With summer in full throttle, I, a self-professed dessert maniac, find myself constantly bowing to the ever-present temptation of sugary treats. It seems as though sinful bliss lurks around every corner in the form of ice cream, key lime pie, or strawberry shortcake. At the gym, I sluggishly attempt to squeeze out a few extra crunches, a few more painful minutes on the treadmill, to soothe the guilt I feel for overindulging.

Nicole Hamaker is a savior for all the sugar fiends, like me, who want to sample sweet treats while avoiding the post-consumption sugar crash brought on by refined sweeteners. She recently featured honey almond mini cheesecakes with raspberries over on her blog, Pinch My Salt—and my, do they look delightful. Nicole gave this classic dessert an extreme makeover, but assures readers that these are the best-tasting mini cheesecakes she’s ever made. To make these mini-cheesecakes, you’ll need natural sweeteners, like honey and sucanat. For those of you who don’t know (I enlightened myself with a quick Google search): sucanat is a brand name for a variety of whole cane sugar. Unlike refined and processed cane sugar, whole cane sugar retains its molasses content. The juice is extracted by mechanical processes, heated, and cooled, forming small, brown, grainy crystals. 

I’m definitely adding this dessert recipe to my must-make list. They’re mini, they’re sweet, they’re topped off with plump raspberries. What’s not to like?