dessert – Holly's Gluten Free Home

Gluten Free Shortbread

On December 26, 2024

I just came back from the most amazing trip to Nürnberg Germany and the Christmas markets. I had never been to a Christmas market and considered this a once in a lifetime experience. My mom, husband and daughters and I packed up and went for a long weekend. I’m back, refreshed and inspired.❤️

It was amazing. Cold outside (remember we are in Miami, so cold is a nice change), beautiful Christmas lights and decorations, and the markets. The air filled with the smell of mulled wine, chocolate and gingerbread, the excited crowds, the tiny shops filled to the brim with local crafts or treats- it was so much fun!

The market runs from the last Friday of November until 24th of December.

While walking through, I found a booth with shortbread cutters and pins. I have never made shortbread- the regular version nor gluten free, but the simple ingredient list, coupled with the beautifully embossed rollers and stamps, was just irresistible.

We arrived home late Christmas Eve and first thing Christmas morning, I got up to prepare a Christmas breakfast of quiche, sour cream coffee cake (GF), and potatoes. I decided to give the shortbread a try and I’m so glad I did!

Ingredients

Preheat oven to 350 ‘

& lightly grease cookie sheets.

3 cups GF King Arthur bread flour

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 cup cold butter cut into small squares

Dash salt

1 egg, beaten

Ice water – about 1/4 cup

Mix flour, sugar, salt and butter. Add beaten egg and mix well. While the recipe normally has no other liquid, the gluten free bread flour needs some hydration, thus, add one teaspoon at a time of ice water until the dough binds and becomes like play dough. I needed just about 1/4 cup.

Place dough on floured surface and roll out with regular rolling pin, lightly dusting with flour to prevent sticking. Roll to about 1/2” and then roll with embossed pin or stamps.

Absolute stress relief! Roll out dough & make a pretty pattern!

Using a knife or scrolled cutter, cut the cookies into small squares and place on cookie sheet. They can be close together.

Bake for 7 mins, allow to cool and then plate. makes about 75 small, beautiful cookies

Enjoy❤️

“One Bowl” Gluten Free Brownies

By GlutenFreeHolly

On January 20, 2017

In Gluten free, Gluten Free Dining

Rich, chocolately brownies, served piping hot with vanilla ice cream. One of my very favorite things. Baker’s, the brand that makes chocolate squares for baking, has always had a “one bowl brownie”recipe inside the package and I’ve made that same recipe since around 1980! The only difference is now I make it gluten free.

This is as easy as it gets, and as delicious as it gets too! My kids cannot believe this is gluten free. The taste and texture are the same! Oh and yes… you can make it in one bowl with just a whisk and 9×11 baking pan.

Ready? This is 5 mins of prep time….

Preheat oven to 350

In microwave melt

4oz bakers unsweetened chocolate and

3/4 cup butter

To do this, put in large glass bowl and heat on high one min. Whisk like crazy. Heat another 30 sec, whisk some more.. finito!!

Add

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 t vanilla

1 c nuts- I use walnuts

1 cup gluten free flour mix ( I use Pamela’s)

1 cup chocolate chips (optional, too much chocolate for me.. I don’t include, but for you chocoholics, go for it!)

Whisk!

Your almost there!

Pour into greased glass pan and cook for 35-40 mins until knife comes out clean.

Don’t overcook!

Serve up hot with ice cream or cold for breakfast!! Delish!

❤by

Friday Night Peachy Delight! Gluten free and delicious!

By GlutenFreeHolly

On September 11, 2015

In Gluten free, Gluten Free Dining, Uncategorized

Are we there yet? Yes.. We have officially made it! It’s Friday night and I made it in the door at 645. Dinner will not be on the table by 7, but it’s the weekend and I’m so happy to be home! You?

So I’m making gluten free Mac and cheese for dinner … Plain Jane… But sooooo yummy! But my real planning is for a gluten free peach pie! I haven’t tried this before… So, I’m a little nervous (spoiler alert … It turned out really yummy… Fresh, not too sweet and perfect with a little vanilla ice cream!)

peach pie and ice cream!

My week was rough… A newborn baby with a difficult surgical procedure, a teenager with a terrible cancer…Thursday morning, prior to the difficult newborn surgery, I went to 6 am yoga. The teacher said something that really struck me.. “On the other side of fear is freedom”. For some people the fear they face must be so overwhelming… The path to freedom so difficult. For others of us, we are so fortunate that the things we fear may be small, may be truly overlookable …but do we? Or do we blow it up, fret, focus, perseverate…create monsters that don’t really need to exist. Fear is normal. Recognize it, accept it, and move through it. Find the freedom… And try this peach pie!

Crust

2 cups King Arthur gluten free flour

1 tsp salt

2 T sugar

1/2 cup butter

Mix dry ingredients, cut in butter and mix until pea sized clumps

butter and flour… always a good thing

1/2 cup ice water

1 egg

1 T apple cider vinegar

Mix wet ingredients – add a little at a time just until the crust forms

Press crust into pan

the crust… just waiting to be covered in peaches

2 peaches thinly sliced

Place in crust

no filter… just that beautiful

I package of gluten free maple syrup and brown sugar instant oatmeal

1 T soft butter

1T turbinado

Mix above and sprinkle over peaches

ready for the oven!

Bake at 350 for 40 mins

Serve with vanilla ice cream and enjoy!

ahhhhh… that is good!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Did you miss me? Nothing says Summer in Florida like Key Lime Pie! (Gluten free, of course!)

By GlutenFreeHolly

On July 10, 2015

In Gluten free

I’m back from vacation and it’s time to get cooking! I must admit… Since we got home I’ve been sticking to my favorites that I’ve already posted, but truly I’ve been craving Key Lime Pie. I had a little of my daughter’s maybe a month ago… It wasn’t gluten free… I only had a little of the “safe” key lime part… Well… The craving was put to rest… At least for a little while…. Nothing ends craving like worshipping the porcelain goddess..

Ok! For the good stuff. Now, by Key Lime Pie I don’t mean the green one… I mean the beautiful creamy, tart – but sweet- light yellow, makes my mouth water and my head spin with beaches and sunshine and palm trees and warm ocean breezes just thinking about it. One taste can transport me to vacation….ahhhhh. Yes. It is that good! Most like it with whipped cream. I like it with a scoop of Breyers natural vanilla. That light vanilla offsets that perfect sweet tart of the key lime. It may be the best EVER!

What you need and what to do!

Gluten free graham crackers (about 2 cups)

1/2 cup melted butter

3 T sugar

1/4 cup pecans (optional) chopped

Dash nutmeg

Process, crush or squish graham crackers, mix in (with your hands works best) everything else

Save a little of the butter and apply liberally to the pie pan.

Press the mixture into the pan.

Preheat oven to 350

I found these at Whole Foods… pretty good!

little mixing hands work perfectly!

press it all down.. save a little for garnish if you like!

In a mixer, whisk 5 egg yolks until smooth and thickened

Add 1 can sweetened condensed milk – mix well

Add 1/2 cup key lime juice

1/2 tsp grated lime zest

Pour into crust and bake at 350 for 15 mins, then chill. You can use egg whites for meringue if you like.

so yummy…. can you taste it?

if youre not using meringue, garnish with a little lime zest and reserved crust

this isnt breyers… because I ate all the breyers… but it was still good

Serve it up and Be Happy!

Blueberry Cobbler… Gluten free and 5 min prep time!

By GlutenFreeHolly

On June 21, 2015

In Gluten free

Fathers day… Longest, most beautiful summer day of the year… I wanted to finish off the the day with a yummy dessert…blueberries are in season (and even the organic blueberries are 2 pints for $6 at publix) and I saw a recipe for cherry cobbler. It looked fine, but when I think cobbler or crisp, I think BLUEBERRY!!! With Breyers natural vanilla ice cream (my favorite for 44 years) on the side… Summertime, summer solstice heaven. If you can find gluten free instant oats, you can modify this. I could only find the premixed packets, so I chose the maple and brown sugar ecoplanet gluten free oatmeal and it turned out …. AMAZING!!

Here is what you need:

1 1/2 pints blueberries

1/4 cup sugar

1/5 tsp lemon zest

2 tsp lemon juice

2 T corn starch

1t cinnamon

For crust-

1 c gluten free flour mix- I used Pamela’s

1 package instant gluten free oatmeal (maple and brown sugar)

1/2 c butter

1 t cinnamon

1/2 cup pecans

Let’s go!!!!!

Preheat oven to 350

Mix the berries with the cinnamon, sugar, corn starch, lemon zest and lemon juice.

Put in bottom of 9 ” baking dish

Mix softened butter with remained ingredients. Mix gently by hand to “cut in ” butter

Drop batter by drops across the Berry mix

Top with pecans.

Bake 40 mins 350.

oatmeal is gluten free, but there is a lot of cross contaminations… so choose a gluten free brand- like Chex or Ecoplanet

looks good… smells great… cant wait to taste it

here we go! oh yes! Happy Fathers Day!

Serve with vanilla ice cream and Enjoy!!! This is summer and it’s delicious!❤️

by

Mango Ice Cream… That’s how to end a weekend in paradise

By GlutenFreeHolly

On May 31, 2015

In Gluten free

We had a busy weekend, but after the mango smoothies and peeling, dicing and freezing mangos… One of my daughters had a playdate… And they asked to make mango ice cream!

One… It’s fun to work in the kitchen with kids… Two… What a great way to end the weekend!

Mango Ice Cream

3/4 cup mango

1/2 cup sugar… Blend until smooth and then place in freezer

Whisk 2 eggs until light and fluffy

Add 3/4 cup sugar a little at a time

Add 1 1/2 c whole milk

Add 1 1/2 c heavy cream

Whisk in Mango purée

Pour into ice cream maker & Voilà… Summer in the tropics!

the picture belies the deliciousness of mango ice cream made with your BFF

Have a great Monday! (You can do it!)

❤️by

Flan-tastic! (Flan is usually Gluten Free)

By GlutenFreeHolly

On April 9, 2015

In Gluten free

Today is my son’s birthday. Time really does go by too fast. Older parents, especially other doctors, have repeatedly told me their regrets & reminded me to make the extra effort, get home as early as possible, go back in for night work after family dinner when & if appropriate, and be there. I guess that is my advice, too (and I’m not saying it’s easy)…. Be present. With your kids, friends, parents & significant others…& yourself.

Anyway, my youngest wanted to make the birthday boy a Flan, and get him Misha’s cupcakes! On a side note, Misha’s cupcakes are mini little morsels of deliciousness, and she sells gluten free cupcakes too!

Simple Flan

Heat 1 c sugar over medium heat, stirring often until a smooth liquid

Sprinkle 1 t cinnamon over bottom of cake pan and then pour in molten sugar to coat pan

Whisk 3 large eggs and then add

1tsp vanilla, 1/2 t cinnamon

1 can each evaporated milk & sweetened condensed milk, whisk well and then pour over sugar

Make 1 hour at 350, allow to cool & then evert . Serve with berries & whipped cream.