Although I generally advocate a healthy and sensible approach to eating, I firmly believe that into every life a little sweet must fall—especially during the holidays! But I try not to lose my head entirely, since loading up on sugar and empty carbs for weeks on end is a sure way to wind up feeling naughty and not nice. I find it’s best to have some pragmatic treats on hand that can shield me from the peppermint bark and pecan rolls that materialize at every turn. When it’s time to celebrate, no one wants to feel deprived, but there are ways to feel virtuous without compromising on pleasure.

Among my favorites are crunchy little biscuits that contain no gluten or sugar. Made with hazelnuts, brown butter and cacao nibs, they are rich and satisfying. Nut flours work very well in baked goods, where they add a lush density and plenty of protein. The brown butter has its own toasty, nutty taste. (The French call it beurre noisette, literally “hazelnut butter,” so you can see how it makes perfect sense here.) The ingredients are combined into a stiff dough and formed into a log that gets chilled firm and then sliced into thick coins. You can bake just a few at a time as the dough will keep, well-wrapped, in the fridge or freezer. True to their name, these biscuits have the dense snap of a biscotti. Extremely versatile, they can be added to a cookie plate or a cheese plate with equal success.

Fruit is a wonderful option for dessert during the holidays, though it might not be an intuitive choice both because of the season and because of other more knee-jerk temptations. Pears are abundant right now, and they are sweet and delicious. Comice pears, sometimes known as Christmas pears, are creamy and aromatic, and Bosc pears are crisp with a winey perfume. Either is wonderful poached in red wine along with a little orange peel and warming spices like cinnamon, cardamom and star anise. Cook them just until tender, then pull them out and reduce the wine, with a little sugar or honey as needed, into a silky sauce. A dollop of crème fraîche provides contrast to their intense garnet color and deep flavor. Pears are also divine roasted. You can serve them with ice cream or a smear of softened blue cheese and a few toasted walnuts for a sophisticated end to a special meal.

When you need to pull out all the stops with a truly splendid dessert, a pavlova makes an excellent choice. Its layers of flavor and texture are as beautiful to look at as they are fun to eat. The crisp meringue base reveals a tender, marshmallow-like interior. This gets topped with blobs of velvety, slightly tart curd—passion fruit is my favorite, though lemon or cranberry would also be delicious—and dramatic swirls of whipped cream. This gorgeous assemblage is garnished with fresh fruit; kiwi, raspberries and mango are typical choices, but at this time of year I love to use the jewel-like seeds of the pomegranate. It’s a traditional symbol of sweet abundance and a delectable reminder that some of the best things in life are sugar-free.

Hazelnut Brown Butter Biscuits

Makes about 2 dozen

2 1/2 cups blanched hazelnut flour

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoons ground nutmeg

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground cardamom

1 cup hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

1/2 cup cacao nibs

1/2 cup brown butter

1/4 cup virgin coconut oil

6 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3 teaspoons Maldon salt

3 teaspoons rapadura or turbinado sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. 


In a large bowl, combine the hazelnut flour, fine sea salt, baking soda, spices, hazelnuts and cacao nibs. In a medium bowl, whisk together the butter, coconut oil, honey and vanilla extract. Stir the wet ingredients into the hazelnut flour mixture until thoroughly combined. 


Roll the dough into a large log, 2 1/2 inches in diameter, then wrap in parchment paper. Place in the freezer for 1 hour, or refrigerate until firm. Take out the log, unwrap it and cut into ¼” slices with a sharp, wet knife. Combine the Maldon salt and rapadura in a little bowl and sprinkle a bit on each slice. Transfer the slices onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between each biscuit. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes, rotating trays halfway through, until biscuits are golden brown. Let them rest on the baking sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.