Crunchy, garlicky, and the perfect addition to salads, soups, and more, gluten-free croutons are hard to stop eating! So easy to make just cube gluten-free bread, toss with my butter-oil-garlic mixture, and bake until crisp. They beat anything from the store hands down. Make them ahead and keep a batch in the pantry. Don't be surprised if they disappear. Dairy-free option too.
Once you taste these homemade gluten-free croutons and see how easy they are to make you will skip store-bought croutons. Beware though, they are absolutely addictive! Not devouring these tasty croutons when they come out of the oven is the trick. Seriously, I had a friend eat much of this batch for shooting and had to make more. Skip the store bought and make your own croutons.
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Why You'll Like This Recipe
- Gluten-free croutons are super easy to make with simple ingredients.
- Dairy-free, vegan option.
- Usable for garnishes in many ways.
Recipe Ingredients
- Bread: I prefer Canyon Bakehouse gluten-free bread. I use their Heritage Style Honey White bread as it's a larger loaf of bread (24-ounces) with larger slices. If you use other bread, just be sure you have 24 ounces. At the grocery store look in the freezer section.
- Butter: I only buy unsalted butter, (sweet butter) so I control the salt. Once you get used to unsalted butter you won't believe how salty regular butter tastes.
- Oil: Extra virgin olive oil adds nice flavor, and the combination with butter makes for extra flavorful croutons.
- Garlic: Use garlic powder or granulated garlic.
For measurements, salt and black pepper, please see the recipe card.
Here's another terrific recipe I make using this bread, my traditional gluten-free Thanksgiving stuffing. You'd never know it's gluten-free.
Chef's tip on bread: While I use fresh bread, you can use stale bread if you want to or have bread to use up. You'll need to reduce baking time. When buying bread, look for larger slices as many brands have small slices. Crusts off or on? Crusts provide nice texture and a rustic feel, plus there is no waste. If you want to trim the crusts, please do. I've made them both ways.
Substitutions and Variations
Want to get creative? Try these options:
- For plain croutons, skip the garlic, or add a little onion powder.
- For dairy-free croutons or vegan croutons, use plant butter and bread with no dairy (like milk powder).
- Spice them up! Add a little smoked paprika, chili powder, or cumin to the oil-butter mixture before tossing with the bread cubes. Turmeric adds more golden color.
- If you like Hawaiian Sweet bread, use this gluten-free bread.
- Add herbs! Either dried, like Italian seasoning, or fresh herbs, like finely chopped thyme. Add to the butter-oil mixture when tossing the bread cubes.
- Toss with finely grated Parmesan cheese before baking for cheesy croutons.
Great croutons are a must for Caesar Salads and even better with homemade Caesar dressing.
How to Make Gluten-Free Croutons
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Chef's tip: For crispier croutons, bake them a few minutes longer. You can also reduce the oven temperature and bake them a little longer, which dries the croutons more. If after baking and cooling you want them crisper, pop them back into the oven for a few additional minutes until you get a satisfying crunch.
Serving Suggestions
Use croutons to garnish your favorite soups and to give simple salads a little oomph. Crush gluten-free croutons a bit and scatter over vegetable dishes, especially simply blanched green beans. They add great texture, flavor, and visual interest. And for tomato soup? Gluten-free croutons are a must!
If somehow the croutons got soft in storage and you want them crisped up, pop them into a 300°F oven on a baking tray for a few minutes.
Check out this recipe to make gluten free breadcrumbs.
Storage
Before storing gluten-free croutons, be sure they are fully cooled and crisp. Leftover croutons last approximately 2 weeks in a cool pantry in an airtight container, if they are well baked, crisp, and the moisture is out of them. Otherwise they risk developing mold. If you see any signs of spoilage, toss them and make a new batch. Mine never seem to last that long (we eat them!).
While some recipes say you can freeze them and re-crisp in the oven, I've never tried this. This is such an easy recipe, fresh croutons are always better than frozen.
Recipe FAQs
It's personal preference as to whether you trim the crusts. Crusts add a nice rustic texture, plus more crunch and color. If you prefer trimmed crusts, go ahead and trim. It's up to you. It's also up to you how large of bread cubes you cut. Larger croutons require a little longer baking. This is true for regular croutons and gluten free croutons as well.
The way I make them, yes, gluten-free crotons taste juts as good as croutons made with wheat bread. The trick is in the butter-olive oil blend I make for baking croutons. It gives amazing flavor and you'd never know they are gluten-free.
I prefer the flavor of olive oil, then mix it with unsalted butter for great flavor. You can also use avocado oil or a healthy neutral oil. Skip vegetable oil, canola oil, seed oils, and industrially produced oils in general for healthier croutons.
Recipes for Using Gluten-free Croutons
If you can't think of ways to use croutons, try them on these recipes.
⭐️Did You Make This?
If you make gluten-free croutons, I hope you'll comment and let me know how you liked it. If you loved it, please give it a 5 star rating! They really help other readers and I appreciate hearing from you, and I'll respond to each comment.
📖 Recipe
Gluten-free Croutons
Equipment
Ingredients
- 24 ounces gluten free bread loaf See note below on the bread I use
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt optional
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper optional
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Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Slice the bread into ¾-inch to 1-inch cubes, using the crusts (or removing them first). Using the crusts makes more croutons and adds rustic charm. Add the bread cubes to a large bowl.
- Melt the butter, oil, and garlic together in the microwave, then add to the bread cubes and toss well with your hands or large spoons. Spread the bread cubes in a single layer on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt if using. Bake croutons until crisp, about 30 minutes. Eat one to feel the crunch and see if they are baked enough for you. Croutons will dry a little more upon cooling. Leave the tray on the counter to cool and dry, then package in an airtight container. Croutons last approximately 2 weeks in a cool dry place like your pantry.
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