35 Decadent Dairy and Gluten-Free Holiday Recipes! - Healthy Life Redesign (2024)

Creamy, rich vanilla cheesecake on a pecan crust with dark chocolate swirled into each decadent bite! Believe me when I say that no one will ever guess this “cheesecake” isn’t the real thing! This vegan cheesecake is entirely dairy-free and its richness is instead derived from heart healthy cashews and coconut milk. Vanilla and maple syrup are combined with lemon juice to create an amazing dairy-free version of a classic vanilla cheesecake! Top this with dark chocolate and we have an absolutely perfect dessert.

This sweet potato pie may look like dessert, but it’s actually a fun and festive side dish for your holiday meal! Your friends and family will love this delicious twist on regular mashed sweet potatoes!

You don’t have to make a turkey for your Christmas dinner and this salmon makes a fabulously festive alternative! It’s rubbed in warming spices like coriander, cardamom and cumin and optionally it may be topped with a pomegranate raita, which is a yogurt based dip. I recommend using plain almond or coconut yogurt instead of milk-based yogurts if you have a dairy-sensitivity. This heart healthy and delicious recipe is from Colleen at The Food Blog.

Are you going meat-free this holiday season or looking for a unique vegetarian side dish? Try these Lentil Mushroom Walnut Balls from Oh She Glows! The cranberry-pear sauce provides a unique, fresh and flavourful twist on canned cranberry sauce and is sure to impress at the dinner table!

This Wild Rice and Cranberry Stuffed Squash makes for a delicious side to your holiday meal but can also stand alone as a delicious vegetarian main dish! The sweetness of the acorn squash and cranberries combines deliciously with the aromatic flavours of sage and thyme. Get your forks ready for a healthy feast!

This Vanilla Pomegranate Mulled Wine by Justine Celina is a warm and festive way to welcome your holiday guests this year! Zinfandel is mulled with delicious spices like anise, nutmeg and clove and then infused with vanilla liquor, pomegranate, clementines and honey. This mulled wine is rich withantioxidants and healing spices, which adds a healthy twist to your holiday beverage!

Mmmm….what a tasty dip for veggies or crackers! This savoury Butternut Squash Hummus from Minimalist Baker contains cumin, cinnamon and smoked paprika. There’s plenty of flavour in this impressive dip, which is a must have on your holiday snack platter!

This granola is infused with vanilla, molasses and sweet fall spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cardamom. I love enjoying a bowl of Fall Spice Granola with fresh chopped apples and topped with almond or coconut milk. For a truly festive delight top with baked cinnamon apple wedges and coconut cream for an apple crisp-like morning treat!

This tasty blueberry-lemoncheesecake is ridiculously easy to make as long as you have a blender and/or food processor. The pecan crust is gluten-free and naturally sweetened with dates and coconut. The homemade blueberry topping is sweetened with maple syrup and fresh lemon zest is added for a delicious twist! Friends and family will be head over heels impressed with these tasty little treats!

Would you like to lighten things up on your holiday menu? You can say goodbye to holiday bloating with this easy, low-carb paleo cauliflower stuffing from Wholesome Yum! It has all the festive flavours of any classic stuffing recipe, but it’s grain-free and packed with way more nutrition. Grab your fork, and dig in!

A gluten and dairy-free diet doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a comforting side of stuffing at your holiday meal! This recipe from Meaningful Eats uses gluten-free bread to make a gluten-free version of your classic holiday stuffing! To make this recipe dairy-free, I suggest using ghee instead of regular butter.

This healthy and flavourful vegan gravy by the Detoxinista goes perfectly over your favorite holiday side dishes, like mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes or cauliflower!

It’s easy to make gluten and dairy-free gravy from the pan drippings produced as you bake your holiday turkey. Follow this recipe from Whole Foods for a simple and delicious gravy your entire family will love!

This recipe by The Mediterranean Dish will bring plenty of festive flair to your holiday table! Enjoy with mashed sweet potatoes or cauliflower and a festive side salad for a well rounded holiday meal.

Didn’t think you could enjoy scalloped potatoes if you’re dairy-free? This recipe by Faithfully Gluten-Free proves you (thankfully) wrong!

These Chocolate Hazelnut Truffles are absolutely delicious and remind me of “Ferrero-Rocher” Chocolates! Trust me when I say that your friends and family will LOVE these! Rich dark chocolate, hazelnuts, coconut, cocoa nibs, honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon and cardamom combine to create a delicious dairy and gluten-free holiday dessert!

Bring some colour to your plate with this gorgeous Mexican Christmas Salad from Diversivore! This salad is topped with candied pistachios and is infused with holiday spices like cardamom and cumin. Enjoy thisas one of your gluten and dairy-free side dishes this Christmas!

This festive holiday fudge combines the rich taste and texture of dark chocolate with a festive cranberry-orange twist. It’s dairy free and instead uses cashew butter for a creamy, rich texture. I use fresh cranberries for this recipe, which I highly recommend instead of using the canned alternatives.

There’s nothing wrong with letting your hair down a bit over the holidays! These Spiced Apple Margaritas from Cookie and Kate look like a tastyway to celebrate over the holidays! Why not bring a beach-infused holiday vibe to your festivities this year?

This beautifully coloured winter salad is sure to be a hit at your holiday dinner table! Roasted delicata squash with warming spices like nutmeg and clove, kale, hazelnuts, dried cranberries and a delicious maple syrup-sweetened red wine vinaigrette. Yum! Thanks to Do You Even Paleo for this gourmet gluten-free holiday recipe!

This looks like a delicious way to bake a moist and flavourful turkey to feed your friends family this holiday season. I suggest replacing the butter in this recipe with ghee as a delicious dairy-free alternative. Thanks to Natasha’s Kitchen for this recipe!

These Pecan Pumpkin Pie Bars are my favourite dessert these days! They are a real crowd pleaser – even for those who aren’t gluten and dairy-free! You’ll love these chewy pumpkin pie bars topped with coconut ice cream! You may just want to make a double batch 😉

Here’s to a stuffing recipe that will leave you feeling energized instead of in a sleepy, bread-induced food-coma! This recipe by Sarah Dickerman at Bon Appetit is one worth trying this holiday season! Impress family with this tasty looking gluten-free holiday recipe!

Roasted Rainbow Carrots! They are so gorgeous on any holiday table. This recipe from Flavour and Savour is not only delicious, it’s also simple to throw together. Your holiday plate should be filled with colour and flavour…this recipe takes care of both!

Thanks to Paleo Foundationfor this low carb, paleo holiday stuffing recipe. Instead of using bread for this dish, the recipe instead calls for ground pork as the “meat” of the dish (no pun intended). Alternatively you may also try using ground chicken or turkey instead. Enjoy this paleo, gluten-free twist on more traditional stuffing recipes!

Who doesn’t love a homemade apple pie at Christmas? You can make your own by following this simple recipe from Cathy at From Our Hideaway! She makes her own gluten-free crust in addition to a delicious apple pie filling. Your guests will love it!

This Fruitcake fromA Virtual Veganisn’t your typical Christmas loaf! It’s moist, sweet and flavourful with all of the fruit, nuts and spices that it contains. It’s grain-free and vegan, which also makes it a healthier holiday treat! It doesn’t need to be baked and instead you’ll let in set in your refrigerator overnight. This means more room in your oven to make all of the other delicious meals in this Gluten and Dairy-Free Holiday Recipe Guide!

Delicious cranberry-apple cider spiced with whole cloves, allspice, ginger, orange rind and cinnamon. How can you go wrong? This looks like a delicious “warm-up” to enjoy after exploring the great outdoors over the holidays! Thanks to The Kitchn for this delightful looking drink!

How tasty do thesegluten, dairy and egg-free gingerbread cookies look? Keep Santa healthy this holiday season by leaving out a plate of these festive Christmas cookies with a tall glass of almond milk on Christmas Eve! He can thank Delightful Adventures for this great recipe!

Instead of canned cranberry sauce this year, why not try something different? Sure, you could keep things fresh by making homemade cranberry sauce…but why not spice things up a bit and make a Cranberry, Pear and Maple Chutney instead? This chutney from Flexitarian Nutritionis a perfect addition to your holiday dinner plate and it also makes a delicious dip or a topping for gluten-free crackers!

These Swiss Chard Rolls are a delicious variation on the classic version of the recipe that uses green cabbage. Swiss Chard has dark green leaves and red stems, which provides a Christmas feel to this dish! It’s such a comforting and delicious meal.

This delicious dessert is so festiveand it’s also incredibly simple to make! I suggest using dairy-free dark chocolate for the bark and sweetening it to taste with honey or maple syrup if required. Thanks to Nutrition by Nazima for this recipe!

Liven up your mashed potatoes with roasted cauliflower and garlic! This recipe provides a delicious twist on a classic holiday side dish. The ingredients includevegan butter, which you can use if you have on hand or you can replace it with ghee or additional olive oil. Thanks to Kim at Picky Diet for this recipe!

These Poached Pears with Blackberry Sage Sauce from Making Healthy Choices are a light, fresh and festive dessert! You may also serve these poached pears topped with coconut ice cream for an indulgent yet healthy treat!

This Pomegranate Quinoa Salad has festive flair and is perfect for the holidays! You’ll love this delicious combination of juicy mandarin oranges, warming ginger dressing and refreshing pomegranate seeds! This salad makes a great side dish to your holiday meal, but it also makes a deliciously nutritious lunch topped with grilled salmon or chicken breast. You and your guests will love it!