Whatever you’re celebrating—from Independence Day to Thanksgiving, your team’s winning goal or just making it to Friday—gluten-free desserts are delicious menu additions everyone will want to try! Best of all? They’re safe for diners who avoid consuming gluten. Sweets that can be creamy and plush, sticky and syrupy, or rich and decadent, these desserts satisfy mid-afternoon, at the end of a meal, or as naughty midnight snacks!

What makes a great gluten-free dessert? Just like any dish, it should have a perfect balance of flavor and texture. It should also be sweet enough to satisfy! Naturally gluten-free, RiceSelect® rice and quinoa are versatile, reliable additions to any gluten-free recipe. Their gluten-free certifications guarantee that they have passed strict testing and are safe for diners who prefer not to eat gluten as well as those who must avoid it at all costs, due to celiac disease or gluten sensitivities. 

Despite their reputation for being fussy or overly complicated, gluten-free desserts are no more difficult to make than regular desserts. Though they can’t be made with flour, regular cookie crumbs, conventional oats, and other gluten-containing ingredients, they can include fruits, cream, nuts, rice, and other ingredients that don’t contain gluten.  

Delicious in cupcakes, rice pudding, cheesecakes, and more, RiceSelect® rice and quinoa move effortlessly from the dinner table to the dessert course. Use them in a range of straightforward gluten-free dessert recipes, and they’re likely to change your whole outlook on how to satisfy a sweet tooth sans gluten.

What Desserts Are Naturally Gluten Free?

Desserts made exclusively from gluten-free ingredients and that don’t require special substitutions can be considered naturally gluten-free. The most popular naturally gluten-free desserts include rice puddings, quinoa bakes, flans, meringues, sorbets, and flourless cakes made with eggs, rice, quinoa, cream, sugar, and fruits. These types of desserts do not generally contain wheat, barley, rye, conventional oats, malt powder, or other gluten-containing ingredients. 

Keeping Gluten-Free Desserts Truly Gluten-Free

To keep desserts 100% gluten-free, it’s vital to abide by the following kitchen rules:

• As often as possible, use certified gluten-free ingredients. Items that have received third-party certification for being gluten-free, such as RiceSelect® White Quinoa and RiceSelect® Texmati® White Rice, will have a GFCO Certification mark or Certified Gluten-Free Logo on their label. This label lets consumers know that these products are safe for diners with celiac disease and gluten sensitivities.

• To avoid the chance of cross-contamination, it’s important to keep a clean workspace and to use dedicated tools and appliances that haven’t come into contact with gluten-containing ingredients. 

• When cooking for people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivities, always read labels carefully to avoid using ingredients with hidden gluten. Though some sources of gluten, such as all-purpose flour, are obvious, other ones, such as baking spray, are not always as easy to spot.  

  The Celiac Disease Foundation has more resources, tips, and info about adhering to a strictly gluten-free diet. 

Chai Spice Apple Rice Pudding

Made with RiceSelect® Jasmati Rice, this dairy-free dessert is a versatile addition to any menu. Boasting the warming flavors of fall, it’s a creamy, luxurious finale featuring chai-spiced grains, sweet apples, and plump golden raisins. Serve this as a comforting end to a South Asian-themed meal. 

Dulce de Leche Rice Pudding

Creamy, smooth, and sweet, this naturally gluten-free rice pudding is one of our faves! An easy dessert to whip up any day of the week, it relies on RiceSelect® Arborio Rice, plus milk, egg yolks, dulce de leche, and cinnamon for its irresistible flavor and texture. Need a crowd-pleasing treat, stat? Making no-bake, gluten-free desserts is a quick option that still delivers stunning results.

Gluten-Free Rice Cakes, Tortes and Sweets

Avoiding gluten in your recipes doesn’t mean a life without cake, tortes and other tempting types of desserts! Even if they originally contain gluten, a few simple swaps are all it takes to make many recipes into 100% gluten-free desserts.

Almond Joy Rice Torte

For this chocolate bar dupe, we cook gluten-free RiceSelect® Sushi Rice with condensed milk until it’s tender, thick, and creamy. Studded with coconut and chopped almonds, then topped with a smooth layer of chocolate, this torte is decadent, layered with flavor, and just the thing for seriously sweet teeth. To ensure that this dessert doesn’t contain gluten, read the package labels to make sure that each of the ingredients—including the condensed milk, coconut, almonds, and chocolate chips—is free of gluten.  

Amaretto Rice Cheesecake

A showstopper you’ll want to make when expecting guests, this cheesecake comes together easily but looks professional. A recipe that pairs a luscious, almond-flavored filling of sweetened cream cheese and sour cream with a spiced graham cracker crust, this is a perfect choice for celebrations or weekend dinners with friends. For a gluten-free cake, use certified gluten-free graham crackers from a trusted brand, or make your own! 

Cinnamon Rice Fritters

Frying up a batch of fritters is one surefire way to satisfy a crowd! Golden, sweet bites that are best served warm, these RiceSelect® Jasmati Rice snacks are great at any time of day and as part of any meal. To make these gluten-free, use gluten-free baking mix and ensure that you don’t use frying oil or tools that have been used for gluten-containing recipes. 

Gluten-Free Banana Rice Waffles

RiceSelect® Jasmati Rice, bananas, spices, and almond milk come together to create this gluten-free and dairy-free option. A must-have at your next brunch, these also make a surprising dessert that’s great any day of the week. For a sophisticated presentation, make these waffles smaller than usual, then garnish them with whipped cream, shaved chocolate, and caramelized bananas.

Coconut Rice Sweet Potato Cheesecake

RiceSelect® Arborio Rice and coconut milk dial up the drama of a classic autumn dessert in this elegant recipe. Creamy, rich, and surprising, this company-worthy cheesecake just might become your family’s favorite! Made with gluten-free graham cracker crumbs, this dish is safe for diners with celiac disease or gluten sensitivities. 

Gluten-Free Quinoa Cupcakes and Muffins

A wonder food that’s prized for its taste and versatility, RiceSelect® White Quinoa is also a gluten-free baking superstar! An ingredient that adds heft, moisture, and nutty flavor to an abundance of recipes, quinoa can be used in cookie recipes, for cakes, puddings, parfaits, and more. 

Carrot Quinoa Cupcakes

Quinoa cupcakes are moist, tender, and most importantly, gluten-free! Quinoa also adds a welcome dose of whole grains to any recipe it’s part of. For these carrot cupcakes, it’s blended with brown sugar, Greek yogurt, carrots, pecans, and plenty of spices for a fluffy dessert that’s popular with diners of every age. Use gluten-free flour, baking powder, and spices for a completely gluten-free dessert. 

Sweet Potato Quinoa Muffins

Part treat, part protein-packed powerhouse, these RiceSelect® White Quinoa muffins are as good at breakfast as they are after a splendid meal. Gluten-free bakers will want to swap gluten-free flour for the whole wheat and all-purpose flours in the recipe. Want to bump up the sweetness of these little treats? Crown each one with a generous dollop of velvety cream cheese frosting. 

Build Your Own Gluten-Free Dessert Table

Making gluten-free desserts doesn’t have to be complicated or frustrating. Like anything, it’s simply a matter of being prepared. Follow these tips when planning a gluten-free dessert table for a crowd:

• When possible, work with naturally gluten-free ingredients. This takes some of the guesswork out of planning and means that you’ll have fewer ingredients to swap out. Look for recipes made with eggs, cream, fruit, rice, quinoa, and more. Unless you have gluten-free substitutes, avoid those made with wheat flour, rye, barley, conventional oats, cookie crumbs, and other ingredients containing gluten.  

• Simple, gluten-free desserts with few ingredients are every host’s best friend. Look for flourless desserts, such as tortes or macaroons, rice puddings, flans, meringues, chocolate mousse, and other sweets made without hidden gluten. 

• Try to match the gluten-free dessert to the occasion. Ideal for tiny hands, quinoa cupcakes are perfect for kids’ birthdays. Rice pudding, cheesecakes and tortes, meanwhile, are elegant options for dinner parties and festive soirées. 

• Stock up on gluten-free baking basics, such as GF flour, starches, baking mixes, oats, cocoa powder, and RiceSelect® rice and quinoa. As you go, you’ll learn which GF ingredients you turn to the most. 

• Remember that variety always appeals! Instead of making three kinds of gluten-free rice pudding for your guests, choose one, then round out the selection with quinoa cupcakes and a flourless chocolate cake. No matter what type of sweet you’re craving, it’s likely that you can make a gluten-free version that’s as good—or better! —than the original. 

• Looking for extra inspiration? With recipe ideas for every course, RiceSelect® will have you planning everything from gluten-free weeknight meals to over-the-top celebrations! When it comes to the grand finale, get motivated with RiceSelect® and our vast dessert recipe collection.