Going gluten-free doesn’t mean dessert has to disappear, and adding dairy-free to the mix doesn’t mean that either. After years of making and enjoying gluten-free desserts, I’ve put together this collection of the recipes I come back to most. Some are naturally dairy-free, while others include simple dairy-free options so you can make them either way. From chocolate cakes and creamy puddings to fruit-filled pies and frozen treats, there’s something here for just about every kind of sweet craving.

I Know How Hard It Is to Give Up Your Favorite Desserts

I know how hard it is to feel like your favorite desserts are off the table. Finding delicious gluten-free desserts has gotten so much easier over the years, but it’s still nice to be able to make them yourself at home. Then you add dairy-free on top of that, and your options get even smaller. That’s why almost every recipe in this roundup either skips dairy from the start or comes with a dairy-free version built right in, so you don’t have to choose between gluten-free and dairy-free. You should still get to have dessert, no matter what you’re baking around.

Classic Desserts without Dairy

These are some of my favorite desserts when I want something sweet without needing to make any substitutions for dairy.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Mug Cake

This gluten-free chocolate mug cake is made in the microwave with gluten-free flour, cocoa powder, and coconut oil. It doesn’t need eggs or dairy, and chocolate chips melt into the batter for an extra rich, chocolatey bite. It’s my favorite kind of dessert for when I want something warm and homemade without making an entire cake.

Dairy-Free Chocolate Pudding

Soy milk, cocoa powder, and dairy-free chocolate chips cook together on the stovetop until thick and creamy to make this dairy-free chocolate pudding. I like to refrigerate it for a few hours before serving, which gives it that smooth, rich texture you expect from homemade chocolate pudding. It’s an easy dessert with plenty of classic chocolate flavor.

Dairy-Free Crème Brûlée

I was honestly amazed the first time I saw how creamy coconut milk makes this dairy-free crème brûlée. Full-fat coconut milk replaces the cream in the custard, which is baked gently in a water bath with egg yolks. After it chills, the top is covered with sugar and torched until crisp, giving you that classic crackly topping with a silky center.

More Dairy-Free Chocolate Desserts

If you’re here for the chocolate, these are a few more dairy-free favorites worth making.

Dairy-Free Chocolate Fudge

This easy dairy-free fudge uses just sweetened condensed coconut milk, dairy-free chocolate chips, and vanilla. The ingredients melt together over a double boiler before the fudge is left to set into a rich, creamy treat. I love that there’s no oven involved, and a sprinkle of flaky salt on top gives all that chocolatey richness a nice salty contrast.

Dairy-Free Hot Chocolate

Oat milk makes this dairy-free hot chocolate wonderfully creamy without any dairy. It’s combined with cocoa powder, sugar, and melted chocolate chips for a rich, chocolate-filled drink that’s especially cozy on a cold day. A little vanilla helps round everything out.

Vegan Chocolate Mousse

This vegan chocolate mousse needs only four ingredients: whipped coconut cream, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Everything gets whipped together until fluffy and creamy. It’s rich enough to feel like a special dessert, but simple enough that I don’t mind making it whenever a chocolate craving hits.

Dairy-Free Frozen Desserts

For even more frozen treats, check out my full Dairy-Free Ice Cream Recipes round-up. Here are a few of my favorites to try first.

Banana Peanut Butter Nice Cream

Frozen bananas and natural peanut butter blend into a thick, creamy soft-serve without an ice cream maker. I make this nice cream throughout the summer, and vanilla plus a little salt brings out the sweetness of the bananas. It’s hard to believe such a short ingredient list can make something this satisfying.

Coconut Sorbet

This simple sorbet combines coconut milk, coconut cream, and sweetened condensed coconut milk before being churned until smooth. It’s rich and tropical but still feels light, with a creamy texture that makes it especially good for scooping and serving at home.

Almond Milk Ice Cream

Soaked blanched almonds give this four-ingredient ice cream a rich, creamy base when blended with almond milk, maple syrup, and coconut oil. There’s no churning required, and the finished ice cream freezes beautifully. Let it sit out for a few minutes before scooping so it can soften slightly.

Gluten-Free Dessert Recipes with Dairy-Free Option

The recipes in this section aren’t dairy-free on their own, but I’ve included dairy-free substitutions in each one. That makes it easy to choose whichever version works best for you.

Pies

For even more pie recipes, visit our full Gluten-Free Pie Recipes post. These are some of my favorites.

Gluten-Free Apple Pie

I make this gluten-free apple pie every Thanksgiving, and it never gets old. Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples are layered with cinnamon and nutmeg inside a flaky gluten-free double crust. The crust turns golden and crisp while the apples become tender and warmly spiced. The dairy-free version uses dairy-free butter and a milk wash instead of egg.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie

Instead of using a traditional pastry crust, this gluten-free pumpkin pie starts with crushed cinnamon cereal, which is one of my favorite shortcuts. The spiced pumpkin filling bakes into a creamy, firm custard without becoming wet or soggy. The dairy-free option uses coconut milk in the filling and dairy-free butter for the crust.

Gluten-Free Pecan Pie

This pecan pie is filled with plenty of crunchy pecans and sits inside a buttery homemade gluten-free crust. The filling combines eggs, brown sugar, corn syrup, and cinnamon for that sweet, gooey texture I love. To make it dairy-free, just use plant-based butter instead of regular butter. And if you want this classic nutty custard pie without the hassle of a crust, try crustless pecan pie.

Gluten-Free Coconut Cream Pie

A toasted coconut macaroon crust takes the place of traditional pastry in this creamy gluten-free coconut pie. It’s filled with a rich coconut custard and finished with whipped cream. For the dairy-free version, use dairy-free butter and milk along with whipped topping made from chilled coconut cream.

Cobblers and Crisps

Warm fruit desserts are some of my favorite things to bake when the weather starts to cool off, and these are easy to make dairy-free with a few swaps.

Gluten-Free Peach Cobbler

Juicy peaches seasoned with cinnamon sit beneath a buttery cake batter that bakes up golden, fluffy, and slightly crisp around the edges in this gluten-free peach cobbler. This is one of the desserts I look forward to making when fresh peaches are in season. The dairy-free version uses almond milk and plant-based butter.

Gluten-Free Blueberry Cobbler

Sweet blueberries bubble underneath a soft biscuit topping that turns golden and fluffy as it bakes. There’s no gritty gluten-free texture, which is exactly what I want from a blueberry cobbler, and a little lemon juice keeps the fruit filling bright. Use vegan butter and almond or coconut milk for the dairy-free version.

Gluten-Free Blackberry Cobbler

Fresh blackberries bake beneath a sweet batter that develops crisp, golden edges while staying soft and fluffy on top for this gluten-free blackberry cobbler. The berries become warm, juicy, and slightly tart as they bake, making this one of my favorite desserts to make when blackberries are in season. I like serving it warm with a scoop of dairy-free ice cream.

Gluten-Free Apple Crisp

Cinnamon-coated apples bake into a sweet, caramel-like filling underneath a buttery oat crumble in this gluten-free apple crisp. The smell alone makes this one feel like fall as soon as it goes into the oven. It’s an easy dessert with plenty of warm apple flavor, and the dairy-free version uses plant-based butter and unsweetened almond milk.

Cakes and Cupcakes

There are even more ideas in my full Gluten-Free Cake Recipes post, but these are the ones I make most often.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake

This gluten-free chocolate cake is rich and fudgy with a tender, moist crumb from the buttermilk batter. Gluten-free flour and cocoa powder make up the base before the cake is layered with chocolate buttercream. It’s the kind of gluten-free cake that disappears without anyone questioning whether it’s gluten-free. The dairy-free version uses almond milk and plant-based butter.

Gluten-Free Carrot Cake

This gluten-free carrot cake is packed with shredded carrots, pineapple, coconut, pecans, and warm spices. All of those ingredients keep the cake incredibly moist and give it plenty of texture. It’s topped with tangy cream cheese frosting brightened with lemon juice, and the dairy-free option uses dairy-free cream cheese.

Gluten-Free Vanilla Cupcakes

These gluten-free vanilla cupcakes have a light, fluffy texture and delicate crumb, with classic vanilla buttercream on top. I’ve made them for more birthday parties than I can count, and they’re always an easy crowd-pleaser. The dairy-free version uses plant-based butter with almond, cashew, or coconut milk, so they’re easy to adapt when needed.

Gluten-Free Vanilla Donuts

These gluten-free vanilla donuts are baked until soft and fluffy with lightly golden edges, then finished with a sweet vanilla glaze. They have the texture and flavor of the bakery donuts I used to miss. For the dairy-free version, use almond, cashew, or coconut milk along with plant-based butter in both the donut batter and glaze.

Cookies

For more cookie ideas, check out my full Gluten-Free Cookie Recipes round-up. These four are some of the most requested cookies in my family.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

These gluten-free chocolate chip cookies have soft centers and chewy edges, with butter, brown sugar, and a little molasses giving them that familiar bakery-style flavor. They’re easy to make dairy-free with plant-based butter and dairy-free chocolate chips.

Gluten-Free Monster Cookies

Peanut butter, oats, chocolate chips, and colorful candy pieces make these gluten-free monster cookies chewy, nutty, and fun. They’re one of my family’s favorite cookies and always seem to disappear quickly. To make them dairy-free, swap in plant-based butter and dairy-free candy pieces for the traditional candy-coated chocolates.

Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies

These gluten-free sugar cookies don’t require any chilling, so there’s no long wait between making the dough and baking the cookies. Vanilla and almond extract give them a little extra flavor, while the plant-based butter option makes them easy to prepare without dairy.

Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Blossoms

These gluten-free peanut butter blossoms are rolled in sugar before baking, which gives them a lightly crackled exterior. A chocolate kiss goes right in the center while the cookies are still warm, just like the holiday cookies I remember growing up with. For a dairy-free version, use the homemade peanut butter cocoa filling in place of the chocolate kiss.

Dessert Bars and Other Treats

Here are a few more gluten-free desserts that have earned a regular spot in my baking rotation.

Gluten-Free Brownies

These gluten-free brownies are rich, fudgy, and chewy, with plenty of deep chocolate flavor. Everything comes together in one bowl, which is a big reason I make them so often. Melted butter, brown and granulated sugar, eggs, cocoa powder, and gluten-free flour make up the batter, while the dairy-free version uses plant-based butter.

Gluten-Free Lemon Bars

A buttery shortbread crust makes the base for a smooth, tangy lemon filling that’s packed with fresh lemon flavor. These gluten-free lemon bars are one of my favorite summer desserts, especially when I have fresh lemons to use. The dairy-free option replaces the butter in the crust with plant-based butter.

Gluten-Free Apple Pie Blondies

These gluten-free apple pie blondies give you all those cozy cinnamon-apple flavors without having to make a pie crust. A soft blondie base is topped with spiced apples and finished with a maple glaze. For the dairy-free version, use plant-based butter and almond, cashew, or coconut milk.

Gluten-Free Rice Krispies Treats

These no-bake gluten-free rice krispies treats are soft, gooey, and crispy all at once, with plenty of classic marshmallow flavor. Butter and mini marshmallows melt together with vanilla before being mixed with crispy rice cereal. They’re always gone quickly at my house, and the dairy-free version uses plant-based butter and unsweetened almond or coconut milk.