Homemade Gluten-Free Breadcrumbs

A tall jar with golden crunchy breadcrumbs piled high and overflowing.

5 from 1 vote

Homemade Gluten-Free Breadcrumbs

Homemade breadcrumbs are easy and thrifty to make. Use them to give cooked vegetables a nice crunch, or to top casseroles, in meatloaf and meatballs, and to top mac and cheese. Nothing beats homemade. Freeze or refrigerate for several months.

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time35

Course: Seasoning

Cuisine: American

Servings: Yield: 9 ounces dry, approx. 2 ½ cups

Calories: 102kcal

Author: Sally Cameron

Equipment

Food Processor optional
Rimmed baking sheet half sheet size

Ingredients

For plan breadcrumbs

1 ½ pound loaf of bread GF or wheat, your choice

Optional for Italian seasoned breadcrumbs (per 1 cup crumbs)

1-2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon black pepper optional
1 tablespoon finely grated Parmesan skip for dairy-free

Instructions

Pre-heat oven and prep bread

Pre-heat the oven to 300°. Trim crust from bread slices or keep them on for more rustic breadcrumbs. Cut bread into cubes or tear into very small pieces.

Food Processor Instructions

Process bread cubes by pulsing in a food processor until fine. Divide crumbs between two rimmed baking sheets and bake until crumbs are golden and dry, about 30 minutes. Stir them at half way to check their progress. Timing depends on your oven.
If using a single baking sheet where the layer is thicker, stir a few times, they may take longer, or do them in two batches.

By Hand (no food processor) Instruction

Cut the bread slices into small cubes and bake as cubes. When very dry, cool, place in an airtight bag, and crush fine (or leave more textured) with a rolling pin.

Cooling and Storing

When done baking, cool crumbs completely and refrigerate or freeze in an airtight container.

For panko-style breadcrumbs

Dry cubed GF bread at 300°F for 10–15 minutes, then pulse in a food processor in short bursts, or crush in a bag with a rolling pin. Stop while large flakes remain. Sift out fine crumbs and save for toppings. If needed, return flakes to the oven 3–5 minutes to finish drying.

Notes

Storing breadcrumbs:

- Room temperature: Store toasted breadcrumbs in an airtight container in the pantry for up to 1 week.

- Refrigerator: 1–2 weeks in an airtight container. They’ll stay safe longer, but they start losing crispness and flavor after that. And if they ever look moldy toss them. That means you did not get them dry enough.

- Freezer: 3–4 months in an airtight, freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze them in recipe-sized portions to make grabbing what you need easy. Thaw at room temperature or toast briefly in a skillet to refresh.

Yield notes: A 1½-pound loaf of bread (with crust removed) yielded just over 9 ounces of toasted breadcrumbs. Since ¼ cup weighs about 1 ounce, that’s roughly 2 ½ cups total. Your yield will vary slightly depending on bread type, density, and how finely you process the crumbs.

Nutrition