But not a bite to eat. At least, that’s how it can feel like for someone with multiple food restrictions. Holiday parties bring with them countless treats, always including scores of baked morsels of all imaginable colors, sizes, and flavors. Being vegan no longer poses the same sort of dilemma to the savvy guest or host, but a vegan with allergies? Those can be treacherous waters to navigate, especially at a time of excess. While others feel free to indulge, that relaxed stance can make it even trickier to find foods unrefined or uncontaminated. Happily, every year brings new and increasingly delicious options, as awareness of alternative diets increases and bakers grow more experimental in the kitchen. For anyone still lacking in inspiration, the winter edition of Allergic Living comes in the nick of time, featuring two treats in particular that will wow eaters of all persuasions.

It’s always a pleasure to photograph Alisa Fleming‘s recipes, but her Hot Chocolate Cookies seemed to be made especially with me in mind. Throw marshmallows on top of anything and I’m all over it, but that deeply fudgy, chewy base that they sit upon has a lot to offer all by itself.

For a more dainty delight, the Vanilla-Chai Sandwich Cookies are just the ticket. With a shortbread-like texture so impossibly tender that each bite seems to melt in your mouth, few pairings of cookie and filling have been so successful in my experience. Each layer blends effortlessly into the next, while still providing enough textural contrast to keep things interesting. A handful of chai sandwiches would be the perfect ending to a big holiday feast, or wrapped up in pretty cellophane bags as gifts.

Whoever still says there aren’t delicious options for those with allergies just isn’t looking hard enough!