Gluten-Free Desserts

Treat yourself to a comforting bowl of warm, creamy rice pudding and enjoy a better night’s sleep. The goji berries sprinkled on top add fruity chew, while the pepitas offer nutty crunch and a tryptophan boost. Look for both at specialty grocery stores. If you can’t find them, sub tart cherries or pomegranates for the goji berries and walnuts for the pepitas; walnuts also contain tryptophan. A mild, less expensive honey works beautifully here; save the pricier, more robust honeys for a recipe where their flavor will be front and center.

Pumpkin lends a unique and mouthwatering spin to the classic custard layered dessert with a soft caramel top. This flan is convenient—it can be made in advance and kept refrigerated until ready to serve.

Kids will love helping you make these fluffy confections, and adding cocoa and two types of chocolate chips just increases the excitement. Tote these marshmallows to a bonfire and enjoy roasting them under the stars.

Potato starch and rice flour make a delightfully tender and flaky, yet chewy, puff pastry. Filled with dollops of creamy whipped filling and topped with powdered sugar, they are a wonderful treat for a shower or party.

This is a gluten-free variation of the traditional Jewish pastry. Filled with fig preserves, pecans, and brown sugar, they are the perfect treat for a Hanukkah celebration.

The crumbled toffee candy on top gives the creamy butterscotch pudding a crunchy-sweet finish. This gluten-free dessert marries that signature nutty flavor with a sweet, caramel finish that is sure to have you coming back for seconds.

This addictive chocolate confection is a spectacular way to blend cranberries and almonds. You can also vary the recipe with other dried fruits, such as raisins, apricots, figs, or cherries. Wrap in clear plastic and tie with a dark green ribbon for a lovely holiday gift.

Cannoli on a gluten-free diet is practically unheard of. This version, made with gluten-free pizzelles, can be enjoyed by everyone. Add additional chocolate minichips on the ends for garnish, if you like.

For a quick and elegant dessert, serve the pudding topped with fresh berries, crumbled pistachio brittle, or chopped toffee candy and a pretty mint leaf. Substitute 4 teaspoons vanilla extract for the vanilla bean, if you like. Add it with the butter.

Toasting the pecans gives them a nuttier flavor. Whether you toast them in the oven or in a dry skillet, be sure to watch the pecans carefully—they can go from toasted to burned quickly. *Remember to check for gluten in chocolate chips.