Dairy-Free Christmas Desserts

November 16, 2016
Photo: Randy Mayor
Holiday desserts aren’t entirely off limits for the dairy sensitive; often it simply means excluding the dollop of whipped cream or ice cream served on top. Note that several dessert recipes do include butter—not a problem for the lactose intolerant. Baking also usually neutralizes the effect of lactose, but you can easily swap in dairy-free milk instead. For a pretty garnish without the dairy dollop, try powdered sugar, shaved bittersweet chocolate, or curls of citrus rind. Looking to indulge your chocolate craving? Try these dairy-free chocolate treats.
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Lattice-Topped Cranberry-Raspberry Pie

Photo: Andrew Purcell
View Recipe: Lattice-Topped Cranberry-Raspberry Pie

Add a splash of festive color to your dessert sideboard with this tangy fruity pie. For pretty rickrack-shaped lattice, cut the dough with a fluted pastry wheel.

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Orange Cardamom Cake

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Orange Cardamom Cake

A bright citrus glaze, drizzled on top of the warm cake, pools at the bottom of the plate, making every bite—from the first to the last—a delicious treat.

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Maple-Pecan Pie

Photo: Courtesy of Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Maple-Pecan Pie
No Thanksgiving dinner is complete without a pecan pie. If you have gluten-free family members, this pie will be a real treat for them.
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Easy Individual Apple Crisps

Photo: Jason Wallis
View Recipe: Easy Individual Apple Crisps

You can also peel and coarsely chop the apples, if you prefer. For more tender apples, decrease the heat to 400° and bake 5 to 10 minutes longer.

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Quince Tart with Pine Nut Caramel Glaze

Photo: Charles Masters
View Recipe: Quince Tart with Pine Nut Caramel Glaze

For that elegant dinner, consider a pine nut-studded quince tart—an exotic Old World sweet to give thanks for. Quince is a hard fall fruit with sweet-tangy flavor. You'll find quince paste in specialty stores and most supermarkets.

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Fresh Coconut Cake

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Fresh Coconut Cake

Rather than knocking you out with fake coconut extract overtones, this cake offers balanced flavor and nutrition—two things you can feel good about when serving a slice to your lucky guests.

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Individual Apple Strudels

Photo: John Autry; Styling: Cindy Barr
View Recipe: Individual Apple Strudels

You can make these several hours ahead; tent loosely with foil and leave at room temperature. Put in a 400° oven for a few minutes to warm and crisp just before serving.

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Walnut-Crusted Apple Pie

Photo: Brian Woodcock
View Recipe: Walnut-Crusted Apple Pie

One of our first apple pies after launching this magazine had an interesting walnut crust, filled with healthy fats and nutty flavor. We remade this class pie and developed a version that has a few more calories than in 1987, but still has only half those in a typical bakery pie.

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Frangipane Pear Tarts

Photo: Nina Choi
View Recipe: Frangipane Pear Tarts

Sheets of crisp, paper-thin phyllo dough encase a filling of toasted ground almonds, with red-skinned pears as the crowning touch. We call for Anjou, but you can also use Bartlett, Bosc, or Concorde pears.

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Meringue-Topped Cranberry Curd Tart

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Meringue-Topped Cranberry Curd Tart

This amazing tart is definitely a show stopper. Serve in a beautiful pie dish for a winning dessert.

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