Whether you’re sensitive to gluten or hosting a gluten-intolerant guest, you don’t have to skip your favorite holiday desserts. While most traditional holiday favorites like pumpkin pie and holiday cookies contain wheat, you can make them gluten-free with simple ingredient substitutions. Or if you’re feeling adventurous, expand your horizons with a few non-traditional gluten-free holiday treats.

Baked Goods with Alternative Flours

Most traditional baked foods are made with wheat flour, but you can make them gluten-free by using alternative flours. Flax meal gives your baked goods a spongier texture, while almond flour yields desserts that are denser and richer. Quinoa flour works well in gluten-free cookies and adds nutritional value as well.

Use gluten-free flours to make holiday-inspired treats like orange nut oatmeal cookies, snowballs and pumpkin pie bars. Just be sure to test your gluten-free versions in the weeks leading up to the holiday — some flours change the texture of baked foods, so you may have to adjust the recipe to suit your taste.

Use your Vitamix blender to whip up already gluten-free recipes, like these brownies or macaroons. Add a holiday twist by icing your brownies with mint chocolate frosting or dusting your macaroons with cinnamon sugar.

Watch this technique video to learn how to use your Vitamix to make homemade flours.

Try Truffles or Cheesecake

It's easier to go gluten-free by adapting desserts that don't typically contain a lot of flour. Make these vegan truffles gluten-free by substituting brown rice puffs for Coco Wheats. Add more flavor by mixing in a few drops of orange extract, or by sprinkling the truffles with ginger-flavored sugar. Adapt this delicious eggnog cheesecake to a gluten-free diet by using gluten-free graham crackers, and cornstarch instead of flour.

Fruit-Based Options

A beautiful fruit platter is not only refreshing and healthy — a nice break from richer holiday fare — but it's naturally gluten-free. Fill your platter with healthy treats like cherries, strawberries and blackberries, plus apple slices lightly coated in lemon juice to prevent browning.

Dress your fruit up with a festive topping, like this cinnamon-apple syrup. Or dip it in naturally gluten-free fondue. White chocolate cheesecake fondue and chocolate orange fondue are holiday-appropriate, and come together in less than 20 minutes each using your Vitamix machine.