cherry compote and whipped cream if desired.

Step 8. Enjoy!

What Else Can I Use?

• Use a 9 inch round cake pan or 10 inch round cake pan for this cake, it is a lot of batter and rises quite a bit.   It will overflow in an 8 inch cake pan, I know from experience.
• Both unsweetened almond milk and reduced fat cow’s milk can be used in this cake.
• If you’d like to cut back further on the oil, replace half of it with unsweetened apple sauce.
• Use any good quality olive oil that you like in this cake, I like this one.  However, you can also use another type of oil such as safflower or vegetable oil if you prefer.
• I use Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour in this cake, but you can certainly swap in regular all purpose flour.  I wouldn’t advise using almond or oat flour in this cake as it will make it either too moist or too dense.  You want a just slightly dense and fluffy crumb.

“My favorite chocolate cake” is a big claim, and not one I take lightly.  Here’s why I stand by that:

1. This chocolate cake is SO moist, with a perfect texture and fluffy interior. I have had too many dry chocolate cakes in my day.  What a disappointment.
2. Unlike many chocolate cakes, this one is not too sweet.  It is just sweet enough to let the chocolate flavor come through and prevent you from a sugar crash two hours later.
3. It’s EASY to make, taking only ten minutes to get it in the oven.  No butter = no creaming.
4. Because of the oil in this case, it keeps extremely well and some say it’s even better the next day.  It also freezes beautifully, making it a no-brainer make ahead dessert.

I tend to serve this one of two ways:

With a simple dusting of powdered sugar

With a dollop of whipped cream and a cherry compote.  For this, I simply simmer frozen cherries with a squeeze of lemon and a pinch of sugar, salt, and nutmeg.

If you make my Chocolate Olive Oil Cake, and I hope you do, please leave me a comment here and rate the recipe. Your feedback means a lot to me! You can also post to Instagram and tag me so I can share your creations!

If you like full recipe videos, you’ll want to follow me on Facebook and Youtube as I publish new videos daily!