Dairy- and Gluten-Free Desserts to Please a Crowd
I don’t necessarily have dessert every night after dinner, but when I have a taste for something sweet, I rarely pass up the opportunity to indulge a little. However, finding the right dessert for everyone you’re feeding (like your family or a few friends coming by for dinner) can get tough when someone has a dietary restriction or preference. After all, you don’t want to offer something subpar to everyone just because one person eschews dairy, right?
But hey, you know how we are here at Eats — we don’t want anyone to miss out on a chance to eat something delicious, so we’ve been testing out a few desserts that accommodate dietary restrictions but are tasty enough to serve everyone at your table. Here are our favorite gluten-free desserts!
Lactose-intolerant? Can’t have gluten? Don’t worry — there are still desserts to be had!
Daiya New York Cheezecake
Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Soy-free, Vegan
Everything you love about traditional cheesecake — velvety, rich, creamy filling; crunchy and flavorful crust — can be found in Daiya’s New York Cheezecake (available at Whole Foods). Topped with berries or a drizzle of dark chocolate, it will satisfy the sweet tooth of just about anybody. (Believe me — I tried it out on a small, slightly skeptical group, and got nothing but praise for it.) One note — it is a small cake, so if you’re feeding more than, say, four to six people, you’ll probably want to grab a second one (which would give you the chance to try the strawberry, key lime or chocolate flavors!).
Arctic Zero
Gluten-free, Soy-free, Lactose-Free, Vegetarian
It’s hard to go wrong with serving ice cream to a group — no matter the season, everyone pretty much loves ice cream! (And if you don’t, hey, more for us!) One of our fave gluten-free ice creams is Arctic Zero. Pretty much made for a fit foodie, each pint is gluten-free, soy-free, lactose-free and filled with some fiber and protein without being high in the calorie department. Our current favorite flavor? Salted caramel. So, totally, on trend. (Quick note on making these extra tasty: be sure to let them thaw a bit before eating so that they’re more creamy than icy!)
Protein Cookie Dough
Gluten-free, Soy-free, Vegetarian
We haven’t had a chance to taste-test Protein Cookie Dough yet, but by the sounds of it, it’s worth the wait. Based on the idea that the best part of cookie-making is eating the actual cookie dough, this stuff is made to be consumed raw (and has no raw eggs in it so you can do so safely). Filled with protein (milk protein isolate) and fiber, try it in flavors like chocolate chip, snickerdoodle and cinnamon roll. Definitely a fun twist on serving traditional cookies!
Do you have a go-to dessert you choose when feeding a crowd? I have friends with gluten-intolerance, dairy issues, hatred of coconut, and aversion to fruit, so certain dinner parties really keep me on my toes! —Kristen & Jenn