Gluten-Free Recipes for For Kids



Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies

December 5, 2023

Gingerbread, a holiday classic! Use this gluten-free recipe, courtesy of our friends at the Gluten-Free Palate, to make celiac-safe gingerbread houses and gingerbread people. Decorating the cookies will be almost as enjoyable as eating them!

A smiling gingerbread cookie surrounded by cinnamon sticks, star anise, dried citrus fruit slices, and other holiday spices.

Ingredients

Gingerbread dough

  • 3 cups 1 to 1 gluten-free flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup butter, room temperature
  • ½ cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup molasses
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Icing

  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons milk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Mix the flour, spices, baking soda and salt in a medium mixing bowl; set aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar together.
  3. Add in the egg, molasses, and vanilla extract. Cream until smooth.
  4. Add in half the flour mixture and mix until combined.
  5. Add in the remaining flour mixture and continue to mix until combine.
  6. Shape dough into a ball and divide in half.
  7. On a piece of parchment paper, pat the dough down into a 1-inch disk. Repeat with the other half of the dough.
  8. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours, or until cold and firm.
  9. Once the dough has chilled, remove it from the refrigerator and place a piece of wax paper on top. Using a rolling pin, roll dough out to ¼ inch thickness.
  10. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
  11. Remove the wax paper from the top of the dough. Using cookie cutters, cut shapes into the dough. Use a spoon or butter knife to remove the extra dough from around the shapes. Roll extra dough back into a ball, and place the wax paper back on top, and roll into ¼ inch thickness. Repeat until all dough is used.
  12. Transfer the parchment paper with the gingerbread cookies onto a baking sheet.
  13. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are firm and the centers are set. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature.
  14. Make the icing: mix all ingredients in a small mixing bowl until smooth. Spoon icing into a piping bag with a small tip.
  15. Decorate cooled cookies with icing and, if you have them, gluten-free sprinkles or candies.
  16. Let the icing set for a couple of hours before storing. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
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TAGS: DESSERT, FOR KIDS, HOLIDAY


Cheese Crackers

February 22, 2023

You only need five ingredients to make the best ever gluten-free cheese crackers that taste like a name-brand treat! They’re exactly what a cracker should be: crunchy and salty. This recipe is provided courtesy of the Gluten-Free Palate.

A bowl of cheese crackers. To the right is the Gluten-Free Palate logo.

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup all-purpose gluten-free flour
  • ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum
  • 1 ½ –2 cups shredded cheddar (about 6-8 oz)
    • For different flavors, use different cheeses. These photos were taken using a sharp cheddar. For a white cheddar, use white cheddar cheese.
  • 4 Tablespoons butter, cold and cut into 1 inch pieces
  • Extra salt for sprinkling (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
  2. In a food processor, pulse the gluten-free flour blend and xanthan gum. Add the butter pieces and cheese.
  3. Pulse together until it forms a ball (about 2 minutes).
  4. Place the ball between two pieces of wax paper, and roll it out to about ¼” to ⅛” thick.
  5. Using a pastry wheel or pizza cutter, cut into 1-inch shapes/squares.
  6. Carefully peel them and place on a parchment lined baking sheet about ½-inch apart.
  7. Poke each cracker with a fork to prevent over-puffing.
  8. Sprinkle with salt, if desired.
  9. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned on the edges. Cool on the baking sheet, and store in an airtight container.
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TAGS: VEGETARIAN, FOR KIDS, APPETIZERS/SNACKS


Canadian Bacon and Apple Pinwheels

January 24, 2023

Jones Dairy Farm logoThese pinwheels are the perfect star of any lunch box—pack them in a bento box with fruit and carrot sticks or cucumbers for a nutritious lunch on the go. It’s also easily customizable; substitute ingredients in and out for an endless variety of tastes, or to accommodate picky eaters.

This recipe is courtesy of our friends at Jones Dairy Farm. Check the Product Finder on the Jones website to locate a store near you that carries certified gluten-free Jones Canadian bacon.

A lunchbox with the pinwheels on one side and cucumbers and strawberries on the other.

Ingredients

  • 1 (6 oz) package Jones Dairy Farm Canadian Bacon, diced
  • 1 cup finely shredded cheddar, or other cheese of choice
  • 4 gluten-free tortillas
  • 4 oz softened cream cheese
  • 4 oz sour cream or Greek yogurt
  • 2 Tablespoons dry ranch seasoning
  • 1/2 cup apple, diced (or can substitute 1/2 cup pineapple)

Instructions

  1. Mix cream cheese, sour cream and ranch seasoning in a small bowl.
  2. Divide equally amongst 4 tortillas and spread to the edges.
  3. Sprinkle with Canadian bacon, cheese and apples.
  4. Starting on one edge, tightly roll the tortilla, pressing as you go so ingredients stay in place.
  5. Place on a cutting board, seam down, and place toothpicks approximately every inch.
  6. Slice between the toothpicks and serve.
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TAGS: SIDE DISHES, LUNCH, FOR KIDS


Quesillo (Flan)

September 14, 2022

From Maria Luci, Beyond Celiac Director of Research Engagement

This recipe is from my Cuban mother, Ana, who doesn’t always love to cook but when she does she always puts a lot of love into it. She shared this and other family recipes with me when I got married. I treasure the recipe book she made me.

Gluten-Free Cuban Quesillo

Ingredients:

  • 2 cans of condensed milk
  • 2 cans of evaporated milk
  • 8 eggs
  • 8 Tablespoons sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons water
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F
  2. In a small cookie can* make caramel by mixing the 8 Tbs of sugar with 3 Tbs of water over medium heat. Stir continuously until it turns light brown, then remove from heat.
  3. In a separate bowl, mix the condensed milk, evaporated milk, eggs and vanilla. Once it’s thoroughly combined, put it in the cookie can on top of the caramel.
  4. Cook in the oven at 375°F for about an hour, until you can get a toothpick to come out clean from the middle.
  5. Remove from oven and let cool.
  6. When the can is cool, place it in the refrigerator. Leave it there until you’re ready to serve.
  7. About 20 minutes before serving, boil a pot of water.
  8. Once boiling, hold the can carefully so the bottom is in the water. This will melt the caramel.
  9. Turn the can upside down over a large dish. Cut into pie slices or squares.

* Editor’s note: this is my mother’s wording, but I’ve seen her use spring form pans or flan molds like this one from Amazon (affiliate link).

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TAGS: DESSERT, HOLIDAY, FOR KIDS


Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

November 2, 2021

This recipe earned an honorable mention in the 2021 Beyond Celiac Gluten-Free Holiday Recipe Contest!

Recipe by Katie Blauser


Gluten-Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins by Katie

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie)
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup oil (coconut or olive)
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups Josie’s Best Muffins & More Gluten-Free Mix
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup gluten-free chocolate chips

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease or line a muffin tin.
  2. Mix the wet ingredients together well.
  3. Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix until there’s no lumps. Gently stir in the chocolate chips.
  4. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin.
  5. Bake for 22–24 minutes.

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TAGS: BREAKFAST, DESSERT, FOR KIDS, HOLIDAY, THANKSGIVING


Pizzelles

This recipe was the grand prize winner of the 2021 Beyond Celiac Gluten-Free Holiday Recipe Contest!

Recipe by Deb Graham


Gluten-Free Pizzelles by Deb

Ingredients:

Yields 30 cookies

Basic Vanilla Pizzelles
  • 2 cups gluten-free baking mix (flour)
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
  • 2 tablespoons gluten-free vanilla extract
For flavored pizzelles add:
  • Anise pizzelles: 2 tablespoons anise extract and 2 tablespoons anise seeds
  • Orange pizzelles: 2 tablespoons gluten-free orange extract (or Grand Marnier) and 2 tablespoons orange zest
  • Coconut pizzelles: 2 tablespoons coconut extract and 2 tablespoons lemon or orange zest
  • Chocolate orange pizzelles: add ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder and 2 tablespoons orange zest

Directions:

  1. Add the vanilla (or other flavored extract) to the melted butter and set aside.
  2. Whisk together the eggs and sugar in a separate bowl until well-combined.
  3. Add the melted butter and vanilla in a slow, steady stream while continuing to whisk until well-blended.
  4. Add the baking mix and various spices or seeds, orange zest, etc., and using a rubber spatula stir everything together until just combined, but don’t over mix.
  5. Important—let the batter sit for 10 minutes before baking. This will create a better texture.
  6. Drop a rounded teaspoonful of batter into the center of a pizzelle iron.* Close lid and bake for 60–75 seconds, depending on your pizzelle iron. Check for doneness often.
  7. Let cool on a wire rack.
*To achieve a stained glass effect, drop a few multi-colored sprinkles on top of the batter before closing the lid.
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TAGS: HOLIDAY, THANKSGIVING, FOR KIDS, DESSERT


Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes

November 1, 2021

Recipe courtesy of our sponsor Schär

These mouth-watering Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes will delight your friends and family. We top them with Cream Cheese Icing so they look and taste just like the classic cinnamon rolls of your dreams!


Ingredients

  • 10 slices Schär Gluten-Free Artisan Baker White Bread
  • 4 tbsp brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 3 tsp cinnamon
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup cream
  • 2 tsp divided vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp cream cheese, softened
  • 1 tbsp butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

Make the Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes:

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  • Grease a 12-cup nonstick muffin/cupcake pan.
  • Trim crusts from bread. Arrange bread slices on large cutting board.
  • Mix brown sugar and cinnamon in small bowl.
  • Spread each bread slice with butter.
  • Evenly sprinkle cinnamon-sugar mixture on top of buttered bread slices.
  • Stack 2 bread slices together with cinnamon-sugar sides facing each other. Repeat to make a total of 5 sandwiches.
  • Using a serrated knife, gently cut each bread stack into 8 to 10 strips, then cut each strip crosswise in half.
  • Carefully line the muffin cups with the strips, in a circular pattern, dividing the slices evenly to fill all 12 cups.
  • Place the eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and the half & half in a medium bowl. Whisk to blend.
  • Use a small measuring cup to pour the egg mixture over the bread strips, dividing the mixture evenly among the muffin cups. Let rest 5 minutes.
  • Bake for 25 minutes or until cupcakes spring back to the touch. Cool pan on wire rack for 3 to 5 minutes.
  • Use a knife to loosen the edges of the cupcakes, and then carefully invert muffin pan to release cupcakes onto a platter.

Make the Cream Cheese Icing:

  • Combine powdered sugar, cream cheese, butter and remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in a small bowl. Stir until smooth.
  • Spread 1 teaspoon icing evenly on top of each cupcake.
  • Serve warm!
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TAGS: BREADS, DESSERT, FOR KIDS, HOLIDAY, RECIPES OF THE WEEK


Apple Walnut Streusel Dessert Pizza

August 23, 2021

Recipe courtesy of our sponsor Schär

This gluten-free Apple Walnut Streusel Dessert Pizza offers all the sweet goodness of coffee cake in a unique easy-to-serve treat!

 


Ingredients

package pizza crusts
tbsp bread crumbs
tbsp brown sugar
tbsp walnuts, coarsely chopped
tbsp powdered sugar
tbsp melted butter
tbsp cold butter
tbsp cream cheese, softened
tbsp sugar
small apples, very thinly sliced
1/4 tsp cinnamon
tsp lemon juice
tsp whole milk

 

 

Preparation

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Combine the bread crumbs, brown sugar, walnuts and cinnamon in a small bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of melted butter and stir well. Set this streusel topping aside.
  • Melt the 2 tablespoons of cold butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the apple slices, white sugar and lemon juice.
  • Cook and stir frequently for five minutes or until the apples are tender and the mixture is thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and let cool for three to five minutes.
  • Spread cream cheese evenly over pizza crust.
  • Arrange apple slices on the cream cheese, overlapping them shingle style, in a circular pattern.
  • Drizzling any remaining juice from the pan over the apple slices.
  • Sprinkle the reserved streusel topping mixture evenly over the pizza.
  • Bake the pizza 8 to 10 minutes or until crust is slightly golden brown.
  • While the pizza is baking, make the glaze by combining the powdered sugar and milk in a small bowl. Stir until smooth.
  • Remove pizza from oven. Cool for five minutes.
  • Using a teaspoon, drizzle glaze over the pizza.

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TAGS: FOR KIDS, HOLIDAY, DESSERT


No-Bake Red, White and Blue Lemon Cheesecake Mousse

July 6, 2021

Recipe courtesy of Chef Oonagh Williams of Royal Temptations Catering

This is not a baked custard cheesecake. It is a gelatin-set cheesecake that I first made in England and continue to make. There is no baking (apart from the crust, which some prefer cooked but it is not necessary), no worrying if you’ve overcooked the custard, no cracking of cheesecake, no overnight cooling, etc. It is very popular with my students and clients and you can vary the flavors with different chocolates and liqueurs. It is stiff when you remove it from the fridge but softens to more of a mousse consistency when it’s been out of the fridge for half an hour. Gelatin stops it from melting in the heat. “Lite” cream cheese makes a softer-set cheesecake than 100% cream cheese, but I’ve used lite cream cheese for years.

I added my homemade, microwave-cooked lemon curd to cream cheese mix. Homemade lemon curd (made of butter, sugar, lemon, and eggs and can be used to top scones, cakes, bagels, etc) is delicious. Yes, you could substitute store-bought lemon curd, but the brands I’ve seen use lemon oil, pectin to thicken, palm oil, lemon concentrate, cornflour, citric acid, acetic acid, sodium citrate, color, egg powder, water and then call it authentic. Not in my book!

I’ve made variations of this cheesecake for years, from when I lived in London, including versions with Kahlúa coffee, chocolate peanut butter, white chocolate raspberry, dark chocolate orange, margarita, and white chocolate hazelnut praline. Play with flavor variations using these quantities as a guide.

Gluten-Free No-Bake Cheesecake Mousse

Ingredients:

  • Crushed crumbs of gluten-free graham cracker, cookies, or shortbread crust. Schar gluten-free shortbread cookies, 7 oz bag, makes a generous crust
  • 6 tbsp butter
  • 1 packet of powdered gelatin. An orange box of Knox gelatin in the grocery store is 2 and 1/4 tsp (11g)
  • 2 tbsp cold water
  • 1 lb room temperature cream cheese
  • ¾ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 cup, roughly 8 oz lemon curd
  • 1 cup of liquid heavy or whipping cream
  • ½ cup cream with 2 tbsp sugar (whip these together to make whipped cream for decorating)
  • More lemon curd, if you like your cheesecake tangy
  • Fresh blueberries and/or fresh strawberries

Directions:

  1. Melt butter in the microwave in 15 second intervals and then add to cookie crumbs when liquid.
  2. Press the butter and crumb mixture evenly into a 9” pie plate or springform pan and either bake for 10 minutes or just refrigerate. With current temps being 100°F, I microwave cookie crumbs and butter in a microwave-safe bowl for about a minute or two, then press into the pan and refrigerate.
  3. Sprinkle gelatin over cold water, stir in and leave to stand for 2–3 minutes. The gelatin will set in a rubbery lump but will dissolve with microwaving.
  4. Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar and lemon curd. Beat for a few minutes, until light and fluffy.
  5. Melt gelatin mix in the microwave for about 15 seconds. It will stay the same light brown color but should have melted, no granules left. It is important to melt it thoroughly otherwise it will set into little nuggets of gelatin.
  6. Beat gelatin mix into the cream cheese mix.
  7. Beat 1 cup of cream until stiff and gently beat into the cream cheese mix.
  8. Pour mix into pan, over the crust, and refrigerate for several hours.
  9. Once chilled, run a thin plastic spatula or knife around edge between cheesecake and pan, release springform and remove. Leave in pie plate or brownie pan.
  10. Cut a tiny sliver of set cheesecake and taste it to see if it’s lemony enough. You can hide the absent sliver with whipped cream before serving. I often spread more lemon curd on top of the cheesecake to make it really tangy. Whipping cream and adding 50% lemon curd folded in is also delicious for a topping or on it’s own with fresh fruit.
  11. Pipe whipped cream rosettes around top edge of cheesecake, and top with fresh blueberries and strawberries.

You can also make this in 8×8 brownie pan, then arrange blueberries and strawberries in flag pattern.

About Chef Oonagh Williams

I have written a monthly recipe column for Beyond Celiac since January 2011. I have a Culinary Arts degree as well as celiac disease and other food allergies, so I know food and live this way daily. Remember that most real food is naturally gluten-free until manufacturers mess around with it, and only baking really needs changing. Real food is now being called clean eating.

Talks and appearances are currently canceled, but you can connect with me on Facebook at Gluten-Free Cooking with Oonagh or on LinkedIn. I’ve just filmed recipes at home for New Hampshire’s ABC WMUR’s Cooks Corner and they are being aired. I am also being included in the nationwide library database of online presenters.

For new recipes and lots of advice, my e-cookbook Delicious Gluten-Free Cooking is only $20 and available to download on my website. It has tips, full-color photos, and recipes like grandma’s comfort soup, shrimp and crab bisque, English trifle, buffalo chicken, tiramisu, dinner party fare, and more. Follow the link to see the table of contents and thumbnail photos of the full-size photos in the e-book.

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TAGS: RECIPES OF THE WEEK, HOLIDAY, FOR KIDS, DESSERT


Glazed Donut Holes

May 1, 2021

Recipe courtesy of our sponsor Schär

You asked, we delivered. Glazed, soft, easy-to-make donut holes for every donut-lover in the family.

 


Schär Gluten-Free Glazed Donut Holes
Serves 12

Ingredients

slices Artisan Baker White Bread
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp vanilla powder
cups powdered sugar
tbsp milk
For frying:
canola oil

Preparation

  • Pour oil into a large pot until it’s two inches deep. Heat on medium heat.
  • Put the bread in a food processor or blender and pulse until it’s a fine crumb, around 20 seconds.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, put the bread crumbs, milk, egg, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and vanilla. Mix until combined.
  • When the oil reaches 310 degrees F, use a 1.75 inch diameter cookie scoop to scoop the batter and drop dough balls into the hot oil. For best results, use a squeeze-release cookie scoop and don’t overfill the head. (If you don’t have a cookie scoop, you may use a spoon, but your donut holes may not be perfectly round.) Cook five donuts at a time.
  • Let the donuts cook for one and a half minutes on one side. Using a metal spoon or spatula, carefully flip each donut hole and cook for another minute and a half.
  • When they are brown, take them out of the oil and place them on a paper towels to drain.
  • While the donuts are cooling, mix the powdered sugar and milk until smooth.
  • When the donuts are cool to the touch, place them on a cooling rack over parchment paper or foil, and spoon glaze over each donut hole, being sure to cover the surface and allowing excess to drip through rack.
  • Serve and enjoy fresh!
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TAGS: APPETIZERS/SNACKS, RECIPES OF THE WEEK, FOR KIDS, DESSERT