29 Gluten-Free Christmas Desserts

Flourless Chocolate Torte

Here’s the perfect dessert for chocoholics—like me! I bake this melt-in-your-mouth torte all the time for special occasions. For an elegant finish, dust it with confectioners’ sugar. —Kayla Albrecht, Freeport, Illinois.

Also, check out these yummy cake recipes if you’re looking for Christmas cake ideas.

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Gluten-Free Sugarplums

Lots of moist, fruity flavor and nutty crunch give these sweet/spicy bites a kind of gumdrop richness. They make a delicious addition to cookie trays. Sneak one early—they’ll be gone before you can lick the sugar off your fingers! —Corleen Heidgerken, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Festive Meringue Christmas Trees

These meringues are eye-catching on the dessert table at a holiday party, and they taste heavenly! Look no further for the perfect treat to get you into the Christmas spirit. —Jenni Sharp, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Sticky Toffee Rice Pudding with Caramel Cream

Simple rice pudding gets a makeover with this upscale recipe. It has just the right thickness to soak up a hot caramel topping. —Janice Elder, Charlotte, North Carolina

Christmas Pavlova

Crisp and crunchy on the outside, soft and almost marshmallowy on the inside, this elegant pavlova gets dressed up for the holidays. —James Schend, Taste of Home, Deputy Editor

Gluten-Free Spritz Delights

My daughter has Down syndrome and loves hosting parties, especially on holidays. Cookies always took center stage until she was diagnosed with celiac disease. I decided then to take on gluten-free baking, and these are the best yet—a cross between a shortbread and a sugar cookie. —Cheryl Costilow, Amherst, Ohio

Chocolate Meringue Stars

These light, delicate chocolate meringue cookies are always a hit. Their big chocolate flavor makes it difficult to keep the kids away before they’re on the cookie tray! —Edna F. Lee, Greeley, Colorado

No-Churn Gingerbread Ice Cream

Thanksgiving or Christmas is gingerbread time! And this ice cream says it all. I’ve found that dark brown sugar works better than light. —Jacqueline, McComas, Paoli, Pennsylvania

Red Wine & Cranberry Poached Pears

While being poached, the pear absorbs the sweetness and spice from the sugar, wine, cinnamon and peppercorn. It makes an easy, yet elegant, dessert that’s perfect for a special night. —Kiersten Atkinson, Birmingham, Alabama

Contest-Winning Hazelnut Toffee

This is one of my most-asked-for recipes. It’s sweet and buttery with plenty of crunch. You could use dark, milk or even white chocolate and substitute almonds for the hazelnuts if you wish. —Joanne Simpson, Portland, Oregon

Cranberry Creme Brulee

Dress up classic creme brulee with an easy-to-make cranberry sauce. The sweet-tart sauce compliments the rich, creamy custard. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Gingerbread Amaretti Cookies

The classic Italian cookie gets a new gingerbread twist! Don’t overbake—they should be slightly chewy. —Tina Zaccardi, Eastchester, New York

If you like these cookies, then also try these gluten-free gingerbread cookies.

Chocolate Yule Log

Italian Orange-Fig Cookies

This is one of the first holiday cookies I made when I found out I could no longer eat gluten. In those eight years, six of my family members and friends have also had to give up gluten, so these delicious Italian cookies have now become a treasured holiday tradition for all of us. By the way, no one will know they’re gluten free unless you tell them! These gluten-free cookies last for weeks if stored in a dry place. —Suzanne Banfield, Basking Ridge, New Jersey

Snowy Raspberry Gelatin Mold

This mold is always on our holiday table. The raspberry layer makes an attractive base for the creamy cream cheese layer. —Lily Julow, Lawrenceville, Georgia

Winter Fruit Macaroons

Coconut macaroons with sweetened condensed milk instead of egg whites are my version of a recipe my mom loved. All you do is mix, drop and bake. —Veronica Miller, Aliquippa, Pennsylvania

Creamy Orange Caramels

Each Christmas I teach myself a new candy recipe. Last year I started with my caramel recipe and added a splash of orange extract for fun. This year I just might try buttered rum extract. —Shelly Bevington-Fisher, Hermiston, Oregon

Gluten-Free Snowballs

I took a classic holiday cookie and made it gluten-free. It’s now my husband’s favorite Christmas cookie. They’re so buttery, nutty and sweet—and everyone loves how they crumble in your mouth. —Joan Sarge, Asheville, North Carolina

Peppermint Ice Cream

With flecks of mint candy, this peppermint ice cream recipe is perfect for the holidays. —Berneice Metcalf, Leavenworth, Washington

Chocolate Pecan Fudge

Even though fudge is a classic at Christmastime, people are excited for this chocolate pecan fudge year-round. Switch out the pecans with nuts that you have on hand. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Gluten-Free Fig Cookies

These special cookies definitely don’t taste gluten-free. For added appeal, I soak the figs overnight in a mixture of port and pomegranate juice. —Twinkle30, tasteofhome.com community

Rum Raisin Creme Brulee

Inspired by a favorite ice cream flavor, I created this make-ahead recipe to free up some time in the kitchen. You can also serve this as a custard if you choose to not caramelize the top. —Eleanor Froehlich, Rochester, Michigan

Mocha-Walnut Macarons

These mocha macarons perfectly capture the chocolate, nutty flavor of my favorite gourmet coffee. Store in an airtight container. —Christine Venzon, Peoria, Illinois

Stained Glass Cherry Macaroons

Macaroons are a timeless treat and a family favorite in our house. These merry morsels are always the first to disappear from the cookie tray. —Jamie Jones, Madison, Georgia

Gluten-Free Almond Cookies

My friend loved these gluten-free almond cookies so much, she had to ask for the recipe! Quick and easy, they taste as good as the decadent treats I make using puff pastry and almond paste. Everyone loves these! —Sherri Cox, Lucasville, Ohio

Heavenly Filled Strawberries

These luscious stuffed berries are the perfect bite-sized dessert. —Stephen Munro, Beaver Bank, Nova Scotia

Gluten-Free Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

These gluten-free chocolate crinkle cookies are a family favorite. The ground almonds make them even better. —Karen Kelly, Germantown, Maryland. Learn how to bake a homemade gluten-free apple pie.

Apricot-Nut White Fudge

We look forward to this luscious apricot fudge recipe every Christmas. It’s easy to make, and it melts in your mouth. I wrap up small squares of the candy with ribbon and silk holly.

Creamy Peppermint Patties

These smooth chocolate candies fill the bill for folks who like a little sweetness after a meal but don’t want a full serving of rich dessert. —Donna Gonda, North Canton, Ohio

Meringue Snowballs In Custard

My family has passed down this elegant dessert generation by generation. It started with my Russian great-grandmother, who traveled to America more than 100 years ago. I love continuing the tradition with her recipe. —Tonya Burkhard, Palm Coast, Florida