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Gluten Free Thanksgiving Favorites
Here is a collection of some of my favorite recipes for an enjoyable gluten-free Thanksgiving! From sides to desserts, I have you covered!
November 20 2020
With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I wanted to give you some options for some great gluten free recipes I’ve gathered over the years.
It can be daunting to plan for a gluten free Thanksgiving, especially if you’re the only one in the family that requires accommodations. You want to make sure everyone is happy and can enjoy your “special dishes” too, if possible. A delicious gluten free Thanksgiving is possible, and I hope you find some inspiration from my list of tried and true recipes below.
Best case scenario? No one will even know that your whole menu is gluten free. You can always warm up artisan rolls or Rhodes frozen bread dough for those bread-lovers that would definitely notice the difference.
Appetizers & Side dishes
I’ll go ahead and say that I think these are even more important than the turkey! I love mixing up traditional favorites with interesting sides and appetizers to keep each year interesting.
This Spinach Artichoke Dip with Pull-Apart Rolls from Cast Iron Keto would be a wonderful way to start Thanksgiving! It’s creamy and flavorful, with homemade cheese-based rolls that’ll make you forget you’re eating keto. *Bonus* — because it’s made it a cast iron skillet, it stays very hot if you want to use this as an appetizer while waiting on the main affair.
I remember adding a little extra liquid to my dip mixture because it was a bit thick for my taste.
These adorable little bites are a great way to mix up your usual menu. Made of cheeses, pecans, cranberries, and spices, Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Truffles are naturally gluten free so you don’t need to buy any special substitutions. They come together in just 15 minutes, and the best part is that you can prepare them up to 3 days early!
Serve them as a appetizer with crackers or crostini, or as a special side with your meal.
from Grandbaby Cakes
My family loves a Harvest Salad for Thanksgiving, and this recipe from Grandbaby Cakes is the most similar I’ve found to what we make. Jocelyn’s Harvest Fall Salad is full of delicious bites of honeycrisp, pear, and feta for a lighter part of your big day.
I usually don’t add bacon or lettuce, but this looks so good that I’ll be trying it soon!
You will not regret making these amazing Roasted Carrots with Candied Pecans and Goat Cheese from Inspired by Charm. The concept is simple enough, but it’s an exciting way to switch up traditional Thanksgiving flavors.
When I made these, I could not find the adorable multi-colored whole carrots. Instead, I used regular carrots and cut them into thick wedges for faster cooking — still amazing. You can’t go wrong here!
from Crowded kitchen
One of the most special dishes we’ve tried over the years is Hasselback Butternut Squash with Maple Herb Glaze. This variety from Crowded Kitchen has delicate fresh herbs like sage and thyme plus a buttery pecan and gluten free breadcrumb topping — trust me, you will definitely want to save room for seconds. It. Is. SO. Good.
This one also has a great make-ahead option too! Roast the squash first, refrigerate until ready, and finish the last 30 minutes of baking with its topping before serving.
If you can sneak bacon into your Thanksgiving, your guests will probably be extra thankful. This recipe from Julia’s Album for Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Pecans, and Cranberries has a perfect blend of vegetables, bacon, and toasted nuts. Luckily, Julia even offers a great way to make this ahead to save some time and oven space — wait on adding the pecans and just warm up the dish for 15 minutes before serving.
Drinks
No Thanksgiving is complete without a festive drink!
from Sweet Tea and Thyme
My family has made a drink very similar to this in years past. The bubbly brightness from apples, pears, cinnamon, and sparkling wine gives you a lovely combination of flavors without being too heavy.
This can easily be made alcohol-free by skipping the brandy, and by using ginger beer or sparkling water instead of wine.
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Desserts
The all-important desserts. I’ve found these are pretty easy to disguise as “normal” — especially if you’re able to pack these full of rich flavors!
from Gluten Free on a Shoestring
I have tried this Gluten Free Pie Crust from Gluten Free on a Shoestring several times without fail. I love that it basically uses my usual pie crust ingredients, but swaps out regular flour for a gluten free blend. This recipe also adds in some baking powder for a little extra fluffiness. It bakes up beautifully and is delicate, but it works well with some patience!
Fill this crust with your favorite flavors — French Silk, Apple Crumble, Pumpkin Pecan, Cranberry Custard, etc!
from Betty Crocker
I absolutely love this simple Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake from Betty Crocker. Because you make your own cake batter from scratch, it’s very easy to sub in 1-to-1 gluten free flour — that’s actually all I’ve ever used for this recipe, and it is amazing. The caramel-y apple topping is a huge hit, and I usually add in some cinnamon to the batter and bake it in a round cake pan instead of rectangle.
from Lemon, Basil & Butter
Well, I can’t finish this post without recommending my own Butterscotch Pudding Cake for dessert. This will be one of the easiest Thanksgiving dishes you’ll make since you’re just combining some basic pantry staples, plus pudding mix and gluten free cake mix.
It’s delightful served warm or room temperature, so you don’t need to get the timing right with the end of your meal.
🍁 Happy Gluten Free Thanksgiving! 🍁
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