Why Chocolate-Covered and Weight Loss Do Go Together

POPSUGAR Photography | Jenny Sugar
POPSUGAR Photography | Jenny Sugar

Every healthy-eating plan has to allow for a little splurging once in a while. Treating yourself can help satisfy cravings and also prevent you from feeling so deprived that you eat an entire bag of cookies. If chocolate's what your taste buds crave, here are 12 decadent recipes that will satisfy any major sweet tooth.

Dark Chocolate Salted Caramels
POPSUGAR Photography | Jenny Sugar

Dark Chocolate Salted Caramels

Such an easy and amazing treat to whip up, these dark chocolate salted caramels are made with sunflower seeds, dates, dairy-free chocolate chips, and sea salt. Each square is just 60 calories.

Sunbutter Cups
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Sunbutter Cups

If you need to avoid nuts, your candy dreams just came true with these 52-calorie sunbutter cups, filled with a sunflower seed and date mixture that's even better than a Reese's.

Healthy Almond Joy
POPSUGAR Photography | Jenny Sugar

Healthy Almond Joy

Coconut, dates, almonds, and chocolate unite in these delicious homemade Almond Joys — just 79 calories apiece.

Chocolate-Covered Banana Almond Butter Bites
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Chocolate-Covered Banana Almond Butter Bites

Made with bananas and almond butter, these vegan fruity frozen bites are under 50 calories each.

Vegan Almond Butter Cups
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Vegan Almond Butter Cups

If you're craving a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup but you want to do without the milk, sugar, and artificial ingredients, whip up this vegan version made with almond butter — each cup is 86 calories.

Vegan Snickers
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Vegan Snickers

This healthier version of Snickers is made with a handful of ingredients and is vegan, too. Each delicious mini bar is under 130 calories.

Vegan Peanut Butter Patties
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Vegan Peanut Butter Patties

Forget about the partially hydrogenated palm oil and artificial flavors — this vegan peanut butter patty, inspired by the Girl Scout Tagalong classic, has all the buttery, peanut buttery, and chocolatey goodness of the original, minus the animal products and unpronounceable ingredients. Each cookie is 177 calories.

Paleo Dark Chocolate Nut Clusters
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Paleo Dark Chocolate Nut Clusters

Stray away from your usual date-based Paleo delight with this quick and easy chocolate fix made with only four ingredients.

Chocolate-Dipped Peanut Butter Crisp Balls
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Chocolate-Dipped Peanut Butter Crisp Balls

This recipe pairs two complementary flavors together, complete with a satisfying crunch, all for under 200 calories per serving. Plus it's vegan!

Vegan Samoas
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Vegan Samoas

If you can't shake the desire for these chewy, coconut-y gems, here's an egg- and dairy-free alternative for 114 calories.

Vegan Thin Mints
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Vegan Thin Mints

The mint chocolate coating snaps with each bite to reveal a thin, flaky chocolate cookie. These vegan Thin Mints are 138 calories each, and totally reminiscent of the Girl Scount original.

Raw Chocolate Bon Bons
POPSUGAR Photography | Jenny Sugar

Raw Chocolate Bon Bons

The "cream" inside these raw bon bons is made from cashews with a touch of cardamon and lemon that complements the chocolatey outside perfectly.