Making Homemade Croutons
Cut day-old rustic bread into inch-sized cubes, toss them in generous amounts of olive oil and salt, and bake at 375°F until they are deep gold and firm all the way through. The key is using bread with enough structure to hold its shape under heat.
Start with the right crust
Avoid soft sandwich bread; look for a loaf with a sturdy crust like sourdough or ciabatta. Stale bread performs better than fresh because it contains less moisture and crisps up rather than steaming.
- rimmed baking sheet
- serrated bread knife
- mixing bowl
What goes in.
- 1/2 lbstale crusty bread, torn or cut into 1-inch pieces
- 4 tbspextra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tspkosher salt
- 1/4 tspfreshly cracked black pepper
- 1 tspdried oregano or thyme (optional)
Managing internal moisture
The crouton should be crunchy on the exterior but maintain a slight, toasted chew in the very center. If they are hard as a rock, you have gone too far.
The method.
Prep the oven
Preheat your oven to 375°F. Place the rack in the middle position to ensure even heat distribution.
Season the bread
Place the bread cubes in a large bowl. Drizzle the oil over the bread, then toss vigorously until every side of every cube looks glossy. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and dried herbs, tossing again to coat evenly.
Arrange the pan
Spread the cubes onto the baking sheet in a single layer. Do not crowd the pan; give them breathing room so they roast rather than steam.
Roast
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Halfway through, give the pan a good shake or use a spatula to turn them so they brown uniformly.
Cool
Remove from the oven when they reach a deep golden brown. Let them sit on the pan for 10 minutes; they will firm up significantly as they release residual heat.
Other turns to take.
Garlic Butter
Replace half the olive oil with melted unsalted butter and toss with a finely grated clove of garlic before baking.
Cheesy
Toss the finished hot croutons with two tablespoons of finely grated Parmesan cheese immediately after pulling them from the oven.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Tear the bread rather than cutting it if you want irregular, craggy edges that hold onto more oil and seasonings.
If using fresh bread, toast the cubes in a dry pan on the stove for 3 minutes before adding oil to dry them out slightly.
Store cooled croutons in an airtight jar at room temperature for up to three days.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why did my croutons turn soft after a day?
They likely held onto too much internal moisture. Ensure you bake them until they are fully crisp, and let them cool completely on the tray before storing them.
Can I use gluten-free bread?
Yes, but be aware that gluten-free loaves tend to brown much faster than wheat-based bread; keep a close eye on them during the final five minutes of roasting.
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