Christmas is just around the corner! December often brings the joy of festive treats—chocolates, mulled wine, and indulgent desserts—but it’s also a busy, hectic month that can leave you feeling a little drained. If you’ve already had your fill of sweets and are looking for healthier, delicious snacks to enjoy during the holidays, I’ve got you covered with my three favourite recipes.

These treats are made with wholesome ingredients like nuts, dates, oats, and rich 70% chocolate—perfect for satisfying your cravings without the sugar overload.

I’ve been thinking more about healthier options lately because my 4-year-old daughter, Freya, has been under the weather for weeks, and I’ve also caught a bug. To help us recover, we cut out sugar completely for a few days (yes, even the advent calendar went untouched!). The result? Freya bounced back quickly, and while I’m still regaining my strength, it’s been a reminder of how much better we feel when we nourish our bodies.

So, whether you’re resetting after overindulging or simply want some guilt-free festive snacks, these recipes are sure to bring a little extra joy to your holiday season!

Homemade sweet and salty almond flakes with dates and sea salt [1].

Ingredients:

• 100 g slivered almonds

• 70 g dates

• 100 g chocolate (I prefer milk chocolate)

• ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt

Instructions:

• Melt the chocolate in a water bath.

• Briefly roast the almonds in a pan without any fat (check my notes below).

• In the meantime, cut the dates into small pieces and mix them with the sea salt in a bowl.

• Add the melted chocolate and almonds to the bowl with the dates and sea salt and mix well.

• Using two teaspoons, place small heaps of almond chocolate on a baking tray lined with baking paper and allow the almond flakes to set.

Karo’s Notes:

Here’s a refined version that’s clearer and easier to follow:

I don’t roast the almonds in this recipe—they taste amazing as they are. Plus, skipping the roasting step saves both time and energy!

To make these treats more festive, I like to add ½ teaspoon of cinnamon and sprinkle shredded coconut on top—it reminds me of snow! 😊

If you don’t have coarse sea salt at home, don’t worry. I use fine Himalayan salt instead, adjusting the amount to ¼ teaspoon instead of ½.

When it comes to dark chocolate, choose your favorite. I recommend Lindt 70% Mild, as it has a smoother flavor that’s more kid-friendly. Not all 70% chocolates taste the same, and this one works especially well. My 4-year-old loves it! I recently tried a different brand, and the taste difference was significant.

Although these treats are made with healthy ingredients, they can still raise your blood sugar levels. It’s best to enjoy them in moderation and avoid eating them on an empty stomach. If you’re dealing with fatigue, start with a small bite and pay attention to how your body responds—it’s possible for sugar to make fatigue worse, so you may need to avoid it altogether while recovering.

No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars [2]

Ingredients:

• 24 Medjool Dates - Seeds removed

• ⅓ cup Natural or Sugar Free Peanut Butter

• 1 Cup Rolled Oats

• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Essence

• ½ cup Granulated peanuts - unsalted

• 1 cup 400 grams of Melted Dark or Sugar Free Chocolate (see my notes below)

Instructions:

• Add dates, peanut butter and vanilla to a food processor. Blitz on high until it forms a clump and resembles a paste.

• Add the oats and peanuts to a large bowl and mix together.

• Add date/peanut butter mixture to oats and peanuts. Use hands to mix together

• Press mixture into a square baking tray lined with parchment or baking paper so bars are easy to get out. Smooth out he top with the back of a spoon.

• Melt chocolate in microwave on high in 30 second bursts (mine took 3 mins total, stirring in between) (see notes below)

• Pout chocolate mixture onto bar mixture, smoothing over the top all the way to the corners with the back of a spoon.

• Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 – 3 hours

• Slice into 16 bars with a sharp warm knife (dipping knife into hot water with each cut and wiping in between)

Karo’s Notes:

• Using 400g of chocolate can be a bit much—the flavor becomes overpowering, and the bars turn out too rich. The second time I made these, I used just 100g, and the result was much lighter and more balanced, especially for kids.

• Choose your favorite dark chocolate for this recipe. I personally love Lindt 70% cocoa (mild). It has a smooth, less intense flavor, which works well in these bars. I recently tried another 70% chocolate, and it tasted much stronger. Thankfully, my daughter didn’t mind the difference, but it’s worth testing to see what you and your family prefer.

• When melting chocolate, avoid using the microwave. Instead, use a water bath (also known as a double boiler). While it takes a little more effort, this method helps preserve the nutrients in the chocolate, making the bars a healthier option.

• Although these bars are made with nutritious ingredients, they can still raise blood sugar levels. Enjoy them in moderation and avoid eating them on an empty stomach. If you’re dealing with fatigue, try a small bite first and notice how your body responds—sometimes, even natural sugars can make fatigue worse. During recovery, it may be best to avoid sugar entirely.

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Cocoa-Nut Cookies [3]

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup raw walnuts

• 1 1/2 cup raw pecans

• 5 dates pitted

• 2 tbsp raw cocoa powder I like the extra dark

• 1 egg whisked

• 2 egg white whisked

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 1/2 tbsp coconut oil melted & divided into 1 tbsp & 1/2 tbsp (see notes below)

• 1 tsp baking powder

Instructions:

• Heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius

• Using a food processor: Pit the dates and pulse in food processor for a couple of seconds. Add in both the walnuts & pecans and pulse all three together until desired consistency of your cookie.

• Whisk together; egg, egg white, vanilla, 1 tbsp coconut oil and add to processor. Pulse until combined

• Add cocoa, salt & baking powder to processor and pulse until combined.

• Line a baking sheet with parchment or brush with last 1/2 tbsp of coconut oil. Scoop 20-24 large tbsp balls onto sheet.

• Bake for 8 minutes, I like mine a little bit gooey! Store in airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or put them all in the freezer and pop them out whenever you want! Enjoy!!

Karo’s Notes:

• Whenever possible, I like to replace coconut oil with butter. Both work well, but butter feels more natural to me—it’s local, and I grew up using it. Coconut oil, on the other hand, is imported and not a part of traditional North European cooking. That said, I still use coconut oil occasionally (mainly in my homemade face creams), but butter remains my first choice.

• If you want to make these cookies more festive, you can pipe them into fun shapes! To do this, beat two egg whites and gently fold them into the mixture at the very end. You may need to adjust the baking time—mine took an extra 5 minutes, but it will depend on the size of the cookies.

• These cookies aren’t overly sweet, so they’re less likely to cause a sugar spike. However, everyone’s body reacts differently, so it’s worth testing for yourself. If you feel tired after eating them, it might be a sign to avoid simple sugars for a while as you focus on rebuilding your energy and health. You can always retest them later.

• While these cookies are packed with nutrients and taste amazing, it’s still important to enjoy them in moderation. One or two is plenty—eating more might be too much, even with healthy ingredients.

I hope you enjoy making and sharing these healthier festive treats as much as I do. They’re simple, delicious, and a great way to bring a little balance to the indulgent holiday season. They also make a thoughtful and wholesome gift—perfect for spreading holiday cheer to friends and family. Remember, it’s all about finding what works best for you and your loved ones—whether that’s tweaking the ingredients, adjusting the sweetness, or enjoying them in moderation.

Wishing you and your loved ones a joyful, peaceful, and energy-filled Christmas. May your holiday season be filled with warmth, laughter, and the kind of treats that nourish both your body and soul.

With Love,

Karo

[1] Source: www.waseigenes.com

[2] Source: www.mysugarfreekitchen.com

[3] www.chelseajyoung.com