Easy Gluten-Free Bread Crumbs Recipe – Gluten-Free Palate (2024)

Use stale bread to make gluten-free bread crumbs in just a few easy steps. Store the gluten-free bread crumbs in a glass jar or in the freezer and pull them out as you need them.

This gluten-free bread crumbs recipe is simple, and you can add seasonings to spice it up.

If you love making bread from scratch, you'll want to make my gluten-free bread recipe.

Gluten-Free Bread Crumbs

Don't throw away that stale bread or the ends of the loaf. They make great gluten-free bread crumbs, and you won't waste any bread.

I typically keep a container or zip-lock bag of stale bread or ends in my freezer for when I need gluten-free bread crumbs.

If you don't need any bread crumbs, you can also use the stale and leftover bread to make gluten-free croutons.

Any type of non-sweet, gluten-free bread works. White, whole grain, rye ... any. And it's okay to mix and match.

There are two methods of making bread crumbs. They involve the same steps but in different orders.

You can either cut up your bread, place it in a food processor and then bake it to remove the moisture, and then process it again, OR you can cut the bread, bake it to remove the moisture, and then process it in a food processor.

I like to do the first one, process, then bake. I find that if I bake the bread and then process it, the gluten-free bread crumbs turn out too fine.

If you need really fine bread crumbs you can always process the amount you need when you are ready to use them.

How to make gluten-free bread crumbs from scratch

I find homemade gluten-free bread crumbs to be better than store-bought bread crumbs, and I like that I can add spices whenever I want. Here's how I make gluten-free bread crumbs:

1. Place your bread onto a cutting board.
2. Cut the gluten-free bread into 1-inch cubes.
3. Add the bread cubes to a food processor.
4. Process until fine. It's okay if you have a smaller food processor, just process in batches.
5. Spread the gluten-free bread crumbs onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. I like using parchment paper because it's easier to transfer the breadcrumbs to a container.
6. Bake as directed. If desired, once the breadcrumbs have cooled, add seasonings.

These numbered steps match the numbered photos above and are for illustration purposes. For the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please see the recipe below.

Is Panko Gluten Free?

Panko often has wheat in it, so no, it is not gluten-free. There are some brands of panko that are gluten-free. Please always check labels before purchasing.

Gluten-Free Panko Bread Crumbs

Panko bread crumbs are bread crumbs made with white bread with no crust and no end pieces.

If you need to make gluten-free panko bread crumbs, simply use a white gluten-free bread and cut off the crust and ends. Save those ends and the crust in your freezer for croutons or regular gluten-free bread crumbs.

Italian Gluten Free Bread Crumbs

To make Italian seasoning gluten-free bread crumbs, add 1 cup of bread crumbs in a bowl with ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon parsley, ½ teaspoon of oregano.

You can use Italian gluten-free bread crumbs to make breaded chicken, breaded pork chops, or anything that calls for bread crumbs.

Simply measure out how much you need and store the leftovers in the freezer. When you are ready to use them, bring them to room temperature.

My bread clumped in the food processor

If the bread cubes clumped in the food processor instead of grinding down, there was too much moisture in the bread. You can spread the bread crumbs out onto a baking sheet, bake until they are dry, cool them, and then reprocess them in the food processor.

How to store gluten-free breadcrumbs

Place completely cooled breadcrumbs in a glass container or a zip lock bag in a cool, dry place. If you aren't going to use them within a month or so, place them in the freezer.

If you store them in the freezer, make sure you bring them to room temperature before you use them.

Why do bread crumbs need to be at room temperature to use?

Like many things you'd bake with or coat with, when you freeze them, you pull the moisture out of them. The same goes for gluten-free flours, almond flour, and coconut flour.

You need to bring them to room temperature so they have time to defrost and pull moisture back in; otherwise, they will absorb too much moisture from the other ingredients.

Did you make this gluten-free bread crumbs recipe? Leave me a comment below and let me know if you added any of the spices.