Preparing for Thanksgiving dinner can be an adjustment when you have a food allergen or follow a food sensitivity diet. There are so many traditional foods that are iconic as part of a Thanksgiving meal. However, many of these items include gluten and food allergens that can be unsafe. The good news is there are ways to enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner while eating with food allergies. Here are a few options for Thanksgiving desserts that are gluten-free friendly.
5 Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Desserts
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie Recipe
Adapted from Gluten-Free Palate
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups gluten-free flour
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup butter - cold and cut into small pieces (vegan butter can work as well)
- ¾ tsp cold milk or dairy free milk
- 1 - 15 oz can pumpkin puree
- ½ cup full-fat coconut milk
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs and 1 egg yolk (Use an egg replacer if needed.)
- 2 tsp gluten-free vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp pumpkin spice
Directions:
- Preheat oven to Bake at 350°F
- Place a baking sheet on the rack in the center of the oven
- For the pie crust add flour to a large bowl
- Cut butter into flour mixture until the butter is small and is around the size of a pea
- Add milk and combine - use your hands to work the milk into the dough
- Knead dough until it comes together
- Form a ball with the dough
- Place the dough onto a large piece of parchment paper and shape into a disc
- Cover with a second piece of parchment and roll out into a 10" circle
- Peel the top piece of parchment paper off and invert into a greased pie pan
- For the pie filling: mix together pumpkin puree, coconut milk, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, and pumpkin spice
- Pour filling into the crust and lightly tap on the counter to remove air bubbles
- Cover the top of the pie with foil to prevent the top from browning too soon
- Place pie on the baking sheet and bake for 55 - 60 minutes until the center is firm
- Remove the pie from the oven and cool completely
Pumpkin Bread Pudding Recipe
Adapted from Epicurious
Ingredients:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree
- ½ cup coconut milk
- 2 large eggs or egg replacer
- 1 tbsp pumpkin spice mix
- 5 cups cubed gluten-free bread
- ¾ stick unsalted butter
Directions:
- Preheat oven to Bake at 350° with the rack in the middle
- Whisk together cream, pumpkin, milk, sugar eggs, salt, and spices
- Toss bread cubes with butter in another bowl and then add pumpkin mixture and toss to coat
- Transfer to an ungreased 8" square baking dish
- Bake until the custard is set or about 25 - 30 minutes
Gluten-Free Cheesecake Recipe
Adapted from My Gluten-Free Kitchen
Ingredients:
- 1 ¾ cups gluten-free graham cracker crumbs
- 1 tbsp sugar
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 4 tbsp butter
- 4 packages (8 - oz) cream cheese softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 eggs (or you can use an egg replacer)
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp gluten-free vanilla
Directions:
- Preheat oven to Bake at 350°F
- Butter the bottom and sides of a 9" springform pan and set aside
- Add gluten-free graham crackers to a food processor and process until finely ground
- Pour the graham cracker into a medium bowl and mix together with sugar, cinnamon, and salt
- Pour melted butter over the top and mix until the crust mixture resembles wet sand
- Press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom of the pan
- Bake for 10 - 12 minutes until the crust is lightly browned
- Remove from the oven and let it cool for at least 10 minutes
- To make the filling, combine the cream cheese and sugar in a large mixing bowl
- Beat on high for 1 - 2 minutes until light and creamy
- Add the eggs, then the sour cream, lemon juice, cornstarch, and vanilla - mix only until combined and smooth
- Pour the cheesecake filling over the crust and smooth with a spatula
- Place cheesecake in the oven and lower the temperature to 300°F
- Bake for 55 minutes
- Turn off the oven and let the cheesecake sit in the oven for another hour before removing from the oven
- Refrigerate for up to 4 hours
Cinnamon Baked Apples
Adapted from Minimalist Baker
Ingredients:
- 7 medium apples
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- ⅔ cup coconut sugar
- 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp fresh grated ginger
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- 3 tbsp arrowroot starch
- 3 tbsp fresh apple juice
- 1 cup gluten-free granola
Directions:
- Preheat oven to Bake at 350°F and set out a 9" x 13" baking dish
- Peel and core the apples
- Slice apples into small slices sliced lengthwise
- Add to a baking dish and top with the lemon juice, coconut oil, coconut sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, arrowroot starch, and apple juice
- Loosely cover with foil
- Bake for 45 minutes
- Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until apples are fork tender
- Top with gluten-free granola and serve
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Mousse
Adapted from Super Healthy Kids
Ingredients:
- 1 15 - oz can of pumpkin puree
- 3 cans unsweetened coconut milk
- ½ cup raw honey
- 1 tsp gluten-free vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ tbsp pumpkin pie spice
Directions:
- Refrigerate the coconut milk overnight
- Chill the bowl before using
- Pour the coconut cream into a medium-sized sauce pan
- Add the pumpkin, honey, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice into the saucepan with the coconut cream
- Cook on medium heat until the mixture simmers
- Reduce heat to low and simmer for five minutes
- Remove from heat and pour into a large bowl that has been placed inside an ice-water bath
- Stir the mixture to cool it faster
- Let the bowl sit in the ice water bath while you work on the next step
- Keep everything cold so the mousse will hold its stiffness
- Once the pumpkin mixture has cooled, prepare the coconut whipped cream
- Remove the remaining 2 cans of coconut milk from the refrigerator and turn them upside down
- Pour out the clear liquid and scoop out the cream with a spoon
- Place cream into the chilled mixing bowl
- Use a whisk and whip until peaks form
- Put the mousse into serving dishes and serve with remaining whipped coconut cream