Here's 4 healthy dessert recipes for Easter your chocolate coma self with thank you for.

“Gee, I hate Easter eggs,” said precisely no-one ever because… chocolate.

That said, we’ve all said something along the lines of “Gee, I feel so sick from eating so much chocolate” after the Easter long weekend.

In anticipation of chocolate overload, we asked Leah Itsines, Instagram foodie, best-selling author and founder of BARE Guide, to give us her best, most delicious healthy dessert recipes that taste just as good (if not better) than the originals.

From healthy hot cross buns to peanut butter cookies, here are four mouth-watering healthy dessert recipes to try this Easter long weekend.

Your post-Easter egg coma self with thank you.

Side note – we also have this easy no-bake Easter recipe you really ought to try, too. Post continues after video.

1. Snickers Hot Cross Buns.

Makes: 8 (1 hot cross bun is a serve).

Prep time: 30 minutes.

Cook time: 20 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of wholemeal spelt flour.
• 7g yeast packet.
• 1/4 cup maple syrup.
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar.
• 1/4 cup dated, pips removed and diced.
• 1 egg.
• 1/2 cup almond milk.
• 3 tablespoon coconut oil.
• 1 tablespoon cacao powder.
• 1 tablespoon orange juice.
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• For the cross:
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1 tablespoon cacao powder
  • 5 tablespoon water (more if needed).

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
2. In a small bowl, add maple syrup, almond milk and place in the microwave for 20 seconds to slightly warm (you don't want it boiling).
3. Once warm, add yeast and whisk for 20 seconds. Set aside.
4. In another bowl, add egg, orange juice, coconut oil, cinnamon and vanilla extract. Whisk until light.
5. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, cacao, yeast mixture and the egg mixture. Mix until it combines.
6. On a floured surface, knead the dough (add a little more flour if still sticky) and knead until soft.
7. Place back into the bowl and allow to raise lightly for 40 minutes.
8. Divide the dough into 8 even balls and place onto a lined baking tray.
9. Combine ingredients for the cross into a small bowl and mix.
10. Place into a piping bag and pipe a cross over the bun.
11. Place into the oven for 20 minutes until cooked through.

2. Banana and Blueberry Bread.

Makes: 8 muffins (1 muffin is a serve).

Prep time: 5 minutes.

Cook time: 30–35 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 1¼ cups almond meal.
• 3 very ripe bananas, mashed.
• ¼ cup raw honey.
• 1 cup blueberries.
• 3 small eggs.
• 1 teaspoon baking powder.
• A pinch of ground cinnamon.

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F.
2. Line a cake tin (24cm) with baking paper.
3. Place all ingredients except berries in a bowl and combine with a spoon. Then, fold in berries.
4. Pour into cake tin and bake for 30–35 minutes, or until browned on top and a skewer poked into the centre comes out clean.

Tip: This is a ‘moist’ type of bread, but if you prefer a more cooked texture, leave it in for another 5 minutes.

3. Carrot Cake Bliss Balls.

Makes: 10 balls (1 ball is a serve).

Prep time: 10 minutes.

Cook time: 15 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 12 medjool dates, pitted
• 1 cup desiccated coconut.
• 1 cup raw almonds.
• 1 medium carrot, quartered.
• 1 tablespoon almond butter.
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon.
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg.
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger.
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted.
• ½ teaspoons concentrated natural vanilla extract.
• A pinch of salt.

Directions:

1. Soak dates in boiling water for 10 minutes or overnight. Drain.
2. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until the mixture comes together - keep a ¼ cup of the coconut aside for rolling.
3. Roll into balls and coat in the remaining coconut.
4. Leave in the fridge for 20 minutes to set before eating.

4. Peanut Butter, Date and Ginger Cookies.

Makes 10 (1 cookie is a serve).

Prep time: 10 minutes.

Cook time: 12 minutes.

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup natural smooth peanut butter.
• 200 g medjool dates, pitted.
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger.
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
• 1 egg.
• 1 tablespoon almond meal.
• Olive oil for rolling.
• A pinch of salt.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F.
2. Add all ingredients, except olive oil, to a food processor and blend to a smooth consistency.
3. Spray your hands with olive oil (don’t use water as it’ll make them extra sticky) and roll the mixture into small balls.
4. Place the balls onto a lined baking tray and, with oiled hands again, flatten into cookies.
5. Bake for 12 minutes or until lightly golden.

Tip: These are freezer friendly!

For more information on Leah Itsines or to check out her BARE (Balanced and Realistic Eating) Guide, visit www.leahitsines.com.au.

Do you have a great healthy dessert recipe? Tell us in the comments!