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It’s well documented here on Iowa Girl Eats that my kids are burger fanatics, and I’ve shared countless spins on burgers and cheeseburgers over the years.
That said, Gluten Free Cheeseburger Bombs with Special Sauce are my absolute favorite. These palm-sized, soft and chewy bombs are loaded with classic cheeseburger flavor – beef, cheese, pickles, and all – baked into an easy, naturally gluten-free dinner that’s portable, freezer-friendly, and so much fun to eat.
My kids and I have been devouring these for lunch, dinner, and every opportunity in between!
Why You’ll Love Gluten Free Cheeseburger Bombs
- Soft and chewy: Inspired by Brazilian cheese bread, these bombs have a soft and stretchy texture which is a very rare thing in the gluten free world.
- Irresistible: Truly, I could eat half the bombs in one sitting. Especially when dipped in the homemade Special Sauce. Chef’s kiss!
- Good fresh or reheated: The burger bombs are incredibly satisfying hot and fresh out of the oven, but can be refrigerated or frozen then reheated in the microwave. We love them for quick and easy after-school snacks.
- Freezer-friendly: freeze baked or unbaked for future dinners.
- Perfect for busy nights: Grab, go, enjoy! Cheeseburger Bombs are also great for staggered eating since they reheat quickly in the microwave or Air Fryer.
Main Ingredients Needed
All you need are a handful of everyday gluten free ingredients to whip up a batch of burger bombs. Here are the main ones you’ll need:
- Cheese: shredded mozzarella and sharp cheddar cheese for maximum melt and flavor.
- Pickles: are a must in my house. Feel free to skip if you’re not a pickle fan.
- Cooked ground beef: seasoned simply with Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.
- Eggs: provide structure and keep the Cheeseburger Bombs together.
- Tapioca flour (aka tapioca starch): is the key to achieving that signature stretchy chew.
- For the Special Sauce: mayonnaise, ketchup, minced dill pickles, and white onion create the signature sauce.
Can I Substitute the Tapioca Flour?
NO. Sorry!
Tapioca flour is what gives the cheeseburger bombs their irresistible stretch and chewiness. You wouldn’t achieve the same texture with another starch, a gluten-free baking flour blend, or even all-purpose flour.
Additionally, tapioca flour has specific 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.
Try my Gluten Free Breakfast Bombs Recipe
How to Make Gluten Free Cheeseburger Bombs
Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients.
To a large mixing bowl, add tapioca flour (sometimes labeled as tapioca starch), baking powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper, then mix with a fork to combine.
Next, add shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheeses, cooked and cooled ground beef, and minced pickles, then mix with a fork to combine.
Recipe Tip
Season the ground beef while it cooks with classic burger seasonings. I use worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper, but you can use your favorite burger seasoning combo or blend.
Step 2: Add the wet ingredients.
Next, add whisked eggs plus melted, slightly cooled butter then stir to combine. The mixture will be very thick and slightly sticky. Initially you might think there’s not enough liquid, but trust the process!
Recipe Tip
Place the eggs on the counter 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 3: Scoop then bake.
Use a 1/4 cup cookie scoop to scoop the batter into 9 “bombs”, placing them on a silpat or parchment paper-lined half sheet pan. Press down on the tops to flatten them just slightly.
Bake for 10-12 minutes at 450 degrees or until the bombs are golden brown all over. Let them cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before devouring!
Step 4: Create the Special Sauce.
While the Cheeseburger Bombs are baking, stir together the Special Sauce. Can’t have a burger without it! Simply combine the following ingredients in a small bowl. You can make it up to 5 days ahead of time – it just gets better as it sits.
- Mayonnaise
- Ketchup
- Minced dill pickles + pickle juice
- Minced white onion
How to Store, Reheat, and Freeze Cheeseburger Bombs
One of the most exciting things about this recipe is that you can freeze the bombs baked or unbaked. Here are the details:
- Fridge: store baked bombs in an airtight container for 4-5 days. Reheat for 20-30 seconds in the microwave.
- Freeze (baked): freeze on the baking pan then transfer to a freezer bag and store for up to 3 months. Reheat frozen bombs wrapped in a paper towel in the microwave for 1 minute at 50% power followed by 15-20 seconds at full power.
- Freeze (unbaked): freeze scooped dough on the baking pan then transfer to a freezer bag and store for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen at 400 degrees for 15-17 minutes.
I hope your family loves every bite of these irresistibly chewy and cheesy Cheeseburger Bombs. Enjoy!
Looking for More Ground Beef Dinner Ideas?
- Easy Ground Beef Stroganoff
- American Goulash
- Crunchy Taco Hamburger Helper
- Ground Beef Enchiladas
- Oven-Baked Burgers
- Big Mac Salad
- Cheeseburger Quesadillas
Gluten Free Cheeseburger Bombs
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1-1/4 cups tapioca flour sometimes labeled tapioca starch
- 1-1/2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 3 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup cooked then cooled seasoned ground beef see notes
- 1/4 cup minced pickles optional, pickles dried with paper towels before mincing
- 2 large eggs whisked, see notes
- 1/4 cup butter melted then slightly cooled
- ketchup and mustard for serving, optional
For the Special Sauce:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 Tablespoons ketchup
- 2 Tablespoons minced dill pickles
- 1 Tablespoon dill pickle juice
- 1 Tablespoon minced white onion
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees then line a half sheet pan with parchment paper and set it aside.
-
To a large mixing bowl, add the tapioca flour, onion powder, baking powder, pepper, and salt then stir with a fork to combine. Add the cheeses, cooled browned ground beef, and minced pickles, if using, then stir to combine. Add the eggs and butter then stir until the mixture is thoroughly combined – it will be very thick and slightly sticky, though it’ll become less sticky after resting for a minute or two.
-
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. Press down on the tops to flatten them just slightly then bake for 10-12 minutes or until the bombs are golden brown all over, rotating the pan halfway through.
-
Let the Cheeseburger Bombs cool on the sheet pan for 5 minutes then serve hot with Special Sauce and/or ketchup and mustard for dipping.
-
For the Special Sauce: add the ingredients to a small bowl then stir to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve – can be made up to 5 days ahead of time.
Notes
- Season the ground beef as you would if making regular burgers. I add salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce to the ground beef while it browns. You can use your favorite burger seasonings or seasoning blend.
- Place your eggs on the counter for 20 minutes to remove the chill prior to adding them to the recipe so they don’t cause the melted butter to harden. The recipe will still turn out if you aren’t able to do this, but it does make the batter easier to combine.
- How to store/reheat from the fridge: refrigerate the cooled, baked bombs in an airtight container for 4-5 days. Reheat in the microwave wrapped in a paper towel for 20-30 seconds or until warmed through.
- How to freeze (baked): place the cooled, baked bombs in the freezer on the sheet pan. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag then freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, wrap a frozen bomb in a paper towel then microwave for 1 minute at 50% power followed by 15-20 seconds at full power.
- How to freeze (unbaked): after scooping the batter onto the half sheet pan, place the pan inside the freezer. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag then freeze for up to 3 months. Bake the frozen bombs at 400 degrees for 15-17 minutes. Note: this is a different temperature and baking time then baking the bombs fresh. Keep the bombs in the freezer while the oven preheats.
- Estimated nutritional information does not include Special Sauce.
Nutrition
Photos by Ashley McLaughlin