Gluten Free

Some days require a quick chocolate fix, and these gluten-free cookies are just the ticket.

Deeply fudgy and altogether satisfying, they take just minutes to whip up and don’t require any flour. I think they might be a miracle cookie. With a crispy outside and a brownie-like fudgy interior, there is something for every chocolate lover in these cookies. A glass of milk is almost a required accompaniment. When a midnight craving hits, keep this recipe close at hand. That is, if you don’t memorize it after the first few times making it.

I like to think these are healthy-ish, too, with no butter or egg yolks to speak of. The espresso powder is optional, but if you have it on hand (perhaps from making the Cappuccino Marshmallows), you won’t notice a coffee flavor, but instead a more intensified chocolate flavor. Parchment paper will make taking these delicate-when-hot cookies off the tray much easier. If you wait until they cool, they are prone to fall apart, so grease the cookie sheet well or use parchment paper and slide them onto the cooling tray while still warm. They retain their fudginess when cooled, but are especially delicious warm.

Natalie of Good Girl Style joins us each month to share incredible desserts with Big Girls, Small Kitchen readers–desserts that are entirely gluten-free, but not like obviously gluten-free. That means no specialty flours or hard-to-find ingredients, just lemons, lemons, and more lemons. Want even more GF desserts? Check out Natalie’s Lemon Pudding.

Natalie of Good Girl Style joins us each month to share incredible desserts with Big Girls, Small Kitchen readers–desserts that are entirely gluten-free, but not like obviously gluten-free. That means no specialty flours or hard-to-find ingredients, just cream and milk and sugar. Her take is especially welcome at Thanksgiving, where any baker can contribute a treat that all in attendance can happily eat. If you’d like a plated dessert in addition to the candy below, check out Natalie’s Baked Apples!

Cashews and cranberries herald the holiday season in these luxurious goodies. A delicious twist on the traditional pecan-caramel-chocolate turtles, these candies make the perfect addition to the Thanksgiving dessert table. Wrap them up in a pretty cellophane bag and they make the perfect hostess gift. That is, if you can keep from eating them all yourself in one sitting! This recipe is actually two-in-one, so you’ll get about 18 turtles and a basketful of caramels as a bonus to streamline your holiday baking.

A candy thermometer (you can pick one up at the grocery store) will make this recipe easier, but if you don’t have one you can use the old-fashioned cold-water method as described below. Be sure to stir constantly, but not whisk, to prevent the mixture from scorching. Be careful and don’t try to taste the caramel: seriously, it will burn you immediately!

Natalie of Good Girl Style is on today to show you that there’s more to fruit and chocolate than chocolate-covered strawberries. Natalie joins us each month to share incredible desserts with Big Girls, Small Kitchen readers–desserts that are entirely gluten-free, but not like obviously gluten-free. That means no specialty flours or hard-to-find ingredients, just good old-fashioned berries and ice cream. Don’t miss her recent recipe for these gorgeous Cheesecake-Stuffed Baked Peaches.

The last berries of a now-faded summer melt into this garnet-colored, spiced fruit sauce. The compote comes together quickly with basic ingredients but manages to taste ultra-luxurious. It feels like something you’d order on stuffed French toast in Paris in the fall, or over pound cake at a five-star Southern country hotel. Get creative: Anything you would serve for breakfast or dessert could be elevated with a scoop of this compote.

I’m particularly fond of the sweet-spicy sauce over chocolate ice cream, a delicious and easy gluten-free dessert base. The cinnamon and chocolate combination give the dish a bit of that Mexican hot chocolate taste with a fall-berry-apple-ish flair. Use the best-quality chocolate ice cream you can find for deep chocolate flavor that stands up to the spices and fruit. I like Talenti gelato or Haagen Dazs (shown here). You won’t be disappointed.

Natalie of Good Girl Style is back today to share a perfect indulgence for Easter, once that involves both peanut butter and chocolate. Natalie joins us each month to share incredible desserts with Big Girls, Small Kitchen readers–desserts that are entirely gluten-free, but not like obviously gluten-free. That means no specialty flours or hard-to-find ingredients, just good old-fashioned butter, sugar, chocolate, cream, and rich, creamy peanut butter. Don’t miss her most recent posts, about Strawberry Mousse and Classic Chocolate Truffles.

There’s just something about Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs that remind me of being a little kid. Easter morning held a new dress, a wonderful breakfast, and the anticipation that these egg-shaped Reese’s might be sitting in my basket by the dozens. They are still one of my all-time favorite candies. Clearly, none of the other shapes of Reese’s can live up to the eggs, so I tend to stockpile this time of year.

The homemade version has been floating around the internet, but I wasn’t convinced it could live up to the real thing. Truth is these homemade treats are just as creamy and peanut-butter-chocolate-goodness-y as the originals-and they’re easy to make. Friends: now we won’t have to raid the shelves of six-packs of Reese’s eggs any longer, because we can make them at home any time we want. Happy Easter!

Natalie of Good Girl Style is back today to share the first dessert of spring. That’s right: spring. Please, don’t look outside while you click through this post, and you might be able to delude yourself into believing that strawberries are growing right here, right now.

Natalie joins us each month to share incredible desserts with Big Girls, Small Kitchen readers–desserts that are entirely gluten-free, but not like obviously gluten-free. That means no specialty flours or hard-to-find ingredients, just good old-fashioned butter, sugar, chocolate, cream, and lovable pink strawberries. Don’t miss her most recent posts, about Stovetop Rice Pudding and Classic Chocolate Truffles.

Ahh, fresh strawberry mousse. The pillowy, light pink treat comes together in a snap and tastes of summer sunshine and lazy afternoons. Whip up this dessert when you need reassurance that the snow will melt and we will be wearing shorts, eventually.

In Florida it’s prime strawberry season (and already shorts season, too!), so try to find Plant City, Florida strawberries for great flavor. You can also use frozen berries. If you don’t have time to thaw your frozen strawberries, just run the bag under warm water for a few seconds until the berries soften. With every airy spoonful of this treat, you’ll be transported to a place where the grass is green, the skies are blue, and the strawberries are always perfectly ripe.

Natalie of Good Girl Style is here today, and she’s brought an easy dessert that you can make to satisfy your late-winter craving for easy sweets. And you probably have all the ingredients, which means you don’t have to leave the house til spring. Natalie joins us each month to share incredible desserts with Big Girls, Small Kitchen readers–desserts that are entirely gluten-free, but not like obviously gluten-free. That means no specialty flours or hard-to-find ingredients, just good old-fashioned butter, sugar, chocolate, and cream.

Ahh, the dregs of winter. Here we are, staring at mounds of messy, dirty snow, being tempted by moments of sunshine and blue skies. It could give the most cheerful of us a case of the winter blues.

There’s nothing more comforting for a cold late-winter day than a bowl of rice pudding. Warm, creamy, perfectly spiced-and easy to make on the stovetop whenever a craving hits. You can also top this dessert with raisins and/or caramel sauce. So hunker down with a movie and this consoling dessert, and wait it out. Spring will come. And in the meantime, nutmeg, vanilla and Casablanca will be there for you.

Natalie of Good Girl Style is here today, and she’s brought truffles. Yes, we already celebrated Valentine’s Day (with fondue, with baked pasta, with steak), but that doesn’t mean we can’t go overboard with more chocolate, this time in the form of homemade chocolate truffles for gifting. Natalie joins us each month to share incredible desserts with Big Girls, Small Kitchen readers–desserts that are entirely gluten-free, but not like obviously gluten-free. That means no specialty flours or hard-to-find ingredients, just good old-fashioned butter, sugar, chocolate, and cream.

There’s nothing better than something handmade to show someone you love them. Scratch that. There is: something handmade and chocolate. These truffles are as easy as can be, and sure to impress any lucky recipient, should you choose to share. We all know chocolate is heart-healthy, right? So this is one heartfelt indulgence you can feel good about. Not to mention they are incredibly rich and creamy.

One batch can be rolled into a few different toppings to switch up the texture and create a pretty box should these be gifted to someone you’re sweet on. We’re not going to get into this tempered chocolate business (which makes the truffles shelf-stable), so these truffles will need to stay cool or refrigerated to hold their shape well. They should last up to 2 weeks if kept refrigerated, though I highly doubt any will last that long!