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LOW-SUGAR SWEETS
Cooking Light
|Winter 2026 - Carb-Smart Recipes
Turn to these low-carb treats for a between-meal boost or an after-dinner sweet note.
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Brownie Energy Bites
HANDS-ON 20 MIN.
TOTAL 1 HR.
These two-bite treats taste rich and indulgent, even with no added sugar. Each contains 3g fiber and 3g protein. Store chilled in an airtight container for 1 week.
½ cup whole hazelnuts
12 whole Medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped
⅔ cup almond butter
⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa
2 Tbsp. water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
¼ tsp. kosher salt
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Spread nuts on a small rimmed baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until lightly toasted, about 10 minutes, stirring once. Cool 10 minutes. Rub off skins. Reserve 20 hazelnuts. Pulse remaining hazelnuts in a food processor until finely chopped; transfer chopped nuts to a small bowl.
3. Pulse dates in food processor until almost pastelike. Add almond butter, cocoa, 2 tablespoons water, vanilla, and salt; process until well combined. Turn mixture out into a bowl; divide into 20 equal portions. Roll each portion around 1 whole hazelnut to form a ball. (Mixture will be oily.) Roll each brownie ball in chopped hazelnuts to coat. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
SERVES 20 (serving size: 1 brownie bite) CALORIES 110; FAT 7g (sat 1g, unsat 6g); PROTEIN 3g; CARB 12g; FIBER 3g; SUGARS 9g (added sugars 0g); SODIUM 47mg; CALC 4% DV; POTASSIUM 4% DV
Chocolate–Peanut Butter Energy BarsHANDS-ON 25 MIN.
This story is from the Winter 2026 - Carb-Smart Recipes edition of Cooking Light.
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