Thanksgiving is a time for celebrating the abundance in our harvest, and in our lives. Most families center the celebration around the meal, but because so many of us have dietary restrictions, offering delicious options for everyone can be a challenge.
Fear not! Behold the sand-scrutinized recipes for good mouth-feel and good flavor, which is something we really want from our treats on a holiday. With these five gluten-free fall treats, you can spend less time fretting over the menu, and more of your holiday being present and joyful both in the preparation, and the celebrating!
For all recipes I used Krusteaz™ Gluten Free All Purpose Flour, because it contains xanthan gum, which many gluten-free recipes require, however if you know your measurements and have a particular ingredient preference, substitute accordingly.
PUMPKIN DONUTS
These are taste-tested and approved by my husband, the most scrutinous non-gluten free palate west of the Rockies, and he even went back for seconds…and thirds!
Donut Ingredients:
1 cup gluten-free flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. clove
1/3 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1 egg
¼ cup rice milk
2 tbsp. coconut oil, warmed
Glaze Ingredients:
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tbsp. rice milk (add more or less depending on the consistency you prefer)
1-1/2 tbsp. maple syrup, the darker the better
1 tbsp. coconut oil, warmed (Optional, but the glaze has a nicer dried consistency with it.)
Set oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and place measured coconut oil in the oven until it turns clear, but not hot. Watch it carefully or set a timer for 5 minutes and keep checking it.
Time to make the donuts:
Mix your dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, and spices.
In a separate bowl, mix your liquid ingredients: puree, brown sugar, egg, rice milk, and coconut oil. Add this mixture slowly to the dry ingredients until well-blended. Grease a donut or muffin pan with coconut oil, either using the spray or by greasing by hand. Spoon in your mixture, then place in the oven for approx. 20 minutes for muffin pans, much sooner for donut pans, checking at about 10 minutes.
Making the glaze:
In a medium-sized bowl, mix confectioners’ sugar, cinnamon, rice milk and maple syrup together, blending until smooth. Note, if your mixture is too watery, it will sink into the donuts and disappear. If your mixture’s too watery, just add more sugar to your blend. Aim for NO LUMPS by pressing the mixture to the side of the bowl as you mix.
Your donuts are done when a toothpick is inserted into the middle of one, and comes out clean. Quickly transfer the baked donuts to a cooling rack, and let sit for approximately 10 minutes. If the donuts are too warm, the glaze will absorb into the donuts. Be patient!
Add glaze with a spoon to your donuts, and let them dry. More waiting…
When the glaze is no longer gooey on the outside, your donuts are DONE! Enjoy the tasty treat!
APPLE BUTTER PUMPKIN MUFFINS
Ingredients:
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup gluten-free apple butter
3 eggs
½ tsp. sea salt
½ cup dark brown sugar
1-1/2 cups gluten-free flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. clove
¾ cup coconut oil, warmed in oven, but not hot!
Set oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Combine pumpkin, apple butter, eggs, sea salt, and dark brown sugar in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and clove in a separate bowl. Once the dry ingredients are blended, slowly add the liquid ingredients until fully mixed. Then add your oil and mix well, just before you transfer the ingredients to coconut oil greased muffin tins.
Bake for 20 minutes, then check with a toothpick. When the toothpick comes out clean, transfer to a cooling rack. Once completely cooled, place in an airtight container, or bag separately and place in the freezer for storage.
SWEET POTATO PECAN SCONES
2 cups gluten-free flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. clove
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. ginger
½ tsp. cardamom
½ cup chopped pecans
7 tbsp. white sugar
6 tbsp. cold butter
½ cup sweet potato, pureed
¼ cup plain unsweetened Greek yogurt
¼ cup chopped pecans for sprinkling (optional)
Glaze Ingredients:
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tbsp. rice milk (add more or less depending on the consistency you prefer)
1-1/2 tbsp. maple syrup, the darker the better
1 tbsp. coconut oil, warmed. (This is optional, but the glaze has a smoother dried consistency with it.)
Note: This is the same glaze as for the donuts, so if you’re making both, double it!
Preheat oven to 400° Fahrenheit.
Mix dry ingredients of flour, baking powder, salt, spices, pecans and sugar. Chop up the butter and mix it into the dry ingredients by using a pastry blender, or by pressing the butter between fingers to blend. Add in yogurt and sweet potato, and knead with hands. When well-mixed, form the dough into a ball and chill for 10 minutes.
Roll dough into biscuit-sized balls, then flatten slightly, or to shape into triangles, press three sides of the biscuits onto a flat surface. Sprinkle with additional chopped pecans if desired, and place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or greased with oil or butter.
Bake until firm and very lightly browned. Cool on baking rack, and glaze when cooled.
APPLE CINNAMON PANCAKES
These can be made as light, thin pancakes by adding more water, or for a more decadent morning treat, keep a thicker batter and cook in more oil for a fritter-like cake.
Ingredients:
1-1/4 cups gluten-free flour
½ tbsp. sugar
½ tsp. salt
1 cup milk
½ cup gluten-free apple butter
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 egg
1 tbsp. melted butter
1 tbsp. water
1 cup finely chopped apple (about ¾ large apple needed)
Chop apple, removing seeds first. This is best done in a vegetable chopper, with skins on.
Mix together dry ingredients of flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon, then mix apples, milk, egg, and butter.
Heat a skillet with plenty of oil for fritter-like cakes, and 1-2 tablespoons of oil for less greasy pancakes. Mix a little water in for thinner pancakes, or spread out in pan after poured, to avoid raw middles.
Served great with maple syrup but best with butter and powdered sugar, or just apple butter.
SWEET POTATO PIE
It’s best to blind bake your pie crust fully beforehand to avoid doughy, damp crust.
Pie Crust
1-1/4 cups gluten-free flour
1 tbsp. sugar
½ tsp. salt
6 tbsp. cold butter
1 egg
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
Preheat oven to 400° Fahrenheit.
Mix flour, sugar and salt together. Chop up cold butter and blend in mixture with hands, or a pastry blender. Whisk egg and vinegar together in a separate bowl. Add to dry ingredients. Mix well. Add 1 tbsp. water if too dry, then with wet hands, blend mixture with hands into a ball. Place directly in pie crust pan and shape. Lay a piece of foil on top of crust, making sure the foil covers the sides of the crust completely, to avoid over-browning. Pour 1 lb. of dry beans (for pie weights) on top of the foil. Place in oven and bake for approximately 15 minutes, and then remove foil and beans and bake an additional 3-5 minutes to fully cook bottom of pie crust.
Pie Filling
1-1/2 cups of sweet potato, pureed
2 eggs
¼ cup coconut milk
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. cardamom
1 tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. clove
½ tsp. gluten-free vanilla extract
Set oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Blend all ingredients well, and place in pie crust. Cover crust edges with aluminum foil to avoid burning, and bake for approximately 40 minutes or until the center is firm, and not jiggly. Serve with whipped cream, or butter pecan ice cream.
NOTE:
If you are using a different gluten-free flour, check that your brand includes xanthan gum. If not, you will need to add it accordingly based on the flour you prefer. Please note: This website, nor the author of the article has any financial affiliation with the brands listed in this article.
