25 Gluten-Free Dessert Recipes Everyone Will Love

Crowd-pleasing takes on classic cakes, cookies, brownies, and more.

dark chocolate walnut date bar
Photo: Sidney Bensimon

Whether you are gluten-free or hosting someone who is, we're here for you with all kinds of delectable dessert recipes. Our go-to ideas for gluten-free desserts include creative takes on the classics—and you'll quickly find that baking without gluten is a cinch when you use our triple-tested recipes for gluten-free cakes, cookies, brownies, pies, puddings, pavlovas, and more.

01 of 25

Coconut-Pecan Tart

coconut-pecan tart topped with flaky sea salt
Dana Gallagher

This elegant tart has an easy press-in crust made with shredded coconut and almond flour and a dreamy filling that imparts creamy butterscotch flavor. The best part? It's studded with chocolate and pecans.

02 of 25

Chocolate-Peanut-Butter-Caramel Cereal Bars

chocolate-peanut-butter-caramel cereal bars topped with flaky sea salt
Nico Schinco

There's a lot to like about this gluten-free riff on millionaire's shortbread. A crispy rice cereal-marshmallow base replaces the usual cookie layer, and there's a peanut-butter caramel tier and a dark chocolate shell. It's a no-bake bar cookie that tastes like you hit the jackpot.

03 of 25

Five-Ingredient Chocolate Chip Cookies

five-ingredient-cookies-369-d111686.jpg
Aaron Dyer

Almond butter is the secret ingredient that binds these chocolate chip cookies together. They're free of flour, which makes them safe for anyone who is gluten intolerant.

04 of 25

Peach-Guava Pops

peach-guava pops
Paola + Murray

Enjoy the flavor of fresh summer peaches in these ice pops that your whole family will enjoy. A combination of puréed and sliced peaches are mixed with guava juice, lime juice, and sugar for a refreshing gluten-free dessert.

05 of 25

Flourless Chocolate-Almond Cake

flourless chocolate-almond cake against blue wall
Paola + Murray

Everyone will want a slice of this fudgy, rich, and decadent gluten-free chocolate cake. Almond flour gives the bittersweet chocolate batter body and a whipped crème fraîche topping provides the sweetness.

06 of 25

Strawberry-Lemonade Angel Pie

strawberry-lemonade angel pie topped with fresh strawberries
Paola + Murray

Similar to a pavlova, this stunning summer dessert has a meringue base and a strawberry filling that's cooked with gelatin to make it easy to slice. Whipped cream and sliced strawberries are all the topping it needs.

07 of 25

Vegan Blueberry Crisp

vegan blueberry crisp on plate
Bryan Gardner

Six cups of fresh blueberries are baked beneath an oat and almond crumble. Not only is this dessert gluten free, but it's also vegan—and absolutely delicious.

08 of 25

Brown-Sugar Peach Pavlova

brown-sugar peach pavlova recipe
Paola + Murray

Using brown sugar for the meringue gives it a more caramelly flavor that pairs well with the poached peaches in this pavlova.

09 of 25

Dark Chocolate-Walnut Date Bar

dark chocolate walnut date bar
Sidney Bensimon

Here's a decadent no-bake treat that's free of gluten and refined sugar. This deep, dark chocolate bar is sweetened with a caramel-forward date purée, studded with walnuts and natural peanut butter, and layered with dark chocolate.

10 of 25

Coconut Water Granita

strawberry-coconut granita recipe
Kirsten Francis

This super simple gluten-free dessert—made with coconut water, sugar, and sliced strawberries—is exactly what we want on a hot summer day. All you need to do is combine the coconut water and sugar in a baking dish, freeze until solid, and then scrape occasionally to create ice crystals.

11 of 25

No-Bake Chocolate-Eggnog Crème Brûlée

No-Bake Chocolate-Eggnog Crème Brûlée
Lennart Weibull

Avoid the fussy water bath and temperamental cooking process with this recipe for no-bake gluten-free crème brûlée. The cream mixture is infused with cinnamon and nutmeg, which makes it taste like our favorite holiday beverage.

12 of 25

Apple Sundaes with Cider Caramel Sauce

apple sundae with cider caramel
Justin Walker

Give the ice cream sundae a fall twist by serving scoops of vanilla with baked apple slices and a spiced caramel sauce.

13 of 25

Almond-Coconut Chewy Chocolate Cookies

almond coconut chewy chocolate cookies
Chris Simpson

Almond flour takes the place of the usual all-purpose flour in these rich cookies. They're made from bittersweet chocolate, roasted almonds, and shredded coconut.

14 of 25

Spiced Pumpkin Pie

pumpkin-pie-gluten-free-pumpkin-vegan-apple-pie-d112284.jpg
Linda Xiao

A Crisp Rice-Almond Pie Crust is the secret weapon in our gluten-free baking arsenal. It pairs beautifully with a cinnamon- and nutmeg-spiked pumpkin filling for this pumpkin dessert, and would be a superb base for just about any pie.

15 of 25

Rice Pudding with Sea Salt-Caramel Sauce

rice pudding with sea-salt caramel sauce and berries
Con Poulos

Rice pudding may seem old-fashioned, but this gluten-free version is totally modern. While the creamy pudding is delicious on its own, we've taken it to the next level with a homemade sea-salt caramel sauce, fresh berries, and nuts on top.

16 of 25

Cherry-Raspberry Semifreddo

cherry-raspberry semifreddo topped with whipped cream
Paola + Murray

Floral elderflower liqueur brightens the duo of tart cherries and sweet raspberries in this frozen, Italian-inspired dessert. It needs to be made at least eight hours in advance, so it's perfect for make-ahead entertaining.

17 of 25

Raspberry-Almond Crisp

raspberry almond crisp
Chris Simpson

Juicy raspberries tossed in brown sugar are bursting beneath a gluten-free crumble made from butter, rolled oats, and sliced raw almonds. It's a fabulous treat for a crowd (it serves at least six!)—and no one will ever suspect that it's secretly healthy.

18 of 25

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Semifreddo with Caramel Corn

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Semifreddo
Marcus Nilsson

Light and creamy, the ultimate duo (chocolate and peanut butter) take center stage in this gluten-free Italian dessert. Each slice is topped with homemade caramel popcorn, a kid-friendly, carnival-inspired treat.

19 of 25

Lemon Cornmeal Cake

almond-polenta-cake-146-d111738.jpg
Lennart Weibull

Double doses of lemon juice and zest—and almonds (chopped plus extract)—give this Italian-inspired cake plenty of flavor.

20 of 25

Flourless Chocolate-Date Cake with Salted-Caramel Sauce

date-cake_032_d111652.jpg
Marcus Nilsson

This is a cake for the ages, regardless of your dietary preferences. Skipping the flour just means you get a dense crumb. Salted caramel sauce and whipped cream make it even more decadent.

21 of 25

Coffee Meringue-Ice Cream Cake

coffee-meringue-mld108857.jpg
Jonathan Lovekin

Dress up store-bought coffee ice cream with almonds, ground coffee beans, and flaky salt, then sandwich it between coffee-swirled meringues to make this over-the-top dessert.

22 of 25

Fudgy Pecan Brownies

fudgy-pecan-brownies-med108462.jpg

Cornstarch gives these brownies structure, just as the gluten in flour would. We added toasted pecans, but walnuts or hazelnuts would also be delicious.

23 of 25

Basil-Yogurt Panna Cotta with Grapefruit Gelèe

Basil-Yogurt Panna Cotta with Grapefruit Gelée
Con Poulos

Pretty in pink and super elegant—who could pass up panna cotta, an elegant gluten-free dessert? A fresh grapefruit-gelatin mixture is combined with basil-infused milk for a first-class sweet.

24 of 25

Buckwheat-and-Chocolate Torte

chocolate-torte-052-d112571.jpg
Con Poulos

For the uninitiated, buckwheat flour is gluten-free because it's ground from a seed, not a grain. It adds a wonderful earthiness to this scrumptious cake.

25 of 25

Angel Food Cake

gluten-free-angel-food-cake-2955-d112808.jpg
Mike Krautter

Using gluten-free flour doesn't make this classic dessert any less scrumptious. The texture is light as a cloud.

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