Easy Small Batch Homemade Croutons

Salad season is here and what better way to compliment your fresh seasonal salad than with golden brown homemade croutons! Bake up a batch and add them to your salads all week long! A great way to use up bread that’s gone stale, furthering your no-waste way of cooking.

Simple Ingredients

About the Bread: Sourdough has a tangy flavor and sturdy texture make it excellent for croutons.  French or Italian Baguette has a nice crust and a chewy interior, perfect for croutons. Ciabatta with it’s airy texture and substantial crust are ideal for making croutons.

Slightly stale bread is better because it’s drier and will absorb the seasoning and become crispy without becoming soggy.  Also bread with a good crust will provide a nice crunch. A denser crumb structure helps the croutons hold their shape and provides a satisfying crunch.

Step by Step Directions

Step One: Preheat the oven to 300° Fahrenheit. Cut your bread slices into bite sized chunks that are about ¾ inch in size.

Step Two: Slice your stick of butter into cubes . Place the butter cubes into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for about 20 seconds or until the butter is fully melted. Stir the garlic powder, italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to the melted butter and stir well.

Step Three: Place the bread chunks in a medium mixing bowl and pour the melted butter mixture over the top, being sure to not pour it all in one place. Use a spatula to gently fold the bread into the seasoned butter and mix until coated with the seasoned butter butter..

Step Four: Cover your baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the bread cubes evenly on the pan. Bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before adding to your salad.

How to Keep Homemade Croutons Fresh

To store homemade croutons and ensure they stay fresh and crisp, allow the croutons to cool completely before storing. This prevents condensation, which can make them soggy. Store the croutons in an airtight container at room temperature, glass jar with a tight lid works well. Stored properly your homemade croutons will last all week long.

For longer storage, you can freeze croutons in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. To use, thaw at room temperature or re-crisp in the oven for a few minutes.

Recipe Notes

• If you want an even more flavor,use fresh herbs instead of dried.
• You can also substitute use oil in place of butter in a 1:1 ratio.
• Ensure the bread is properly coated, however hey may not be perfect, but everything with bake up nicely.
• If you’re using unsalted butter, add a total of 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
• One side of the croutons will bake up darker than the other side. If you don’t want this (it doesn’t change the flavor), simply flip the croutons halfway through the baking process.
• Easy to recipe up or down based on your needs, just use the serving converter in the recipe card.