Gluten free Christmas treats

[littlebug42]

I was wondering if anyone had a recipe for a yummy, gluten-free Christmas treat that would not be terribly expensive. My family is not gluten-free but I would like to make some homemade goodies for a friend of the family that had a gluten allergy. Any suggestions are appreciated.

[Aubrey]

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Coconut-Ice/Detail.aspx

 

These are easy & yummy & don't require anything special.

[Arch at Home]

Meringues or chocolate dipped dried fruit or crystalized ginger would be yummy.

[Heidi @ Mt Hope]

Meringues or chocolate dipped dried fruit or crystalized ginger would be yummy.

 

Yum! My mom (glutten-free) just made meringues. My sister made kettle corn and put some in bags to share at a cookie exchange. A friend made rocky road (just nuts, marshmallows, and chocolate). Another friend made pumpkin bars using rice flour.

[Nestof3]

My favorite (and my mom's who has celiac disease) is this:

 

Just add a Hershey's Kiss to each of these fresh from the oven:

 

http://glutenfreegirl.blogspot.com/2006/10/yum-yum-peanut-butter.html

 

Or make this cake as cupcakes instead:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/garbanzo-bean-chocolate-cake-gluten-free/detail.aspx

 

You can top with a cream cheese frosting. YUM

 

I'm making both of these this year for my mom.

Edited December 18, 2009 by nestof3

[Laurel]

Ooh, Dawn - those PB cookies look so good and so easy. I may have to make some tomorrow for a gift for DP's dad (who also has Celiac's).

[Nestof3]

Ooh, Dawn - those PB cookies look so good and so easy. I may have to make some tomorrow for a gift for DP's dad (who also has Celiac's).

 

I make them all the time -- for our family too. I don't make the ones with flour because these are so easy, and I can always give my mom a few.

 

BTW -- I use my KitchenAid with these just fine. The boys love helping me roll them. I tried making regular ones with butter and flour for Thanksgiving, and they flattened out while baking. I decided to just stick to what's quick and easy.

 

The chocolate cake is amazing. It's dangerous to make because I want to eat all of it. It sounds weird, but it is truly the best eover! It has a good bit of protein in it too. I am lookingf forward to making them as mini cupcakes this year.

[FriedClams]

My favorite (and my mom's who has celiac disease) is this:

 

Just add a Hershey's Kiss to each of these fresh from the oven:

 

http://glutenfreegirl.blogspot.com/2006/10/yum-yum-peanut-butter.html

 

Or make this cake as cupcakes instead:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/garbanzo-bean-chocolate-cake-gluten-free/detail.aspx

 

You can top with a cream cheese frosting. YUM

 

I'm making both of these this year for my mom.

 

I am sot sure if Hershey's is GF. I am pretty sure Ghirardelli is. My BFF is GF (that sounds pretty funny!) and she's super careful about it - and she eats Ghirardelli .

[Nestof3]

I am sot sure if Hershey's is GF. I am pretty sure Ghirardelli is. My BFF is GF (that sounds pretty funny!) and she's super careful about it - and she eats Ghirardelli .

 

There is some debate about this. My mom has never had evident reactions with her celiac, so I cannot tell you that she has reacted to it.

 

Many sources indicate that they are gluten-free, but there is always a chance of cross-contamination I suppose. My mom still cooks my Dad things that have gluten, so she is probably already cross-contaminating to some extent.

 

I guess you could always make them without the choc. drops.

Edited December 18, 2009 by nestof3

[stripe]

Caramels? Nut brittle? Toffee? (slurp)

[Peela]

I make little balls rolled in coconut. They are 2 parts dried fruit (dates, sultanas, apricots, goji berries- anything really) and one part nuts (walnuts are good, pecans are great although a bit oily). Blend well in a blender or food processor, make into balls and roll in coconut. I add a heaped tbs of cocoa as well, and if you added run essence you would have a pretty healthy rum ball.

[athena1277]

Make rice krispy treats, but use Fruity Pebbles instead of rice krispys. FP are GF and make a fun, colorful, yummy treat. My GF dd loves them!

[Jenny in Atl]

Some we have loved..

 

http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2007/12/nirvana-bars.html

 

http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2008/02/cappuccino-brownies.html

 

http://www.recipetips.com/recipe-cards/t--3298/gluten-free-english-toffee.asp

 

http://glutenfreecooking.about.com/od/dessertsandsweets/r/glutenfreealmondtoffeebars.htm

 

And

Gluten Free Mexican Wedding Cake Cookies

(Otherwise called Russian Tea Cookies)

Recipe makes 4 dozen 1-inch cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup pecan halves

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted + 1 cup more for tossing

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons butter, room temperature

1/3 cup whipped cream cheese

2 teaspoons GF vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups + 2 Tablespoons sorghum flour, sifted (with the tapioca)

1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons tapioca flour, sifted (with the sorghum)

3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum

 

Directions:

 

1. Toast the pecan halves over low heat until fragrant.

2. Sift one cup of the powdered sugar.

3. Process the toasted pecans and the 1 cup of powdered sugar in the bowl of your food processor until even and fine.

4. Cream together the butter and cream cheese with the powdered sugar/pecan mixture.

5. Add vanilla.

6. Sift together the sorghum and tapioca flours.

7. Add the xanthan gum to the sifted flours.

8. Mix the dry ingredients in to the creamed/wet ingredients until it comes together as cookie dough (2-3 minutes on medium).

9. Roll into 1″ balls and place the balls on a large plate.

10. Refrigerate the 1″ balls for 30 minutes to 1 hour. (*NOTE: If you need to refrigerate them longer, please cover them with plastic wrap. You can freeze the balls at this point too, if desired.)

11. Preheat the oven to 350F.

12. Lay out the balls on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat about 1 1/2″ apart.

13. Bake for 12 - 15 minutes (Mine bake for 13 minutes) and remove from the oven. Allow the cookies to cool 2-3 minutes before attempting to move them.

14. Dredge the warm cookies carefully in powdered sugar. (I usually put a cup of powdered sugar into a baggie and then toss 4 or so cookies about in the sugar until well coated.)

15. Allow the cookies to cool completely on a cookie rack. (See photo above.)

16. Toss in powdered sugar again, if desired, before serving or packing in an airtight container.

[Jenny in Atl]

Layered Peppermint Bark

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips

2 1/2 cups white chocolate chips or chopped white almond bark

8 large candy canes, chopped/crushed

4 – 6 teaspoons shortening

4 teaspoons peppermint extract

 

Directions:

 

1. In a double boiler, or a metal bowl resting over hot water, melt dark chocolate chips with 2 teaspoons of the shortening and 2 teaspoons of peppermint extract. Do not let the temperature rise above 98/100F or you will break the temper of the chocolate.

2. Once melted, pour the chocolate onto parchment paper on a cookie sheet (that fits in your fridge). Smooth out the chocolate with a spatula to about 9 x 13″. Slide the cookie sheet into your fridge and allow the dark chocolate layer to cool/set for at least 30 minutes.

3. Once the dark chocolate is cooled, melt the white chocolate plus the remaining shortening (2 teaspoons) and extract (2 teaspoons). Once melted, pour over the top of the cooled dark chocolate. Working quickly – as it begins to melt the dark chocoate a bit – spread the white chocolate over the top of the dark chocolate base.

4. Sprinkle the crushed peppermints over the warm white chocolate topping. You can press the peppermints in to the chocolate a bit to make sure they will stick. (Pressing the peppermints in to the chocolate may not be necessary.)

5. Cool for at least 45 minutes in the refrigerator or on the countertop for 1 hour or more.

6. Score and cut into pieces. Store in an airtight container for 7 – 10 days (or until your family comes to help you eat them up!)