Gluten & Dairy Free Desserts

Enjoy my favorite gluten and dairy free desserts. I updated old-fashioned recipes with neutral sugars and high quality fats. See egg free options too. (My husband is allergic to eggs.) Enjoy these low sugar desserts.

Fats for Baking

These recipes are flexible. I prefer buffalo butter since I’m intolerant to dairy from cows. For vegan desserts, substitute your favorite fat, vegan butter works well.

Neutral Sugars for Fruit Desserts

Naturopaths advise neutral sugars can be combined with fruits. Neutral sugars are maple syrup, honey, agave, coconut sugar, and date sugar. My favorites are maple syrup and date sugar. Many of the tart recipes include both. The maple syrup gives the tarts a nice glaze. Do not bake with honey.

Pie Dough

I’ve experimented with several dough options. The oat flour pie dough offers a great flavor and texture. Easy to roll out too. I prefer tarts, no top crust needed.

Blueberry Tart

This is the easiest tart to make. The best part is very little sugar is needed.

Prepare tart pan with unbaked oat flour pie dough (see recipe below)

Add 6 cups washed, organic blueberries into tart.

Mix sugar and spices, sprinkle on top:

-2 TBSP date sugar

-1 tsp cinnamon

-1 tsp cardamom

-1/2 tsp ginger

-1 tsp vanilla

Bake 20 minutes. Glaze with 1-2 TBSPs maple syrup and spread sugar evenly. Rotate. Bake another 20 minutes.

Makes one 10” tart

Fig Tart

We enjoy fruit tarts, especially ripe, organic fruits in season. In late summer, early fall, enjoy ripe figs. These are sweeter than early summer figs. This tart will remind you of a Fig Newton.

Prepare tart pan with unbaked oat flour pie dough (see recipe below)

Remove stems and slice 20-24 figs in half, filling tart pan.

Mix sugar and spices, sprinkle on top:

-2 TBSP date sugar

-1 tsp cinnamon

-1 tsp cardamom

-1/2 tsp ginger

-1 tsp vanilla

Bake 20 minutes. Glaze with 1-2 TBSPs maple syrup and spread sugar evenly. Rotate. Bake another 20 minutes.

Makes one 10” tart

Pear Tart

When pears are in season, this is an easy dessert to make. The key is ripe pears requiring only 4 TBSP of sugar for the whole tart.

Prepare tart pan with unbaked oat flour pie dough (see recipe below)

Slice 6-8 pears into tart. No need to peel organic pears.

Mix sugar and spices, sprinkle on top:

-2 TBSP date sugar

-1 tsp cinnamon

-1 tsp cardamom

-1/2 tsp ginger

-1 tsp vanilla

Bake 20 minutes. Glaze with 1-2 TBSPs maple syrup and spread sugar evenly. Rotate. Bake another 20 minutes.

Makes one 10” tart

Sour Cherry Tart

In June we harvest and freeze sour cherries. Just freeze cherries. Or, make cherry pie filling, bag, and freeze. Enjoy all winter long. I try to save the last bag for Valentine’s Day.

In large pot on low heat add:

– 5 cups sour cherries

– 1/2 cup maple syrup

– 2 TBSP arrowroot

Cook cherries and fruit sugar until liquid are released. Add arrowroot, sifting in one tablespoon at a time. Continue cooking until sauce is thick. Gently stir by shaking pot and rolling cherries to maintain whole cherries.

Place cooked cherries in tart pan with unbaked oat flour dough. (see recipe below)

Bake 350ºF for 25 minutes, rotating half way through.

Makes one tart.

Peach Tart

Hot summer days equal delicious peaches. Enjoy this simple recipe with fresh ripe peaches. So sweet, very little sugar is needed.

Pro tip: boil water, add peaches 3-4 minutes. Cool immediately in bowl of ice water. The peels will slip off easily.

Prepare tart pan with unbaked oat dough (see recipe below)

Peel and slice 10 peaches into tart

Mix sugar with spices, sprinkle on top:

-2 TBSP date sugar

-1 tsp cinnamon

-1 tsp cardamom

-1/2 tsp ginger

Bake 20 minutes. Glaze with 1-2 TBSPs maple syrup and spread sugar evenly. Rotate. Bake another 20 minutes.

Makes one 10” tart

NaNa’s Pumpkin Pie

Everyone loves my grandmother’s pie recipe. My version is dairy, fruit, and gluten free, and egg optional.

See how I make pie kits in the Fall.

Prepare Pie Kits Ahead and Freeze

In the fall, I take a day to process pumpkin pie kits and freeze them. Pennsylvania Dutch Crookneck squash is my favorite for pumpkin pie. I also love using sweet pie pumpkins. I always use sweet potatoes too. This recipe is easier if you have pie kits already made.

Cut pumpkin in half and clean out seeds. Scrub sweet potatoes. Bake 350ºF for 1 hr until tender when pricked with a fork. Bake 20-30 minutes longer until done if needed.

Cool, peel, and purée in food process or blender. Add some almond milk as needed. In a large freezer bag, add two cups pumpkin and three cups sweet potatoes (or five cups of your favorite combo). Makes two pie kits.

At pie time, Thaw pie kits

In a mixing bowl combine:

-2 cups purée pumpkin

-3 cups purée sweet potato

-1/4 cup melted buffalo butter

-1 cup maple syrup (or your favorite sugar)

-5 eggs separated. Beat egg whites separately and fold in last. (For egg substitute use 1 1/4 cups of almond yogurt.)

-1 cup almond milk

-1 tsp each allspice, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, vanilla, and salt

Mix well, fold in egg whites last. Pour into unbaked oat flour pie dough. (See pie dough recipe below)

Bake at 350ºF for 45-55 minutes.

Makes two pies.

Oat Flour Pie Dough

I adapted Martha’s Stewart’s pate brisee recipe to be gluten and dairy free. I prefer making a large quantity and this makes three pie crusts. With a food processor, it is fast and easy to make. Freeze extra dough.

In food processor:

Pulse these ingredients a couple of seconds

-4 cups oat flour (Options – substitute 1 cup of rice, almond, or buckwheat flour)

-1 1/2 tsp salt

-2 tsp date sugar

Add fat, process for 10 seconds

-3/4 cup buffalo butter chilled and sliced into smaller pieces

Add ice water in slow stream, process for 30 seconds

1 cup ice water or more as needed. Oat flour is thirsty.

Continue adding water until a large ball is formed.

Remove dough and divide into three flat round disks. Chill or freeze.

At pie time, roll dough and use a large spatula, or the bottom of a tart pan, to aid in the transfer.

Makes three pie crusts.

Carrot-Ginger Cake

This cake is so moist, it doesn’t require icing. Dairy, egg, and gluten free.

In blender, add and blend well

-1 cup fresh grated carrots (3 medium carrots)

-3/4 cup almond milk

-1 TBSP flax seed (optional)

-2 tsp fresh ginger

In another bowl, sift together dry ingredients

-1 cup oat flour

-3/4 cup rice flour

-1/4 cup arrowroot starch

-2 tsp baking powder

-1/2 tsp salt

-1/2 tsp each cinnamon and cardamom

Fold dry ingredients into blended mix, Add

-1/2 cup maple syrup (or your favorite sugar)

-1 TBSP melted buffalo butter

-1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease pan, line with parchment paper. Then dust with flour, tap out excess. Use a 8 x 2-inch pan for one layer cake or 10 cupcakes.

Pour into pan and tap out air bubbles. Bake 30 minutes. Bake until the tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Remove cake from the pan and cool, top-side up.

Makes one layer.

Chocolate Cake

This cake is dairy, gluten, and egg free. Great for many with these intolerances. Delicious, almost healthy, with 1 cup carrots and only 1/2 cup maple syrup. Top with peppermint chocolate icing.

In blender, add and blend well

-1 cup fresh grated carrots (3 medium carrots)

-3/4 cup almond milk

-1 TBSP flax seed (optional)

In another bowl, sift together dry ingredients

-1 cup oat flour

-3/4 cup rice flour

-1/4 cup arrowroot starch

-2.5 TBSP cocoa powder

-2 tsp baking powder

-1/2 tsp salt

Fold dry ingredients into blended mix, Add

-1/2 cup maple syrup (or your favorite sugar)

-1 TBSP melted buffalo butter

-1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease pan, line with parchment paper. Then dust with flour, tap out excess. Use a 8 x 2-inch pan for one layer cake or 10 cupcakes.

Peppermint Chocolate Icing: Shave 1/2 bar of 85% chocolate on top of warm cake. Sprinkle with crushed peppermint candy.

Makes one layer.

While indulging, take an opportunity to learn more about this passion project and me.

Namaste,

Diane