Trying to navigate Easter with food allergies? These allergy-friendly Easter desserts and sweets will give your family a treat–without making them sick.
Guest post by Lindsay of Fancy Food Thoughts
If there is one thing I’ve learned about Easter and other holidays, it’s that it is very difficult to stay away from all of the foods and desserts that the kids and I aren’t supposed to be eating. As a mom of children with food allergies, I find myself constantly stressing out about dairy, eggs, soy and gluten, and don’t even get me started on the high fructose corn syrup, preservatives and food dyes! I almost have a heart attack every time. Yet, I also feel a little sad and wonder if my kids miss eating all those “typical” sweets.
I wonder if they’re going to remember me constantly hovering over them watching everything they put into their mouths and even sometimes taking things away from them. As their mom, it’s MY responsibility to make sure what they are eating is safe, so I decided to be the one to bring the treats. They are getting to eat something delicious that everyone else is eating, and they don’t even know it’s different!
I wanted to share my family’s very favorite recipes that we enjoy during the holidays! There is something for everyone, and a sure way to please the kids as well as the adults!
10 Allergen-Free Treats for Easter
Image by The Urban Poser
1. Homemade Marshmallows
Free of: Gluten, Dairy, Eggs, Soy, Refined Sugar, Nuts
My kids go CRAZY for these marshmallows. Who needs Peeps? These marshmallows are a fantastic alternative to sugar and dyes and have NOTHING unnatural in them at all. Put a handful of these in a Ziploc bag and tuck it into your child’s Easter basket!
2. Baked Donut Holes
Free of: Gluten, Dairy, Eggs, Soy, Refined Sugar, Nuts (scroll down to allergen-free version)
It’s literally impossible to eat donuts when you can’t have dairy, eggs, sugar, soy or gluten. Or so we thought! Check out Erin’s recipe for Pumpkin Spice Donut Holes that will renew your hope in a fulfilled donut-eating life.
3. Sweet Potato Casserole
Free of: Gluten, Dairy, Soy, Refined Sugar
This recipe was born because I absolutely LOVE sweet potato casserole. I can’t eat the real thing, but I don’t need to because this tastes so good. It’s perfect for brunch!
4. Lemon Bundt Cake
Free of: Gluten, Dairy, Soy, Nuts
This is ideal to serve at a dessert table or for brunch. The tangy lemon is absolutely perfect for spring!
5. Peanut Butter + Jelly Cookies
Free of: Gluten, Dairy, Eggs, Soy, Refined Sugar
There could not be a better treat to put on the cookie table for little fingers to grab and enjoy. These cookies are a hit not just with the kiddos but also with the adults.
6. Sweet + Salty Cinnamon “Kettle Corn”
Free of: Gluten, Dairy, Eggs, Soy, Sugar, Nuts
This is such a great item to set on the table with all the desserts or to put in individual paper sacks for the kids to snack on. My girls devour this popcorn like there is no tomorrow.
7. Easter Bunny Cupcakes
Free of: Gluten, Dairy, Eggs, Soy, Refined Sugar
My oldest daughter is obsessed with cupcake tutorials. She wants to make cupcakes every other day. Good thing this version is grain free, vegan, soy and refined sugar free!
8. Homemade Peanut Butter Cups
Free of: Gluten, Dairy, Eggs, Soy, Sugar
Peanut butter cups may be my weakness. I could eat the whole bag of those Reese’s eggs they come out with during Easter. Luckily, they’re simple to make and I don’t have to worry about feeling sick for three days after the holiday.
Bonus Recipe: Here’s Erin’s protein-packed version of Reese’s!
9. Key Lime Coconut Cake
Free of: Gluten, Grains, Dairy, Soy, Refined Sugar, Nuts
This cake is delicious, with just the right amount of lime flavoring! It’s the perfect dessert to welcome warmer weather.
10. Easter Chocolate Bunnies
Free of: Gluten, Dairy, Eggs, Soy, Sugar, Nuts
We saw a five pound chocolate easter bunny. No joke! It was the largest chocolate bunny I have ever seen. While we will not be duplicating that, these simple and tasty treats make the kids VERY happy!! Use any fun mold you find at your local crafting store!
May you all have a wonderful + blessed Easter enjoying your families, remembering the reason we celebrate, and eating allergy free to your hearts’ content!
Want even more allergy-friendly recipes? The Humbled Homemaker’s Recipe Index has an entire section of allergen-free recipes!
What are you favorite Easter treats? Have you had to adapt any to be allergen-free?
About Lindsay of Fancy Food Thoughts:
Through health issues and intolerances of my own, I had started delving into eating differently, but wasn’t all in. After my second daughter was born with severe food allergies (I write a bit more about that here), our lives and the way I saw food drastically changed. Since then we have been on a journey. We are always learning + evolving, but the passion is the same: Make delicious food that is healthy and nutritious but that has all the flavors we love.
Sherry
Thank you so much for featuring my recipes! What an honor 🙂 I love your blog!
Godly Indian Mom
Looks Intresting ..I will definitely try the sneaky choclate pudding