Homemade Gluten-Free Bread Crumbs

How to make homemade gluten-free bread crumbs. These gluten-free breadcrumbs are perfect for meatballs, meatloaf, crispy chicken and more!

Have you ever made your own bread crumbs before? This is one of those great kitchen tips that you can pull out for all sorts of recipes!

For us wheat-free/gluten-intolerant folks, gluten-free bread crumbs can open up a whole new world of delicious recipes, whether you use them as a crispy coating, or mix them into a recipe to improve the texture.

While there are more brands of gluten-free bread crumbs out there these days, they can sometimes be expensive or hard to find, so knowing how to make your own can save you a few dollars and a trip to the grocery store. (Always a win in my book!)

You might be surprised by just how SIMPLE they are to make. Here’s what you need to make our easy gluten-free breadcrumbs…

Here’s What You need To Make Your Own Bread Crumbs:

Making homemade bread crumbs is SUPER easy. You don’t even need oil or butter! Just ONE ingredient + a few tools:

• Gluten-Free Bread. You can use your favorite gluten-free bread for making gluten-free bread crumbs. We’ve made it with Trader Joe’s, Canyon Bakehouse, Little Northern Bakehouse, Udi’s, multigrain bread, and more. You can even mix and match the odds and ends from leftover loaves or even gluten-free buns or baguettes. (Using vegan or dairy-free bread also makes these breadcrumbs vegan or dairy-free, respectively)
• A Food Processor. Next, you’ll need a food processor to help you grind the bread into crumbs. (You can’t really get the same effect from using a rolling pin, like you can when making pie crust crumbs, so a food processor is a must!)
• A Baking Sheet. Lastly, you’ll need a sheet pan to bake the crumbs. You want to use a large cookie sheet/half sheet pan so the crumbs aren’t overly crowded. (You can even divide the breadcrumbs between two baking sheets for more air circulation!)

How To MAke Gluten-Free Bread Crumbs, Step By Step:

1. Preheat The Oven. Start by preheating the oven to 300 degrees F. Set out a cookie sheet/half sheet pan. (Do not grease the pan or line with parchment paper.)
2. Dice & Grind The Bread Into Crumbs. First, dice the bread into 1-inch cubes so it’s easier to blend. Add bread cubes to a food processor and pulse or grind until you have fine crumbs. (It’s ok if the pieces aren’t perfectly uniform.)
3. Bake To Dry Them. Pour the bread crumbs out onto the baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees F. for 5 minutes. Stir, then bake another 5 minutes. Check the crumbs and bake for another 3-5 minutes as needed, or until they’re dry and crisp. (You want a light, crispy texture, so they need to be fully dry.)
4. Cool Completely & Store. Let the bread crumbs cool completely (this will take 10-15 minutes at least) before using or transferring to an airtight container or jar to store. Gluten-free bread crumbs will keep about 1 month at room temperature or 3 months in the freezer.

Yummy Ways To Use Homemade Gluten-Free Bread Crumbs

• Meatballs. Many meatball recipes call for breadcrumbs as a way to lighten the texture. These gluten free breadcrumbs are perfect for making meatballs!
• Burgers. Some chicken & turkey burger recipes use breadcrumbs to help bind them and lighten their texture. These crumbs work great for that!
• Coating & Breading Fish Or Chicken. One of our favorite ways to use gluten-free bread crumbs is making a crispy coating for fish or chicken, like in our Baked Gluten-Free Crispy Chicken Tenders. It’s one of our favorite recipes–it’s easy, it’s delicious, and there are so many fun sauces to serve with them, so we never get bored!
• Meatloaf. Similar to meatballs, meatloaf recipes often call for breadcrumbs. Our gluten-free breadcrumbs work like a charm for making tender gluten-free meatloaf.
• Crispy Topping For Dips, Bakes & Casseroles. Add a little crispy crunch to casseroles and dips. I do this sometimes with our Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip. The contrast of crispy, crunchy bread crumbs and hot gooey dip is AMAZING. It also works on things like baked mac and cheese, or cheesy potatoes!
• Finish Pasta Or Veggies. Or, garnish a pasta dish or some yummy roasted or steamed veggies with some bread crumbs. It’s such a nice textural contrast and adds that little “something” to the dish. I love adding crumbs to roasted broccoli with chili flakes and lemon zest!

FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The Best Gluten-Free Bread Crumbs:

Does This Make Gluten-Free Panko? Panko is a light, airy Japanese style of breadcrumbs, made from specially made bread without crusts. You can mimic the panko texture in gluten-free panko bread crumbs by cutting the crusts off your bread before making bread crumbs. I also recommend gluten-free white bread over a multigrain for making gluten-free panko style crumbs, since the lighter, starchier bread makes a lighter, crispier crumb.

Can I Use Frozen Bread To Make Bread Crumbs? Yes, and I do it almost all the time! Making bread crumbs is a great way to use up all the odds and ends from loaves of gluten-free bread, so I save them in a bag for making things like French Toast Casserole or these Gluten-Free Bread Crumbs. Just thaw the bread before baking so it’s easier to grind into crumbs.

Do You Need To Cut The Crusts Off To Make Bread Crumbs? I usually don’t, UNLESS I’m making gluten-free panko bread crumbs. (Panko is made without crusts for a lighter texture.)

How Long Do Homemade Bread Crumbs Last? If they’re nice and dry, homemade bread crumbs should keep about 1 month at room temperature in the pantry and up to 3 months in the freezer.

What Brands Make Gluten-Free Bread Crumbs? Don’t have time to make your own? There are lots of brands of gluten-free bread crumbs! Ian’s, Schar, Kikkoman (gluten-free box only!), and Aleia’s are some we’ve tried.

Leave a star review and comment below after you try these bread crumbs & let me know how you used them! I can’t wait to hear how it goes!

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