Gluten Free Thanksgiving Desserts

Whether you’re celiac or just being careful with your gluten, you don’t need to miss out this thanksgiving! Who says dessert is all about the cakes? Get creative with fruits and other surprises this thanksgiving.

Related Reading: check out Paleo Christmas Cookies here

Bloomin’ Apples

The desert takes on the bloomin’ onion, this pretty treasure will satisfy any sweet tooth.

Ingredients:

• Cooking spray
• 4 tbsp. melted butter
• 1 tbsp. packed brown sugar
• 1 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 4 apples
• 8 chewy caramel squares
• Breyers Natural Vanilla ice cream, for serving
• Caramel, for drizzling

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
2. In a medium baking dish, line with cooking spray, whisk together butter, brown and granulated sugars, and cinnamon. 
3. After slicing the tops off your apples use a teaspoon - or a melon baller if you have one on hand - and scoop out the core.
4. Grab a paring knife, create two circular cuts in the apple.
5. Pop the apple cut side down and cut crosswise. *do not cut through the core*
6. Place apples in a baking dish with two caramel squares inside
7. Glaze with butter mixture.
8. Pop in the oven for 30 minutes or until tender.

Don’t worry, we haven’t forgotten the rest of the caramel...drizzle it on top for a little extra and serve with ice cream!

If you want to kick this up a notch, the air fryer method might be for you.

Air Fryer Method: Do steps 1-6 as per above, place your apples with their caramel and glaze in the air fryer basket at 350 degrees F for 15 - 20 minutes.

Hazelnut Butter and Coffee Meringues

For the sophisticated palate, this dessert will impress your friends, family and your taste buds.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup skin-on hazelnuts
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 large egg whites
• Pinch of cream of tartar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons coffee beans, chopped

Instructions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F 
2. Place your hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and give them a toss once, until they’re brown. It should take about 10-12 minutes.
3. Once you’ve removed the nuts reduce oven temperature to 200 degrees F.
4. Put your nuts in a kitchen towel and rub them together, this should remove their skin. 
5. Spread out the nuts and let them cool.
6. Pop your hazelnuts with you salt into a food processor until a creamy nut butter forms. You want a nice fluid consistency so just continue until you achieve it.
7. Now, time for the electric mixer. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until you get a nice froth. (beat on high)
8. While the mixer is running slowly add the granulated sugar until you get some soft-medium peaks (approx 5 mins).
9. Add powdered sugar in the same way until your peaks become glossy and stiff. (approx 8-10 mins)
10. Pop the meringue mixture into a large bowl and softly fold in only half of the hazelnut butter. You want it to be nice and streaky so no mixing, just folding. 
11. Grab a large spoon and spoon your mixture onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Keep in mind that meringues will always fall a little so don’t be afraid to really build them up.
12. Top with coffee beans.
13. Bake for 2-2 1/2 hours, or until dry. Let them cool in the oven.

Store these babies at room temp and enjoy them like-fresh even two days later!

Stovetop Pear with Yogurt  (Alcoholic)

An evening take on your breakfast ingredients. 

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup light brown sugar
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 2 large pears, peeled, halved, cored
• 2 tablespoons amaretto liqueur
• 1 tablespoon pear or other brandy
• Plain yogurt and crushed amaretti cookies (for serving)

Instructions:

1. In a medium skillet on medium heat, mix brown sugar, salt, six tablespoons of butter and two tablespoons of water until nice and smooth.
2. Slice your pears in half, leaving the stems.
3. Bring your mixture to a boil and pop the pears right in, cut side down. 
4. Move them around the pan until they turn brown (approx 5-7 mins)
5. Leave the flame on, but remove skillet.
6. While the skillet is off the flame add amaretto and brandy
7. Place the skillet over the flame in a tilting action, not directly on the flame. This will ignite the booze. 
8. Keep tilting and moving the pears around until the flame goes out.
9. Stir in the remaining butter and 2 tablespoons of water, until caramel is smooth.

Serve with yogurt. 

Pumpkin Flan 

Skip the crust, keep the pumpkin! If you want to go for something a little less traditional, try making some mini pumpkin flan and cut out the crust altogether.

Ingredients:

• ⅔ cup of sugar
• ½ cup whole milk
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¾ cup pumpkin

Utensil: 4, 8-ounce Ramekins

Instructions:

1. Place your ramekins inside a 9x13 inch baking pan, and lightly spray them with cooking spray
2. Heat ⅓ cup sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly for 7 minutes. The sugar should melt and become a caramel color. 
3. Quickly transfer two teaspoons of the caramel to each ramekin. Do this as quickly as possible as it will harden! 
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
5. Combine milk and evaporated milk over medium heat until warm. Reduce the heat so that the milk can sit on the stove and remain warm.
6. Bring 4 cups of water to boil in the meantime.
7. Whisk together eggs, egg yolks and what’s left of the sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
8. Fold pumpkin into the egg mixture, and then fold that into the milk.
9. Pour the filling evenly into the ramekins, and place a baking sheet in the oven.
10. Pour hot water into the baking pan until it reaches halfway up the side of the ramekins.
11. Bake like this for 35-40 minutes.

Put a place on top, flip and let your flan fall out covered in syrup.