Christmas is the meal everyone looks forward to, and the one that is hardest to get right when someone at the table can’t eat gluten. The fruit cake, the mince pies and the biscuits that come out with coffee are usually the first things to go off-limits.
It doesn’t have to be that way. At Crumble we bake our whole Christmas range gluten free in our Fourways bakery, so the person avoiding gluten gets the same slice of cake as everyone else.
Why Christmas is the hardest time to eat gluten free
Most traditional Christmas baking is built on wheat flour. Fruit cake, mince pie pastry, gingerbread and sugar cookies all depend on it. Shop-bought “free from” versions are often dry or crumbly. Many families end up baking a separate batch at home, or the gluten free guest simply goes without.
A good gluten free Christmas bake should taste like the real thing, not like a substitute. That is the standard we bake to.
Our gluten free Christmas range
Everything below is gluten free and can be ordered now on our Christmas page.
Christmas fruit cake
The centrepiece. Our Christmas Fruit Cake (R600) is rich with fruit and warming spices, with a brandy-infused flavour. For children, or guests who avoid alcohol, choose the Alcohol Free Christmas Fruit Cake (R550). It has the same fruit and spice, without the brandy.
How long does it keep? Fruit cake is the one Christmas bake you can buy early.
| Room temperature | Fridge | Freezer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| With brandy | 3 months | 6 months | 12 months |
| Alcohol free | 1 month | 4 months | 6 months |
Keep it wrapped in cling film. For the freezer, add a layer of foil over the cling film.
Mince pies
Christmas Mince Pies (R120 for 6) have buttery, golden gluten free pastry around a rich, fruity filling. These are the ones people ask about every year. Gluten free pastry that holds together and still tastes buttery is hard to find.
Gingerbread: to eat or to build
- Jolly Gingerbread Cookies (R100 for 6): golden, spiced and buttery.
- DIY Gingerbread House Kit (R350): everything you need to build your own gingerbread house. The kit has the gluten free gingerbread pieces, white royal icing to stick it together, and sprinkles and sweets to decorate. You do the building. It works as a holiday activity with the children, a family afternoon, or a date night. And the gluten free child gets to eat the result too.
For the dessert table
- Santa’s Chocolate Wreath (R650): a rich chocolate cake shaped and decorated as a wreath, for families who’d rather have chocolate than fruit.
- Christmas Reindeer Cupcakes (R90 for 6): chocolate cupcakes with reindeer decorations, popular with children.
- Santa’s Sugar Cookies (R180 for 6): soft, buttery cookies decorated with Santa designs.
Gluten free Christmas gifts
A box of mince pies or sugar cookies is a thoughtful gift for a friend or colleague who avoids gluten. It shows you remembered. For a bigger gift, the fruit cake keeps for weeks and travels well. Our bakes come in our standard packaging. We don’t offer gift wrapping, so add your own ribbon and card.
How to order, and Christmas dates
- Choose your bakes on our Christmas page and order online.
- Freshly baked items are delivered across Gauteng, or you can collect from our bakery at Broadacres Shopping Centre, Fourways.
- Last day to collect before Christmas: Thursday 24 December.
Our hours over the holidays:
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Thursday 24 December | 8am–4pm |
| Friday 25 December | Closed |
| Saturday 26 December | 8am–4pm |
| Thursday 31 December | 8am–4pm |
| Friday 1 January | Closed |
Order early, especially for delivery. The weeks before Christmas fill up, and the fruit cake is best bought ahead anyway.
Keeping it gluten free on the day
A few simple habits help at home:
- Serve the gluten free bakes on their own plate, with their own knife, so crumbs from other dishes don’t get mixed in.
- Put them out first, before other baked goods are cut.
- Check the labels on shop-bought extras such as custard, cream, stuffing and gravy. Gluten often hides in thickeners.
Our bakery is dedicated gluten free: nothing with gluten comes into it. We do bake with nuts, eggs, soy and milk, so if anyone at your table has another allergy, check each product’s ingredients or ask us.
More from Crumble
Hosting more people than you planned for? Our everyday range is gluten free too: gluten free breads, cakes and treats. For a Christmas cake made to your own design, see custom gluten free cakes.
Have a happy, and fully gluten free, Christmas.
