Top 5 Gluten-Free Desserts To Make From ‘Bon Appétit’

In search of a sweet gluten-free treat? Whether you have a gluten sensitivity, are looking for healthier dessert recipes or just want to make something delicious, these desserts will leave your sweet tooth satisfied. Bon Appétit has an award-winning list of the best recipes you need to try and a few of these gluten-free desserts made the cut!

If you haven’t started cooking your way through the Best List, I suggest you hurry up and get started. You’ll learn how to make everything from the perfect scrambled eggs to the silkiest pasta carbonara. Next time you plan on hosting a dinner party, refer to Bon Appétit‘s Best List for a recipe that’ll be sure to impress all your guests. And try whipping up one of these delicious gluten-free desserts.

5.) Chocolate-Avocado Pudding

The best part about this pudding — aside from the fact that it tastes delicious — is that it can also sub as a “healthy” breakfast recipe. Yup, that’s right! This pudding is full of healthy fats from the avocado and walnuts, and the cacao will give you an energy kick similar to your morning coffee. Try mixing it with granola for some extra fuel. Need more inspiration to give chocolate for breakfast a try? Read on.

Ingredients

• 2 large avocados, pits removed
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ cup pure maple syrup
• ¼ cup agave nectar
• ¼ cup (or more) fresh orange juice
• ½ tsp. kosher salt
• 1½ cups heavy cream (optional)
• ¼ cup cacao nibs and/or chopped hazelnuts

Directions

Scoop avocado flesh into a blender and scrape in vanilla bean seeds; reserve pod for another use. Add cocoa powder, maple syrup, agave nectar, orange juice and salt and blend to a coarse purée. With motor running, gradually stream in ¾ cup hot (but not boiling) water; blend, adding more orange juice as needed, until smooth and creamy.

• Divide pudding among eight 4- to 6-oz. ramekins or small bowls and chill (uncovered) at least 2 hours.
• Just before serving, whip cream in a medium bowl to soft peaks and spoon over pudding, if desired; top with cacao nibs and/or hazelnuts.
• Do Ahead: Pudding can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.

4.) Spiced Honey Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

It’s hard to believe this cake is gluten-free. I’ve made it a few times, edible flowers and all, and am impressed by the texture every time. Oftentimes, gluten-free baked goods have a really dense texture, but notthis honey spiced cake! Also, cream cheese frosting, guys. Everything is better with cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients

Cake

• Nonstick vegetable oil spray
• 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose baking flour
• 1½ tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. kosher salt
• 1½ tsp. ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp. ground ginger
• ⅛ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
• ⅔ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup (packed) light brown sugar
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• ½ cup honey
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• ½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• ½ cup fresh orange juice
• ½ cup whey or buttermilk

Frosting

• 3 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
• Pinch of kosher salt
• ½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 1 13.5-oz. can unsweetened coconut milk, cream separated from milk, room temperature
• Bee pollen, fennel fronds, edible flowers and berries (for serving; optional)

Directions

Cake

• Preheat oven to 350°. Coat a 9″ cake pan with nonstick spray and line bottom with a parchment paper round. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg in a large bowl to combine.
• Combine granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, honey, egg and egg yolk in another large bowl. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; discard pod. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat mixture until pale and thickened, about 4 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low and gradually pour in orange juice and whey. Beat until frothy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low and gradually add dry ingredients; beat just until smooth and homogenous (it will be thin, like pancake batter).
• Pour into prepared pan and bake until cake is golden brown and center springs back when gently pressed (a cake tester will not come out clean), 45–55 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool in pan, 20 minutes. Run a knife around edges of cake to loosen and invert onto rack; let cool completely.
• Do Ahead: Cake can be baked 3 days ahead. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature.

Frosting and Assembly

• Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl until smooth. Add powdered sugar, lemon zest and salt and scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; discard pod. Beat on low speed until mixture is very light and thickened, about 2 minutes; scrape down sides of bowl. With motor running, add coconut cream by the tablespoonful and beat until very soft peaks form (save coconut milk for another use).
• Pile frosting on top of cake and spread to edges (it’s okay if it cascades over the sides). Decorate with bee pollen, fennel fronds, flowers and berries, if desired.

3.) The Very Best Dark Chocolate Mousse

Here it is! One of the gluten-free desserts that made Bon Appétit‘s Best Recipes List. This is the perfect dessert to make for your next dinner party. It’s easy to make, as long as you own an electric mixer, and it will stay fresh in the fridge for up to four days. Too lazy to make it yourself? You can also get it in person at Le Petit Trois in Los Angeles.

Ingredients

Mousse

• 7 oz. semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (preferably 70% cacao)
• 6 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 6 large eggs, separated
• ¼ cup plus 3 tbsp. sugar

Topping and Assembly

• 1 cup chilled heavy cream
• 3 tbsp. sugar
• 1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

Special Equipment

• 8 6-oz. ramekins or bowls

Directions

Mousse

• Heat chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (bottom of bowl should not touch water), stirring occasionally, until chocolate and butter are melted and well blended, about 5 minutes. Set chocolate mixture aside.
• Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat egg yolks and ¼ cup sugar in a medium bowl until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
• Using electric mixer with clean beaters, beat egg whites and remaining 3 tbsp. sugar in another medium bowl until medium-stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes. Using a large spatula, gently fold egg yolk mixture into chocolate mixture until no streaks remain. Starting in the center of the mixture and working your way toward the edges of the bowl, gently fold egg whites into chocolate mixture (make sure to scrape up from the bottom), rotating bowl as you go, until no streaks remain (this will incorporate the egg whites without deflating them; you don’t want to lose volume).
• Divide mousse among ramekins, smooth surface and chill at least 4 hours.
• Do Ahead: Mousse can be made 4 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.

Topping and Assembly

• Whip cream and sugar in a medium bowl until medium peaks form.
• Just before serving, spoon large dollops of whipped cream on top of each mousse and using a fine mesh sieve, dust with cocoa powder.

2.) Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins with Oat Crumble

Here’s another great recipe that works as both dessert and breakfast. Aside from being gluten-free, these muffins are loaded with fiber from the oats and antioxidants from the fruit, making it a pretty healthy choice. Try adding other fruits like cranberries or bananas to mix this recipe up.

INGREDIENTS

Oat Crumble

• ½ cup gluten-free old-fashioned oats
• ¼ cup (packed) light brown sugar
• ¼ tsp. kosher salt
• 2 tbsp. chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Muffins

• Nonstick vegetable oil spray (optional)
• 1 large egg
• ½ cup whole milk
• 6 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted, cooled slightly
• 1½ cups King Arthur Flour gluten-free multi-purpose flour
• ¾ cup sugar
• ½ cup almond flour or meal
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• ½tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. kosher salt
• ½ tsp. xanthan gum
• ¼ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
• ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 cup fresh (or frozen, thawed) blueberries

Ingredient Info

• Xanthan gum is available at natural food stores and some supermarkets, or online.

Directions

Crumble

• Whisk oats, brown sugar and salt in a small bowl. Using your fingers, work in butter until no dry spots remain and mixture is crumbly. Cover and chill until ready to use.

Muffins

• Preheat oven to 375°. Lightly coat a standard 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick spray or line with paper liners.
• Whisk egg, milk and butter in a medium bowl just to combine. Whisk multi-purpose flour, sugar, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, xanthan gum, nutmeg and cinnamon in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add egg mixture. Using a fork, gradually incorporate dry ingredients until just combined; fold in blueberries.
• Divide batter among muffin cups and top with crumble. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until crumble is crisp and a tester inserted into the center of muffins comes out clean, 25–30 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let muffins cool in pan 10 minutes before turning out.

1.) Bon Appétit’s Best Chocolate Macaroon Cake

Last but not least, another Best List winner, Bon Appétit‘s Best Chocolate Macaroon Cake. If you like chocolate and coconut macaroons, you will love this dessert! It’s rich, creamy and hard to believe that it’s a gluten-free dessert. You can also substitute the almonds for your favorite nut instead.

Ingredients

Cake

• 1 cup virgin coconut oil, melted, cooled, plus more for pan
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for pan
• 1 cup skin-on almonds
• 8 oz. semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 6 large eggs, room temperature
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

Ganache and assembly

• 4 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 tbsp. plus 1 teaspoon light agave nectar or pure maple syrup
• Pinch of kosher salt
• ½ cup unsweetened coconut milk (from a very well shaken 13.5-ounce can)
• 2 tbsp. unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1 tbsp. sliced almonds
• 1 tsp. granulated sugar

Directions

Cake

• Place a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 350°. Lightly brush a 10″-diameter cake pan with oil. Line the bottom with a round of parchment; brush parchment with oil. Dust sides of pan with cocoa powder; tap out excess. Toast almonds on a rimmed baking sheet until fragrant and slightly darkened, 8–10 minutes. Let cool. Reduce oven temperature to 325°.
• Meanwhile, heat chocolate and 1 cup oil in a medium heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water (don’t let the bowl touch the water), stirring often, until mixture is smooth. Remove from heat.
• Pulse almonds, salt, and ¼ cup cocoa in food processor until nuts are finely ground. Add shredded coconut and pulse a couple of times to combine.
• Beat eggs on medium speed in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until no longer streaky, about 20 seconds. Add both sugars and vanilla, increase speed to high and beat until mixture is pale, thick and starts to hold the marks of the whisk, about 2 minutes (it should fall off the whisk and immediately sink back into itself). Switch to the paddle attachment and with mixer on low speed, gradually add chocolate mixture. Beat to incorporate, then mix in almond mixture. Fold batter several times with a rubber spatula, making sure to scrape the bottom and sides. Scrape batter into prepared pan; smooth top.
• Bake cake until firm to the touch and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean but greasy, 35–45 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cake cool 15–20 minutes in pan (cake might fall slightly in the center; that’s okay). Run a paring knife or small offset spatula around edges of cake; invert onto rack. Carefully peel away parchment; let cool completely.
• Do Ahead: Cake can be baked 1 day ahead. Store tightly covered at room temperature until ready to serve.

Ganache and Assembly

• Preheat oven to 350°. Combine chocolate, 1 tbsp. agave nectar and salt in a medium bowl. Bring coconut milk to a simmer in a small saucepan over low; pour over chocolate mixture. Let sit until chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, toss coconut flakes, almonds, sugar and remaining 1 tsp. agave nectar on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and toast until golden, about 4 minutes. Let almond-coconut mixture cool, then break into smaller clusters.
• Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat chocolate mixture until it has lost its sheen and is thick enough to hold very soft peaks, 6–8 minutes (ganache won’t be quite as thick as frosting but close).
• Working quickly before ganache startsto set, scrape on top of cake and spread to edges with a small offset spatula or knife. Top with almond-coconut clusters.

For more healthy desserts, check out these paleo, vegan and low-fat chocolate chip recipes.