50+ Gluten Free Holiday Recipes & Gluten-Free Menu Planning

Happy holidays! Well, almost holidays 🙂 Today we’re going to look at gluten free holiday recipes (gluten free Christmas dinner and gluten free Thanksgiving dinner). I’m also going to walk you through HOW to build a gluten free holiday menu, and at the bottom of this article, I’m going to share gluten free menu ideas.

Essentially, in this article, we’ll talk about the how, then see tasty gluten-free holiday recipes that aren’t super difficult to make, and are kid friendly as well. After that, you can browse through even more fabulous ideas for a holiday menu that’s gluten free and allergy friendly.

Now, let’s dive into part one – menu building.

Note: Be sure to use the table of contents to jump around to items that you need the most.

How to Create a Gluten Free Holiday Menu

Before you hunt down gluten free holiday recipes, you’ll want to build out your incredible menu. There are several things to take into consideration:

Are you gluten free only, or do you manage other dietary restrictions?
Do any of your guests (or those you’ll be dining with) have dietary restrictions outside of gluten?
Gluten free is not the same as wheat free, so make sure guests/friends don’t have a wheat allergy (more on this later).
How large of a menu do you want to create? Something small with a few recipes, or go all out with 9 or more?
How much bandwidth do you have to cook and clean?
Will this be a potluck (this may not be an option if others aren’t GF since the risk of cross-contact would be very high).
What’s the budget?

Once you have answers to all of these questions, you can really write down what you’d like to cook and serve.

Choosing Courses for Your Gluten Free Holiday Menu

OK, now that you’ve answered the above questions, you can put pen to paper. Here are some considerations to make when building your GF menu.

Pre-Appetizer Course: This would be something like an amuse-bouche or hors d’oeuvre. It’s a single bit designed to awaken the palate. You’ll want to lean towards fresh ingredients, and ingredients that can pack a punch.

Appetizer Course: Should be small. Can be as simple as a salad. It’s also OK to not have starters and put out several mains instead. Soup is another great starter (butternut squash soup is a popular option, but you can do anything).

Fish Course: It can be pretty easy to make a fish course naturally gluten free, especially if you’re not frying fish. For an easy way to pull of this course, look into “En Papillote” recipes, where you place all of the ingredients into parchment paper, roll it like a parcel, and bake. It’s an easy hands off cooking method with great results.

Meat Course: This is another course that can easily be made gluten free. The challenge is usually in side dishes, so as long as those are planned well, you’ll have great success. If you need an easy meat dish that will WOW your guests, consider something like this whole roasted chicken.

Dessert Course: This one will be pretty easy in my humble free-from opinion to pull off. There are so many awesome recipes, and products that you can purchase, that are all gluten free. The only issues I could see you running into is shared equipment, or if someone else is more than GF. If you need dessert recipes, check out my GF + Top 9 Free cookbooks.

Want to Skip Courses?

You don’t have to serve your gluten free holiday recipes as official courses. You can always serve everything family style and let guests serve themselves. When doing this, have a large table that has sections.

Have the salads, then the sides, then the proteins, and finally the desserts. Create cute little labels for each item and you’re good to go.

If you’re serving guests who are more than GF, and there are foods they can NOT have, you’ll want to have a separate staging area for their safe items to prevent cross-contact.

CRITICAL NOTE: When creating this setup, also think about food safety. Fish, meat, and some other types of cooked recipes shouldn’t sit at room temperature for too long. You may need to look into “food warmers” for your serving table to ensure proper food safety.

Gluten-Free Bread Options

As you search for gluten free holiday recipes online, I’m sure you’ll be looking for gluten-free bread options. If you’re not a huge bread baker and would rather start with a mix, check out these bread mix options:

One of the biggest tips I can give you when looking for great gluten-free bread recipes online is to make sure they use a flour blend. If you see a recipe that’s for almond flour only or brown rice flour only, know that the recipe will produce a less than awesome recipe. However, these types of recipes are essential for people who are more than gluten free. It’s not that they’re bad recipes, but that you need to manage your expectations if you need to eat this way.

If you can have eggs, look for a gluten-free bread recipe that uses eggs, as you’ll be happier in the end. If you’re vegan, make sure the recipe contains psyllium (seed) if you want a more commercial bread experience.

In terms of breads to purchase:

I’ve heard great things about Canyon Bakehouse (contains egg, one of my kids loves this brand).
Against the Grain sells baguettes and other shapes, and are in the freezer section at many grocery stores nationwide.
Schär has a very wide range of frozen and room temperature breads in stores nationwide.
Be sure to check Gluten Free Mall, VitaCost, Erin McKenna’s Bakery, Arise Bakery, and Modern Bread & Bagel, as they all ship nationwide and have a range of delicious gluten-free bread options.

Gluten Free Holiday Recipes

Now that we’ve covered how to build a menu, I’m going to share a wide range of gluten free holiday recipes with you. Please note: I’m a recipe developer that’s not only gluten free but incredibly allergy friendly. Everything I develop is naturally dairy free, egg free, and much more. If you only want recipes that are GF only, take these ideas and run with them. Do online searches and find recipes that are exactly what you’re looking for.

A Few Appetizers to Get You Started

If you’d like to see more gluten free and allergy friendly appetizer recipe ideas, click here. As you look through recipes, make sure you think about fun ways you can put your own spin on them.

Gluten Free Focaccia Recipe
Dairy Free Queso (GF, Top 9 Free, Vegan, you could use this as part of a fondue station)
Easy Sushi Rice Balls (Vegan, GF, Top 9 Free)
Savory Fried Mushroom Bites (Gluten Free, Vegan, Top 9 Free)

For the Cranberry Lovers

If you’re a huge fan of cranberries, these recipes are a must try.

Chicken & Cranberry Salad
Cranberry Sauce Recipe
Cranberry Orange Cake Recipe (This GF, V, T9 Recipe was a holiday favourite at the free-from bakery I used to own and operate)
Cranberry Orange Cookies (Gluten Free, Vegan, Top 9 Free)

Gluten Free Fish Recipes for the Holidays

Fish recipes come in all sorts of varieties, and you’ll want to think about what types of flavours and presentation you want. For example, if you’re putting together a family style holiday table, a fish fried rice recipe would be an excellent choice.

On the other hand, if you want warm and comforting holiday menus, a creamy shrimp pasta would be a good choice. However, don’t overlook the timing of having these types of recipes, as some fish meals should be eaten right away, rather than hang out on a serving table all day.

Easy Mahi Mahi (you could take this concept and adapt it a bit more for traditional holiday flavours)
Gluten Free Salmon Cakes
Seared Pineapple and Cod Recipe (this is good if you’re wanting an elevated holiday menu)
Gluten & Dairy Free Salmon Chowder Recipe
Honey Ginger Salmon & Rice (kind of like a fried rice)
Gourmet Seafood Fried Rice (whilst this would be amazing, there’s a lot of moving parts, so keep that in mind as you build your menu)

Great Gluten Free Meat Recipes for the Holidays

Some of these meaty recipes may not be the first thing you think of when looking for gluten-free holiday recipes, however, they’re all incredibly delicious. Plus, these are the kind of recipe you can serve to friends and family who aren’t gluten free and have them coming back for more.

Gluten-Free Stuffing Recipes

I have great news: if you have a stuffing recipe you LOVE, all you need to do in most cases is swap the traditional bread cubes for gluten free bread cubes. They can be homemade, or purchased. Brands such as Bread SRSLY sometimes offer GF + V + Top 9 Free stuffing cubes during the holidays.

Cranberry Orange Winter Harvest Stuffing Recipe (this recipe is designed for people who manage less-common allergies and dietary restrictions)
Classic Stuffing Recipe (Gluten, Dairy, Egg Free + Top 9 Free)

Winter Harvest Stuffing (Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Egg Free) by The Allergy Chef Top 9 Allergy Free

Low Histamine Classic Stuffing by The Allergy Chef (Gluten Free, Allergy Friendly)

Amazing Gluten Free Side Dish Recipes for Your Holiday Table

Gluten & Dairy Free Broccoli Mac-n-Cheese
Delicious Mashed Potatoes (Gluten + Dairy Free, Vegan, Top 9 Free)
Stuffed Sweet Potatoes (a great alternative to traditional candied sweet potatoes if you need less sugar overall)
Easy Brussels Sprouts & Bacon

Main Dish Recipes for Your Gluten Free Table

These gluten-free holiday recipes are for main dishes that could be easily served family style.

Mandarin & Pomegranate Rice Recipe (a celebration of winter fruits and super delicious)
Gluten & Dairy Free Cream of Mushroom Pork Stew (this main dish is made in Dutch Oven)
Easy & Amazing Gluten Free Lasagna Soup Recipe (Top 9 Free, insanely delicious)
White Gravy Recipe (Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegan, Top 9 Free, not a main dish but would be a great addition to the table)

Gluten Free + Dairy Free Pumpkin Dessert Recipes for the Holidays

If you want pumpkin to take center stage during dessert, here are some great gluten-free holiday recipes to get you started. Remember, these are all gluten free, dairy free, egg free, and more. If you’re only gluten free, I’d suggest finding recipes online that meet your needs precisely.

Oat Milk Pumpkin Pie Recipe (GF, Vegan, Top 9 Free, and I’m told it tastes SUPER legit compared to traditional pumpkin pie, and here’s a gluten free pie crust recipe in case you need one)
Gluten Free + Egg Free Baked Pumpkin Donuts
Cashew Pumpkin Pudding (GF, V, a great option if you don’t feel like making a full pie, or want something you can dip graham crackers in)
Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread (no eggs, vegan, top 9 free)
Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies (Vegan, GF, Top 9 Free)
Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Tasty Gluten Free Dessert Recipes

Whilst some of these gluten-free recipes don’t scream holidays, each one is incredibly delicious and would be welcome at any allergy friendly table. Also, this is just scratching the surface where options are concerned. Be sure to check out my free-from Dessert Cookbook if you want more options.

Ginger Cake Recipe (Paleo, Truly Corn Free, Top 9 Free, Cinnamon Free)
Almond Flour Tallow Cookies
Gluten Free & Dairy Free Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies (uses faux Hershey’s Kisses)
Amazing Apple White Chocolate Sheet Pan Cake
Christmas Tree Cupcakes (this is a really fun project if you have kids)
Chocolate Mint Cookies
Easy Cakey Sugar Cookies (Vegan, GF, Top 9 Free)
Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

Gluten Free Christmas Cookies

Even though there are gluten free Christmas cookies in other sections of this article, I thought it would be helpful to put all of the festive holiday cookies in one place.

Gluten Free Gingerbread Cookies Recipe
Refined Sugar Free Shortbread Cookies Recipe (cut out cookies)
“Peanut Butter” Blossom Cookies (recipe on my membership website)
Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free Carrot Oatmeal Cookies Recipe
Vegan, Gluten Free Butter Cookies Recipe (think Danish Butter Cookies)
Gluten Free Chocolate Cookies with Peppermint Candies (top 9 free!!)
Gluten Free Vegan Sinckerdoodles (this recipe is from my award winning free-from bakery)
Dairy Free Oatmeal Cookies Recipe (featuring cranberries and white chocolate chips)

Meal Ideas & Sample Menus for Your Gluten Free Holiday Dinners

Before we look at a gluten free Christmas menu and gluten free Thanksgiving menu, I’m going to share a few more ideas. These can be used for Thanksgiving or Christmas, in addition to all of the recipes I shared above on this page.

More Gluten Free + Allergy Friendly Thanksgiving Meal Ideas & Christmas Dinner Ideas

On top of all of these ideas, don’t forget about fusion. If you’re tired of the same old same old, take a cuisine you love, then adapt it. For example, what if you had a taco Thanksgiving. Appetizers could be gluten free tortilla roll ups, starters could be a pumpkin chili soup, the main can be turkey tacos, and dessert can be chocolate churros with candy canes. See the POTENTIAL?! I promise, sky’s the limit on this kind of stuff. Plus, we only live once, so go have a grand old time.

Starters and Appetizers

Dairy-Free Cream Cheese Spinach Dip + Gluten Free Bagel Chips or Gluten Free Crackers for Dipping (or some other kind of dip)
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cinnamon Dip + Gluten Free Graham Crackers
Apple Slices + Homemade Cranberry Relish

Mains

Bison Tomahawk Steaks (only do this for smaller gatherings since it’s more expensive, but also more hands on cooking)
Game Birds (you’d pan sear then oven roast one bird per person, so only do this for small gatherings)
Gluten + Dairy Free Pot Roast
Herbed Turkey (use dairy-free butter if you have guests that need it, and the flavor is just about the same)
Honey Ham (if you can’t find a safe option, make honey pork in your pressure cooker or slow cooker)
Spicy Korean Thanksgiving Pizza (great if you’re a fan of fusion food)

Desserts

Coconut Cream Pie with Dairy-Free Chocolate Mousse
Edible Cookie Dough
Caramel Apples (but make it bar style where people can build their own for a fun and interactive conclusion to your holiday feast)
Churros + Dips
Homemade Candy Cane Ice Cream
Carrot Cake
Holiday Cookies

Layered Desserts

I wanted to touch on layered desserts because this is another area with loads of potential. Think brownie base + frosting + chocolate chip cookie crumbles + caramel sauce drizzled on top.

If you opt for layered desserts, bring together items that pair well together in both flavour and texture, but also, don’t be afraid of a five layer dessert. Really have fun with this one.

Pies, Pie Crust, & Puff Pastry Focused

Pies are great, but so are homemade pop tarts, homemade hand pies, and homemade creations that use gluten free puff pastry. I won’t talk your ear off because I’ve already kept you here for a long time, but there are so many videos and recipes online that you can find.

Where a recipe (or online account you follow) uses traditional puff pastry, use gluten free puff pastry instead. It’s a 1:1 substitution. I want you to be thinking about holiday flavours such as:

Pumpkin Cinnamon Pop Tars
Cranberry Apple Puff Pastry Dessert
Chocolate Pop Tarts with Candy Cane Topping
Chocolate and Mint Pies

Sample Gluten Free Thanksgiving Dinner Menu

For this sample menu, I’ve included 2 to 3 options for each course. You can use them all if you’re hosting a large holiday dinner with friends and family, or choose one for a smaller gathering.

Thanksgiving Pre-Starter

Eggplant Dip + Fresh Vegetables (peppers, carrots, etc.)
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Dip + Cinnamon Graham Crackers

Gluten Free Thanksgiving Appetizer

Quinoa + Feta + Cranberry Salad
Cobb Salad
Butternut Squash Soup
Chowder (salmon, potato, or mushroom)

GF Thanksgiving Main

Classic Thanksgiving Turkey
Exciting Thanksgiving Turkey (see my answer to the turkey seasoning question in the FAQ for ideas)
Turkey Pot Pie
Thanksgiving Pizza
Turkey Meatballs + Cranberry Sauce (not a gel)
Whole Roasted Fish (carve at the table for the wow factor)

Thanksgiving Sides

Mashed Potatoes
Oven Roasted Vegetables
Dairy-Free Sweet Potato Casserole
Green Bean Casserole
Stuffing
Sweet Potato Casserole OR Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Cheesy Veggies (works with just about all vegetables)
Gluten Free Bread Rolls and/or Gluten Free Cornbread

And Finally, Thanksgiving Dessert

Pumpkin Pie
Sweet Potato Pie
Pumpkin Cookies; Pumpkin Bread + Cream Cheese Frosting
Vanilla Cake
Carrot Cake
Fall Flavoured Cookies (pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, etc.)

Sample Gluten Free Christmas Dinner Menu

For this sample menu, I’ve included 2 to 3 options for each course. You can use them all if you’re hosting a large holiday dinner with friends and family, or choose one for a smaller gathering. Actually, I went a little overboard on the desserts. Sorry not sorry.

GF Christmas Pre-Starter

Fruit & Veg Platter (with a few dips or gluten free salad dressings)
Santa Hats (banana slice + strawberry + mini marshmallows on a toothpick)

GF Christmas Appetizers

Soup or Chowder
Cranberry Chicken Salad
Homemade Gluten Free Focaccia + Dip (can be basic like oil + vinegar)

Gluten Free Christmas Entrees

Crown Rack of Lamb with Pomegranate
Honey Ham
Whole Roasted Chicken
Quail or Game Birds (only do this for a small gathering because it’s one bird per person and can be a lot of work for a big holiday feast)
Garlic Feta Spinach Burgers (the spinach = green = festive, but also, easy)

Christmas Dinner Sides

Mashed Potatoes
Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Eggplant Parmesan (use an easy oven baked method)
Oven Roasted Vegetables
Flavoured Cornbread (make something that POPS)
Stuffing (but do something different with the spices if you made it for Thanksgiving)

Christmas Dessert AKA Christmas Pudding

French Apple Pie
Shortbread Cookies with Crushed Candy Canes
Gluten Free Chocolate Cookies
Homemade Pistachio Chocolate Truffles
Sweet Potato Pie with Maple Ginger Glazed Pecans
Chocolate Cake + Mint Frosting + Crushed Candy Canes
Chocolate Mint Mousse Pie
Chocolate Mint Meringue Pie with Crushed Candy Canes

Answering Your Gluten Free Holiday Recipes & Menu Questions

What kind of desserts can I serve if I don’t enjoy baking?

I can tell you, from personal experience, nothing will ruin your holiday season faster than making meals you hate making. So, let’s look at desserts that are either stove top focused, no-bake, or something you can purchase.

Purchase seasonal pies from brands like Raised Gluten Free (you can find them at Whole Foods and other natural/organic grocery stores)

Purchase Sweet Lorens Pre-Made Cookie Dough. I know you don’t like baking, but maybe this doesn’t count? You transfer the pre-made and shaped dough to the baking tray and pop it in the oven. It takes less than 5 minutes, and once the cookies cool, pop them on a festive plate and call it a day.

Now, let’s look at some easy options you can make at home:

Holiday Chia Pudding

Blend together a dairy free milk with chia seeds, dates, organic cacao powder, and two drops of food grade organic peppermint oil. Once it’s blended, transfer to individual ramekins, cover, and fridge overnight. Serve with crushed candy cane for an extra festive pop.

No Bake Cheesecake

These can be made the vegan way with melted coconut oil and a blender, or you can do it the cream cheese way. I won’t talk your ear off about the different methods because there are a million recipes online you can follow. Also, if you’ve never made these before, find a recipe for each type, make a half batch of each, and see which one you like better.

The coconut oil version can be a little jarring if you’re not used to the flavor, so starting with half batches is a great way to go.

Chocolate Tofu Pie (you can use soy free tofu if needed)

OK, for this one, you will need some kind of crust or graham cracker as a vessel. For ease, you can purchase pre-made gluten free pie crust, bake on a tray, then cool completely. Hopefully that doesn’t really count as baking since you’re just opening a package and popping it in the oven. Alternatively, serve with some gluten free graham crackers and call it day.

In your food processor, combine tofu or soy free tofu with organic dark brown sugar, organic vanilla extract, organic cacao, and a few drops of food grade organic peppermint oil. Get that processed and a smooth silky pie filling should form.

Transfer it to your cooled pie crust, cover, and allow it to set in the fridge overnight. Anytime I make this, it gets nothing but rave reviews & comments, and seriously, it takes less than 10 minutes of hands on action.

Banana Pudding

You know that dessert with wafer cookies, a banana pudding drowning in condensed milk, and some kind of banana topping? That. Make that. You’ll get loads of positive feedback from friends and family.

Kinnikinnik sells a gluten free wafer cookie in that style. You can purchase dairy-free condensed milk. Make pan seared banana sliced with organic maple sugar, cinnamon, a dash or nutmeg, and maybe a pinch of ginger. Assemble in cute glasses, cover, and chill overnight in the fridge.

You can also make this with a chocolate pudding instead of the classic approach. There are no wrong answers here.

Fruit Platter + Sweet Dips

Put together a collection of fruits that taste good with chocolate, vanilla, and cinnamon (bananas, strawberries, etc.). Make three sweet cream cheese dips by combining dairy free cream cheese with a sweetener of choice and the flavouring agent:

Dairy Free Cream Cheese + Vanilla Extract + Medjool Dates
Dairy Free Cream Cheese + Organic Cacao Powder + Organic Light Brown Sugar + Vanilla Extract
Dairy Free Cream Cheese + Organic Maple Sugar + Organic Ground Cinnamon + Organic Ground Ginger

To get dates blended well, you’ll need a food processor. Alternatively, you can use date syrup, but that’s going to greatly alter the texture of your dip since it’s a liquid, rather than the solid fruit.

Which herbs or spices should I use when cooking a turkey?

When it comes to choosing flavors everyone will love, you’ll want to stick with classic spices and herbs for your turkey. Before we go any further though, friendly reminder, spices can contain gluten (usually from additives), even in the organic brands. There’s also shared equipment. This is the brand that I personally use that’s GF + Top 9 Free.

Having said that, if you can find “poultry seasoning” that’s legit gluten free, it’s a fabulous starting point. If you’d rather make your own spice and herb blend at home, here’s the ingredients I’d encourage you to start with:

Onion Powder or Onion Granules
Garlic Powder or Garlic Granules
Marjoram
Thyme
Rosemary (use ground rosemary instead of sprigs if you don’t want comments from the peanut gallery)
Tarragon (use this if you want some French vibes)
Ancho Chili Powder (this is a mild chili that delivers flavour without heat)
Smoked Paprika or Sweet Paprika

BIG Tip: for ease, combine a large amount of the herbs and spices together in a small bowl. Mix it together really well, then use that to season your turkey. This will be much easier than trying to apply seasonings one at a time.

All of the spices should be organic if you want the best reviews from your guests, as they will be able to taste the difference. Now, if you’re like me and you want to make a holiday dinner that breaks all the rules, let’s TALK. Because I’ve got some ideas for turkey seasonings people won’t see coming.

Maple Curry Ginger Turkey

Organic Maple Sugar
Organic Ground Ginger
Organic Ground Cinnamon
Organic Ground Mustard
Organic Ground Cumin (only a very small amount)
Organic Onion Granules
Organic Dried Parsley Flakes

Holiday BBQ Turkey Seasoning

Organic Maple Sugar
Organic Ancho Chili
Organic Dried Marjoram
Organic Ground Mustard
Organic Ground Cumin (only use a small amount)
Organic Onion Granules
Organic Garlic Granules
Organic Ground Chipotle (measure with your guests in mind because too much = way too spicy)

Middle Eastern Turkey Feast

Organic Light Brown Sugar (not a lot)
Organic Sumac
Organic Fresh Lemon Zest
Organic Dried Parsley Flakes
Organic Smoked Paprika
Organic Onion Granules
Organic Garlic Granules

Asian Fusion Holiday Turkey Seasonings

Organic Dark Brown Sugar (not a lot)
Organic Ground Chinese Five Spice
Organic Onion Granules
Organic Fresh Orange Zest
Some kind of heat spice (red pepper flakes, etc., but not a lot because we want guests to enjoy the experience)

You can also go in a different Asian direction like Thai, etc. Something with lemongrass could be fantastic!

Spicy Korean Thanksgiving Turkey

Korean Gochujang (a type of chili paste)
Organic Maple Sugar
Organic Orange Juice (pulp free)
Organic Fresh Orange Zest
Organic Onion Granules
Organic Dried Marjoram

Is there a pre-made gluten free pie crust I can purchase?

As you go about making pies this holiday season, know that there are a few pie crusts you can purchase. Unfortunately, there aren’t loads to choose from, but they’re there if you need them. I’m also including puff pastry because they can be a good base for pies if needed (with some managed expectations of course).

Wholly Wholesome Gluten Free Frozen Pie Crust
(top 9 free, top 14 free, last I checked, top 9 free equipment but double check)

Sold at a wide range of natural, organic, and co-op style grocery stores.

Mi-Del Gluten Free Graham Cracker Crust
(top 9 free, shared facility with egg, sesame, soy, and tree nuts)

This one seems to have pretty wide distribution and you can find it in a lot of stores. This product is shelf stable, and usually sold in the baking aisle.

Diamond Pecan Crust
(contains tree nuts, shared equipment with other tree nuts, milk, peanuts, sesame, and soy)

I’ve never seen this in an organic or natural store, with the most likely reason being the ingredients (some are questionable), so I can’t tell you much. Also, it contains oat flour but doesn’t say “gluten free oat flour” so get in touch before making a purchase.

Dufour Puff Pastry
(contains milk, shared equipment with soy, egg, wheat)

They have good distribution and you’ll find this in the freezer section.

Sweet Lorens Puff Pastry
(top 9 free, made in a dedicated room free from gluten, wheat, milk, peanuts, and tree nuts)

I’ve only seen this here and there, but, the brand has a great store locator on their site. Go there, and it shows you which products are sold at which stores in your area, making your life so much easier. You’l find her puff pastry in the fridge section somewhere.

Schär Puff Pastry
(contains soy, may contain sesame)

This is only sold at a few organic, natural, and co-op stores. Check their website for a store locator, but also call around. You’ll find this product in the freezer section.

What are some good snacks I can set out as guests arrive?

The easiest snacks to set out will be:

Platter of Seasonal Fruit, pre-sliced
Sliced Apples + Three Easy Dips (think seasoned cream cheese dips)
Graham Crackers + Seasoned Cream Cheese Dip (lean into fall flavors for this dip)
Platter of Dried Fruits + Cheese + Gluten Free Crackers (aim for a lazy charcuterie board)
Deviled Eggs (these can be made in about 15 minutes of actual hands on cooking time)
Vegetable + Meat Dipping Platter (like the kind they sell at Costco, just make sure if you use pre-made dressing that it’s safe for everyone)

Is it possible to make holiday desserts without any added sugars (not even Stevia, etc.)?

I’d say yes, so long as you go into your situation eyes wide open and manage your expectations. Without any form of added sugars, you’re going to have to lean into a collection of fruits that are naturally very sweet. This would include applesauce, ripe bananas, and other in season ripe fruits. Dried fruits can also deliver big time since the natural sugars are very concentrated.

I’m going to assume that you’re only gluten free since that’s the focal point of this article because to pull off completely sugar free, you’re going to need some assistance from ingredients like egg whites and heavy whipping cream.

Essentially, your formula is going to be something like: Crunchy Base + Ripe & Naturally Sweet Fruit + Whipped Topping + Dusting.

Now, here’s what that looks like in reality:

Homemade gluten free applesauce sweetened graham crackers + ripe sliced bananas that are pan seared for added flavour + heavy whipping cream that’s whipped up fresh + light dusting of organic cacao (use a fine mesh sieve).

Another example: Applesauce sweetened pumpkin pancakes + ripe sliced bananas + whipped egg whites with hot apple juice (instead of hot sugar, to make a faux meringue) + light dusting of organic ground cinnamon or organic pumpkin pie spice (use a fine mesh sieve).

Hopefully these examples paint a clear picture in your head. Alternatively, if dates are OK to use, look up “raw food dessert recipes”. Since all of the recipes are uncooked, the raw food chefs lean hard into dates as a sweetener.