Delicious Paleo Desserts That Prove the Caveman Diet *Can* Be Sweet

By Karla Walsh
February 10, 2020
Credit: Courtesy of Brittany Angell
Sure, the caveman-inspired meal plan eschews sugar, but these 10 paleo desserts feature creative (and delicious!) ways to make your cravings go the way of the dinosaurs. Preheat your ovens now and prepare to enjoy some tasty paleo desserts.
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Fudgy Paleo Brownies

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Almond and coconut flours make this single-serving brownie grain-free. While chocolate chips are rarely paleo, cocoa powder almost always is, so invest in some of the unsweetened stuff and get baking. (Related: The Paleo Diet For Beginners)

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Paleo Caramel Apple Doughnuts

Credit: Courtesy of Brittany Angell
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With a homemade caramel sauce drizzled over baked chestnut flour doughnuts, you won't even realize these paleo desserts aren't fried. Applesauce and chopped apples (which are an impressive source of fiber) keep the texture remarkably moist. (Score more delicious DIY doughnut recipes that won't wreck your diet.)

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Grain-Free Hostess Cupcake Copycats

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Leave the packaged pastries on the shelf. You'll be able to pronounce every single ingredient in these coconut cream-filled cupcakes. And don't forget to save some of that filling for the cute curlicue on top of these flashback-to-childhood paleo desserts. (BTW, these packaged foods are actually surprisingly healthy.)

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Mini Paleo Maple Cupcake

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For an unrefined sugar replacement, try maple syrup. These two-bite treats incorporate the natural sweetener into the cake batter and the frosting for a 100 percent paleo dessert. (Which, added bonus, contains blood pressure-reducing cinnamon.)

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Grain-Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Far from basic, these pumpkin paleo desserts are guaranteed to be a hit at your next cookie swap. Flax seeds boost the fiber and omega-3 fat content, so these sweet treats are basically health foods. Right? (See also: 7 Healthy Girl Scout Cookie-Inspired Desserts)

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Healthy Homemade Nutella

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Go nuts for Nutella—without all of the refined sugars and palm oil that's included in the original version. This paleo dessert is your 25-minute, five-ingredient fix that can be customized with your sweetener of choice. (Speaking of the hazelnut spread...here's the truth about those "Nutella might cause cancer" rumors.)

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Salted Caramel Ice Cream Sandwiches

Credit: Courtesy of PaleOMG
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Odds are salted caramel anything gets an A in your book (uh, same). But when it gets mixed into healthy ice cream, which is then sandwiched between double chocolate cookies? A+. (See also: Healthy Ice Cream Sandwich Recipes That Will Change Summer Forever)

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Paleo Pumpkin Muffins

Credit: Courtesy of My Natural Family
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Sugar and shortening? You don't need 'em. This paleo desserts call for neither, yet still pack tons of flavor, thanks to pumpkin pie spice and canned pumpkin puree. Pro tip: if you can make it yourself, fresh pumpkin puree is packed with vitamin A that can boost your vision and immunity. Hmm, the added time sounds worth it, no?

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By Karla Walsh