Gluten Free Desserts and Sweets

Gluten Free Cranberry Currant Persimmon Bars


Gluten Free Cranberry Currant Persimmon Bars Photo

Gluten Free Cranberry Currant Persimmon Bars photo by recipe author

 

Servings: 15
Preparation Time: 40 minutes

Crust:

  • 1 cup plain almonds
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 cup dates (10 regular dates, pits removed)
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour
  • 1/4 cup sugar

Fruit Filling:

  • 2 medium persimmons, chopped (about 1/2-3/4 cup)
  • 1/2 cup chopped cranberries
  • 1/3 cup dried currants or raisins
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/2 cup sugar

Crumb Topping:

Preheat oven to 375 °F.

Crust: in a blender, puree almonds, water and dates together until smooth. In a bowl, add in date mixture and remaining crust ingredients and mix until well combined. Spread into a greased 9×13 baking pan. Bake for about 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Filling: in a saucepan, combine fruit filling and bring to boil over medium heat. Cook for about 10 minutes or until mixture starts to thicken. Pour fruit mixture over crust.

Topping: in a small bowl, combine topping ingredients and blend together with a fork until crumbly. Sprinkle crumb mixture over fruit filling. Return bars to oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until crumb topping starts to brown. Let cool about 15 minutes and cut into bars.

*You can grind your own almond flour by placing whole almonds in a blender/food processor and blending until you get a fine meal.

Courtney from Columbus, KS just won $50 for this recipe and photo! Submit yours here.

Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie


Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie Recipe Photo

Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie (photo by author)

Servings: 8
Preparation Time: 1 hour

Crust

  • 1 cup almond flour*
  • 1/2 cup arrowroot starch
  • 1/4 cup tapioca starch
  • 2 tablespoons coconut flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons palm shortening or butter
  • 1/4 cup cold water (more or less as needed)

Filling

Whipped topping

  • 14 oz full-fat coconut milk**
  • 1 teaspoon honey

Preheat oven to 350 degrees ºF.

In a mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients for crust. Add in palm shortening and blend until a coarse crumble is created. Slowly add in cold water, just until a dough ball begins to form.

On a piece of wax or parchment paper, place dough. Top dough with another piece of wax or parchment paper and roll dough out in a circle about 1/4″ thick. Place dough in a 9″ pie plate and form edges of crust. Pierce with fork and bake for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine raw nuts and water in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Add in pumpkin puree (see note below) and remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth or about 45 seconds, scrapping sides if necessary.

Pour filling into pie shell and bake for about 45-60 minutes until top starts to brown and filling is set. If necessary, cover pie with foil to prevent over browning. Let pie cool completely and store in fridge.

In a small blender, pulse together coconut milk and honey until whipped. Store whipped coconut in fridge until ready to serve.

To make pumpkin puree:
Steam pumpkin. I used small pie pumpkins. Cut them in half and scrape out seeds. Don’t discard seeds! (Use in other recipes). Place the pumpkin halves cut-side down in a large baking dish.

Pour about 1/4 cup of water in dish. Bake at 350 ºF for about 30-40 minutes or until soft.

*You can grind your own almond flour by placing whole almonds in a blender/food processor and blending until you get a fine meal.

**For the freshest coconut milk make homemade coconut milk. (See video at this link.)

Courtney from Columbus, KS just won $50 for this recipe and photo! Submit yours here.

Decadent NutButter Chocolate Chip Cookies with Pecans


Decadent NutButter Chocolate Chip Cookies with Pecans Recipe Photo

Decadent NutButter Chocolate Chip Cookies with Pecans

Servings: 24
Preparation Time: 45 minutes

  • 1/2 cup melted coconut oil, ghee or butter
  • 1/2 cup almond butter (or another natural nut butter)
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup almond flour or cashew meal
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour
  • 3/4 cup ground pecans
  • 1 teaspoon real sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder (aluminum free)
  • 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
  • pecan halves (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 ºF.

2. Combine coconut oil, almond butter, honey, vanilla, and egg in a medium bowl. Mix well. By hand works fine.

3. In a separate small bowl, combine almond flour, coconut flour, ground pecans, salt, and baking powder. Add to wet ingredients and stir to combine. Add chocolate chips and stir again. Allow the batter to sit for 5 minutes to thicken.

4. Scoop dough and place on greased cookie sheet, parchment paper, or use a silpat. Flatten the cookies with the back of a buttered spatula. If you have any pecan halves, press one on the top of each cookie. Oooh, la, la!

5. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until browned around the edges.

6. Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before removing to a cooling rack.

Makes approximately 2 dozen cookies. Store in fridge or freezer.

Jenny from Hendersonville, TN just won $50 for this recipe and photo! Submit yours here.

Coconut Cacao Popcorn


Coconut Cacao Popcorn Recipe Photo

Coconut Cacao Popcorn (photo by recipe author)

Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Melt coconut oil and butter in small saucepan. Add cacao powder and sugar until dissolved and thoroughly mixed. Pour over popped popcorn. Salt to taste, if desired.

Dina from Prescott Valley, AZ just won $50 for this recipe and photo! Submit yours here.

Coconut Chia Fruit Pudding


Coconut Chia Fruit Pudding Recipe Photo

Coconut Chia Fruit Pudding (photo by recipe author)

Servings: 1
Preparation Time: 30 minutes

  • 1/2 cup diced fruit of your choice (for this recipe I used strawberries)
  • 1 tablespoon raisins (optional)
  • 1/4 cup coconut milk*
  • 4 teaspoons chia seeds
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • A dash of organic cinnamon powder (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon shredded coconut

Put the diced fruit and raisins in the serving bowl or a glass. Add coconut milk, chia seeds, orange juice, vanilla extract and cinnamon in a small mixing bowl and stir. Pour this mixture on the top of fruit and raisins. Top with shredded coconut.

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or chill overnight) and serve.

*For the freshest coconut milk make homemade coconut milk. (See video at this link.)

Sheetal from Foster City, CA just won $50 for this recipe and photo! Submit yours here.

Gluten Free Coconut Cinnamon Roll Cake


Gluten Free Coconut Cinnamon Roll Cake Recipe Photo

Gluten Free Coconut Cinnamon Roll Cake

Servings: 24
Preparation Time: 20 minutes

BATTER

TOPPING

GLAZE

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees ºF. Generously butter a 9×13″ pan.

Prepare the batter by combining the flours, salt, and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in these ingredients and add in the honey, milk, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk these together and slowly begin incorporating the surrounding dry ingredients. When these are partially mixed together, pour in the melted coconut oil. Stir together just until combined. Scrape the batter out into prepared 9×13″ pan.

Prepare the topping by combining the butter and honey together in a small saucepan. Put this over low heat and allow them to melt together. Remove from heat and stir in coconut flour and cinnamon.

Scoop the topping on top of the batter into even piles and then use a butter knife to swirl this roughly into the batter. This will be a little messy and may not swirl perfectly but it will all incorporate during baking.

Place cake in oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until center is just barely set when a toothpick or knife is inserted.

Remove and allow to cool to room temperature.

Prepare glaze by creaming together all ingredients with a fork. Spread this thinly over cake. Slice and serve.

Shannon from Santa Anna, TX just won $50 for this recipe and photo! Submit yours here.

Gluten Free Carrot Cake with Tangy Vanilla Frosting


Gluten Free Carrot Cake with Tangy Vanilla Frosting Recipe Photo

Gluten Free Carrot Cake with Tangy Vanilla Frosting

Servings: 18
Preparation Time: 1 hour

Cake Ingredients:

Frosting Ingredients:

Cake directions:

Preheat oven to 350 ºF.

In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add in wet ingredients and blend again with your mixer. Mix in optional nuts and raisins.

Grease a 9X13 glass cake pan with coconut oil or 2 round cake pans. Pour batter into pan(s).

Bake times: Large pan: 35-45 minutes. Round pans: 35 minutes. Cake is done when tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean.

Cool completely.

Top with Tangy Vanilla Frosting. Store in fridge (no preservatives here!)

Frosting directions:

Blend the ingredients until light and fluffy. It will take several minutes on high speed with an electric mixer.

Jenny from Hendersonville, TN just won $50 for this recipe and photo! Submit yours here.

Key Lime Coconut Candies


Key Lime Coconut Candies Recipe Photo

Key Lime Coconut Candies (photo by recipe author)

Servings: 12-16
Preparation Time: 10 minutes

In a small bowl, stir together all of the ingredients, reserving half of the lime zest. Spoon the mixture into candy cup wrappers.

Sprinkle the reserved lime zest over the tops of the candies and then refrigerate until firm. This makes about a dozen if you use large candy cups, or up to two dozen small ones.

Store in the refrigerator.

Angela from Longmont, CO just won $50 for this recipe and photo! Submit yours here.