The Absolute Best Gluten-Free Desserts

Eating a gluten-free diet doesn’t have to mean going without delicious desserts for the rest of your life. While it can be intimidating to make a big shift in your eating, there is a wide range of options out there even when you’re avoiding gluten.

As a registered dietitian, of course, I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t highlight the fact that a gluten-free dessert is still dessert—and best enjoyed in moderation. Besides, when you savor something as a treat, it’s more of an experience as opposed to a habit, and that’s what can help you stay satisfied and on track for the long haul.

If you’re new to gluten-free eating, it can be overwhelming at first and easy to get caught up in a scarcity mindset around all those things you can’t eat anymore. Instead, try reframing this restriction as an opportunity to get creative in your cooking and to explore new options when you’re shopping for pre-made desserts.

For example, if you’re used to making pie crust with all-purpose flour, you might find you love using ground-up nuts or making your own oat flour out of those same gluten-free rolled oats you love for breakfast.

Since each of these has its own unique properties, you’ll find some variation in how well they combine with other gluten-free flours. Additionally, some will be better suited to certain types of recipes than others. A fruit tart and a cake, for example, may need very different ingredients because you’re looking for a different taste and texture in the end product.

I’ve definitely found gluten-free desserts intimidating (think: flashbacks to Organic Chem lab, where any sounds of breaking glass or explosions were usually coming from my station), but if you’re someone who loves to nerd out on the science of gluten-free baking, it can be a fun challenge and immensely satisfying when it goes well.

If you’re more on the scaredy-cat/"I can't even" end of the spectrum, there are many gluten-free baking mixes available for those times when you want to be able to bake someone a birthday cake and know it will come out tasting and looking like one would imagine a birthday cake is supposed to without having to say, "Sorry, I tried."

That said, it's the thought that counts, and sometimes the fails along the way turn into a good story and end up resulting in a beautiful finished product.

If you’re discouraged by your efforts, don’t think you’re alone—there’s a learning curve, for sure. Mary Ellen Phipps, RDN, is the registered dietitian nutritionist behind Milk & Honey Nutrition and creates a lot of healthy and delicious gluten-free recipes that her whole family loves. Her husband has celiac disease, and from having been a type 1 diabetic herself, Phipps knows how important it is to be able to enjoy a meal or celebration with one's family.

She says, "If you're new to gluten-free baking, I'd recommend starting with a pre-made blend of flours rather than trying to create your own. This way, you can try out some new recipes with a blend that's already been tested."

The reason for this, she explains, is that "Gluten-free flours behave differently than wheat flour, and it's helpful to use a mix of flours to achieve an end product most similar to wheat-based baked goods. These blends will also already have a binding agent added, like xanthan gum, which is needed to prevent baked goods from crumbling apart when baking without gluten."

Striking a balance between a dried-out block of something that tastes vaguely like chocolate and a soupy, gloppy mess that refuses to bake can take some trial and error, but it is possible to achieve that craveable moist, fudgy texture. Pureed pumpkin and mashed sweet potato are both delicious hacks that also add a bonus dose of nutrients like fiber and vitamin A. This Sweet Potato Brownie recipe from Gina Harney, the healthy living blogger behind The Fitnessista, NASM personal trainer, and group fitness instructor, will become an instant classic in your kitchen.

This gluten-free almond cake has simple ingredients and is shockingly easy to make. If you’re intimidated by an entire cake, start with cupcakes. Pre-made gluten-free cake mixes also make life easier. I often recommend Bob’s Red Mill, Hodgson Mill, Arrowhead Mill, and Glutino to my clients.

With cookies, you want to make sure to strike a good balance between wet and dry ingredients and be mindful of adjustments you may need to make for heat, length of cooking, and whether certain items will spread more (or not at all) when baking.

Creative swaps can also make for big winners. This chocolate cast-iron cookie is droolworthy and relies on chickpeas for extra protein and fiber and a delightful, chewy taste. These easy almond flour cookies have just five ingredients while these more traditional cookies rely on a gluten-free flour blend (again, I recommend Bob’s Red Mill, Hodgson Mill, Arrowhead Mill, and Glutino).

Frozen fruit and a blender are your best friends for making gluten-free, dairy-free desserts as well. This dairy-free avocado sorbet is a great choice, as is this Strawberry Peach sorbet (perfect for summer!).

On the chocolate end of the spectrum, these Dark Chocolate Banana Bites are the no-fuss treat I make when I want a little taste of something sweet. All you need is bananas and gluten-free chocolate.

Making sure your crust is made with gluten-free ingredients is the first step, but you also want to be careful with fillings, as well. Many pie recipes call for flour as a thickener. This is a great gluten- and sugar-free pumpkin pie recipe. In the mood for something fruitier? This strawberry rhubarb pie is a great pick.

Don’t forget that there are a whole bunch of delicious options that just happen to be gluten-free. Fresh fruit, for example, doesn’t contain any gluten, and you can get really creative with it.

Giving up gluten doesn’t have to mean missing out on special treats and celebrations with your nearest and dearest. There’s a wide world of beautiful, gluten-free desserts out there, so don’t be afraid to branch out and make different recipes or buy products you’ve never tried before. Chances are, you’ll find plenty of new things to love.

Here are some healthy treats you'll find on grocery store shelves in 2018—some without gluten!