15+ Gluten Free Brunch Ideas | Hot Pan Kitchen

Try one of these Gluten Free Brunch Ideas for your next party! Or use these recipes to revamp your normal weekend menu. There are desserts and cheese boards, drink options, and recipes to make ahead or easy ones for the morning of.

pin for gluten free brunch ideas with white chocolate candied lemons on the top of the pin, avocado toast in the bottom left corner, and a tomato, kale, and cheese frittata on the bottom right.

Throwing a brunch can be lots of fun, but stressful at the same time. What do you serve that everyone will like? What time should you start brunch? What do you even wear?

That last one I can’t help you with, but I can help you figure out the rest! Read on for some common brunch (and breakfast) questions.

What time should you serve brunch?

There is no designated brunch time, so just pick a time that works for you and your guests! Typical brunch hours range from roughly 10:00am to 2:00pm.

What are gluten free breakfast foods?

While there are a number of “typical” breakfast and brunch foods that are NOT gluten free (think cinnamon rolls, donuts, coffee cakes), there are a lot that are. Things like yogurt, eggs, and cheese are all components of a brunch or breakfast that are naturally gluten free.

Below I’ve listed many different types of foods that work for a gluten free brunch. Choose one or several for your next hosted event!

Try One of These Gluten Free Brunch Options!

Toast Bar

Pieces of avocado toast with a bit out of the bottom right corner. a fork is the left with avocado on the tines and another piece of toast is in the upper right corner.

Gluten Free Toast Bar, that is. This is a great option if your guests want to choose their own adventure. You can provide both sweet and savory options. Sweet options could include different types of butters (peanut, almond, apple), jams and jellies, honey, or a chocolate or hazelnut spread. Savory options could be avocado (like the Simple Avocado Toast pictured above), fried or scrambled eggs, bacon, tomatoes, or cheese.

*Tip* If you have both gluten free and non-gluten free people, you should make separate bread stations and, depending on the sensitivity of you or your guests, have separate toasters and utensils as well.

Yogurt Parfaits

A front shot of a stemless wine glass with breakfast yogurt parfait in it. parfait consists of alternating layers of vanilla yogurt, granola, and blueberries and pomegranate seeds. Another parfait is in the right background and a white towel with thin black outlined squares is the left background. A honey stick lies to the right on the ground, with honey pooling near it.

Another good option for people wanting to create their own breakfast is to have yogurt parfaits. Gather some different types of yogurt, some gluten free granola, nuts, fruit, honey, and jams, then let people go to town! This Breakfast Yogurt Parfait also includes chia seeds, which can be another good option to include.

*Tip* Make sure you have enough cups and spoons for this! If not you may want to do the next option instead.

Yogurt Bowls

Top down view of a spoon coming out with a bit of yogurt over a bowl of the vanilla yogurt with peppermint bits, almonds, and mini chocolate chips on it, drizzled with chocolate.

This is very similar to parfaits, but may allow for more toppings. In can also double as a dessert, like the Dessert Yogurt Bowl shown here with chocolate and peppermint crushed candy canes.

Oatmeal Bowls

A straight down shot of a bowl of blueberry crisp oatmeal with a silver spoon in it on the left and a blue-gray towel underneath. a wooden bowl with blueberry jam is to the right, with another bowl of oatmeal in the upper right. Another silver spoon rests between the jam bowl and the secondary bowl.

Another bowl option is oatmeal bowls. These are great for fall and winter brunches as they can be very warm and filling. The toppings will be similar to the ones listed for a yogurt parfait, like in this Blueberry Crisp Oatmeal with jam, honey, and nuts.

*Tip* Make sure to get oats or oatmeal that say they are gluten free, as often “regular” oats and oatmeal can be cross-contaminated.

Gluten Free Seasonal Breads

Straight on shot of a loaf of chocolate chip pumpkin bread that's been cut into. A small pumpkin is in the background.

Seasonal breads can be a fun way to use fresh ingredients and bring a little extra color to the dishes you serve. In the fall you can make this Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread, or in the summer a bread with strawberries or blueberries would be fun.

Gluten Free Muffins

Apple cinnamon muffins on a table with apples in the background.

Muffins are perfect to serve for a crowd as they’re already portioned out! Stack them on a platter or in a basket and let people pick out their own. Try these Gluten Free Apple Cinnamon Muffins, or something a little more savory like Gluten Free Dairy Free Cornbread Muffins.

*Tip* Cook the muffins in liners to make them easier to remove from the muffin tin!

Gluten Free Pancakes & Waffles

Maple Syrup being poured over a stack of pancakes on a yellow plate. A lemon, some blueberries, and a fork on top of a napkin are in the background.

These are classic brunch options, and thankfully there are a lot of gluten free mixes out there that make fantastic pancakes and waffles. Serve these with fruit, maple syrup, powdered sugar, butter, and whipped cream. Or, if you’re looking to gussy up your pancakes a bit, try making these Gingery Lemon Blueberry Pancakes.

Pound Cakes

A circular light brown pound cake on a white stand on top of a red tablecloth with one slice being taken out of it. A white small plate with a fork are in the bottom left corner.

A great option that can double as dessert, pound cakes are a perfect brunch food. This Gluten Free Poppyseed Pound Cake has a simple flavor that goes well with coffee or tea.

Small Sweets

Two lines of candied lemon slices with half of them covered in white chocolate and pink rose petals on a white plate.

It’s nice to have some small dessert foods at a brunch. These could be something simple like little chocolates or truffles, or something a little fancier like these White Chocolate Candied Lemon Slices. You can also change the rose petal garnish on these to suit a theme or holiday!

Cheese Boards

A close up of a cheese board with meats, cheese, fruit, nuts, jam, and garnishes on it.

Cheese and charcuterie boards are great to add some protein to what can otherwise be a carb fest. Check out this post on How to Make an Awesome Gluten Free Cheese Board to get all the info you need!

*Tip* Try doing a mock assembly of your cheese board the night before so you can see if you need to add anything extra or cut back on anything.

Breakfast Quesadillas

A hand holding a quesadilla with eggs, mushrooms, and red and green peppers in it.

Instead of doing a more common breakfast burrito, try making breakfast quesadillas! You can pack more toppings in and they’re easier to split between people. The Easy Gluten Free Breakfast Quesadilla pictured here uses eggs, sausage, and veggies with gluten free tortillas.

Frittatas

Frittatas are basically quiches without the crust, making them much better suited for those who are gluten free. What’s nice about these is you can prep the ingredients the day before, then combine them in the morning and stick the frittata in the oven while you prep other things. Easy peasy! Try this Roasted Tomato, Kale, & Goat Cheese Frittata for a vegetarian option (though meat eaters will like it too).

*Tip* Cut this ahead of time into servings so everyone gets a piece.

Breakfast Hash

Cut up sweet potatoes, pork, and spinach in a white bowl with an over-easy egg on top, on a gray background with another bowl of the same in the upper left.

Have some leftovers you need to use up? Or veggies in your fridge that are on their last legs? This Leftover Breakfast Hash is a great option to use those up and still feed your friends. Stick a fried egg on top to give it a little extra umami flavor.

Fun Condiments & Fixings

Close up of whipped honey butter in a small gray bowl and a butter knife in the background.

The accompaniments can be just as important as the main dishes! Try some fun jams and jellies, different spreads, or make your own like this Whipped Honey Butter.

Cocktails & Mocktails

A small mason jar with pomegranate cocktail and a sugared rim. A spring of rosemary lies across the top and there's another cocktail in the left background.

What is a brunch without fun drinks? Depending on your crowd, plan to serve at least one or two cocktails (or mocktails). Like the seasonal breads, these can also be a fun way to celebrate fresh foods. For winter, try this Pomegranate Cocktail for the Holidays. In the spring, something like a Sparkling Citrus Mocktail for a Brunch Crowd would work well.

*Tip* If the cocktail or mocktail you’re serving is sparkling (with water or champagne), be sure to make it just before guests arrive so it doesn’t lose its fizz!

Coffees and Teas

Top down view of eggnog chai latte in a white mug with a spoon, tan linen napkin, and evergreen branch.

Lastly, don’t forget about the warm drinks! Plain tea and coffee always work, but you can also step it up a notch by serving something a little more special like this Eggnog Chai Latte.

*Tip* Be sure and have an assortment of both caffeinated and caffeine-free options for people to choose from.

If you found this roundup of GF Brunch Ideas helpful, or liked any of these recipes, let me know in the comments below. Seriously, I love hearing from you!

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