Gluten free recipes you'll actually crave
something sweet
Easy Gluten Free Desserts
Almond Flour Brownies
★★★★★ 4.9 from 88 votes
Fudgy M&M Brownies
★★★★★ 4.9 from 68 votes
Gluten Free Cheesecake
★★★★★ 4.9 from 94 votes
Gluten Free Chocolate Cake
★★★★★ 5.0 from 214 votes
Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Cake
★★★★★ 4.9 from 73 votes
Gluten Free Blueberry Crisp
★★★★★ 4.8 from 52 votes
Best Gluten Free Banana Bread
★★★★★ 5.0 from 198 votes
Gluten Free Strawberry Poptarts
★★★★★ 4.8 from 45 votes
Gluten Free Funfetti Birthday Cake
★★★★★ 5.0 from 102 votes
Gluten Free Cinnamon Roll Cake
★★★★★ 4.9 from 41 votes
Gluten Free Blueberry Zucchini Muffins
★★★★★ 4.8 from 39 votes
Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
★★★★★ 5.0 from 289 votes
The easiest desserts skip flour entirely
If you're nervous, start where there's no gluten structure to replace in the first place. Brownies. Flourless chocolate cake. Cheesecake on a nut or oat crust. Fruit crisps.
That's why the list opens with brownies and cheesecake. They're forgiving, they keep, and nobody at the table can tell.
When you do need flour, buy a cup-for-cup blend
For cakes and muffins, get a measure-for-measure blend with xanthan gum already in it. It behaves closest to wheat. Coconut and oat flour drink liquid completely differently and are not one-to-one swaps, whatever the bag says.
Weigh your flour if you own a scale. Gluten free blends compact in the bag, and one heavy scoop is the reason most gluten free cakes come out dry. I learned that the expensive way.
Rest the batter. Then let it cool.
Ten minutes of rest before it goes in the oven lets the starches drink the liquid. That's most of the grittiness people blame on gluten free baking, gone.
Cooling matters just as much. These cakes and brownies set as they cool, so cutting them warm is what makes them gummy — not the recipe. Wait. I know.
Frequently asked questions
What desserts are gluten free?
Flourless brownies, meringues, cheesecake on a nut or gluten free cookie crust, fruit crisps made with certified oats, custards, rice pudding, macarons and flourless chocolate cake are all naturally gluten free. Anything built on wheat flour needs a cup-for-cup blend instead.
What's a good gluten free dessert for a beginner?
Almond flour brownies. No blend to buy, no rise to manage, and they're supposed to be dense — which is the thing gluten free baking does best.
What's the best flour for gluten free desserts?
A cup-for-cup blend with xanthan gum for cakes and cookies, almond flour for brownies and crusts. Don't swap in coconut flour directly — it soaks up around four times as much liquid.
Are gluten free desserts healthier?
No. Gluten free just means no wheat, barley or rye. A few of these are lower in refined sugar, but a gluten free brownie is still a brownie.
Why is my gluten free dessert gritty?
The starches haven't hydrated yet. Rest the batter 10 to 30 minutes before baking and use a finely milled blend rather than a coarse rice flour.
