The Bojon Gourmet • seasonal recipes from a recovering pastry chef

Gluten-Free Biscotti with Hazelnuts & Chocolate

This homemade gluten-free biscotti recipe gets a crunchy, buttery crumb from a few gluten-free flours studded with candied hazelnuts. Dip them in chocolate for a classy coffee break treat, or wrap them up for an edible holiday gift. Thanks to Bob’s Red Mill for sponsoring this post!

A Lifetime of Biscotti Love

Biscotti hold a special place in my heart. Maybe it’s because I grew up in 1990’s coffee shop culture, where there was a jar of chocolate covered cookies on every counter. Or maybe it was because my paternal grandmother baked them along with rugelach every year for the holidays. Or maybe it’s because they remind me of the Jewish equivalent mandelbrot that my maternal grandfather would share with me after school.

Whatever the reason, biscotti were one of the first “fancy” recipes I learned to bake as a teen from a tiny cookbook called Biscotti containing only a few dozen recipes for the Italian-style slice-and-bake cookies. I loved the process of baking biscotti – mixing the dough, shaping it into logs, baking, slicing, baking again. I always felt so professional when finishing them with chocolate.

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Gluten-Free Lemon Bars with Almond Flour Shortbread Crust

With creamy, tangy lemon curd and a salty-sweet almond flour shortbread crust, these gluten-free lemon bars are just the thing to make when life hands you all the lemons. Thanks to Vermont Creamery for sponsoring this post!

My Best Gluten-Free Lemon Bars Recipe

I have strong feelings about lemon bars. When made well, they’re sweet-tart, creamy, buttery, and super satisfying. But so much can go wrong with lemon bars. The crust can be pasty, bland, and underbaked. The filling can be gummy and cloyingly sweet. The lemon flavor can be weak, overpowered by eggs and sugar.

This gluten-free lemon bar recipe starts with a buttery gluten-free shortbread crust that’s baked until golden and flavorful. Next comes an easy lemon curd, set with just the right amount of egg, loads of butter, and extra tangy lemon juice. Both components feature creamy cultured butter from Vermont Creamery and together they form gluten-free lemon bar bliss.

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Vegetarian Gluten-Free Mushroom Gravy {vegan option}

You can make this creamy, earthy gluten-free mushroom gravy in minutes with just 6 ingredients and a single skillet. This shiitake mushroom gravy is part of my gluten-free vegetarian Thanksgiving menu. Get all the recipes here!

gluten-free mushroom gravy on a plate of green mashed potatoes

Warm chocolate chip cookies and a glass of cold (plant) milk. Ice cream and fruit crisp (or cobbler). Pancakes and maple syrup. You can’t have one without the other; that would just be wrong. Same goes for mashed potatoes and gravy on Thanksgiving.

I’m excited to share this stupid easy mushroom gravy recipe today. Pared down to the basics but full of luscious, umami flavor, this gluten-free gravy comes together in a snap. Ladle it over green goddess mashed potatoes. Use it to top life-changing gluten-free biscuits. Serve it alongside lentil loaf. And don’t forget to bring a vat to Thanksgiving.

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Green Goddess Mashed Potatoes

Creamy, tangy, and vibrant green goddess mashed potatoes get a kick from classic green goddess herbs – parsley, chives, and tarragon. This dish is part of my gluten-free vegetarian Thanksgiving menu. Get all the recipes here!

While stuffing is Jay’s favorite Thanksgiving side dish, mashed potatoes are mine. And I’ve become very particular about my mashers thanks to styling what felt like dozens of potato recipes for The New York Times over the years. Great mashed potatoes require three components in my book: yellow potatoes, tangy dairy, and chives. Not to mention lots of butter, but that goes without saying.

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Roasted Delicata Squash with Brown Butter & Pomegranate

Take your roasted delicata squash to the next level with brown butter, crunchy pomegranate arils, toasted pistachios, and zippy pomegranate molasses. Make this festive gluten-free & vegetarian side dish for holiday feasts or any day of the week.

This dish is part of my gluten-free vegetarian Thanksgiving menu this year. Get all the recipes here!

Delicata Squash = The Best Winter Squash

As much as I love eating winter squash of all stripes – butternut, kabocha, kuri, acorn, and spaghetti – I hate peeling squash. It always makes my hands feel weird. At first I thought it was just me, but apparently it’s a thing. Does this happen to you?

For this reason, delicata has become my favorite winter squash variety because you don’t need to peel them. Their skins cook until tender enough to enjoy. These little babes just need to be cut in half, seeded, and sliced, then roasted until soft.

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Gluten-Free Apple Cake with Brown Butter & Hazelnut

Gluten-free apple cake gets an upgrade with vanilla bean browned butter, hazelnut flour, and brown sugar all loaded with tangy apples and baked in a skillet. Serve slices of this beauty with crème fraiche or ice cream at Thanksgiving and all season long! Thanks to Vermont Creamery for sponsoring this post.

Entertaining with Gluten-Free Apple Cake

This gluten-free apple cake is part of my gluten-free vegetarian Thanksgiving dinner. Find all of the recipes here!

Maybe it’s the pastry chef in me, but when I host a meal at home, I usually plan the menu around two things: dessert and what’s in season. I savor those after-dinner moments when everyone’s sitting around the table together, satisfied and relaxed, ending the evening on a sweet note. Because homemade baked goods have become a luxury during these busy times, taking an hour to put a gluten-free apple cake in the oven is often extra appreciated.

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