Gluten-free desserts should be just as thrilling, delicious, and fun to eat as any other. Many desserts—like ice cream, flan, and mousse—are naturally gluten-free, and there are plenty of those below. But for cakes, cookies, and more, we often have to turn to alternative flours to replace the traditional wheat-based ingredients. Which is why it’s a good thing that grocery stores these days are bursting with all kinds of grain-free flours such as almond, coconut, and buckwheat—not to mention gluten-free flour blends that can be used as a substitute for almost any baking recipe. Several of the recipes below use glutinous rice flour, a staple of East and Southeast Asian cooking that makes all kinds of tempting treats (mochi among them).
We’ve rounded up our favorite gluten-free desserts, designed without any substitutes. Expect creamy classics (fruit-topped sundaes and rice pudding), small bites (mochi blondies and chocolate chip oat cookies), and showstopping cakes for birthdays or any special occasion—even if that special occasion is that it’s 9 p.m. on a Tuesday, and you’re craving something sweet.
