So, Christmas was coming up, and I had this idea to try my hand at some gluten-free desserts. It wasn’t for me, really, but we had a couple of folks coming over who needed to avoid gluten, and I wanted them to have something nice too. You know how it is, you want everyone to feel included.
Getting Started with the Gluten-Free Plan
First thing I did was hit the internet, obviously. I typed in “gluten free christmas desserts” and just started scrolling. There’s a lot out there, almost too much. I read somewhere that cheesecake is super popular for Christmas in many places. That got me thinking. A cheesecake, but gluten-free. Sounded like a decent challenge to start with.
The main thing with a gluten-free cheesecake is the crust, right? The filling itself is usually fine. So, I hunted around for ideas for a gluten-free graham cracker crust. Found a few options, some using gluten-free graham style crackers, others using almond flour or other nut flours. I decided to go with pre-made gluten-free cookie crumbs I found at the store. Seemed easier for a first try.
Making the Gluten-Free Cheesecake
The Crust:
- I got those gluten-free cookie crumbs. The package said “graham style,” so fingers crossed.
- Mixed them with melted butter and a tiny bit of sugar, just like you do for a regular crust.
- Pressed it all into my springform pan. Made sure it was packed down nice and firm.
- I baked the crust for about 10 minutes just to set it. Let it cool down while I made the filling.
The Filling:
- This part was pretty straightforward. Cream cheese, sugar, eggs, a bit of vanilla extract, and a splash of lemon juice.
- I made sure my cream cheese was really soft. Beat it first until it was smooth before adding anything else. That helps avoid lumps, I find.
- Then I added the sugar, then the eggs one at a time, mixing gently. Didn’t want to beat too much air into it.
- Poured the filling over my cooled crust.
Then into the oven it went. I used a water bath, which I always do for cheesecakes. Helps them bake evenly and not crack, usually. The waiting part is always the toughest. After it baked, I let it cool in the oven with the door cracked open for an hour, then on the counter, then into the fridge overnight. You really can’t rush a cheesecake.
The next day, I took it out. It looked pretty good! The crust held together when I sliced it, which was my main worry. And taste-wise? Honestly, you could barely tell the crust was gluten-free. Success!
Trying Some Gluten-Free Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Too
Since the cheesecake was a bit of a project, I wanted something simpler too. I decided on some gluten-free chocolate crinkle cookies. I found a recipe that used a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend and cocoa powder.
The dough came together easily. It was super sticky, though. The recipe said to chill it, so I did that for a couple of hours. Then I rolled the dough into balls and coated them really well in powdered sugar. They went onto the baking sheet.
Baked them up. They spread out nicely and got those lovely crinkles. The texture was a little different from wheat flour cookies, maybe a bit more delicate, but they were rich and chocolatey. They disappeared pretty fast, so I guess that’s a good sign.
What I Learned from This
So, what did I figure out from all this? Well, gluten-free baking isn’t as terrifying as I thought it might be. Using a good quality gluten-free flour blend seems important for things like cookies. For the cheesecake, just swapping out the crust ingredients worked like a charm. Reading recipes carefully and maybe even checking a few different ones for the same dessert helped a lot.
It was a bit of extra effort, sure, but seeing our gluten-free guests enjoy dessert without any worry? Totally worth it. I think I’ll definitely be trying more gluten-free recipes next Christmas. Maybe some brownies next time!
