Healthy Hanukkah Desserts

You can switch out the cherry preserves and dried cherries for another fruit that comes in both spread and dried form, such as apricot, currant, or blueberry. 

​Pretty Packaging: These rustic cookies can handle a more rustic approach to wrapping. Carefully place the cookies into a cellophane bag, then drop inside a burlap bag; cinch with a ribbon.​

We make old-fashioned, cake-style cider doughnuts even more irresistible by adding maple frosting laced with nutty tahini. Look for tahini in the supermarket’s international aisle or at Mediterranean markets. It’s an incredibly versatile flavor booster, simple yet sophisticated, like peanut butter with a passport.

These easy baked donuts benefit from matcha in the batter and in the glaze, where it lends beautiful color. If you’re unfamiliar with matcha, it’s high-quality green tea that’s ground into a fine powder.

Enjoy these delights for half the calories of a donut-chain version in just 40 minutes. At only 170 calories, these donuts offer that same great taste of your favorite store-bought treat, without all the extra calories and fat. Not only are they kid-approved, but baking them is much easier, way healthier, and less labor-intensive than going through with frying them.

These confections, called rollos de anís in Spanish, are often washed down with small glasses of Alicante Muscat or another sweet white wine.

Sweet and chewy coconut macaroons have always been an easy favorite for anyone following a gluten-free diet. We jazzed up these naturally gluten-free beauties by dipping them in bittersweet chocolate and studding them with salty pistachios.

Bake these the night before and either decorate with your guests or beforehand. Marzipan is easy to use as an ingredient in baked goods and decorating. Theses donuts are the perfect sweet bite on Christmas morning as the festive decorations are endless. Look for marzipan on the baking aisle in large supermarkets or in specialty baking stores.

Matzo cake meal and freshly ground blanched almonds make a fitting based for sweet apricots, orange rind, and almond extract. Served in the perfect bite-size rounds, these macaroons aren't overly sweet, but still pack delicious, nutty flavor.

Donut holes should be warm and doughy and coated in sugar. This gluten-free version is just that—and more. With a citrusy, zing of orange and a sweet dash of cinnamon, these are the ultimate cozy dessert.

Rustic is gorgeous—that’s never been more true than with this fall apple tart. We save on sat fat and make the crust more tender by swapping in low-fat yogurt for some of the butter (use standard yogurt, not Greek-style). Make dough ahead and refrigerate or freeze (just remember to thaw completely before rolling). Cutting the apple crosswise for a “star” shape in the center of each slice adds a special touch, but any slice will work. You can sub the scraped seeds from one vanilla bean pod or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for the vanilla bean paste.

Drizzled chocolate adds a sweet layer to these rich confections. To ensure that egg white peaks form, use a clean, dry bowl and beaters.

Tropical coconut flakes and warm, cozy cardamom pair up for the ultimate holiday dessert or cold weather treat.

Make-ahead tip: Bake cookies, and cool completely on a wire rack; store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

This dessert is for those at the table who want just a little something sweet. Store truffles in an airtight container for up to five days.

This is a gluten-free variation of the traditional Jewish pastry. Filled with fig preserves, pecans, and brown sugar, they are the perfect treat for a Hanukkah celebration.

Because Hanukkah commemorates a miracle involving oil, fried foods are traditional. In Israel, jelly donuts called soufganiyot are one of the most popular Hanukkah treats. But deep-frying isn’t exactly the Cooking Light way, so we created this baked version―essentially a fluffy sweet roll filled with jam and topped with powdered sugar. Use your favorite flavor of jam, or try a more exotic filling like chocolate ganache or dulce de leche.