Food

Gluten-Free Holiday Desserts

December 5, 2012

Indulge in 15 holiday sweets made entirely without gluten, from gingerbread cookies to white-chocolate cream cheese mousse.

Chocolate Mousse — This simple yet sophisticated, airy yet intense concoction has been a hit with home cooks in America at least since the New York Times published its first recipe for the dessert in 1955.Todd Coleman

Almonds, sugar, and chocolate are ground fine and bound together with egg whites to create a satisfyingly chewy texture, while cinnamon and cloves impart an unmistakable flavor of old-fashioned Christmas cheer. See the recipe for (Chocolate-Almond Spice Cookies) »Todd Coleman

White Chocolate-Cardamom Panna Cotta — Sweetened with white chocolate only, this rich, Middle Eastern-inspired panna cotta gets its distinctive floral aroma from an infusion of blistered cardamom.Todd Coleman

Pine Nut Brittle — Crunchy, salty, and rosemary-scented, pine nut brittle makes a great gift.Noah Fecks

Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies — A blend of white rice flour, potato starch, and tapioca starch makes a perfect gluten-free base for these sweet and spicy cookies that have long been a holiday favorite.Anna Stockwell

Corsican Lemon Mousse — This rich, silky mousse brightened with tangy lemons makes an elegant end to a meal.Todd Coleman

Chewy Almond Macaroons — These intensely-flavored cookies have a crunchy caramelized exterior and a chewy, amaretto-flavored interior.Helen Rosner

Gluten-Free Vanilla Crescent Cookies — Akin to the famed Mexican wedding cookies, Greek kourambiethes, and Southern pecan puffs, these crumbly shortbread crescents, made gluten-free with a variety of specialty flours, are showered with confectioners' sugar while still hot from the oven.Anna Stockwell

Serving this silky dessert at room temperature is the best way to bring out its subtle notes of citrus and spice. See the recipe for Swedish Rice Pudding »Todd Coleman

Almond Caramels — Mini caramels flavored with almond, orange zest, and syrup make simple, delicious treats (and wonderful gifts).Todd Coleman

White Chocolate-Cream Cheese Mousse — In this updated take on a classic French dessert, cream cheese adds stability and a pleasing tang, which balances the sweet white chocolate without overpowering it.Todd Coleman

Orange Meringue Kisses — Modeled after the classic Creamsicle, these orange meringue kisses sandwiched with buttery white chocolate are a lively and bright addition to the holiday cookie spread.Maxime Iattoni

Little hazelnut meringues sandwiched with milk chocolate make light and elegant desserts.Todd Coleman

Sweet, buttery, and chewy, classic sugar cookies maintain all of their charm even without gluten. See the recipe for Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies »Anna Stockwell

Pistachio Shortbread Cookies — An adaptation of Basque Christmas cookies, these crumbly harinados are made with ground up pistachios and a blend of gluten-free flours.Noah Fecks

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