Hi Reader!
I'll be honest, even though I love healthy baking, I still have a sweet tooth (and my husband has an even bigger one).
Even though we keep refined sugar very limited in our home, that doesn’t mean desserts are off the table. Over the years, I've found healthier ways to still bake something sweet, and one of the biggest shifts has been being intentional about the sweeteners we use.
Here are the natural sweeteners I always keep on hand:
Coconut sugar (made from coconut palm tree sap)
- Easiest 1:1 replacement for granulated sugar
- Has a slight caramel-like flavor
- Best in cookies, brownies, muffins, and other recipes where that deeper flavor works well
Maple syrup
- Great when you need a liquid sweetener that can be heated
- 1:1 replacement for corn syrup
Raw honey
- Healthiest option when kept unheated
- If adding to tea, let it cool to a drinkable temperature first
Monk fruit extract (sweetness comes from antioxidants)
- Make sure to purchase 100% monk fruit extract without additives
- Much sweeter than sugar, so a little goes a long way
- Great for smoothies, nice cream, or recipes where sugar isn’t needed for texture
(I often use monk fruit when smoothies need extra sweetness after sneaking in more greens than the toddlers approve of. 😆)
Favorite Recipes Made with Natural Sweeteners
What recipe would you love to learn to make with natural sweeteners? Reply and let me know!
This week in our home...
We finally bought a large dresser for the toddlers’ room, and for the first time in a while, it doesn’t look like a tornado went through there. It’s amazing what proper storage can do. Next up: figuring out the guest room. One tip for home builders everywhere: more closets, please!
From my kitchen to yours,
Violet
