If you're allergic to wheat, eggs, dairy, corn, sesame, nuts, or peanuts, the sheer amount of baking that goes along with this time of year can be truly daunting. Enjoy this collection of allergy-friendly desserts from around the world for the Christmas season.
Christmas Desserts
Here are multiple allergen-safe recipes for the season -- cakes, candies and more. All recipes in this section are safe for a variety of allergies.
- Gingered Pears: Free from all "big eight" allergens, corn-free, sesame-free, citrus-free, sulfite-free.
- About.com Special-Needs Children - Nut-Free Fruitcake Recipes. Variety of fruitcake recipes, some multiple allergen-free.
- About.com Gluten-Free Cooking - Bûche de Noël: Dairy-free, wheat-free, nut-free, peanut-free.
- About.com Polish Food - Kompot (Dried Fruit Compote): Free from all "big eight" allergens, corn-free.
- About.com German Food - Marzipankartoffeln (Marzipan Candy Potatoes): Dairy-free, egg-free, wheat-free, soy-free (check labels on extracts and baking aids), sesame-free.
Christmas Cookies
Food allergies need not stop you from enjoying holiday cookies. Here are recipes from around the world. All recipes are one or more of egg-, dairy-, or wheat-free; many are multiple allergen-free.
- About.com Dairy-Free Cooking - Dairy-Free Christmas Cookies. A collection of twelve recipes, some multiple allergen-free.
- About.com Special-Needs Children - Gluten-Free Cookie Recipes. A collection of recipes, some multiple allergen-free.
- About.com German Food - Schwarzweiss Gebaeck (Checkerboard Cookies): Nut-free, peanut-free, optionally egg-free, sesame-free.
- About.com Vegetarian Food - Spiced Vegan Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies: Dairy-free, egg-free, peanut-free, nut-free, sesame-free (read labels, especially on oats and baking aids).
- About.com Spanish Food - Polvorones: Egg-free, soy-free.
- About.com Spanish Food - Mantecados (Traditional Spanish Crumble Cakes): Dairy-free, soy-free, peanut-free, nut-free.
- About.com Spanish Food - Truchas de Navidad (Sweet Potato Turnovers): Dairy-free, nut-free, peanut-free.
- About.com Polish Food - Kolaczki: Egg-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, sesame-free.
- About.com Greek Food - Melomakarona (Honey-Dipped Spice Cookies): Dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free.
- About.com Chinese Food - Homemade Fortune Cookies: Dairy-free, nut-free (check labels carefully on almond extract; many are made from apricots instead of nuts, but some may have nuts), peanut-free.
- About.com Herbs and Spices - Cinnamon Hazelnut Meltaways: Egg-free, soy-free.
- About.com Low Fat Cooking - Chocolate Rice Squares: Egg-free, nut-free (check labels on chocolate or use a dedicated nut-free manufacturer), peanut-free. Looking for an allergy-safe rice cereal? Erewhon and Nature's Path are among the manufacturers that sell allergen-free cereals at time of writing.
- About.com Low Carb Diets - Cranberry Walnut Cookies: Egg-free, sugar-free.
- About.com Busy Cooks - Easy but Fancy Cookies: Egg-free, nut-free, peanut-free (check labels on chocolate).
