Easy Homemade Crouton Recipe (2024)

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This Homemade Crouton Recipe is simple and highly customizable. Perfectly crunchy, beautifully seasoned, and easily make in the oven, these croutons are the perfect way to elevate soups, salads, pastas, veggies, and more!

Easy Homemade Crouton Recipe (1)

Update: This recipe was originally published in September 2019. I made updates the article below to include more information about making croutons in the oven at home.

Table of Contents

  • About this homemade croutons recipe
  • How to make croutons in oven
  • FAQs: frequently asked questions
    • How to season croutons?
    • What type of bread is best for making croutons?
    • What oven temperature to bake croutons?
    • How to keep a crouton crispy?
  • How to use oven croutons
    • 10 ways to use salad croutons at home
  • Storing this oven croutons recipe
    • Can you freeze homemade croutons?
  • Easy Homemade Croutons Recipe
    • Equipment
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Notes
    • Nutrition

About this homemade croutons recipe

Making your own croutons is ridiculously easy! This recipe yields golden brown croutons that are crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside and all around delicious!!

Homemade croutons are the perfect way to use up any leftover bread and they taste a million times better than any store-bought brand! Not to mention, they will make your house smell amazing while they are baking!

While I seasoned my croutons with homemade Italian seasoning, garlic, freshly grated parmesan and plenty of salt and pepper, you can season them with whatever your heart desires!

Easy Homemade Crouton Recipe (2)

How to make croutons in oven

Salad croutons are incredibly easy to make in the oven at home and taste a million times better than the store-bought variety. Here’s how:

  • Cube or tear bread. Either cut bread into cubes with a knife or tear bread into small chunks by hand. Pro-tip: Make sure the croutons are uniform in size so they bake evenly.
  • Toss with oil and seasonings. Place cubed bread in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Toss the bread to evenly coat. Sprinkle with seasonings and toss again.
  • Spread croutons out on a rimmed baking sheet. Transfer the bread cubes onto a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Pro-tip: Make sure the croutons are spread out in a single, even layer. Avoid overcrowding the baking sheet or the croutons will not bake evenly.
  • Bake until golden brown and crispy. Bake the croutons, tossing once halfway through baking, until the croutons are golden brown and crispy.
  • Use or store. Use croutons immediately. Or, allow the croutons to cool to room temperature and store in a zip-closure bag.
Easy Homemade Crouton Recipe (3)

FAQs: frequently asked questions

Got questions? I’ve got answers! If you ever run into an issue, have a question, or need any clarification – please feel free to drop them in the comments section. I’m happy to help when I can!

How to season croutons?

Aside from the fresh, delicious taste, the best thing about homemade croutons is that they are highly customizable!

  • Use fresh herbs– basil, thyme, rosemary, sage, oregano, parsley
  • Add dried spices or spice mixtures– crushed fennel, curry powder, chile powder, Italian Seasoning, Greek Seasoning
  • Toss croutons with finely grated cheeses – parmesan, pecorino, asiago, grana padano . Pro-tip: Make sure you uses a hard cheese that has a low moisture content.
  • Try making sweet croutons– Use a fruit, nut or raisin bread and toss the cubes in butter instead of oil. Use a mixture of cinnamon and sugar to season the cubes of bread.

What type of bread is best for making croutons?

To make great homemade croutons you should use a sturdy artisan bread with a soft, airy center. Look for a loaf of bread that has plenty of air pockets throughout. Bread with a light, airy center will produce crispier croutons while dense bread will produce harder croutons.

For the best results, make sure you use bread that is a day-old when making this or any crouton recipe.

  • French Bread
  • Sourdough
  • Baguette
  • Ciabatta
  • Boule
  • English Muffins

What oven temperature to bake croutons?

Baking croutons in the oven – instead pan-frying them in a skillet with butter – is not only healthier, but baking ensures evenly browned cubes of bread!

For the crispiest homemade croutons, bake them in an oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

How to keep a crouton crispy?

To keep croutons crispy, make sure they are properly stored!

  • Transfer leftover croutons in a zip-closure bag with all the air removed from the bag before sealing. Air or humidity will cause the croutons to become stale.
  • Store from scratch croutons at room temperature. While you can store croutons in the refrigerator, moisture will cause the croutons to become less crispy.
Easy Homemade Crouton Recipe (4)

How to use oven croutons

Crisp, buttery Italian croutons from scratch are the perfect way to add crunchy texture to a variety of dishes!

10 ways to use salad croutons at home

  • Stir croutons into eggs, such as these oven scrambled eggs with avocado.
  • Add contrast to a variety of salads with a generous sprinkling of croutons.
  • Stir croutons into beans or bean saladsfor a contrast of texture.
  • Enhance the flavor of soups by topping them with croutons. I personally love them with any rich and creamy soup, like homemade tomato soup with basil, or Italian soups, like white bean soup with tomatoes and hambone soup with beans.
  • Crush croutons and use them as a crunchy topping over pastas.
  • Break croutons up and sprinkle them over vegetables as a faux gratin topping.
  • Replace breadcrumbs or panko with croutons. Pulse croutons in the food processor or use a rolling pin to crush croutons into desired size.
  • Use croutons to make stuffing or Thanksgiving dressings.
  • Crispy, buttery croutons are the perfect topping for casseroles.
  • Season bread croutons sweet cinnamon sugar and use on desserts. Crumble the croutons and use as a topping for banana pudding custards or peach puddings.
Easy Homemade Crouton Recipe (5)

Storing this oven croutons recipe

Store your homemade croutons in a zip-closure bag at room temperature. To keep croutons fresh, remove as much air as possible from the bag before sealing.

Properly stored from scratch croutons will stay fresh for up to two weeks at room temperature.

Can you freeze homemade croutons?

Crouton toppings can be stored in the freezer! Place cooled croutons in a zip-closure freezer bag and store in the freezer for 4 to 6 weeks.

To use frozen croutons, thaw them on a paper towel at room temperature for 1 hour. Heat on a baking sheet at 250 degrees Fahrenheit until crisp.

Easy Homemade Crouton Recipe (6)

Versatile and extremely easy to make, this recipe for homemade croutons is a million times better than any store-bought brand! Step up your soup and salad game with these perfectly crispy croutons!

Until Thursday, friends, cheers – to adding these crunchy toppers to everything!

Cheyanne

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Easy Homemade Crouton Recipe (7)

Easy Homemade Crouton Recipe (8)

Easy Homemade Croutons Recipe

5 from 5 votes

Author: Cheyanne Holzworth

Total Time: 25 minutes mins

Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Servings: 12

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

How to make Homemade Croutons easily from scratch with this simple, customizable recipe!

Equipment

  • Rimmed Baking Sheet

  • Parchment Paper

Ingredients

  • 1 loaf French Bread – (about 10-12 ounces)
  • 6 TBS Olive Oil
  • 3 TBS Finely Grated Parmesan – plus more for dusting croutons if desired
  • 2 small Cloves Garlic – roughly chopped
  • 2 tsp Italian Seasoning (Click ingredient for Homemade Italian Seasoning recipe)
  • Kosher Salt & Ground Black Pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat oven. Adjust oven rack to center position and preheat oven to 375 degrees Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

  • Cube or tear bread. Either cut bread into ¾ inch-cubes with a knife or tear bread into small chunks by hand. Make sure the croutons are uniform in size so they bake evenly.

  • Toss with oil and seasonings. Place cubed bread in a large bowl. Drizzle bread with oil. Toss to coat. Sprinkle with parmesan, garlic, seasoning, ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Gently toss to evenly coat.

  • Spread croutons out on a rimmed baking sheet. Transfer the bread cubes onto the prepared baking sheet. Make sure the croutons are spread out in a single, even layer.

  • Bake. Bake the croutons, tossing once halfway through baking, for 15-20 minutes, or until the croutons are golden brown and crispy. Remove from oven and season with salt and more parmesan if desired. Allow the croutons to cool slightly on the pan. Use immediately, or allow transfer to a plate and allow to cool completely before storing in a zip-closure bag.

Notes

  1. Do NOT overcrowd the baking sheet. You want the croutons in a single layer with some space left between each cube of bread.
  2. Baking time will vary depending on the size of your croutons and how moist your bread is.
  3. To Store Croutons: Croutons should be stored in a zip-closure bag at room temperature. To keep croutons fresh, remove as much air as possible from the bag before sealing. Croutons will keep for up to 2 weeks.
  4. Croutons can be frozen for up to 4 to 6 weeks. To use frozen croutons, thaw them on a paper towel at room temperature for 1 hour. Heat on a baking sheet at 250 degrees Fahrenheit until crisp.

Nutrition

Calories: 137kcal Carbohydrates: 14g Protein: 3g Fat: 8g Saturated Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 1mg Sodium: 142mg Potassium: 34mg Fiber: 1g Sugar: 1g Vitamin A: 15IU Vitamin C: 1mg Calcium: 31mg Iron: 1mg

Course: Bread, Condiment

Cuisine: American

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Easy Homemade Crouton Recipe (9)
Easy Homemade Crouton Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep homemade croutons crispy? ›

Store the homemade croutons at room temperature for up to 1 week. Put the croutons in your pantry and that's it. Most croutons will be crunchy and crisp for up to a week, but the sooner you use them, the better. Croutons won't become moldy, but they will become soft or chewy once they're old.

What are croutons made of? ›

Croutons are made from toasted or fried bread, including white, wholemeal, sourdough and granary. Use them for a crunchy texture in salads, soups and more. Any kind of piece of bread that has been toasted or fried to crunchy crispness counts as a crouton.

Why are my homemade croutons soggy? ›

It could be that you stored your croutons before they were fully cooled. Warm croutons trap moisture, and the croutons can become soggy if they're stored airtight too soon. This can also cause them to go stale too quickly.

Why are my croutons not crispy? ›

Crowding the pan.

Pile the bread cubes on top of each other and they won't have enough space to crisp up and brown. Instead, make sure they're in a even layer.

How long will homemade croutons stay fresh? ›

The expected shelf-life for homemade croutons is about two weeks. Moisture encourages mold, so make sure your croutons are completely dehydrated during the bake and let cool completely at room temperature before storing them away in an airtight container.

Why do croutons not go bad? ›

Croutons don't expire in the sense that they become dangerous to eat. There simply isn't enough moisture in them to feed an spoilage bacteria and other such organisms.

What are Olive Garden croutons made of? ›

Our croutons are made with romano cheese, seasoned with garlic, Italian herbs & spices, and baked to a delicious golden brown. Try all of Olive Garden's signature ingredients.

Are croutons healthier than bread? ›

A. Regarding nutritional value, croutons and bread are practically identical. Therefore, croutons, especially those made from whole-grain bread, might provide limited health benefits. Moreover, most croutons have more sodium than your store-bought bread.

What is healthier than croutons? ›

Almonds, walnuts, or pecans add a delightful crunch to salads and are rich in healthy fats and protein. They provide a nutrient-dense alternative to croutons, supporting heart health and satiety.

How do you keep homemade croutons fresh? ›

  1. Keep them dry, cool and in an airtight container.
  2. Your biggest issue is with moisture. ...
  3. Once they are cool, you need to store them in an airtight container, in a cool, dry place, away from light, to help prevent the oil in them from going rancid.
Nov 11, 2016

Why are my croutons bitter? ›

Since homemade croutons are baked longer than, say, a loaf of garlic bread would be, I find that pieces of garlic left in the butter can be prone to overcooking. Charred garlic tends to be bitter, and no one wants a bitter crouton!

Can I freeze homemade croutons? ›

Croutons: Yes, you can freeze them! Cube stale bread and toast it for a few minutes. Then, place the croutons into a resealable freezer bag and stow in the freezer. You can also freeze the uncooked bread cubes and toast them at a later time.

How do you know if croutons are stale? ›

The most common way to tell if croutons have gone bad is by smell and taste. If they have an off smell, it's best to throw them out. Similarly, if they taste stale or have lost their crunch, it's time to discard them.

How do you refresh croutons? ›

Let croutons cool in a single layer on the baking sheet. Use immediately or keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days. To refresh stale croutons, bake for 3 to 4 minutes at 400 degrees.

How do you store freshly made croutons? ›

Depending on how dry and crisp your croutons are, they will last for up to a week in an airtight container, but will be at their best for the first two days. You can refresh them in the oven for a few minutes to crisp up again if you like.

How do you fix soggy croutons? ›

There are a few methods you can use to re-crisp croutons:
  1. Oven method: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). ...
  2. Toaster method: Spread your croutons out in a single layer on a toaster oven tray and toast them on medium-high heat for a few minutes, checking regularly to ensure they don't burn.
Mar 15, 2023

How do you revive soggy croutons? ›

Use immediately or keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days. To refresh stale croutons, bake for 3 to 4 minutes at 400 degrees.

How do you store croutons overnight? ›

Once they are cool, you need to store them in an airtight container, in a cool, dry place, away from light, to help prevent the oil in them from going rancid. The refrigerator is too moist, but the freezer might be okay for really long term storage, in a freezer bag with as much air removed as possible.

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