Top Spots for Sugar-Free Desserts in New York City

The blondies at Protein Bakery are in disguise: they may look like sugary guilty secrets, but the all-natural desserts are actually more like protein bars. The sweets are made with rolled oats, light brown sugar, high-grade chocolate and, to really pack a punch, whey protein concentrate.

For sweet tooths looking for a fix in the warmer months, Chloe’s Soft Serve is the perfect destination for a dessert that won’t set you back. The dairy-free soft serve is made of fruit, water, and just a hint of cane sugar, so you can indulge without any post-dessert remorse.

This bakery operates under the maxim that gluten-free doesn’t have to mean flavor-free. That idea applies to their sugarless selection, too. The zucchini and banana breads could even make you forget the word “sugar.” A brick-and-mortar shop just popped up at the Falchi Building in Long Island City, but you can order online or find their goods in NYC establishments like Bluestone Lane, THINK Coffee and Cafe Grumpy.

If you want to know exactly what is going into your dessert, this uptown bakery will let you know. They don’t use any animal products, and base most of their baked goods on organic spelt flour and maple syrup. Many products are not only gluten-free but rich in fiber and protein. For those who need to know more, every single ingredient in their menu is listed on their website.

Although the juice fad may have started in California, New Yorkers have adopted juice as their own. To those who want to finish their meals with something a bit healthier, Juice Generation has plenty of tempting offerings. For those looking to go even healthier, add in a wheatgrass shot.

Over the past year, Hu Kitchen has taken the downtown lunch crowd by storm. The ultra-healthy menu is a great excuse to get out of the office. But it’s the Mashbar that really keeps everyone coming back. The DIY sundae bar is dairy-free and paleo, and chock-full of healthy, tasty bases like homemade chia pudding, taro pudding, and cashew cream.

People’s Pops are an NYC summertime staple. They’re handmade in Brooklyn from fruit bought fresh from NYC greenmarkets. Each pop comes in at under 100 calories, and their menu is constantly changing based on what’s in season. Although there are locations all over the city (and at Smorgasburg on the weekends), we love walking to the High Line location and strolling through the elevated park with a fruity popsicle in hand.

This downtown bakery was specially made for people who want to avoid gluten, but the ultra-healthy menu also excludes dairy, soy, refined sugar, and peanuts. That doesn’t mean the menu is boring. In fact, visitors will be delighted with Old Fashioned (vegan) Pop Tarts, pretzels, cookies and even cupcakes.

This Filipino place sets up at Smorgasburg every weekend, and offers tasty made-to-Instagram treats. The Classic Halo Halo is a dragon fruit shell filled to the brim with ube ice cream, fresh berries, mango, tapioca, red mung beans and a coconut milk sauce.

This all-avocado eatery made a splash when it opened, with New Yorkers lining out the door to get their fix. Now the world’s first avocado bar is also serving up avo-desserts. The new AvoMangoSmoothie is the best way to satisfy your sweet tooth and your digestive system at the same time.