Airy and light, crunchy and caramelized or decidedly decadent, the best desserts can satisfy a world of cravings. Be they creamy, crisp, sticky—even gluten free—they comfort on chaotic weekdays or when company visits on blessedly unhurried weekends.

Indeed, gluten-free desserts can be as delicious as any sweet out there! Made correctly, with a slew of quality, gluten-free ingredients, they’re the temptations you didn’t know you were missing.

Have you always shied away from gluten-free desserts, thinking that they take extra effort or unusual ingredients you don’t have on hand? Maybe, you think they’re not worth your time because you’ve never had one you liked? Interestingly, many ingredients are naturally gluten-free and can be used to make desserts without gluten.

Fruits, cream, nuts and rice are popular dessert ingredients that don’t contain gluten. From crème caramel to sticky rice, bananas foster to pavlova, some of the world’s most popular desserts are naturally gluten-free!

Whether you’re cooking for diners who must avoid gluten or simply want to explore the world of gluten-free desserts, look to your pantry for safe ingredients to get you started.

Try a naughty, chocolate-covered rice torte this week, then a fruit-topped parfait the next. Made with delicious RiceSelect® Rice, each one is a gluten-free revelation that you’ll be thrilled to share.

12 Gluten-Free Desserts Everyone Will Love

Just like regular desserts, gluten-free treats come in a range of textures and flavors. Discover your favorites among these tried-and-true gems.

Coconut Lime Rice Pudding  

A dessert that requires just six simple ingredients, is ready in 30 minutes and tastes like a tropical dream, this offering is a direct route to sweet satisfaction. Made with aromatic RiceSelect® Jasmine Rice, coconut milk, sugar and lime, it’s naturally silky, rich and gluten-free.

Black Sticky Rice 

Few ingredients grab diners’ attention quite like RiceSelect® Black Rice. Delectably nutty, with a distinct dark color, it’s an ingredient that can turn any dish into something extraordinary. Here, it’s combined with pandan leaves, coconut milk, sugar, and fruit for a bold, delicious, gluten-free dessert everyone can enjoy.

Raspberry Lemon Pastiera di Riso Italian Rice Cake 

Need a stunner of a dessert for a party or get-together? Look no further than this lemon-scented, raspberry topped Italian cake. Bright and light, with a silky, sumptuous interior, it’s made with creamy RiceSelect® Arborio Rice, eggs, lemon zest and sugar.

Almond Joy Rice Torte

Almond-studded and glazed in chocolate, this elegant dish merges the showy appeal of a full-sized dessert with the chewy delight of a candy bar. RiceSelect® Sushi Rice is the surprise ingredient that, mixed with condensed milk, coconut and almonds, ensures every morsel is irresistible—and gluten-free.

Japanese Style Sweet Rice Balls

Beloved in Japan, wagashi are a type of typical confection, often made with rice, red bean paste and sugar. In this take on the classic, RiceSelect® Sushi Rice is sweetened, cooked and mashed until sticky and soft. It’s then filled with red bean paste and rolled in sweetened sesame seeds and soybean powder, for a delicately nutty and sweet treat.

Tropical Berry Sticky Rice

Sweetened with coconut milk and sugar, this dish is a fine finale to any dinner menu. Still, with its abundance of fresh fruit, it also makes a welcome addition to breakfast or brunch. For the best results, use RiceSelect® Sushi Rice, which is delicately sweet, soft and sticky when cooked.

Jasmati Coconut Lime Rice Pudding

Feeding a crowd? Consider this simple recipe your best friend. Easily doubled (or tripled!), this luscious, two-step dessert tastes much more complex than it really is. Portion it into individual cups for picnics, potlucks, or to stash away for another day.

Sticky Rice with Mango and Coconut

Find the ripest mangos you can for this Thai-style sticky rice dessert. Or substitute mango with pineapple, berries, guava, or papaya. Whichever you choose, the elegant combination of sweetened, coconut-flavored RiceSelect® Sushi Rice, coconut syrup and fruit is guaranteed to please.

Dulce de Leche Rice Pudding

Stress-free and gluten-free, this dessert is perfect for your next taco Tuesday or fiesta night! Start with RiceSelect® Arborio Rice, a cinnamon stick and dulce de leche, and you’ll have a company-worthy sweet that’s ready to serve in just 40 minutes. Really trying to make an impression? Top each serving with whipped cream, toasted almonds and a fragrant dusting of ground cinnamon.

Sticky Rice with Caramelized Bananas

Buttery and sweet, tender, sugar-kissed bananas are good enough to eat by themselves. But we like to gild the lily by heaping them over tidy domes of sticky RiceSelect® Sushi Rice flavored with vanilla and cinnamon. Do we then add a flurry of toasted pecans and fragrant orange zest? Of course we do.

Salted Caramel Instant Pot Jasmati Rice Pudding

An Instant Pot makes über-quick work of getting a gluten-free dessert on the table in this no-fuss recipe. Ultra-rich, with a velvety texture, this go-to combines homemade salted caramel with creamy RiceSelect® Jasmati rice pudding. For a restaurant-worthy presentation, top each serving with shavings of dark chocolate.

Peach Curd Raspberry Rice Pudding Parfait

As fun to make as they are to eat, these rice pudding parfaits are a flavorful, summery treat. Switch things up with your favorite stone fruits and berries for a new, gluten-free experience every time.

The Secret to Perfect Gluten-Free Desserts 

As you can now see, making delectable gluten-free desserts is easy! However, when cooking for diners with celiac disease or wheat allergies, there’s more to consider than just flavor, cravings and texture. Keep these tips in mind for winning desserts that are safe for all.

Preparing Treats for Someone with Celiac Disease 

Celiac disease is a digestive autoimmune disorder. When people with celiac disease ingest gluten, it causes an immune response that attacks and damages the small intestine. Since there is no cure, people with celiac disease must avoid ingesting any gluten-containing ingredients, including wheat, rye and barley.

  • When cooking for someone with celiac disease, it’s important to remember to check labels very carefully. Since wheat is a top food allergen, companies must list its presence (in a “Contains” statement) or possible presence (in a “May Contain” statement) on labels. Since wheat isn’t the only source of gluten, though, you’ll also want to check for barley, rye, oats and other gluten-containing ingredients. Ideally, only use naturally gluten-free ingredients (such as rice, eggs, butter, etc.) and those clearly labeled as gluten-free.
  • To avoid cross-contamination, try to use separate utensils that have never been used to cook foods that contain gluten. If using shared utensils, thoroughly wash them in hot, soapy water. Items that should never be shared, because they are harder to wash, include cutting boards, wooden utensils, toasters and sponges.
  • Thoroughly sanitize countertops before you begin cooking. If previously used to make gluten-containing foods, ensure bowls and baking pans have also been thoroughly washed.

Choosing Naturally Gluten-free Desserts 

These days, it’s fairly easy to find gluten-free substitutes for most ingredients, from flour and starches to gluten-free oats and more. However, some of the world’s most famous desserts have always been gluten-free! Explore some of our favorites and add them to your must-try list.

  • If you’ve ever melted into a flourless chocolate cake, rained meringue fragments across your plate or lapped up every crumb of a plush panna cotta or flan, you already know just how habit-forming certain gluten-free desserts can be! Desserts that are traditionally made without any gluten-containing ingredients, these are safe when not altered or served with sauces or add-ons that contain gluten.
  • Many types of ice cream and fruit desserts are also free of gluten. When made without add-ins (such as cookie pieces), ice cream is often gluten-free (though always check the label). Poached fruits, fruit salads, and pies, cobblers and crumbles made with gluten-free flour are also gluten-free.