Cosy Gluten-Free Bonfire Night Recipes
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Bonfire Night (Fireworks Night) is celebrated in the UK on 5th November and with it comes a host of traditional treats for us to make and enjoy whether you’re enjoying the fireworks in the middle of a cold field or watching them from the highest window in your own house. This is a collection of my favourite gluten-free Bonfire Night recipes.
It seems that over the course of a simple week the temperature in the UK just drops. Over half term we’re still eeking out days without coats but come November 5th Autumn has officially arrived and with it a biting chill. Along with dragging the gloves and scarves out of hibernation the menu suddenly changes to warming soups, cosy pies and a specific type of Bonfire Night treat. Something handheld; oaty, spiced or chocolatey to share with friends underneath the fireworks.
I’ve compiled some of my favourite gluten-free Bonfire Night recipes whether you are gathered underneath a lit up sky or around a burning Guy Fawkes. And we won’t forget to warm ourselves up with some truly comforting Autumnal dinners to share before we head out into the cold.
If you just need some quick ideas though without going through the whole list, these are a few of my favourite recipes and what I consider Bonfire Night essentials:
- Gluten-Free Parkin – this is a non traditional parkin as it’s vegan and is iced with a lemon glaze. But it’s squidgy, oaty and very moreish.
- Gluten-Free Bangers and Mash – if you need something warming inside you before you dare the cold night air then juicy sausages and buttery mash drenched in thick gravy is a perfect option.
- Gluten-Free Sticky Toffee Apple Cupcakes – toffee apples aren’t for me (my teeth!) so I developed an even more delicious cake alternative which you will adore.
What is Bonfire Night?
Okay, it’s an odd one to celebrate but it commemorates the anniversary of the gunpowder plot by Guy Fawkes and his team of religious revolutionaries to blow up the houses of parliament in 1605. Luckily the plot was unsuccessful and he was caught before any damage was done.
So it stands to reason that now, 400 years later, we make a Guy Fawkes dummy to adorn a Bonfire and watch it burn underneath a sky of elaborate fireworks.
How To Plan a Gluten-Free Bonfire Night
When you are bundling yourselves out to stand in a cold, muddy field, waiting for the inevitable delayed start to the fireworks, the last thing you want is a rumbling stomach. My advice is to enjoy a cosy dinner before you leave the house and take a few treats with you to keep everyone happy while you wait.
There’s something about sausages on Bonfire Night that must hark back to the 80s when I was a child and people were cooking their sausages on the actual Bonfire. Zero points for health and safety there! Thankfully we can still carry the sausages (bangers) forward into the modern age. A warming Toad-in-the-Hole, homemade gluten-free sausage rolls or a simple bangers and mash supper are all great options before heading out. I’ve included plenty of ideas below.
Once you’re ready to brave the cold, fill thermoses with warming soups, hot chocolate or even spiced apple juice. Pack a selection of handheld treats such as gluten-free flapjacks, parkin or ginger biscuits. They’re easy to transport, don’t need plates or cutlery and are ideal for doling out to anyone who starts complaining about the cold or delayed start of the fireworks.
Celebrating Bonfire Night at Home
If you are lucky enough to have a garden large enough for a few fireworks then you might be choosing to host your own Bonfire Night party at home.
If so there are lots of ways to make a delicious gluten-free feast tailor made for Fireworks Night. You could make a large Chilli Con Carne for guest to help themselves into bowls and serve alongside cheesy cornbread to dip into it.
You could also have a large pot of bubbling pumpkin soup warming on the stove for guests to ladle into cups to drink around the bonfire.
Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean you can’t fire up the BBQ and make a hot dog station or burgers, after all you’re going to be out in the November air watching the fireworks anyway. If you’re doing this, don’t forget some foil wrapped jacket potatoes cooking in the embers, served slicked with plenty of salted butter.
This is then a great occasion for pulling out your seasonal celebration cakes, as well as some easy traybakes like blondies or rocky road. Serve alongside a hot chocolate station where your guests can help themselves to whipped cream and marshmallows.
Gluten-Free Bonfire Night Cakes & Bakes
If you are having a party at home then these celebratory gluten-free Autumn cakes are the perfect choice.
Gluten-Free S'Mores Cake
Gluten-Free S’mores Cake is made with a rich cinnamon sponge, silky chocolate buttercream and a toasted marshmallow meringue. Although I recommend using a blowtorch and not the actual bonfire for toasting the meringue.
Get the recipe: Gluten-Free S’mores Cake
Gluten-Free Sticky Toffee Apple Cupcakes
These Gluten-Free Apple Cupcakes with Sticky Toffee Buttercream are deliciously spiced brown sugar apple cupcakes topped with rich toffee buttercream. Perfect for Bonfire Night celebrations or a special afternoon tea.
Get the recipe: Gluten-Free Sticky Toffee Apple Cupcakes.
Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Cinnamon Swirl Cake
This Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Cake with Cinnamon Swirl is a beautifully flavoured and textured cake. Sweet potato and cream cheese are baked into the butterscotchy sponge whilst ripples of buttery cinnamon swirl through the centre. A generous pouring of thick maple cream cheese icing makes this gluten-free bundt cake one of the best of the season.
Get the recipe: Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Cake with Cinnamon Swirl.
Gluten-Free Chocolate Sponge Traybake
This Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake is a very simple and economical chocolate cake which is ideal for serving to a crowd - and it's decorated with firework-looking sprinkles. The sponge is light and moist and made with cocoa powder for quick assembly and rich flavour.
Get the recipe: Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake.
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Marshmallow Cake
Let's get our blowtorch out again for this seasonal pumpkin cake. Layers of gluten-free spiced pumpkin sponge are filled with a brown butter pumpkin buttercream and covered in toasted marshmallow clouds.
Get the recipe: Gluten-Free Spiced Pumpkin Cake with Marshmallow Frosting.
Gluten-Free Sticky Gingerbread Cake
If you could sum up the perfect cake for the cooler months then this Gluten-Free Sticky Gingerbread Cake would be top of the list. It is dark, treacly, rich with spices and is lively with three kinds of ginger. Wrap up in a blanket, draw the blinds and enjoy another slice of this gorgeously seductive cake.
Get the recipe: Gluten-Free Sticky Gingerbread Cake.
Gluten-Free Cookies & Traybakes
These range from the traditional to the chocolatey, but they can all be stuffed into pockets and taken out into the cold night air.
Gluten-Free Parkin
This vegan and gluten-free Ginger Parkin studded with stem ginger is sticky, chewy and laced with spices. This modern take on this classic British bake is also taken a step further with a non-traditional but irresistible tangy lemon icing.
Get the recipe: Gluten-Free Parkin.
No-Oat Gluten-Free Flapjacks
These Gluten-Free Flapjacks are so quick and easy to make. They are the perfect transportable snack. And best of all they are oat-free so suitable for more people to enjoy!
Get the recipe: Gluten-Free Flapjacks.
Popcorn Rocky Road
This firework inspired Popcorn Rocky Road hits all the right notes; sweet, salty, chewy, crunchy and most importantly really chocolatey. Made with sweet-and-salty popcorn, chocolate, marshmallows, biscuits, glacé cherries and cashews.
Get the recipe: Popcorn Rocky Road
Gluten-Free Ginger Snap Biscuits
Hear the snap of the fireworks and feel the heat of the bonfire in these spicy ginger biscuits. They are super quick and easy to make. Baked with teff flour for an extra boost of molasses flavour.
Get the recipe: Gluten-Free Ginger Snap Biscuits.
Warming Gluten-Free Bonfire Desserts
If you are celebrating at home then these warming, cosy Autumn puddings are ideal.
Gluten-Free Apple Crumble
This easy Apple Crumble combines a juicy and tender apple filling with a crisp topping that has a slight chew.
Get the recipe: Gluten-Free Apple Crumble.
Gluten-Free Treacle Tart with Pecans
Gluten-Free Treacle Tart gets an extra special twist with the inclusion of a little black treacle and toasted pecans stirred into the filling alongside the breadcrumbs, zesty lemon and cream.
Get the recipe: Gluten-Free Treacle Tart with Pecans
Gluten-Free Baileys Sticky Toffee Pudding
The Baileys in this Gluten-Free Sticky Toffee Pudding is the best way to reinvent this classic pub dessert. Baileys is baked into the sponge and poured liberally into the toffee sauce for heavenly reasons.
Get the recipe: Gluten-Free Baileys Sticky Toffee Pudding
Gluten-Free Spotted Dick
This Gluten-Free Spotted Dick is like a time travel machine in food form, designed to send you right back to your nursery days. A glorious traditionally British suet pudding studded with currants, mixed peel and spices, designed to warm you from the inside out.
Get the recipe: Gluten-Free Spotted Dick.
Cosy Gluten-Free Bonfire Night Food
Something more substantial before you head out or if you are enjoying a night in with your family and watching the festivities from the window (I’ve certainly been there with my little ones).
Gluten-Free Bangers and Mash
Nothing beats the warm comfort of a bowl of Bangers and Mash, especially if the potatoes are mashed with lashings of brown butter and there is plenty of apple cider onion gravy is ladled liberally on top. If it’s then served with sweet tangy caramelised apples then you’ve really levelled up.
Get the recipe: Gluten-Free Bangers and Mash.
Gluten-Free Tuna Pasta Bake
Creamy Tuna Pasta Bake is easy comfort food which is perfect for chillier days. I’ll show you how to make perfect al dente gluten-free pasta smothered in a flavourful cheesy tuna tomato sauce and how to choose the best gluten-free pasta for the job.
Get the recipe: Gluten-Free Creamy Tuna Pasta Bake.
Gluten-Free Toad-in-the-Hole
More sausages! This time wrapped inside a crisp fluffy yorkshire pudding blanket. This Toad-in-the-Hole is easy to make with a quick batter and no resting time. This recipe is made without cornflour and instead this simple batter uses easy to find rice flour and tapioca starch for a lovely rise and light crunchy golden brown crust.
Get the recipe: Gluten-Free Toad-in-the-Hole.
Gluten-Free Swedish Meatballs
These Gluten-Free Swedish Meatballs are deliciously creamy and cosy. They are a hearty dinner perfectly served with mash and a pile of greens.
Get the recipe: Gluten-Free Swedish Meatballs.
Gluten-Free Meatloaf
This juicy gluten-free meatloaf is moist and incredibly flavourful whilst being packed with vegetables. It slices like a dream without crumbling and is an easy family friendly meal.
Get the recipe: Gluten-Free Meatloaf.
Gluten-Free Handheld Pies & Pastries
These recipes are particular useful for Bonfire party snacks or if you are taking some food out to the fireworks.
Gluten-Free Sausage Rolls
These Gluten-Free Sausage Rolls with Homemade Flaky Pastry are filled with juicy sausage meat sweet with caramelised onions, thyme and a touch of apricot jam. Encased in an easy-to-handle gluten-free pastry that doesn’t crack and needs no xanthan gum. They are the ideal party food for Firework Night and these small sausage rolls also pack up well to take to the bonfire.
Get the recipe: Gluten-Free Sausage Rolls
Gluten-Free Pork Pies
Gluten-Free Pork Pies are surprisingly easy to make with a flavourful gluten-free hot water crust pastry that is easy to work with and needs no xanthan gum. The pork meat filling is juicy and perfectly seasoned. A proper traditional pork pie which no one would guess was gluten-free.
Get the recipe: Gluten-Free Pork Pies.
Gluten-Free Mini Quiches
Gluten-Free Mini Quiches are a great recipe when you are in need of a delicious appetiser or pastry bite. They are loaded with tasty cheese, caramelised onions and smoky bacon but you can totally customise the filling however you want. They are perfectly portable for taking to your Bonfire Night celebrations or if you are holding your own Firework Party at home.
Get the recipe: Gluten-Free Mini Quiches.
Gluten-Free Eccles Cakes
Eccles Cakes are a traditional British tea time treat. Beautifully flaky gluten-free pastry bursting with fruit and spices.
Get the recipe: Gluten-Free Eccles Cakes
