Living the gluten-free life? Here are the best holiday recipes for you

The holidays are a wonderful time for eating desserts, but finding delicious gluten-free options can be hard. Family & friends of people with gluten intolerance or celiac disease might not know how to accommodate the need for gluten-free recipes during the holidays.

Store-bought gluten-free desserts might not taste as good as a homemade treat. Luckily, there are some really yummy gluten-free recipes which can be used to make the best holiday treats. 

Even people who don’t eat gluten-free foods can enjoy the festive flavors. Here are some tasty gluten-free dessert recipes to try before the holidays are over.

Gluten-free chocolate peanut butter bars

With this gluten-free recipe, you can make rich, creamy, and gooey chocolate peanut butter bars. Nothing beats the flavors of chocolate and peanut butter together, and this recipe adds the two together for a perfect mix.

Ingredients

2 cups certified gluten-free old-fashioned or rolled oats, 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar, 1 1/2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon xanthan gum, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 cup melted salted butter, 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1 fourteen ounce can of sweetened condensed milk, 1/2 cup creamy salted peanut butter, 1 cup holiday M&Ms, and 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, combine gluten-free oats, brown sugar, flours, xanthan gum, baking soda, and salt.
3. Stir in melted butter & vanilla extract until the mixture is moist and crumbly.
4. Measure one cup of the mixture and set aside. This will be used as topping.
5. Spray a nine-inch by thirteen-inch baking pan with cooking spray
6. Press the rest of the mixture evenly into the pan
7. Bake for twelve minutes, then let rest for five minutes.
8. In a small bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk & peanut butter. Then spread it over what you just baked.
9. Sprinkle M&Ms and chocolate chips on top.
10. Put small pieces of the rest of the oat mixture on top of that.
11. Bake for an additional twenty-five minutes or until it starts turning golden brown.
12. Let cool and then cut into as many bars as you desire.

Gluten-free holiday sugar cookies with frosting

Sugar cookies are a delicious treat for cookie lovers. Just because you’re eating gluten-free foods doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy some of the best sugar cookies.

Ingredients

¼ cup softened cream cheese, 1 cup softened butter, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar, 2 ½ cups gluten-free flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 cup white sugar, and 2 eggs

Directions

1. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
2. Beat white sugar, 3/4 cup butter, and one teaspoon vanilla extract in another bowl with an electric mixer. Then beat in eggs one at a time until the mixture is smooth.
3. Mix the butter mixture into the flour mixture, then form the dough into a ball.
4. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for one hour.
5. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
6. Roll the dough on a lightly floured area.
7. Cut the dough into shapes with cookie cutters and arrange the shapes on a baking sheet.
8. Bake about ten minutes or until the edges of the cookies start to brown.
9. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for ten minutes. Then place them on a wire rack to let them cool fully.
10. Beat the cream cheese, the rest of the butter, and one teaspoon vanilla extract in a bowl with an electric mixer until it’s smooth.
11. Slowly beat confectioners’ sugar into the mixture until smooth
12. Spread the icing onto the cookies and enjoy.

Gluten-free chocolate peppermint cookies

Peppermint is a festive flavor best enjoyed during the holidays. Mix that with chocolate and you get an even tastier treat. This gluten-free recipe will help you bake some scrumptious chocolate peppermint cookies

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups gluten-free flour blend, 1/2 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder, 3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 cup melted but not hot butter, 1 cup light brown sugar, packed, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon pure peppermint extract, 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1 1/4 cups chocolate chips, divided, 8 ounces white chocolate, and crushed candy cane.

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, xanthan gum, salt, baking soda, and baking powder, then set the mixture aside.
2. Use an electric mixture to combine butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium low speed.
3. Add the egg, peppermint extract, and vanilla extract and mix until the mixture is smooth.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the sugar mixture and mix until all dry ingredients are incorporated.
5. Mix in a cup of the chocolate chips
6. Cover the bowl in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for two hours.
7. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
8. Line two baking pans with parchment paper.
9. Portion the cookie dough into cookies the size of about three tablespoons.
10. Roll each of the portions into balls and place them on the baking sheets.
11. Press down on each of them slightly and put some chocolate chips on top.
12. Bake for ten to twelve minutes.
13. Let the cookies cool on the pan for ten minutes, then put the cookies on a wire rack to cool fully.
14. Melt the white chocolate
15. Dip the cookies in the white chocolate and then place them on wax paper
16. Sprinkle candy cane pieces on top, let the chocolate harden, and enjoy.