How To Make Homemade Croutons
Do you have some bread and butter around the house? And a couple of spices? That’s all it takes to toast up some homemade croutons that you can add to your salads or soups. Once you learn how to make homemade croutons, you’ll really enjoy how lightly crunchy and buttery they are compared to the big hard cubes sold in the stores.
Steps for Making Homemade Croutons
Here are the steps to follow if you want to make your own croutons. I use whole grain sandwich bread for my homemade croutons and that’s what you’ll see in the photos below. But this is a great way to use up any leftover bread you may have and if it’s a little stale, that’s OK too!
Step 1: Cut the bread into cubes. The first step is simply to cut your bread into cubes. I cut my bread cubes about 1/2″ in size, and I usually get about 20 cubes from a slice of sandwich bread. My preference is usually to trim the crusts off the bread too.
Step 2: Toss the cubes in seasoned melted butter. Next I melt 2 tablespoons of butter for 30 seconds in the microwave (I use my glass measuring cup for this step). Then I add a 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder and a 1/2 teaspoon of dried parsley to the melted butter and pour it over my bread cubes. I lightly stir (and toss with my hands too) to coat the cubes with melted butter. Sometimes I sprinkle a bit more dried parsley on them while I’m tossing them too.
Step 3: Place the bread cubes on a baking sheet. Now that the bread cubes are coated with the melted butter and seasonings, they can be spread out in a single layer on a baking sheet.
Step 4: Toast the bread cubes in the oven to make croutons. Place the baking sheet in a 350 degree oven and toast the bread cubes for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice during that time to help with even toasting. If you think they still need more toasting, you can give them a few extra minutes but watch them closely at that point to make sure they don’t burn. The croutons will also crisp up a bit more as they cool off.
And now you have a fresh batch of golden, crunchy homemade croutons. Let your croutons completely cool and then you can store them in a covered container at room temperature.
I like the garlic powder for my seasoning, and the dried parsley adds a bit of color. However feel free to experiment with other seasonings and have fun making your own croutons just they way you like them best!
More homemade ideas to try:
Homemade Croutons
Equipment:
- Large baking sheet
Ingredients:
- 4 slices of sandwich bread
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley flakes
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Cut the bread into cubes of about a 1/2" size. I usually get about 20 cubes from a slice of sandwich bread, and my preference is usually to trim the crusts off the bread too.
- Put the bread cubes in a large mixing bowl.
- Put the butter in a microwave safe cup or bowl (I use my glass measuring cup). Melt the butter in the microwave for 30 seconds.
- Stir the garlic powder and parsley flakes into the melted butter.
- Pour the melted butter mixture over the bread cubes in the mixing bowl. Lightly toss and stir to coat the bread cubes with the butter mixture.
- Spread the buttered bread cubes in a single layer on a large baking sheet.
- Put the baking sheet in the oven and toast the bread cubes for 10 minutes, stirring a couple times during that time to help with even toasting.
- If after 10 minutes you think the bread cubes need a little more toasting, you can give them a couple more minutes, but watch them closely at that point to make sure they don't burn.
- Take the bread cubes out of the oven and let them cool completely. They will probably crisp up a little bit more as they cool off.
- Store in a covered container at room temperature. (The refrigerator could make your croutons turn soft).
Just found your website…love it! How long do these croutons stay good for? Seems so simple.
Hi Chris – The croutons stay fresh for several weeks. I keep them in an airtight container and we usually use them up in the course of a few weeks. They have never gone stale during that time. I think the key is to keep them in a good container.
I know that some stores will sell specialty butter that already has herbs in this. But I almost used my left over bread heads to make croutons but instead I made meatloaf. I love your blogs!
Yes new pan – You should see the old ones 😀 And bread painted with melted butter is pretty yummy even though it doesn't sound that way. We will say *drizzled with a seasoned butter mixture* That sounds better!
I will say that I worked at a Steakhouse (not Longhorn) and this is how they made their croutons. Wonder Bread painted with melted butter.Did you get new pans? They look nice.