Easy Homemade Gluten Free Croutons

Learn how to make delicious gluten free croutons to toss into salads and soups. These super tasty croutons can also be used to make gluten free breadcrumbs or stuffing.

Croutons seem to cause a love or a hate response in people.

I used to love them, back in my gluten-eating days (which was over 8 years ago now).

After getting an irresistable hankering for croutons, I set out to make my own (because, you know, the cost to buy gluten free croutons is outrageous).

I’m happy to say that not only are these homemade gluten free croutons easy to make, they also fully satisfied my hankering.

Something about adding croutons to a salad just makes it feel fancy.

And fancy salad is more edible.

Maybe that’s just me.

But if you’re looking for a great way to mix up and dress up your salad game, these gluten free croutons are for YOU!

How to Make Gluten Free croutons

All you need to make your own gluten free croutons is:

• One loaf of gluten-free bread.
• Seasonings (I like Italian, but dill and garlic are amazing, too).
• Oil of choice. Coconut oil, olive oil, avocado oil, or butter.

To make the croutons, begin by cutting the bread into ¾ inch pieces. I like smallish croutons in my salad, but feel free to go as big as you like!

In a large bowl, add your bread pieces. 

In a measuring glass, combine oil and seasonings, and stir well.

Pour the oil mixture over the bread cubes and gently toss.

Lay them on a silicone mat or parchment paper lined cookie sheet.

Bake them for 8 minutes at 350 degrees F. Stir and flip them, and bake for another 8-10 minutes.

How to Make ’em Dairy-Free And Vegan Croutons

This recipe is dairy free, so long as you use dairy free bread and oil instead of butter.

To make it vegan, make sure to use a dairy free and egg free bread. 

Schar Artisan is an example of a gluten free bread that is free from dairy and eggs.

You can also use this homemade bread recipe. It works very well for croutons and makes them extremely cheap (can you beat under $2 a loaf?).

Ways To Use Homemade Gluten-Free Croutons

I don’t know if you really need help with this, but in case you do. Here are some ideas:

• Toss some in soup (hey, tomato soup, I’m looking at you!)
• Spruce up a salad
• Crush them to make breadcrumbs
• Make your favorite stuffing recipe with them

I LOVE these in homemade Thanksgiving stuffing. If you need a good recipe this year, check out the Ultimate Gluten Free Thanksgiving Bundle. 

The stuffing recipe I use is included, plus many more classic recipes. As always, gluten free. 

Almost every side dish has dairy free and vegan options.

Can you freeze gluten free croutons?

Yes you can! You can totally freeze these in an air tight container up to 1-3 months.

To use frozen croutons, just pop them in the fridge to thaw the night before. If you don’t have time to thaw them, just add 5-10 minutes to the step below.

You can toast them quickly in the oven (375 degrees F) for 5 minutes to crisp them up and get rid of any extra moisture.

Can you use croutons for breadcrumbs?

Absolutely, yes. Just make sure to fully dry these gluten free croutons, and then you can crush them for breadcrumbs to use in your favorite recipes.

Toss two cups of croutons in a large plastic bag (I like to use a silicone reusable bag). Push out the air and seal the bag. 

Lay the bag on a counter or table top and use a rolling pin to crush the croutons into bread crumbs. 

Store the bread crumbs in an air tight container in a cool dry place for up to 2 weeks. 

Refrigerate or freeze after that (again, in an air-tight container).

Want more gluten free easy bread recipes? Save these for later:
Soft and Tender Dinner Rolls | GF DF V
Amazing Sandwich Bread | GF DF V option
Easy Weeknight Flatbread | GF DF V