A holiday feast can be tough to navigate when you're watching your sugar intake. According to the American Diabetes Association, almost 26 percent of seniors over 65 have the chronic condition. Chances are that someone in your family or from your retirement community has diabetes and can't indulge in traditional Thanksgiving desserts. This year, why not whip up a delicious holiday treat that everyone can enjoy? Here are a few diabetic dessert recipes that will help to bring a little sweetness to everyone's day.
Sugarless spice cake
This scrumptious cake is bursting with the flavors of autumn. It's sure to be a hit with everyone at your holiday gathering, and they won't even realize it's made for diabetics!
Ingredients
- 2 cups raisins
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 Tbsp. liquid artificial sweetener
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and coat an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. In a small saucepan, combine raisins and water. Cook over medium heat until the water has evaporated. Remove from heat and add in the applesauce, eggs, sweetener and oil. Stir well to combine. Use a whisk to blend in the baking soda and flour. Finally, stir in the remaining ingredients, then pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Cut the cake into small squares to serve, and garnish with a dollop of sugar-free whipped topping if you desire.
Sugar-free apple pie
What's more American than an apple pie on Thanksgiving? Everyone should be able to have a slice of this traditional treat, so use this easy recipe to make a sugar-free version that your guests will love.
Ingredients
- 12 oz. unsweetened apple juice concentrate, thawed
- 3 Tbsp. cornstarch
- 1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
- 6 cups tart apples, thinly sliced
- 2 9-inch pie shell pastries
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/3 cup of the apple juice concentrate with the cornstarch and cinnamon. Set aside. In a large saucepan, combine apples and remaining apple concentrate. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until the apples are tender, around 10 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and cook for an additional five minutes. Remove from heat. Place one of the pastries into your pie dish, then spoon in the apple mixture. Roll out the remaining pastry so it fits over the top of the pie. Gently place it over the filling, then seal and flute the edges. Cut a few steam vents in the top of the crust. Bake the pie for 45 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.