If you are on a gluten-free diet, chances are dessert is a bit of a struggle. But it doesn’t have to be that way! There are many delicious gluten-free dessert recipes that are super easy to make, and just as delicious as any recipe that includes regular flour.
Here are 15 simple gluten-free dessert ideas that will be a hit at any party, bake sale, or family gathering.
1. Flourless Chocolate Cookies
Tasting just like those decadent, chocolate fudge cookies at Starbucks, these gluten-free cookies from MamaGourmand take just five ingredients, but are just as chewy, fudgy, and delicious. With a crunchy outside and a gooey inside, these little pieces of chocolate heaven won’t last long because no one in your family will be able to keep their hands off of this dessert.
2. Flourless Chocolate Torte
It doesn’t get any easier than this flourless chocolate torte recipe from Well Plated. This will quickly become your go-to dessert for any kind of gathering because not only is it sinfully delicious, but you can easily adapt it for different tastes. You can get creative with different toppings or just dust it with powdered sugar. Either way, this dessert will definitely impress.
Another bonus is that this torte tastes even better the next day (if it makes it that far), and you can easily freeze it if you want to make it in advance for a party or bake sale.
3. Peanut Butter Cheesecake Brownies
You can’t go wrong when you bring together the flavors of dark chocolate, creamy cheesecake, and rich peanut butter. This idea from Maebells does start with a basic gluten-free boxed brownie mix, but then you take it to the next level by adding a creamy homemade cheesecake filling. If you need the perfect treat for a special event or birthday party, this recipe will surely be a hit.
4. Puppy Chow
Tell your family and friends you love them by serving up this delicious dessert that features chocolate and peanut butter. Depending on where you live, you might know Puppy Chow as Muddy Buddies or Monkey Munch, but no matter what you call it, it’s super sweet and scrumptious.
This recipe comes from Joy Food Sunshine, and you can opt for dark or semi-sweet chocolate. And, if you want the recipe to be dairy-free and gluten-free, just use dairy-free chocolate chips.
5. Pumpkin 7-Layer Bars
This special gluten-free dessert is creamy, chocolaty, and has a graham cracker crust. For this recipe from Fearless Dining, you will add gingersnaps and pumpkin to the crust layers. But, if you want to mix it up, there are variations that feature gingerbread, peppermint, or caramel. No matter how big of a batch you make, these magic bars will disappear quickly.
6. Gluten-Free Lemon Bars
This smooth and creamy dessert recipe for gluten-free lemon bars comes from Gluten Free On a Shoestring. It features a delicate shortbread crust that also includes some lemon zest for extra flavor, plus a creamy custard to make it the perfect blend of chewy and crunchy.
This gluten-free dessert is super easy to make, and if you make it ahead of time and let it chill in the refrigerator, it will taste even better.
7. Caramel Apple Crisp
Everyone loves apple crisp. The delicious flavor of cinnamon-spiced apples with a crisp topping – plus a scoop of vanilla ice cream – is impossible to pass up, and this recipe from Iowa Girl Eats adds a homemade four-ingredient caramel sauce (corn syrup-free) that will take this dessert to the next level.
You can use whatever apples you want, but the tartness of Granny Smith’s combined with the sweetness of the caramel sauce brings the perfect flavor balance.
8. Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
This dessert is super moist and full of flavor, and it’s a beautiful classic cake that everyone will love. This gluten-free dessert idea comes from What The Fork, and the only special ingredients you need are maraschino cherries, gluten-free all-purpose flour, and xanthan gum. Everything else you probably already have in your cupboard and refrigerator. Just remember to save the juice from your canned pineapple so you can add it to the cake.
9. S’Mores Bars
Another recipe from What The Fork, this gooey, chocolatey dessert is the perfect gluten-free substitute for the real thing. The flavor combination of Hershey’s chocolate bars, marshmallow fluff, and a cookie crust is simply divine, and you don’t need a campfire to cook this delicious treat.
10. Snickerdoodle Blondies
This gluten-free dessert option from The Salty Marshmallow is moist and chewy – just like any other blonde brownie – but that sweet cinnamon sugar and snickerdoodle flavor gives it that “wow” factor. The snickerdoodle blondie is simple to make, and they are a brownie, cookie, and cake all in one!
All you need to make this delicious dish is some butter, sugar, milk, eggs, and a few spices. Just combine your ingredients, pour them into a pan, and after twenty minutes in the oven, you will have chewy perfection.
11. Cookie Dough Truffles
The only special ingredient for this recipe from Life With Moore Babies is all-purpose gluten-free flour, which you can easily make with rice flour, potato starch, and tapioca flour. Then, all you need is butter, brown sugar, vanilla, condensed milk, chocolate chips, and canola oil to make this candy treat that doesn’t require any cooking – all they need is some time in the refrigerator.
12. Funfetti Cupcakes
Delicious homemade white cake with buttercream frosting and sprinkles? Yes, please! This gluten-free dessert recipe from Em The Baker is perfect for your next birthday party, bake sale, or family dinner. The cupcakes are fluffy and full of flavor, and no one will know they are gluten-free. These might just be the best cupcakes you have ever tasted.
13. Vegan Thin Mints
Girl Scout Cookies are the best. But, if you need a gluten-free version of their thin mints, look no further than this recipe from Where You Get Your Protein. With just ten ingredients and about 45 minutes of your time, you can enjoy these delicious minty, chocolate cookies any day of the year. And, you might be surprised to find that they taste even better than the Girl Scout version.
14. Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
We couldn’t make a gluten-free dessert list without including chocolate chip cookies. And, this recipe from My Gluten-Free Kitchen will not disappoint. These cookies have crispy edges and a gooey center, plus there is a ton of chocolate. There is no gritty texture or odd smells from alternative flours, and you can make the dough and freeze it for later if needed.
There are a few secrets to making these chocolate chip cookies absolutely perfect. First, you add cream cheese. Then, you need to melt the butter and use just the egg yolks to add chewiness. Finally, make sure to use a good quality all-purpose gluten-free flour, and chill the dough for at least four hours before baking.
15. Christmas Crack
The holidays are over, but that doesn’t mean you have to wait to enjoy this delicious gluten-free dessert from This Vivacious Life. With just four ingredients, you can make this addictive treat in under an hour. The best part is you don’t need to get anything to a specific temperature, so you don’t need a thermometer.
The freezer will do most of the work when making this recipe, and you can get creative by adding allspice or peppermint extract for an extra burst of flavor.
