30 Gluten-Free Holiday Recipes That Don't Sacrifice Any Of The Flavor

Everyone deserves a happy holiday filled with allll the delicious food—even those with special diets. If you're serving a gluten-free menu, or want to add a few more options to the table, these apps, sides, mains, and desserts will do the trick.


Looking for more gluten free cooking? Try these gluten-free Christmas cookies and gluten-free Thanksgiving recipes.

Many would argue that the table just isn’t complete without a big dish of classic stuffing. But what about your friends and family with allergies that prevent them from eating wheat? This gluten-free stuffing will save the day—and spoiler alert, it tastes exactly the same as the real thing.

Get the Gluten-Free Stuffing recipe.

Never has there ever been a holiday table without green bean casserole. Okay, that’s an exaggeration, but you get the point. It’s an American classic everyone knows but not everyone gets the opportunity to enjoy due to dietary restrictions or eating lifestyles. We love this gluten-free version because it gets more forks involved, but even more for its rich, punchy flavors.

Get the Gluten-Free Green Bean Casserole recipe.

Typically a cheesecake crust is made out of crushed graham crackers. You can look for gluten-free grahams—or make a crust with almond flour like ours, which is so delicious. We also like to add a little bit of flour to our cheesecake batter so that it holds together. Here, we add a gluten-free flour, but you can sub in almond flour if you don't mind a nuttier flavor and texture.

Get the Gluten-Free Cheesecake recipe.

Hasselbackspotatis, aka Hasselback potatoes, are a Swedish invention that transforms a humble baked potato into an ingenious work of art. Each potato is partially sliced into a row of thin slivers that then get brushed with oil or butter and baked to roasty-toasty crispy-crunchy perfection. For lovers of baked potatoes and potato chips, the Hasselback potato is going to be a taste of spud heaven.

Get the Hasselback Potatoes recipe.

If you like the flavor of French macarons, you'll love this take on Italian amaretti cookies. Soft, pillowy, moist, sweet, and lightly scented with amaretto liqueur as well as citrus zests, these cookies get made multiple times a season, year after year.

Get the Amaretti Cookies recipe.

These gluten-free cookies are perfect — fudgy in the middle, and crispy on the outside.

Get the Flourless Fudge Cookies recipe.

Just because you can't eat gluten doesn't mean you can't have AMAZING gravy. Butter, herbs, and seasoning make this gravy DIVINE.

Get the Gluten-Free Gravy recipe.

Creamed spinach is a simple side dish that is also the perfect way to use up an abundance of dying spinach. The creaminess pairs perfectly with whatever you serve on the holiday and will make you (and your vegetarian guests) forget you're eating greens!

Get the Creamed Spinach recipe.

After baking brown-sugar-butter-slathered squash until perfectly tender, you'll top the squash with a hearty filling of quinoa, kale, and chickpeas. Flecked with dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds, the savory pilaf has the perfect balance of texture, flavor, and pops of color.

Get the Stuffed Butternut Squash recipe.

For those that can't have gluten or think the pie crust is just a vessel to get the best part of the pie, this pumpkin pie is for you. Made without the crust, this pie takes less than half the time and WAY less effort. No making pie crusts, no chilling, and no blind baking. It's a holiday miracle.

Get the Crustless Pumpkin Pie recipe.

Apple cider adds a subtle sweetness to a classic brisket, and after letting it braise low and slow, it will be as tender as possible. Letting the potatoes and carrots cook with the brisket flavors them from the inside out, and the whole dish will be deeply savory. The veggies cooked along with any kind of roasted or braised meat, like in a roast chicken, are always my favorite. You'll be certainly celebrating having plenty of leftovers after your holiday get-together.

Get the Apple Cider Braised Brisket recipe.

Just like the OG potatoes au gratin, these sweet potatoes are layered with plenty of cheese and herby cream sauce and baked until golden brown and bubbly. Add this to your holiday spread (Grandma will never see it coming), or serve with easy baked chicken breast and roasted broccolini.

Get the Sweet Potato Gratin recipe.

You know the only thing that may be better than mashed potatoes? Roasted garlic mashed potatoes! That extra savory flavor from melty, roasted garlic adds the perfect kick to classic mashed spuds (we also add a splash of tangy balsamic vinegar to kick them up a notch).

Get the Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes recipe.

Beyond the eye-popping pineapple rings and bright maraschino cherries, the glaze here lends a shine and texture to the ham’s caramelized crust. Brushing the ham and fruit three times (or about every 15 minutes) with the glaze should be just enough to create a nicely caramelized outside while also infusing the ham with sweet pineapple notes.

Get the Brown Sugar Pineapple Ham recipe.

Making this salad might seem intimidating, but it doesn't actually require much prep. Tossed with a combo of toasted almonds, shaved Parmesan, and pomegranate seeds, Brussels make a great side for any variety of holiday dinner.

Get the Parmesan Brussels Sprouts Salad recipe.

Baked, not stirred, this recipe for pumpkin risotto takes some of the work off the chef without sacrificing that classic risotto flavor and texture. And it's not just pumpkin and butternut squashthat bring the fall flavor in this dish—a sprinkle of goat cheese, parsley, and the tart-sweet touch of dried cranberries round out the earthy autumnal vibes.

Get the Baked Pumpkin Risotto recipe.

Classic deviled eggs get a smoky kick from harissa (Tunisian chili pepper paste) in this simple but flavorful deviled eggs recipe. Topped with crispy fried shallots and fresh cilantro, it may stray pretty far from the original, but it’s just as delicious.

Get the Harissa Deviled Eggs recipe.

Christmas pudding might not be the dessert you make every year, but we are here to suggest you start! This one is gluten free which will help give you a break from all of the heavy (but delicious) desserts on the table. Full of dried fruit and nuts and topped with a brandy sauce what's not to love? Plus, Christmas pudding can be made up to 3 MONTHS in advance! Store, tightly wrapped, in the fridge then bring to room temperature before serving.

Get the Gluten Free Christmas Pudding recipe.

Finding a good pie crust when you're not gluten-free is already tough (our classic pie crust took us several tries to get just right)—imagine when you need to avoid flour! Fortunately, our gluten-free pie crust has been tested and perfected. The secret to perfect GF pie crust? Cold sour cream!

Get the Gluten-Free Pie Crust recipe.

We love classic sautéed Brussels sproutspaired with our turkey, but sometimes we crave something with a bit more kick. These slightly spicy salty-sweet sprouts make for a unique and easy fall salad that can be served warm or cold (so you can prep them ahead of time!).

Get the Shredded Brussels Sprouts recipe.

This simple yet satisfying wintery salad packs a flavorful punch with slightly smoky seared pears, creamy blue cheese, and ultra-crunchy candied pumpkin seeds. Tied together by a sweet-sour honey vinaigrette, it’s the perfect holiday side (or add some protein to make it a main!).

Get the Pear Salad recipe.

This silky smooth sweet potato pudding is a lighter, simplified cousin of sweet potato casserole without the topping or crust. It's essentially the filling of sweet potato pie with an optional whipped cream or marshmallow fluff topping. No crust or crimping fuss required! The texture is smooth like a pudding but, after chilling, holds its shape similar to cold ice cream. If you like, add toasted, chopped pecans and toasted coconut for a little more flair.

Get the Sweet Potato Pudding recipe.

These are the crispiest potatoes ever, thanks to a cornstarch slurry! For some flavor, we added rosemary and garlic, but just like our other roasted potatoes, feel free to add any herbs or flavors your heart desires.

Get the Roasted Fingerling Potatoes recipe.

This almond cake couldn't be easier—no dragging out the stand mixer, no sprinkling flour on the counter, and definitely no separating egg yolks. This is one of those gluten-free and dairy-free recipes that you'll turn to again and again. If you're crazy about citrus cakes, go heavy on the zest (any type!) and your cake will shine like the sun.

Get the Best Almond Cake recipe.

Jalapeño poppers are one of the easiest, most satisfying party apps. Mix cream cheese with Pepper Jack, stuff it in jalapeños, and wrap it all in bacon. In the oven, the cheese gets hot and melty and the peppers mellow slightly. The combination is PERFECT.

Get the Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers recipe.

A cookie box filled with a wide assortment of shapes, sizes and colors is such a treat to gift during the holidays. These peppermint meringues are the perfect addition to add a pop of color and fun. They practically scream “holiday!” and they taste fantastic as well.

Get the Peppermint Meringues recipe.

The buttery, gluten-free base to these versatile cookies pairs well with just about any filling. Pair them with raspberry, blackberry, strawberry—the world is your oyster when it comes to these adorable, bite-size treats.

Get the Gluten-Free Almond Thumbprints recipe.

Roast beef might sound fancy and complicated to make, but it's actually quite simple! With a good piece of meat and some simple herbs, you can have roast beef that's way more tender and flavorful than the store-bought kind.

Get the Perfect Roast Beef recipe.

Just a heads up: Any dish that features the word “candied” is bound to be on the sweet side and more than likely something you won’t be eating every day. That said, don’t be shy about the amount of butter and brown sugar that goes into these candied carrots: Decadence is the goal here!

Get the Candied Carrots recipe.

For this salad, we paired crisp licorice-y fennel with juicy grapefruit, briny Kalamata olives, creamy goat cheese, and some rich toasted pine nuts. Most things are highly adjustable: Swap in your favorite citrus for the grapefruit, ditch the cheese and substitute with avocado for a dairy-free version, or swap in your favorite nut or seed for the pine nuts—just make sure they’re toasted!

Get the Grapefruit & Goat Cheese Fennel Salad recipe.