15 Easy Gluten-Free Dessert Recipes—Trust Us, No One Will Miss the Flour

By Kelly Vaughan
January 30, 2020
Credit: Mike Krautter

From berry crisps to refreshing vegan ice pops, delight family and friends with these easy gluten-free desserts.

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Credit: Mike Krautter

Whether you're hosting a party and learn at the last minute that one of your guests is gluten-free, or you just want to whip up a fast dessert that's safe for everyone to eat, these easy gluten-free desserts are the answer.

Meringue—whether in the form of cookies or pavlova—is one of the easiest, most elegant, and naturally gluten-free desserts you could make. In a variety of pastel colors, the French Meringue Cookies seen here are a stunningly sweet option for afternoon tea or a birthday party. Add dried fruit and nuts for holiday-appropriate Chewy Fruitcake Meringues.

There are plenty of desserts for a warm summer day here, too. Melon Milk Pops are not only gluten-free but also vegan thanks to coconut milk and three varieties of fruit purée. They're kid-friendly and entirely refreshing. Just as cooling but a little more elegant is our Strawberry Gelée with Rose Granita. In this recipe, granita is made with dry rosé wine and strawberry purée that is frozen and scraped with a fork into coarse ice.

Make use of seasonal summer berries—blueberries or raspberries, whichever you prefer—in one of our gluten-free crisp recipes. Both of our Raspberry-Almond Crisp and Vegan Blueberry Crisp are topped with a crumble made with rolled oats, almonds, and sugar—no flour in sight! They're perfect for a potluck or picnic because either can be made in advance and served at room temperature.

Whether you're looking for something casual or elegant, all of these gluten-free desserts are easy and delicious.

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Rice Pudding with Easy Caramel Sauce

Credit: Con Poulos
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No candy thermometer needed here! This romantic dessert comes together with just 20 minutes of prep work on the stovetop. It offers a taste of something sweet—and a little nostalgic, too.

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Raspberry-Almond Crisp

Credit: Chris Simpson
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With just 15 minutes of prep work, this fruity dessert is a breeze to make. A buttery, crumbly topping is made with rolled oats, sliced almonds, and light brown sugar—no flour needed!

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Apple Sundaes with Cider Caramel Sauce

Credit: Justin Walker
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Drizzled over robust scoops of vanilla ice cream, this sundae featuring homemade spiced caramel sauce is the ultimate fall dessert.

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Melon Milk Pops

Credit: Marcus Nilsson
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These tie-dye popsicles are made with a combination of watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew melon that are puréed with coconut milk.

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Dark Chocolate-Walnut Date Bar

Credit: Sidney Bensimon
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Here's a healthy way to satisfy your sweet tooth. These no-bake, flourless bars get their body from walnut pieces, chopped dates, peanut butter, and semisweet chocolate chunks.

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Vegan Blueberry Crisp

Credit: Bryan Gardner
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So much easier than a blueberry pie and just as delicious is this dairy-free, gluten-free dessert that calls for just eight ingredients. The filling—which is made with blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice—completely enhances the slightly sweet, slightly tart flavor of the fresh berries.

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No-Bake Chocolate-Eggnog Crème Brûlée

Credit: Lennart Weibull
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No fussy water bath here! This uber-rich, indulgent dessert is made with bittersweet chocolate, egg yolks, heavy cream, and whole milk. The eggnog flavors are all thanks to a combination of brandy and spices—talk about sugar, spice, and everything nice.

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Gluten-Free Fudgy Pecan Brownies

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If you're team fudgy over team cakey when it comes to brownies, this is the recipe for you. It's a double chocolate batter (cocoa powder and chocolate chips) that is absolutely to die for.

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Strawberry Gelée with Rose Granita

Credit: Marcus Nilsson
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Elegant and refreshing, this elevated twist on fruity Jello is the perfect summer dessert. The gelatin mixture can be made up to two days in advance, then served in glasses with a granita made from rosé wine on top.

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Almond-Coconut Chewy Chocolate Cookies

Credit: Chris Simpson
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Almond flour takes the place of all-purpose flour in these coconut macaroon-inspired cookies. Chopped bittersweet chocolate and roasted almonds are folded into the rich dough, which is then rolled in sweetened shredded coconut.

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Flourless Chocolate-Almond Cake

Credit: Paola + Murray
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When you want an extra-special dessert, make this gluten-free, fudgy cake. Whipped egg whites keep it super light and fluffy.

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Chewy Fruitcake Meringues

Credit: Mikkel Vang
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What better cookie to serve during the holiday season than these fruitcake-inspired meringue cookies? Maraschino cherries, dried pineapple, candied citron, and citrus peel are folded into whipped egg whites, then baked in individual mounds.

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No-Bake Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cup Bars

Credit: CHELSEA CAVANAUGH
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If you love peanut butter cups, then these bars are for you. They're no-bake and take only 30 minutes to come together—what's not to adore?

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Hazelnut-Vanilla Shortbread

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Brown rice flour is used in place of all-purpose flour in these buttery cookies. It has a nutty, slightly molasses-y flavor that pairs well with ground hazelnuts and vanilla beans.

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By Kelly Vaughan