I Went Gluten-Free the Week of Christmas and All I Got Was Corn and Gluten-Free Oreos

Let me set the scene: It’s December 2021. The Christmas tree is up, the holiday playlist is on repeat, I’ve got plans to bake cookies with the kids (yes the pre made ones from Gordons- shut up they're delicious), and I’m holding out hope that the mystery illness I’ve been battling for years will magically vanish in time for some holiday cheer.

Spoiler alert: It didn’t.

Instead, I got a life-changing diagnosis a few days before Christmas—and not the kind you can wrap in shiny paper with a bow on top.

The Most (Un)Wonderful Time of the Year

By that point, I’d been bounced around from doctor to doctor like a bad re-gift. Fatigue, brain fog, migraines, bloating, stomach issues—you name it, I was dealing with it. Every doctor shrugged and passed me off like I was someone else’s problem. One of them, a neurologist, literally said:
“I don’t know what’s wrong or whats causing all these issues and your labs to be so all over the place. Do you want a referral to a rheumatologist?”

...Sir.. WHAT?. What I wanted was to not feel like a human garbage fire every day.

So I went. And honestly- this woman was amazing. I walked out of her office that day with 2 new diagnosis- hEDS and Fibromyalgia- and orders for a full body x-ray and labs. I swear that lab tech took 50 vials of blood from me that day. 

And then I waited. And literally 4 days before Christmas, she calls me: 

“Hi! Just calling with your lab results. You have celiac disease, your markers are through the roof and the gene is present. Please stop gluten IMMEDIATELY. Happy Holidays!”

Okay, she didn’t say that last part, but she might as well have. I hung up the phone, sat in stunned silence, and realized I had just four days to completely change the way I eat. Forever.

Goodbye Cookies, Hello Chaos

I didn’t even get a dramatic “farewell tour” of gluten. No one said, “Eat the breadsticks and cry it out, girl.” Nope. I had to stop immediately.

That meant the homemade cinnamon rolls I had just bought ingredients for? Gone. The family stuffing recipe I was finally old enough to be trusted with? Goodbye forever. Literally everything I had planned to eat that week—including at Christmas dinner—was laced with gluten.

And let me tell you what I did get to eat at my in-laws’ Christmas meal that year:

👉 A scoop of plain corn
👉 A sleeve of gluten-free Oreos I had thrown in my purse like a true survivalist

Was it sad? Absolutely. Did I cry in the guest room afterward? Also yes.

Welcome to the Gluten-Free Club

I spent that Christmas figuring out how to read food labels, dodging rogue croutons, and googling “is bouillon gluten free” like it was my job. (Pro tip: sometimes it is, sometimes it isn’t. CHAOS.)

No one prepares you for how gluten hides in everything—like soy sauce, spice blends, soup, and even lipstick. And doing all this during the actual holiday season? It’s a lot. I was grieving. I was exhausted. And I was hungry.

But Also... I Was Free

Weirdly enough, in the middle of all the gluten-free gloom, I also felt a flicker of relief. I finally knew what was wrong with me. And even though it was going to take some serious adjusting, at least now I had a direction.

I started experimenting with new recipes. I learned which brands were safe. I discovered that yes, I could make stuffing from gluten-free bread. I found a new sugar cookie recipe that actually held its shape. And most importantly, I started to feel like myself again.

Fast Forward: It Gets So Much Better

Now, a few Christmases later, I’ve got a rock-solid list of gluten-free go-tos, a family that understands cross-contact, and a killer cookie game. I don’t cry in the guest room anymore (well… not about food anyway). And yes, I still carry emergency snacks in my purse—but they’ve leveled up.

If you’re newly diagnosed and staring down your first gluten-free holiday season: I’ve been there. I am you. And I promise, it won’t always feel this hard.

You’ll learn, you’ll adapt, and one day, you’ll laugh about the year you had corn and Oreos for Christmas dinner. (Okay, maybe not laugh… but at least eye-roll with appreciation.)

Until next time—may your cookies be soft, your in-laws label allergens, and your purse snacks forever be gluten-free and fabulous. 💁‍♀️✨

Stay spicy, stay safe, and for the love of frosting, don’t forget the xanthan gum.

xo,
Danielle

Gluten-Free Cut-Out Sugar Cookies (That Actually Taste Like the Real Thing)

Ingredients:

• 2 ½ cups gluten-free 1:1 flour (like Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur – make sure it contains xanthan gum)

• ¾ tsp baking powder

• ¼ tsp salt

• ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened

• ¾ cup sugar

• 1 egg

• 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

• ½ tsp almond extract (optional but chef’s kiss)

Instructions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the GF flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2–3 minutes).

3. Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract and beat until combined.

4. Slowly add in the dry ingredients and mix until dough forms.

5. Divide the dough in half, flatten into discs, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 1 hour (or up to 2 days).

6. Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll out dough between two sheets of parchment paper to about ¼ inch thick.

7. Cut into shapes and place on parchment-lined baking sheets.

8. Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until edges are just starting to turn golden.

9. Cool completely before decorating (or eating directly off the tray—zero judgment).

Bonus tip: These freeze like a dream. Make them ahead and thaw when you’re ready to frost and flex.