27 Dessert Recipes You'd Never Guess Are Gluten-Free

We’ve gathered a cornucopia of gluten-free desserts to satisfy any sweet tooth.

Gluten-free desserts have come a LONG way, since new and wonderful gluten-free flours and ingredients have entered the market. The secret to using gluten-free flour is finding a blend that works for you. Gluten-free flour with xanthan gum is perfect for baked goods because it works best for substituting that binding agent that gluten provides in dessert recipes that use all-purpose flour.

The best part about gluten-free baking? You can also make no bake recipes! We’ve included a few delicious desserts that require you to step away from the oven and make a delectable treat in a matter of minutes. No matter what dessert you whip up in your kitchen you’ll be surprised that it's gluten-free.

Robin Shreeves joins Cecilia Hae-Jin Lee in compiling this list.

Gluten-Free Monster Cookie Bars

These monster cookie bars are just the treat for lunch boxes, afternoon snacks, picnics, or pot lucks. They are loaded with oats, peanut butter, chocolate chips and M&Ms. They are easy to make—just one sheet pan and you're done!

Get Recipe: Monster Cookie Bars

Fudgy Gluten-Free Chocolate Brownies

No one will believe that these decadent brownies are both vegan and gluten-free once they bite into these moist wonders. As an added bonus, these crowd-pleasing chocolate brownies come together in one bowl.

Get Recipe: Vegan Brownies

Gluten-Free Vanilla Birthday Cake

This is the perfect celebration cake when you want something without any eggs, dairy or gluten. It’s designed for a 9x13 cake pan, so frosting is super easy. A generous handful of sprinkles adds extra fun to this cake!

Get Recipe: Gluten-Free Vanilla Birthday Cake

Gluten-Free Chocolate Banana Cupcakes

Perfect for when you want a chocolate dessert without a lot of fuss, these moist and delicious chocolate cupcakes also take advantage of any over ripe bananas you happen to have laying around. Since the cupcakes can be stored at room temperature for a couple of days (up to 5 if they are unfrosted), they also make a great breakfast treat the following morning.

Get Recipe: Gluten-Free Chocolate Banana Cupcakes

Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Recipes

With just a few ingredients you'll have these gluten-free peanut butter chocolate chip cookies ready for a tall glass of milk. No mixer required! Just a bowl and a spatula and you're on your way to PB and chocolate cookie heaven.

Get Recipe: Monster Cookie Bars

Pavlova

Just like its namesake Russian ballerina, Anna Pavlova, this meringue dessert is as ethereal and delicate as they come. This recipe has a raspberry topping, but you can easily substitute with any other fresh or frozen berries, like strawberries, blackberries, or even currants when they are in season.

Get Recipe: Pavlova

Gluten-Free Apple Tart

An easy almond flour crust made in a food processor serves as the paleo-friendly base for this beautiful apple tart. The apples are thinly sliced and arranged in a round scalloped pattern to make this gorgeous dessert. You can use any variety of tart apples for this, but you can also easily substitute summer stone fruit, like peaches and plums, with great success.

Get Recipe: Gluten-Free Apple Tart

Easy Peanut Butter Fudge

If you love the inside of a peanut butter cup then this recipe is for you! You need only seven ingredients (one of which is salt) and 15 minutes to whip these gluten-free sweet treats up. The hardest part is waiting 12 hours for the fudge to set.

Get Recipe: Easy Peanut Butter Fudge

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie

Something to please everyone at the end of a weeknight meal, this gluten-free chocolate chip cookie recipe comes together quickly since you bake it in a cast-iron skillet. It goes from oven to table in just 20 minutes. Top it with some vanilla ice cream to make it extra extra.

Get Recipe: Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie

Slow Cooker Orange Almond Rice Pudding

Let the slow cooker do your work for you, with this easy rice pudding recipe large enough to feed a crowd. Inspired by Indian kheer, this dessert works served either cold or warm. The oranges and almonds add a delicate topping, but you can easily substitute with chocolate chips, pumpkin pie spice, coconut or any other toppings.

Get Recipe: Slow Cooker Orange Almond Rice Pudding

Chipotle Flourless Chocolate Cake

If you are fan of a little heat with your chocolate, then this gluten-free chocolate cake is perfect for you! We combine chocolate with a bit of chipotle powder and cinnamon so that you can get a beautiful slow tingle after each and every bite. If you’re not a fan of heat, just leave out the chile powder.

Get Recipe: Chipotle Flourless Chocolate Cake

Ricotta-Mascarpone Mousse with Balsamic Strawberries

Tossing fresh berries in aged balsamic may sound like an unusual indulgence, but trust us. The sweetness and tartness of the deeply aged balsamic works beautifully with the color and fragrance of strawberries for this easy no-bake dessert. Make it the day before, and let it chill overnight in the fridge. Try it with blackberries or raspberries if those are in season.

Get Recipe: Ricotta-Mascarpone Mousse with Balsamic Strawberries

Crème Anglaise (Vanilla Custard Sauce)

It's hard to resist the temptation to spoon this rich, creamy, vanilla-y sauce right into your mouth, but it's meant to go on top of the dessert, not be the dessert. Drizzle it over fruit, pound cake, fruit pie, and more to turn average desserts into something extra luscious.

Get Recipe: Crème Anglaise (Vanilla Custard Sauce)

Strawberry Eton Mess

Dessert comes together in an instant—okay, 15 minutes to be exact— when you make this mixture of juicy macerated strawberries, broken pieces of meringue, and whipped cream topped with slivered almonds.

Get Recipe: Strawberry Eton Mess

Limoncello Yogurt Pops

The perfect summer dessert to cool the adults off after a summer cook-out. Whole-fat Greek yogurt, honey, Limoncello, and lemon combine to make this refreshing popsicle. Swap out the limoncello for lemonade, and they're kid-friendly.

Get Recipe: Limoncello Yogurt Pops

Lotus, Purple Sweet Potato, and Coconut Rice Pudding

Sweet, luscious, and comforting, this Vietnamese-inspired coconut rice pudding features sticky rice, purple sweet potatoes, lotus root and seeds, and a little palm sugar. Serve it straight from the hot pot or cold from the fridge.

Get Recipe: Lotus, Purple Sweet Potato, and Coconut Rice Pudding

Raspberry Macarons

Fill delicate French macaron shells with raspberry buttercream filling to make a fancy, gluten-free dessert. These little treats are worth the work. If peppermint is more to your taste, try our White Chocolate Peppermint French Macarons. Or, be ambitious and make both.

Get Recipe: Raspberry Macarons

Chocolate Mousse Peanut Butter Cookie Cups

Dense and luscious mousse with deep chocolate flavor (that also happens to be vegan) fills a small flourless, crispy, peanut butter cookie crust. It's all gluten-free and all delicious.

Get Recipe: Chocolate Mousse Peanut Butter Cookie Cups

Crème Br?lée

You knew crème br?lée was the perfect dessert but did you also know it's gluten-free? This foolproof recipe for the custard dessert with a crisp sugary topping takes you step-by-step through the instructions so you can't get it wrong.

Get Recipe: Crème Br?lée

Flourless Lemon Almond Cake

Light, airy lemon cake is a treat at the end of the meal. Our gluten-free version uses almond flour and gets some zing from lemon zest and ground cardamom.

Get Recipe: Flourless Lemon Almond Cake

Grain-Free Apple Honey Cake

Grain-free, gluten-free, and dairy-free, this apple cake has a festive topping of toasted almonds and a honey glaze. Flavored with cinnamon and nutmeg, it's the perfect fall treat.

Get Recipe: Grain-Free Apple Honey Cake

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Muffins

Gluten-free and vegan, these muffins make a quick breakfast or treat for the lunchbox. Use a good gluten-free flour blend that has xanthan gum for the best results.

Get Recipe: Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Muffins

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cupcakes

Dressed up with nuts, raisins, molasses, and honey, and topped with cream cheese frosting, these pumpkin cupcakes seasoned with pumpkin pie spice are moist and delicious.

Get Recipe: Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cupcakes

Marsala Poached Pears

Sugar, star anise, cinnamon, and cloves infuse Marsala poached pears with a happy, spicy, delicious aroma. Use firm, just-ripe pears for the best results.

Get Recipe: Marsala Poached Pears

Gluten-Free Banana Bread

Use up your overripe bananas in this gluten-free version of moist and delicious banana bread. Simply swap out all-purpose flour for your favorite gluten-free flour.

Get Recipe: Gluten-Free Banana Bread

Nian Gao (Baked Sticky Rice Cake with Red Bean Paste)

Chewy rice cakes, in many forms both sweet and savory, are popular in several Asian cuisines. This version is baked with a layer of sweetened red bean paste in the middle. It’s sticky, soft, and chewy, a little greasy, and very addictive.

Get Recipe: Nian Gao (Baked Sticky Rice Cake with Red Bean Paste)

Watermelon Granita

Freeze watermelon into a simple summer dessert. Pureé watermelon, combine with honey and lemon juice, put in the freezer, scrape it with a fork every hour for a few hours and it's ready to enjoy.

Get Recipe: Watermelon Granita

Read the original article on Simply Recipes.