Gluten Free Christmas Recipes & Need-to-know Information

Gluten Free Christmas Recipes & Need-to-know Information

Living with coeliac disease at Christmas

Christmas is a time for celebration, for families and friends to come together. We’re here to help make your gluten free Christmas special.

When you have coeliac disease, Christmas can pose some challenges, especially if you’re meeting people who might not be quite as familiar with the gluten free diet. But whether you’re visiting family for Christmas dinner, or tucking into Christmas party food, it’s so important to make sure you adhere to your gluten free diet.

Planning in advance is key, if you’ll be visiting family or friends who haven’t cooked for you before, letting them know what is and isn’t safe for you eat will help ensure they are prepared.

If it’s your first Christmas following a gluten free diet, don’t panic! We have lots of easy swaps, top tips and fabulously festive gluten free recipes that will help to ensure you have a magical gluten free Christmas.

Christmas Recipes

We have lots of fabulous festive recipes to help you prepare for Christmas. If you are going to see friends or relatives, why not send them the link to this section to help inspire them for the big day!

Christmas essentials

Looking for a classic Christmas cake? A sumptuous gluten free Christmas pudding? Or perhaps some Mince Pies to nibble on in the lead up to Christmas? We have you covered, all gluten free of course!

Classic Christmas Cake

Christmas Pudding 

Mince Pies 

gluten free christmas

Christmas Party Food Ideas

Buffets can be particularly tricky for someone with coeliac disease, but we have a range of delicious gluten free suggestions!

Sausage Rolls 

Garlic Bread Christmas Tree 

Sausage Roll Wreath with Baked Camembert 

Glutafin has a range of bread and rolls, perfect for your turkey sandwiches!

And check out our sister brand, Schär, their products are available in the supermarkets, and they have some great snacks, biscuits and crackers, ideal if you don’t fancy cooking!

Christmas Desserts

There are a lot of fruit based puddings at Christmas time. If this isn’t your thing, why not try one of our tempting alternatives?

Black Forest Trifle 

Naked Gingerbread Christmas Cake 

Oven Baked Chocolate Tart

Chocolate Log 

Christmas Baking

Ready, set, CHRISTMAS BAKE! It’s so nice to spend some time baking over Christmas, and following a gluten free diet shouldn’t hold you back! We have some lovely ideas for Christmas place settings, decorations to hang on the tree and for Christmas gifting.

Spiced Christmas Biscuits 

Gluten Free Dairy Free Cupcakes 

White Chocolate and Cranberry Blondies 

Christmas Stollen Bread

Gingerbread Trees 

To browse all of our gluten free recipes, please visit the Christmas recipes section on our website

Advice for family and friends cooking for visitors diagnosed coeliac

If you are cooking for family and friends who are diagnosed with coeliac disease, it’s important to take special care when preparing meals. Ensuring everything you cook is gluten free is essential, but you also need to consider how you prepare food to avoid any cross contamination.

Coeliac disease is a lifelong condition that is managed by following a gluten free diet. Gluten is a protein, found in wheat, rye and barley. Gluten is most frequently found in baked goods such as bread, cakes, biscuits and pastry, but it is also present in some foods you might not expect.

A gluten free Christmas dinner

If you’re cooking a gluten-free Christmas dinner there are some things to check:

  • Gravy – if you are making your gravy using a gravy powder, check the ingredients to make sure it is gluten free. Cornflour is naturally gluten free and can be used for thickening. Check out this recipe for gluten free gravy here.
  • Stuffing – if you are making your own stuffing or using a shop bought stuffing, check the ingredients to ensure it is gluten free. Breadcrumbs are often used in stuffing, which is why you need to be careful.
  • Yorkshire puddings – if you like to serve Yorkshire’s with your Christmas dinner, why not try to perfect a gluten free version for the whole family to enjoy? These are worth practicing before the big day, as Yorkshire’s can be difficult to master!  We have a great gluten free version.

  • Pigs in blankets – sausages often include breadcrumbs to bulk them out, so if you are either preparing your own pigs in blankets or buying ready made versions, checking the ingredients for gluten is essential. Gluten free sausages are readily available in the supermarkets.
  • Christmas pudding – Ready made Christmas puddings do tend to include wheat in their ingredients. The supermarkets do sell gluten free Christmas puddings in their free from sections, or why not try making your own Christmas pudding?  We have a recipe for a traditional pud or a chocolate and date version…mmm!
  • Christmas cake – everyone loves a piece of Christmas cake in the evening on Christmas Day! These are another watch out though, if you are buying ready made Christmas cakes many do tend to include gluten.  For a gluten free version, visit the free from section of the supermarkets or why not try making your own.  We have a more traditional Christmas Cake or why not try our Naked Gingerbread Christmas Cake for a modern twist on a classic?

Gluten free party food

Catering for gluten free guests can be challenging when preparing a buffet or party food.  The tradition of sandwiches, sausage rolls, and crackers with cheese are all things that someone with coeliac disease would need to avoid (unless they are gluten free variants).  If you have a variety of guests, you may need to have a mixture of gluten containing and gluten free foods on your buffet table.  If this is the case, we would advise;

  • Keeping the gluten free options all together at one end of the table with a gap to avoid cross contamination
  • Ensuring there are utensils available for both the gluten containing items and gluten free items
  • Preparing the gluten free items first in your kitchen, and ensuring they remain covered until you are ready to serve them. If you have to prepare some gluten containing items first, it’s important that you thoroughly clean down worksurfaces to ensure no cross contamination.

Take a look at the section above for some gluten free party food inspiration!

How long will a gluten free Christmas cake last?

A gluten free Christmas cake made with fruit will last for up to 6 weeks if stored in an airtight container. We recommend feeding with a tablespoon of brandy every few weeks to keep it moist and add extra flavour.

Is a gluten free Christmas dinner difficult to make?

Most elements of a Christmas dinner are naturally gluten free (turkey, vegetables, potatoes), however, it is important to check gravy, stuffing, sausages and Yorkshire puddings. These items can easily be replaced with gluten free equivalents.

Are there any questions I need to ask a gluten free guest?

If you are unsure of which ingredients contain gluten, it is always best to speak to your guest to understand what to look out for. We would recommend checking if your guest has any other allergies.

© 2024. Glutafin. Dr. Schär UK Ltd. 401 Faraday Street, Birchwood Park, Warrington, WA3 6GA
© 2024. Glutafin. Dr. Schär UK Ltd. 401 Faraday Street, Birchwood Park, Warrington, WA3 6GA