5 Easy and Tempting Mediterranean Diet Desserts For Your Sweet Tooth

We all know that the Mediterranean diet is one of the healthiest eating patterns in the world. While it limits the intake of processed foods and white sugar, the dessert options that this diet has to offer are innumerable. If you think the Mediterranean diet desserts are difficult to make or are not tempting enough, think again! Even if refined carbohydrates are restricted to a minimum, you can still whip up delicious and mouth-watering Mediterranean diet desserts in no time to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Desserts You Can Eat on a Mediterranean diet

The Mediterranean diet, as you are familiar with, is a balanced eating style that restricts processed food and meat. Mediterranean diet desserts can be prepared using fresh fruit, olive oil, honey, yogurt, and herbs. One way that people enjoy desserts on this diet is by consuming a piece of fruit after a meal or an easy-bake cake at teatime. However, it is important to know that if you enjoy more indulgent desserts such as candies, chocolates, and cookies, it is best to eat these in moderation and not daily.

Since most of the Mediterranean diet desserts are made using ingredients that are easy to find in your pantry, they are simple to make and are not highly processed. This means you can use roasted fruit with honey, Greek yogurt with berries, gelato, and olive oil cakes in your recipes for easy, simple, and sometimes no-bake desserts.

5 Easy Mediterranean Diet Desserts

Let’s look at some of the easiest and most tempting desserts on the Mediterranean diet:

1. Peanut-butter Oat Energy Balls

Peanut-butter oat energy balls are easy-to-make, satisfying snacks that you can make everyday or whenever you are craving for something sweet. Packed with healthy fats and protein, these energy balls are a must-try Mediterranean diet dessert for your tea-time or post-workout. 

Ingredients:

• ½ cup natural peanut butter
• 1 cup rolled oats
• ½ cup honey
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• ½ cup chopped nuts (almonds and walnuts)
• ¼ cup dry fruits (cashews, raisins, chopped dates)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• A pinch of salt

Instructions:

1. Take a mixing bowl. Combine rolled oats, natural peanut butter, chopped nuts, honey, dry fruits, chia seeds, vanilla extract, and a pinch of sea salt
2. Mix all the ingredients till well combined. Add a little honey or peanut butter if the mixture is too dry
3. Once combined, cover the mixture and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the ingredients to set
4. After the mixture has cooled down, take small portions and roll them into bite-sized balls
5. Place the energy balls on a baking sheet lined with butter paper and refrigerate for another 30-35 minutes
6. Enjoy the Peanut-Butter Oat Energy balls once they are set

2. Olive Oil Yogurt Bundt Cake

Hailed as one of the most delicious of the Mediterranean diet desserts, the Olive Oil Yogurt Bundt cake is a moist and tender cake with a crusty crumb. The olive oil adds a fruity flavor to the cake, while the lemon zest adds the tanginess that is so satisfying to eat. The cake is not too sweet, and can be consumed as a dessert or a snack. 

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• ¾ cup olive oil
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 3 eggs
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350℉ (175℃)
2. Grease a bundt cake pan with olive oil and dust with flour to prevent the batter from sticking
3. Take a large bowl. Mix sugar and olive oil until well-combined
4. Add the eggs one at a time, mix after adding each
5. Add the Greek yogurt, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until smooth
6. Take a separate bowl and mix the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until combined
7. Pour the prepared batter into the bundt cake pan and smooth the top with a spatula
8. Bake for 45-50 minutes till a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean
9. Allow the cake to cool down completely on a wire rack before serving. You can also add fresh berries or Greek yogurt alongside the dessert for a delicious treat.

3. Italian Carrot Cake (Torta de Carot)

The Italian carrot cake is surely one of the tastiest of the Mediterranean diet desserts. Having a tender texture, the cake combines the natural sweetness of maple syrup and honey. The hint of orange zest adds a refreshing aroma to the cake, while the nuts and warm spices fuse together to give you a delightful dessert that you will want to try out again and again. 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• ½ cup almond flour
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• 2 cups grated carrots
• ½ cup chopped walnuts
• 1 cup maple syrup or honey
• ½ cup raisins
• 1 orange zest
• Shredded coconut (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350℉ and grease a cake pan with some olive oil
2. In a mixing bowl, add whole wheat flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, nutmeg, and cinnamon
3. Take another bowl and whisk together eggs with honey, olive oil, and maple syrup until they are well-combined (make sure not to over-mix)
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and roll them up until they are just combined
5. Fold in the raisins, carrots, walnuts, orange zest, and shredded coconuts (optional)
6. Pour the cake mixture into the cake pan and pat to let any air bubbles out
7. Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean
8. Allow the cake to cool before serving.

4. Almond Tahini Cake with Rose Syrup and Pistachios

Desserts can be delightful foods to have, particularly if they are as tasty as this Almond Tahini cake with Rose syrup and Pistachios. And, if you want to taste one of the most delicious desserts in your Mediterranean diet dessert menu, Almond Tahini cake is your definite go-to. Carrying the floral sweetness of rose syrup and the nutty texture of pistachios, the cake is a must-have for all your meals. 

Ingredients:

• ½ cup Tahini
• 1 cup almond flour
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup honey
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ cup pistachios (chopped)
• Rose syrup (you can make your own by mixing honey and rose water)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350℉ (180℃) and grease a 9-inch round cake pan with olive oil
2. Take a mixing bowl. Add almond flour, tahini, honey, baking powder, salt, eggs, and cinnamon. Mix until they are well-combined
3. Pour the mixture into the cake pan and smoothen with the help of spatula
4. Sprinkle pistachios on the mixture
5. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean
6. Transfer the cake onto a wire rack and let it cool down completely
7. After the cake has cooled down, sprinkle rose water over the cake
8. Serve with green tea or any other tea.

5. Baked Apple and Cinnamon Chips 

This is surely one of the simplest and easiest of the Mediterranean diet desserts recipes. Capturing the flavors of apple and cinnamon, this dessert can be served as a delicious and healthy snack whenever you crave for something light. Moreover, this dessert is a delightful combination of sweet apples and fragrant cinnamon, and can be used as a topping for yogurt, salads, and oatmeal.

Ingredients:

• 2 thinly sliced apples
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon honey (optional)
• Olive oil

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 200℉ (94℃). Line a baking tray with butter paper
2. Take a bowl and toss the apples with cinnamon and honey until they are well-combined
3. Place apple slices in a single layer on the baking tray
4. Spray a little olive oil to help them get crisp in the oven
5. Bake for 1.5-2 hours. Flip the apple slices when they are crispy and golden brown
6. Remove from the oven and let them cool before serving 

So, there you have it. Although we looked at only some of the desserts, this Mediterranean diet desserts menu is so diverse, that you will want to explore every one of them. The good news is that not only are these desserts made from natural ingredients, they are also free of processed sugar and are low on calories. So, if you want to indulge in some sweet desserts to satisfy your sweet tooth without worrying about putting on extra weight, these desserts are a definite must-have for you.