Whether you’re aiming to dominate the class bake sale or pack something sweet in your kid’s lunch box, these 21 school-safe treats are just right for kids with most allergies. (For the record, the FDA identifies nine foods as major allergens: milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, sesame and soybeans.) The following recipes are all nut-free, and a few are also gluten- and dairy-free. No matter which goodies you choose to serve, you’re sure to be crowned an official Cool Mom at first bite.
21 School-Safe Treats That Are Allergy- and Kid-Friendly
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Published Jul 28, 2023
1. Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, beginner-friendly, gluten free
Sweetened with honey and dappled with dairy-free chocolate chips, these handhelds are tasty and allergy-friendly. Crispy rice cereal and quick-cooking oats are naturally gluten-free, but use certified gluten-free oats to be safe.
2. Gluten-Free Flourless Cocoa Cookies
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, gluten free, make ahead, <10 ingredients
No nuts, no problem. Cocoa powder, confectioners' sugar and eggs take over for traditional all-purpose flour, resulting in an incredibly chocolatey cookie that wheat-allergic kids can enjoy.
3. Homemade Cinnamon Applesauce
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, make ahead
Have this kid-friendly classic on deck for playdates, parties and after-school hangs. Choose from McIntosh, Fuji, Cortland or Golden Delicious apples, depending on how sweet your kid likes 'em.
4. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, no bake, <30 minutes
As long as everyone in your kid's class eats dairy, this communal treat is on the menu. Use gluten-free graham crackers or fruit for dipping if someone is allergic to wheat.
- Time Commitment: 3 hours and 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: make ahead, <10 ingredients, no bake
Send the kids to camp with these freezer gems and let the compliments roll in. As long as the pudding mix is thickened with cornstarch and you use gluten-free Oreos, the pops should be safe for kids with wheat allergies.
- Time Commitment: 2 hours
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients
Finally, a toaster pastry that tastes as good as it looks. Filled with your kids' favorite jam, jelly or preserves, the pastries are egg-free, nut-free and covered in sprinkles, so they're officially picky eater-proof.
- Time Commitment: 55 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, one bowl, make ahead
Whip up this whole-grain, egg-free treat in one bowl, so you have more time to nosh with the kids instead of washing dishes. The bars are naturally nut-free and can easily be made gluten- and dairy-free with a few simple substitutions.
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why I Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, gluten free
Most store-bought caramels are gluten-free, so these are safe for kids who can't eat nuts or wheat. Might we suggest rolling the apples in rainbow sprinkles or chocolate chips for added texture?
9. Vegan and Gluten-Free Baked Doughnuts
- Time Commitment: 55 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free
Can everyone in your kid's class consume coconut? If so, these doughnuts (made with coconut oil, coconut sugar and coconut milk) are in the clear. They can sample their way through chocolate, strawberry and coconut glazes to their hearts' content.
10. Magic Pancakes with Bananas, Eggs and Yogurt
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, gluten free
Keep this recipe in your back pocket for post-sleepover mornings, early field trips and campouts. The pancakes are bound by rolled oats and eggs, while one overly ripe banana makes them sweet without additional sugar. To make them even more snackable, pour them into silver dollar sizes or cut them into pancake "fries."
11. Apple Cider Doughnut Holes
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, make ahead
These nut-free poppables are always a hit with the kiddos, especially at Halloween parties. Serve them with warm apple cider or hot chocolate for dunking.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, make ahead
If they can eat wheat, these Insta-worthy confections are good to go. Mom might want to taste-test these beauties first, just to make sure they're up to par and all...
13. 5-Ingredient Frozen Yogurt Bites
- Time Commitment: 2 hours (includes freezing time)
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, no bake, make ahead
Use a gluten-free granola et voilà: These five-ingredient gems are wheat-allergy-friendly. Go with whatever fruits your kids will eat (we're partial to peaches, blueberries or strawberries).
14. Snickerdoodle Lucky Charms Cookies
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: make ahead, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, <30 minutes
Trust us, your kids would rather find one of these cookies on the table than a four-leaf clover. They contain gluten and dairy, but no nuts. Substitute 1:1 gluten-free flour if you'd like to experiment.
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, no bake, <30 minutes
Sunflower butter stars in this nut-free snack that smiles back. Just wait until you find out how to make the vegan googly eyes. (Hint: It's mostly confectioners' sugar and nondairy milk.)
16. Mini Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, gluten free, make ahead, kid-friendly
Whether they eat them for breakfast, an after-school snack or dessert, one thing's for sure: They *will* ask for seconds. Zhuzh up the muffins' chocolatey flavor for a modest dose of ground cinnamon.
17. Fruit Pizza
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
Sugar cookie + cream cheese frosting + fresh fruit = a snack even the pickiest eaters won't complain about. Save time by using store-bought sugar cookie dough for the base.
18. No-Bake, Nut-Free Powerbites
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes (plus chilling time)
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, gluten free, no bake
As long as your kid's classmates can eat coconut and seeds, these SunButter bites are a solid option. Pepper them with dried cranberries, golden raisins or chocolate chips, and use maple syrup instead of honey to make them vegan.
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: no bake, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
Substitute sunflower butter, yogurt dip or cream cheese for peanut butter and these cuties will be allergy-friendly. Let the kids lead the way in the topping department; everything from granola to cacao nibs to sprinkles is fair game.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion-worthy
So cute that they give the doughnut emoji a run for its money. Since the recipe calls for all-purpose flour and butter, the cookies are only safe for kids with nut allergies (though you could substitute 1:1 gluten-free flour).
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
When in doubt, lean on this oldie-but-a-goodie cookie recipe that no kid will turn down. Just be sure to use plain M&M's—not peanut or almond—to keep the cookies nut-free.
