Gluten-free goodie of the week: 5 Desserts for your Thanksgiving feast!

Thanksgiving is almost here! And that means a house full of family and friends waiting for a traditional meal followed by… delightful, gluten-free desserts!

What would a great Thanksgiving feast be without the tantalizing desserts that everyone waits for? Whether you follow a gluten-free diet or not, these scrumptious dessert options will have everyone raving!

Gluten can be found in many different foods and products, from ketchup to soy sauce to candy and seasonings. While SheKnows tries to ensure these recipes are gluten-free, carefully read the ingredient labels of all food and food products you use for these recipes to ensure they are also gluten-free.

Apple Blackberry Crisp

Nothing says “holiday” like a baked fruit crisp. This lovely dish from Elana’s Pantry is one your guests will enjoy. Make enough for seconds!

Serves 6 people

Ingredients:

• 5 apples, peeled, cored and sliced (Gala, Braeburn or Honeycrisp)
• 1 pint fresh blackberries
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
• 1 cup blanched almond flour
• 1/4 teaspoon celtic sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
• 2 tablespoons agave nectar

Directions:

1. Place apples and blackberries in a large bowl
2. Sprinkle with lemon juice, vanilla and arrowroot, tossing to incorporate all ingredients
3. Place apple-blackberry mixture in an 8X8-inch baking dish and set aside
4. To make topping, in a medium bowl, combine almond flour, salt, baking soda, oil and agave
5. Crumble topping over apple-blackberry mixture
6. Cover with tinfoil and bake at 350 degrees F. for 60 to 75 minutes until fruit is juicy and bubbling
7. Remove from oven and uncover
8. If topping is browned, allow to cool for 10-15 minutes
9. If topping is not yet browned place in oven uncovered for 5 minutes, or until browned

Gluten-free hazelnut cake

This is a delight your dinner guests will love. The crunch of hazelnuts combines really well with the moistness of the cake. Seconds may be very popular with this dessert in the house!

Serves 8 people

Ingredients:

• 1 cup raw hazelnuts or 1 cup hazelnut flour
• 1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour*
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup Greek yogurt or whole milk yogurt
• 1/2 cup brandy
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped hazelnuts, toasted in an ungreased pan until lightly browned
• 3 tablespoons agave syrup or honey

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and butter a 10-inch cake pan. Grind hazelnuts in nut grinder or food processor until mealy in consistency and set aside. Disregard this step if using hazelnut meal.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, mix gluten-free flour with baking soda and baking powder and set aside. In a standup mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter with sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time and then add vanilla extract, yogurt, brandy and hazelnut flour. Add flour mixture to the butter mixture and blend only enough to make a thick batter. It should retain some lumps.
3. Sprinkle batter with toasted hazelnuts and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until cake springs back when touched on top. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Drizzle the top of cake with agave or honey.

*Gluten-free flour can be found at most natural food stores and the health food aisle at most supermarkets. Recipe courtesy of Michele Borboa, M.S.

Gluten-free pumpkin pie

Can you imagine what might happen if you didn’t have a pumpkin pie to serve on Thanksgiving? Well toss that thought from your mind. Fortunately, this recipe for traditional pumpkin pie is not only easy to make, it’s delicious and will satisfy your crowd!

Serves 6-8 people

Ingredients:

• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 1 cup milk
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup corn starch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 (9-inch) gluten-free pie crust

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Add all ingredients together and mix at medium speed for four to five minutes.
2. Pour the pie filling into a 9-inch gluten-free crust and bake for 15 minutes.
3. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Bake another 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.

Gluten-free dark chocolate pumpkin brownies

Two great tastes in one delicious bite! These brownies get some seasonal flavors added to them thanks to the pumpkin and spices. They make a popular holiday treat!

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces semi sweet baking chocolate
• 1 (15 ounce) can pure pumpkin puree
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2/3 cup plain soy yogurt
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour (alternatives: almond flour, rice flour)
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated salt

Directions:

1. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. If you don’t have one, melt it in the microwave at 10 to 15 second increments, stirring after each timeframe. Allow the melted chocolate to cool.
2. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the pumpkin, applesauce, yogurt, melted chocolate, vanilla and sugars in a large mixing bowl.
3. Combine the flour, cocoa, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder and salt in a second bowl. Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ones and stir until mixed.
4. Oil an 8 x 8-inch baking pan and pour the brownie mixture into the dish. Spread evenly with a spatula.
5. Bake for one hour, or until a fork inserted into the middle comes out clean and the sides of the brownies peel from walls of the baking pan. Cool for 30 minutes before serving.

Gluten-free cranberry-pecan peanut butter cookies

Thanksgiving is all about traditions. Why not start a new one in your family by adding a little something special to these peanut butter cookies? Add 1/3 cup dried cranberries and 3/4 cup of chopped pecans to turn these cookies into a dessert that will have everyone talking about them until next Thanksgiving.

Makes 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, beat the peanut butter and sugar until smooth.
3. Add the egg and baking soda to the peanut butter mixture until well combined. Optional: Add pecans and dried cranberries to the mixture.
4. Drop dough by the teaspoonful onto a baking sheet, about one inch apart. Use a fork to flatten dough and make a crosshatch pattern.
5. Bake until the cookies are a light golden color, or about 10 minutes.
6. Allow the cookies to cool on baking sheets for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

With all these gluten-free goodie options, you’re sure to have a happy Thanksgiving!

Try more gluten-free goodies

Chipotle flourless chocolate cake
Pear crisp
French-style macaroons
Apple spice cupcakes