Gluten Free Holiday Desserts

The Holidays are here, which means festive celebrations, time spent with family and friends and…cookies!

There’s something about this time of year that makes me want a warm (gluten free) chocolate cookie as I sit by the fire and watch The Holiday. Desserts also make for a great gift, especially when they are home made.

Here’s a list of my favorite Gluten Free Holiday Desserts you can make to share with family and friends (or just eat by yourself) they are that good!

Happy Baking!

Cranberry Creme Brulee

Prep: 35 min. + chilling                            Bake: 35 min. + chilling

Ingredients

• 1 package (12 ounces) fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• custard:
• 2-1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, divided
• 10 large egg yolks
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 8 teaspoons superfine sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325°. In a large saucepan, combine cranberries, granulated sugar, water and salt. Cook over medium heat 12-15 minutes or until berries pop, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Spoon 2 tablespoons sauce into each of eight 6-oz. broiler-safe ramekins or custard cups; refrigerate 10 minutes. Cover and refrigerate remaining sauce until serving.
2. For custard, in a small saucepan, heat 1 cup cream over medium heat until bubbles form around sides of pan; remove from heat. In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks and granulated sugar until smooth. Slowly stir in hot cream. Stir in vanilla and remaining cream.
3. Place prepared ramekins in a baking pan large enough to hold them without touching. Spoon custard over cranberry sauce. Place pan on oven rack; add 1 in. of very hot water to pan. Bake 35-40 minutes or until set (centers will still be soft). Immediately remove ramekins from water bath to a wire rack; cool 10 minutes. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or until cold.
4. To caramelize topping with a kitchen torch, gently blot surface of custard with a paper towel to remove any moisture. Sprinkle tops with superfine sugar. Hold torch flame 2 in. above custard surface and rotate it slowly until sugar is evenly caramelized.
5. To caramelize topping in a broiler, place ramekins on a baking sheet; let stand at room temperature 15 minutes. Preheat broiler. Gently blot surface of custard with a paper towel to remove any moisture. Sprinkle tops with superfine sugar. Broil 3-4 in. from heat 1-2 minutes or until sugar is caramelized.
6. Serve custards with remaining cranberry sauce.

Chocolate Peppermint Bark

Prep: 15 min. + chilling

Ingredients

• 6 ounces white baking chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup crushed peppermint or spearmint candies, divided
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. In a microwave, melt white chocolate at 70% power; stir until smooth. Stir in 1/3 cup crushed candies. Repeat with chocolate chips and an additional 1/3 cup candies. Alternately drop spoonfuls of chocolate and white chocolate mixtures onto a waxed paper-lined baking sheet.
2. Using a metal spatula, cut through candy to swirl and spread to 1/4-in. thickness. Sprinkle with remaining crushed candies.
3. Refrigerate until firm. Break into pieces. Store between layers of waxed paper in an airtight container.

Keto Chocolate Chip Cookies

Prep: 10 min.                            Bake: 10 min./batch + cooling

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• Granulated erythritol equivalent to 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-3/4 cups almond flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup sugar-free dark chocolate baking chips

Directions

1. In a large bowl, cream butter and erythritol until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk almond flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Stir in chips.
2. Preheat oven to 325°. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Using a wet finger, press down on cookies to flatten. Bake until edges are lightly browned, 7-10 minutes. Cool completely on pans on wire racks.

Winter Fruit Macaroons

Prep: 20 min.                          Bake: 10 min./batch + cooling

Ingredients

• 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
• 2-1/4 cups sweetened shredded coconut
• 2-1/4 cups coarsely chopped dates
• 1-1/2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts
• 3/4 cup dried cherries
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients. Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto parchment-lined baking sheets.
2. Bake until light brown, 8-10 minutes. Cool on pans 5 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool. Store in an airtight container.
   Freeze option: Freeze cookies, layered between waxed paper, in freezer containers. Thaw before serving.

Flourless Chocolate Torte

Prep Time: 20 mins.                              Cook Time: 40 mins.

Ingredients

• 1 cups and ⅔ semisweet chocolate chips
• ¾ cup unsalted butter, divided
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Fresh red raspberries, for garnish
• Powdered sugar, for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Butter the bottom and the sides of a 9″ springform pan. Open up your springform pan and cover the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Lock your springform pan back and butter the parchment paper on the bottom.
2. Combine 1 and ⅔ cups chocolate chips with ¾ cup butter in a saucepan. Melt, over low heat until completely smooth.
3. Whisk in the sifted ¼ cup of cocoa powder and vanilla, and let cool for 10 minutes.
4. While the chocolate is cooling, combine the 5 eggs with 1 cup of sugar and 1 teaspoon of salt and mix on high in your KitchenAid until your mixture is VERY thick, about 6 minutes.
5. Carefully fold in the melted chocolate mixture into the egg and sugar mixture. Pour batter into the prepared springform pan.
6. Bake for 42 minutes. The center will fall and this is normal. The edges will also remain lofty. Let the cake cool, in the pan, for an hour before using a spatula to press the edges down to the same height as the center.
7. Invert the torte onto a plate or cake stand and remove the parchment paper.
8. Garnish with fresh raspberries and powdered sugar. 

Gingerbread Donuts with Peppermint Glaze

Prep Time 24 mins.                                     Cook Time 6 mins.

Ingredients

Gingerbread Donuts

• 1 cup gluten-free flour, or all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
• ½ teaspoon ginger, ground
• ¼ teaspoon allspice
• ⅛ teaspoon cloves
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ cup dark brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoons unsulphured molasses, Golden Barrel Supreme Baking
• ⅓ cup milk
• 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Peppermint Glaze

• 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1 pinch kosher salt
• 2 ½ tablespoons milk
• 10 mini candy canes, crushed for topping
• sprinkles, (optional)

Instructions 

Gingerbread Donuts

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray mini donut pan with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, salt, and brown sugar.
3. In a separate bowl whisk together egg, molasses, vanilla extract, milk, and butter.
4. Stir dry mixture into the wet mixture and mix until just combined.
5. Transfer batter to a pastry bag or a plastic bag with a corner cut off. Pipe batter into donut pan filling each cavity about half full.
6. Bake for 5 to 6 minutes or until donut springs back when touched. Immediately remove from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool. While donuts are cooling, make the glaze.

Peppermint Glaze

1. In a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, melted butter, peppermint, and salt. Stir in 2 tablespoons of milk, adding additional milk 1 teaspoon at a time to reach desired consistency and whisk until smooth.
2. Dip the tops of donuts into the glaze, shaking off excess and return to wire rack. Use a toothpick to create a hole in the center of the donut glaze if needed.
3. Top immediately with candy canes and sprinkles. If glaze begins to harden, warm in the microwave in 6 to 10-second intervals, whisk after heating. Allow glaze to harden before serving.