Recipes - Dairy & Gluten Free Desserts
Enjoy my favorite recipes for dairy and gluten 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 desserts that require very little sugar.
Upgrade your pantry items with these healthy ingredients. Some items are expensive, like the neutral sugars, however very little is needed. These quality ingredients are worth the investment.
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
Neutral sugars are maple sugar, maple syrup, honey, agave, coconut sugar, and date sugar. My favorites for baking are date sugar and maple sugar/syrup. These recipes can use any of these neutral sugars. Neutral sugars have lower glycemic indexes than reactive sugars. Do not bake with honey.
Naturopaths advise neutral sugars can be combined with fruits, as many are intolerant to the combo of reactive sugars and fruit. See complete list of reactive sugars on Fruit and Sugar Combo Intolerance page.
Pie Dough
I’ve experimented with several dough options. Oat flour pie dough offers a great flavor and texture. Easy to roll 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:
-3 TBSP date sugar
-1 tsp cinnamon
-1 tsp cardamom
-1/2 tsp ginger
-1 tsp vanilla
Bake 20 minutes. Use a pastry brush to spread sugar evenly creating a glaze. Rotate. Bake another 20 minutes.
Makes one 11” 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:
-3 TBSP date sugar
-1 tsp cinnamon
-1 tsp cardamom
-1/2 tsp ginger
-1 tsp vanilla
Bake 20 minutes. Use a pastry brush to spread sugar evenly creating a glaze. Rotate. Bake another 20 minutes.
Makes one 11” tart.
Pear Tart
When pears are in season, this is an easy dessert to make. The key is ripe pears requiring only 3 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:
-3 TBSP date sugar
-1 tsp cinnamon
-1 tsp cardamom
-1/2 tsp ginger
-1 tsp vanilla
Bake 20 minutes. Use a pastry brush to spread sugar evenly creating a glaze. Rotate. Bake another 20 minutes.
Makes one 11” 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.
If you’re lucky, find frozen sour cherries at the market.
In large pot on low heat add:
– 5 cups sour cherries
– 1/2 cup date sugar
– 2 TBSP arrowroot starch
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 11” 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:
-3 TBSP date sugar
-1 tsp cinnamon
-1 tsp cardamom
-1/2 tsp ginger
Bake 20 minutes. Use a pastry brush to spread sugar evenly creating a glaze. Rotate. Bake another 20 minutes.
Makes one 11” tart
NaNa’s Pumpkin Pie
Everyone loves my grandmother’s pie recipe. My version is dairy, fruit, and gluten free, and egg optional.
Fall is the time to make pie kits. Long neck pumpkin is my favorite for pumpkin pie. Sweet potatoes also contribute to a great flavor. Another option is butternut squash. This recipe is easier if you have pie kits already made.
Prepare Pie Kits Ahead and Freeze
Cut pumpkin in half and clean out seeds. Scrub sweet potatoes. Place pumpkin and potatoes in baking pan and 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 freezer bag, add one cup pumpkin and 1 1/2 cups sweet potatoes. Makes one pie kit.
At pie time, Thaw pie kit
In a mixing bowl combine:
-1 cup purée pumpkin
-1 1/2 cups purée sweet potato
-2 TSBP melted buffalo butter
-1/2 cup maple syrup
-2 eggs separated. Beat egg whites separately and fold in last. (For egg substitute use 1/2 cup of almond yogurt.)
-1/2 cup almond milk
-1 tsp each allspice, cinnamon, cardamom, vanilla, and salt
-1/2 tsp ginger
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 one pie.
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 for 11” tart pan.
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 flax egg (1 TSBP flax seed mixed with 3 TBSP hot water – allow time to thicken.)
-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 date 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 date 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.
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