The Best Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Desserts {Dairy-Free Options}

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The BEST gluten-free desserts to make for Thanksgiving. All of your favorite Thanksgiving desserts easily made gluten-free. The recipes also have a dairy-free option. 

gluten-free Thanksgiving desserts photo collage

Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Desserts

I have put together all of my favorite gluten-free Thanksgiving dessert recipes to make it easy to have all of your Thanksgiving favorites. I hope you enjoy them as much as my family does.

Gluten-Free Pie Recipes

A slice of Easy Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie with whipped cream of top with pumpkins and coffee cup in the background

Easy Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie {Dairy-Free-Option} Nothing beats the classic pumpkin pie! This gluten-free pumpkin pie recipe has an easy Chex cereal crust. You can also use my traditional gluten-free pie crust recipe as well.

a slice of gluten-free pecan pie on a white plate with the pie in the background

Southern Gluten-Free Pecan Pie {Dairy-Free Option} Pecan pie is one pie that is always on our Thanksgiving table. The filling is gooey and custardy. This pie is the perfect combination of salty and sweet. Sometimes I make two and add mini chocolate chips to the second pie.

gluten-free apple pie with a slice cut out with apples in the background

Gluten-Free Apple Pie {Dairy-Free & Vegan Options} This gluten-free apple pie recipe has perfectly spiced apples baked inside a flaky gluten-free crust. This classic homemade apple pie also has a dairy-free and vegan (egg-free) option.

Gluten-Free Dutch Apple Pie {Dairy-Free Option} Apple pie is a classic! This Dutch apple pie has a beautiful crumb topping. I really like the crunchiness and sweetness the streusel topping adds to the gluten-free apple pie.

Gluten-Free Coconut Cream Pie

Gluten-Free Coconut Cream Pie {Dairy-Free Option} For those who love a cream pie. This coconut cream pie is so creamy and has an easy coconut macaroon crust. Your coconut fans will love this gluten-free cream pie!

gluten-free pie crust that is baked with apples and a red kitchen towel in the background

Gluten-Fee Pie Crust {Dairy-Free Option} If you are looking for a no-fail pie crust to make your favorite gluten-free pie, try my easy Gluten-Fee Pie Crust recipe! This recipe also has a dairy-free and vegan (egg-free) option.

If you’re looking for alternatives to the traditional crust, why not try our Almond Flour Pie Crust or Gluten-Free Graham Cracker Pie Crust recipes?

Gluten-Free Cake Recipes

gluten-free pumpkin roll sliced on a wood cutting board

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Roll is a perfectly spiced and soft gluten-free pumpkin cake filled with a cream cheese frosting. This gluten-free pumpkin cake recipe also has a dairy-free option. 

gluten-free pumpkin bundt cake with pumpkins in the background

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bundt Cake {Dairy-Free Option} A moist gluten-free pumpkin cake that is perfectly spiced and has a maple vanilla glaze. This gluten-free pumpkin bundt cake is one of my family’s favorites!

gluten-free mini cheesecakes topped with berries

Gluten-Free Mini Cheesecakes These mini cheesecakes are so easy to make! Rich cheesecake nestled on an easy gluten-free graham cracker crust. You can top them with your favorite toppings.

slice of gluten-free cinnamon roll cake on a white plate with another slice and coffee cup in the background

Gluten-Free Cinnamon Roll Cake {Dairy-Free Option} I do not know anyone who does not love cinnamon rolls. This gluten-free cinnamon roll cake has both the texture and the taste of a gooey cinnamon roll.

gluten-free no-bake-pumpkin cheesecake with whipped cream

No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake {Gluten-Free} All the flavor of pumpkin cheesecake without all of the work! This no-bake cheesecake is super creamy and full of pumpkin flavor. This is a great make-ahead dessert.

Gluten-Free Dessert Bars Recipes

gluten-free pumpkin bar on a white plate with the pan of bars in the background.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bars {Dairy-Free Option}An easy recipe for the classic gluten-free pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting. These are a cross between a bar and cake. It’s a cake that you can pick up and eat!

gluten-free cranberry bars on a white plate with cranberries in the background.

Gluten-Free Cranberry Oatmeal Bars {Dairy-Free Option} These cranberry bars are one of my absolute favorite Thanksgiving desserts! I love the flavor combination of the tart cranberries, sweet dates, and oats. I have even been known to eat them for breakfast.

two gluten-free pumpkin pie bars on plates with the bars and pumpkins in the backgorund

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie Bars{Dairy-Free Option} Pumpkin pie bars are the easiest way to make pumpkin pie! A simple gluten-free graham cracker crust cuts the time it takes to make pumpkin pie in half. These pumpkin bars have the same pumpkin pie filling you love!

Easy Gluten-Free Desserts

a serving of gluten-free apple crisp with ice cream on top with a pan of apple crisp in the backgorund

Gluten-Free Apple Crisp {Dairy-Free Option} Apple crisp is one of the easiest desserts to make! I can’t get enough of the brown sugar oat crumble topping. Topped with vanilla ice cream for the ultimate comfort dessert.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread {Dairy-Free} This gluten-free pumpkin bread is moist, full of pumpkin flavor, and is perfectly spiced. This easy recipe is also naturally dairy-free.

Easy Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread Cookies

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread Cookies {Dairy-Free Option} These gluten-free pumpkin cookies are super moist yet light and fluffy. If you love pumpkin bread you will love these cookies!

Tips For Gluten-Free Baking

  • Line the baking pans or baking sheets with parchment paper or gluten-free cooking spray
  • When making cookies use a greased cookie scoop. I personally use a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop.

Gluten-Free Flour

These gluten-free dessert recipes are developed with Pillsbury gluten-free flour. It is a cup-for-cup all-purpose gluten-free rice flour blend and already has the xanthan gum and starches in it.

Most gluten-free all-purpose flour blends have starches and xanthan gum already in them. The xanthan gum helps replace the elasticity and texture of gluten.

So make sure to check the ingredients of your gluten-free flour so as not to add any extra xanthan gum to your flour if it already includes it. If you do, you will get gummy baked goods!

Not all gluten-free flours are created equal. You may experience different baking results depending on the gluten-free flour blend you choose.

These gluten-free dessert recipes with not work with almond, oat, or coconut flour.

Tip For Measuring Gluten-Free Flour

Make sure to use a measuring cup made for dry ingredients (not a pyrex liquid measuring cup) to measure gluten-free flour. I measure the gluten-free flour with the “spoon & level” method.

I use a large spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup. Then I use the back of a knife to level off the top of the measuring cup.

Please do not scoop the flour directly out of the bag with your measuring cup. If you do, you could end up with more flour than is called for in the recipe.

Ingredient Substitutions

I have test-baked these gluten-free dessert recipes with dairy-free ingredient substitutions.

  • For the milk in the recipes, you can substitute it with unsweetened almond milk or unsweetened coconut milk.
  • For the butter in the recipes, you can use dairy-free or vegan butter. I like Smart Balance buttery spread.

Easy Gluten-Free Thanksgiving

I love baking special desserts for Thanksgiving. I always bake my gluten-free pumpkin pie, gluten-free pecan pie, and gluten-free cranberry bars for my family to enjoy on Thanksgiving day.

No matter which gluten-free dessert recipe you choose to make this Thanksgiving, I promise these recipes are easy to make and everyone will enjoy them.

Please let me know if there is a dessert recipe that you would like to see added. Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving!

Mama Knows Gluten Free e-book photo collage

About Audrey Roberts

I'm Audrey Roberts, a busy mama of four and I love sharing the recipes that I make for my family. I make gluten-free family-friendly recipes that are simple and delicious that you can too! I use easy to find ingredients that won't break your budget. You will also find dairy-free options and Paleo recipes. I am also the author of The Everything Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Cookbook, which is an Amazon Best Selling Cookbook in the US and Internationally. Living gluten-free since 2010. I hope by me sharing my journey it may help you with yours.

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2 Comments

  1. I recently made the GF Apple Dapple Bundt Cake. I found smalll bundt cake pans at Tuesday morning, and the recipe was enough for four little bundt cakes and one big one. My grandchildren all have celiac so it’s great to find a new DELICIOUS recipe for a dessert they can pack in their lunch.

  2. Love your blog. I am new to gluten free I was just diagnosed with Celiac disease. Can’t wait to try them.