Enjoy Gluten-free Treats This Holiday Season

This time of year there are a lot of events where most of the food is off limits to people who can’t eat gluten. Have no fear – there are ways to make sure you can partake in the holiday fun at the office or at a church or social event. Even if you have to take your own treat, it’s worth the effort to be able to feel like you’re not going without, when everyone else is tasting a dozen different treats.

If you have time to bake some treats to share with everyone, that’s great. The Betty Crocker gluten-free cookie, cake and brownie mixes are available nationwide, according to General Mills. There are many other mixes available – for every sweet treat you can think of. Simply Organic makes a carrot cake mix and Namaste makes the best spice cake mix in the world! Adding ½ cup of unsweetened applesauce gives that cake the perfect texture. We add raisins and nuts as well and if you like rum, add a little bit to the batter for an outstanding rum spice cake!

For those who don’t have time to bake, there are several ready made desserts that are gluten-free. Whole Foods has various frozen gluten-free desserts nationwide. In the Southeast region, there are the Gluten-Free Bakehouse cupcakes, pies and cookies and French Meadow Bakery Brownie Bites. The World’s Best Carrot Cake (gluten-free version) and They’ll Never Know Cake gluten-free mini cakes are also sold at Whole Foods in Atlanta.

Also, in the Atlanta market is a terrific gluten-free bakery line called Shabtai Gourmet. Natural Foods Warehouse in Duluth now carries several cookies from the line (found in the cookie aisle) and several of the dessert treats (in the refrigerated foods). We recently picked up our favorite treat from Shabtai – the Apricot Roll. This moist flavorful cake reminds me of the holidays for some reason. Return to Eden has both the Raspberry Roll and the Swiss Chocolate Roll and they will have a few more of these delicious sweet treats coming in during the holiday season. Return to Eden also carries the They’ll Never Know Cake gluten-free decorated cakes.

Trader Joe’s has two outstanding gluten-free desserts – creme brulee and Chocolate Mousse Collaboration. The Trader Joe’s creme brulee is truly decadent – the delicious custard is in a thin dark chocolate shell. The mousse dessert is totally amazing. There is a thin flourless cake layer on the bottom, a creamy and rich mouse middle and a thin layer of dark chocolate on top, dusted with cocoa powder. This dessert is gorgeous, tastes better than it looks and will impress the most finicky gluten eater you know!

There is something about the sharing of food that is comforting. It connects us in a way that is difficult to explain. If you attend party after party and don’t find one thing to eat, you will likely not enjoy yourself as much as other party goers. By making sure you have something to enjoy at such events, you can stop dreading having to go to them and actually join in the holiday fun. ‘Tis the season to eat, drink and be merry which is totally possible - even if you have to do it gluten-free!

What are your favorite gluten-free treats to share (or not) during the holidays?