Gluten Free Breakfast Bombs are soft, chewy, and packed with eggs, cheese, and breakfast sausage or bacon. Satisfying, make-ahead, portable, and freezer friendly, this naturally gluten free breakfast recipe is a game-changer!
“These are perfect for a make-ahead, early school morning breakfast. I appreciate you including the storage and reheating instructions too. Everyone in our house loved these!”
When you need to eat gluten free, it’s safer to cook at home vs ordering take-out or going to restaurants all the time. That said, cooking every meal from scratch is a lot of work so I keep a few convenience foods in the freezer to lean on every now and again.
One of my favorites is Brazi Bites, which are Brazilian cheese bread bites that I like to pair with a piece of fruit or salad for a quick and easy lunch. I love them so much I made a homemade pizza version!
Since the base of Brazilian cheese bread is cheese and eggs, I thought adding breakfast sausage or bacon would make an incredible gluten free breakfast option.
Gluten Free Breakfast Bombs are the result! These palm-sized breakfast bombs are exploding with flavor, SO satisfying – and check out that cheese pull!
Watch How to Make Them
Why You’ll Love GF Breakfast Bombs
- Soft and chewy: if you’ve never had Brazilian cheese bread before, be prepared for a delicate crispy shell that opens into a soft and ooey-gooey-chewy center.
- Customizable: these photos show ground breakfast sausage as the meat option, though I love these breakfast bombs made with cooked then crumbled bacon. Finely diced ham would be great too.
- Good fresh or reheated: these are phenomenal fresh out of the oven, but can be refrigerated or frozen then reheated quickly in the microwave. So, make a batch on the weekend then reheat for breakfast all week.
- Freezer friendly: not only can you freeze the cooked breakfast bombs, but you can also freeze them uncooked then pluck out however many you need at any given time and bake them hot and fresh.
- Portable: need a grab-and-go gluten free breakfast option that you can eat in the car on the way to school drop off or work (or both)? This is it!
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Pin ItMain Ingredients Needed
All you need are a handful of everyday gluten free ingredients to whip these babies up. Here are the main ones you’ll need:
- Cheese: a combination of shredded mozzarella and sharp cheddar cheese.
- Breakfast meat: use cooked ground breakfast sausage, cooked then crumbled bacon, or finely diced ham (I like Frick’s ham steak).
- Eggs: keep the breakfast bombs together and provide structure.
- Tapioca flour: sometimes labeled tapioca starch, comes from the root of the cassava plant. That said, don’t swap the tapioca flour with cassava flour, as the latter is made from the whole root, while tapioca flour is not. Tapioca flour is naturally gluten free and gives the breakfast bombs a soft and satisfying chew.
Can I Substitute the Tapioca Flour?
The short answer is no.
Tapioca flour is what gives the breakfast bombs their irresistible stretch and chewiness – you wouldn’t achieve the same texture with either a gluten free flour bend, or all-purpose flour.
Furthermore, tapioca flour has different hydration needs, requiring slightly less liquid than all-purpose flour, for example.
TL;DR: do not swap the tapioca flour for something else in this recipe. Most grocery stores carry tapioca flour these days. I’ve used Bob’s Red Mill Tapioca Flour, and Anthony’s Organic Tapioca Flour with great results.
How to Make this Recipe
Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients.
To a large bowl, add tapioca flour (again, this can also be called tapioca starch), baking powder, salt, and pepper then mix with a fork to combine.
Step 2: Add the fillings.
Next add shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese, plus cooked then cooled ground breakfast sausage, cooked then crumbled bacon, or finely diced ham and mix with the fork to combine.
Step 3: Add the wet ingredients.
Next add whisked eggs plus melted butter that’s been cooled slightly. Switch to a spatula then stir the entire mixture together. It will be very thick and slightly sticky – initially you might think there’s not enough liquid – but trust the process!
Recipe Tip
Place your eggs on the counter for 15-20 minutes prior to adding them to the recipe so they don’t harden the melted butter. The recipe will still turn out fine if you don’t have time to do this, but it makes it easier to stir and combine the batter.
Step 4: Scoop then bake.
Use a 1/4 cup cookie scoop to scoop the batter and make 8 “bombs”, placing them on a silpat or parchment paper-lined half sheet pan. Very lightly wet your hands then press down on the tops just a bit to flatten them slightly.
Bake for 9-11 minutes at 450 degrees or until the bombs are golden brown all over. Let them rest for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before devouring the crispy, cheesy, chewy hand-held delights!
How to Store, Reheat, and Freeze
One of the most exciting things about this recipe is that you can freeze the bombs both baked or unbaked. Plus they remain soft and chewy on the inside, and slightly crispy on the outside, even after reheating in the microwave! Here are the details:
- Refrigerate: transfer cooled, baked bombs to an airtight container or Ziplock bag then store in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Reheat in the microwave wrapped in a paper towel for 20-30 seconds or until warmed through.
- Freeze: once cooled, place the baked bombs inside the freezer on the sheet pan. Once frozen, transfer them to a gallon-size Ziplock freezer bag then freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, wrap a in a paper towel then microwave for 1 minute at 50% power followed by 15-20 seconds at full power.
- Freeze raw: after scooping the batter onto the half sheet pan, place the pan inside the freezer. Once frozen, transfer the unbaked bombs to a gallon-size Ziplock freezer bag then freeze for up to 3 months. Bake the raw bombs at 400 degrees for 15-17 minutes (note: this is different temperature and timing then baking the bombs fresh/unfrozen). Leave the bombs in the freezer while the oven preheats.
Whether you enjoy them hot and fresh, or from the fridge or freezer, I hope you love every savory, cheesy, satisfying bite – enjoy!
More Satisfying Gluten Free Breakfast Recipes
- Gluten Free Quiche
- Mini Egg Bites
- Crock Pot Breakfast Casserole
- High Protein Overnight Oats
- Gluten Free Breakfast Casserole
- Make-Ahead Breakfast Bowls
- Ham and Cheese Hash Brown Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1-1/4 cups tapioca flour, sometimes labeled tapioca starch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- scant 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup cooked then cooled ground breakfast sausage, crumbled bacon, or diced ham
- 2 large eggs, whisked, see notes
- 1/4 cup butter, melted then slightly cooled
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees then line a half sheet pan with parchment paper or a silpat and set it aside.
- To a large mixing bowl, add the tapioca flour, baking powder, pepper, and salt then stir with a fork to combine. Add the cheeses, and sausage or bacon then stir to combine. Add the eggs and butter then switch to a spatula and stir until the mixture is thoroughly combined – it will be very thick.
- Use a 1/4 cup ice cream scoop, or 1/4 cup measuring cup sprayed with nonstick spray, to scoop the dough onto the prepared sheet pan then lightly wet your fingers with water and press down on the tops to slightly flatten them. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until golden brown all over, rotating the pan halfway through.
- Let the Breakfast Bombs cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then serve warm.
Notes
- Put your eggs on the counter for 15-20 minutes prior to adding them to the recipe so they don’t harden the melted butter. The recipe will still turn out fine if you don’t have time to do this, but it does make it easier to stir up the batter.
- How to store/reheat from the fridge: transfer cooled, baked bombs to an airtight container or Ziplock bag then store in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Reheat in the microwave wrapped in a paper towel for 20-30 seconds or until warmed through.
- How to freeze/reheat from the freezer: once cooled, place the baked bombs inside the freezer on the sheet pan. Once frozen, transfer them to a gallon-size Ziplock freezer bag then freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, wrap a in a paper towel then microwave for 1 minute at 50% power followed by 15-20 seconds at full power.
- How to freeze then bake raw bombs: after scooping the batter onto the half sheet pan, place the pan inside the freezer. Once frozen, transfer the unbaked bombs to a gallon-size Ziplock freezer bag then freeze for up to 3 months. Bake the raw bombs at 400 degrees for 15-17 minutes (note: this is different temperature and timing then baking the bombs fresh/unfrozen). Leave the bombs in the freezer while the oven preheats.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Photos by Ashley McLaughlin
Really good! It occurred to me that without the sausage, this recipe might make an amazing baguette (maybe formed in a baguette pan). I am going to make a quintuple recipe and bring these for breakfast on a sailing trip this winter. I love your recipes and my celiac sister and I thank you.
You are so welcome, Carole! I hope they’re a hit!
Would mild cheddar work? Not a big fan of sharp cheddar.
Yes that’s fine!
Absolutely delicious. I fried the breakfast sausage the day before for convenience. I was surprised that there are only 2 eggs in the recipe, but I wouldn’t change a thing.
I’m so glad you loved these, Jake!! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Can these be made with ground chicken?
Hi June! You bet. Really any cooked ground or finely chopped meat should work in these.
Always looking for something new for breakfast. This is an awesome recipe! I prepped the dry stuff the night before, and then cooked this up while making lunches so we had them fresh out of the oven on a ‘school’ morning. So easy and quick!
Amazing!! So glad you enjoyed them, Karine! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
These were amazing, and I will definitely be making them again soon!
Thanks for mentioning in another comment not to substitute the tapioca flour. That put my baking plans on hold until I could get back to the grocery store, but they were well worth it!
Oh I’m so glad you caught that! I added a note to the main copy so it’s easier for others to see. I’m so glad you loved these, Missy – thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
delicious! I used dairy free butter. wondering if anyone has tried with plant based cheese? Wanting to try making them for a friend who cannot do any dairy.
I’m so glad the dairy free butter worked for you, Sandy!
My daughter doesn’t tolerate mozzarella well. Have you tried any other cheeses?
Oh shoot, I’m sorry to hear that! Although I haven’t tested them in this recipe, in general, Oaxaca cheese and fontina cheese are mild white cheeses that melt well and might work in this recipe if they work for her?
I don’t usually make something new right away, want to see what others think first. Made these yesterday when I saw what they were. so delicious! I only used 1/2 cup sausage. Also… make sure your bowl is large enough to mix… I did a 4 cup measuring cup and definitely needed more mixing room. I had one for breakfast and it warmed up nicely!
I’m so happy you gave these a go, Brenda! And I agree on the mixing bowl size. My large one shown in the process photos is 10 cups. Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
So good! We made them with bacon! Such a delicious breakfast before Church yesterday.
I’m thrilled you loved them, C.S.! Bacon might be my favorite, too. :) Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Could these be cooked in an air fryer? Particularly if frozen first?
Hi Sue! Because of their shape, they don’t do *great* in the air fryer – the outsides cook faster than the insides. If you wanted to make them into mini bites, the Air fryer will work!
If I want to make these without the meat, do I need to make any adjustments to the recipe? Or can I just leave it out?
You can leave the meat out!
I just made these this morning. They are so delicious and easy to make. Warm, chewy and cheesy goodness. YUM!
YAY!! So glad you gave them a go already, Vicki!! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
If I’m not concerned about gluten free can I just use AP flour?
Hi Mary! This type of cheese bread has to be made with tapioca flour to get that signature chewy texture. Tapioca flour just happens to be naturally gluten free! That said, you won’t get the same texture with either all-purpose flour, or a gluten free flour blend. Additionally, AP and GF flour blends have different liquid/hydration requirements vs tapioca flour.
Thanks, Kristin. Next time I’m in HyVee I’ll look for the tapioca flour.