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Adhering to a gluten-free diet is a matter of choice for some and of necessity for many. And finding something delicious to make for dessert might be the most challenging issue in removing gluten from one’s diet. But dessert is for everyone, and the following is a little treasure trove of gluten-free dessert recipes. Some are naturally gluten-free, and some can be made gluten-free by substituting gluten-free flour for regular wheat flour in the recipes.
Bob’s Red Mill makes a variety of gluten-free flours, and they have a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour that is perfect for baking cakes, brownies, quick breads, muffins, and so on. They also have a gluten-free all-purpose flour, but, as the name promises, the baking flour is best for baked goods. Cup4Cup is another great brand, as is King Arthur’s, though that one is better for bread than desserts. Food Network has a good list of gluten-free flour brands.
Make sure to check the packaging of all of your ingredients to ensure they are all gluten-free. This precaution includes everything from the chocolate you use to candies added to ice cream to sauces to cake decorations. And check to make sure if someone has a serious gluten intolerance or is celiac, you are doing everything possible to prevent cross-contamination. And then the answer to “who wants dessert?” should be yes for everyone!
Dessert should be for everyone and here are dozens of gluten-free dessert recipes to end any meal on a sweet note.
A simple, pretty, 4-ingredient summer dessert that doesn't require turning on the oven — now that's beautiful. It's an easy medley of berries and whipped cream that can be adapted to other fruits.
This is a step-by-step guide to creating the most fun and crowd-pleasing dessert ever, which is ridiculously easy to make. Make sure to use gluten-free cookies for this, which can be either store-bought or homemade. And double check that your ice cream and any toppings are gluten-free.
Learn how to make the perfect gluten-free rich, creamy ice cream without an ice cream maker! Always check that any add-ins are also gluten-free. And think about topping it with…..
Creamy and rich, this incredibly easy sauce will turn a bowl of ice cream (or a brownie) into a dessert to remember. Caramel sauce is basically 3 ingredients: sugar, vanilla, and cream (oh, plus water and salt, but we’re all cool with not counting those, right?), but the results are way more than the sum of its parts.
Grilling peaches is one of the best and most simple ways you can elevate an already perfect fruit at the height of the season. And if you want to make them into a spectacular dessert, top them while warm with gluten-free vanilla ice cream, either homemade (see above!) or store-bought.
Creamy, sweet, and fluffy, this Italian-style cheesecake takes 10 minutes to pull together before going into the oven to bake. The filling is gluten-free, so you just need to make sure you are using a gluten-free store-bought crust. A simple, perfect ending to any meal.
Speaking of whipped cream, here are all the secrets to making perfect homemade whipped cream every time. Your desserts will never be the same! Plus, you can definitely turn a bowl of beautiful ripe berries or another fruit into something special by adding a hefty dollop of this on top!
Another pie that is completely gluten-free if you make sure to make or purchase a gluten-free crust. Obviously perfect for Thanksgiving or other fall holidays, but don’t just keep this recipe on the back burner til the big dinners. Wholly Wholesome is one good gluten-free crusts that I’ve used, available frozen. King Arthur also makes a gluten-free pie crust mix, as does Bob’s Red Mill.
A slice of this sweet comfort-food pie is like having an old-school diner in your very own home. It's another gluten-free pie if you make sure to use a gluten-free pie crust.
These classic no-bake bar cookies are crispy with rice cereal (make sure you pick a gluten-free brand), bound together with a sweet peanut buttery mixture, and topped with a combination of melted chocolate and butterscotch chips.
Beautiful in color, sweet and citrusy in taste, this easy orange cake can be made for so many different occasions! You can bake it in a loaf pan or a round cake pan, depending on how you plan to serve it.
With the perfect balance of sweetness and tartness, these go out to all the lemon bar lovers out there. If you have a lemon bar fan in your world, they will be so excited to see a gluten-free version!
Rich and chocolatey and hits all the best notes. The fudgy topping over the chocolate buttercream is truly easy yet optional (but you know you want it!). When I made this with gluten-free flour, no one could tell the difference, and it actually stayed moist for even longer than the wheat flour version!
The perfect apple crisp for fall; tender sweet-tart apples fragrant with cinnamon, cloves, and hints of citrus blanketed in a thick layer of crisp streusel topping made with gluten-free flour and oats.
Katie Workman is a cook, a writer, a mother of two, an activist in hunger issues, and an enthusiastic advocate for family meals, which is the inspiration behind her two beloved cookbooks, Dinner Solved! and The Mom 100 Cookbook.
