How to Make Croutons
Croutons are bread cubes toasted until golden and crunchy. They add texture to soups and salads while absorbing flavors from oil or butter.
Why it matters
Store-bought croutons taste stale and cardboard-like. Homemade ones stay crispy for 5 days. You control the size, seasoning, and crunchiness. Day-old bread becomes useful instead of waste.
What you need
Steps
Heat oven to 375F. Cut bread into 3/4-inch cubes using a serrated knife. You need 4 cups of cubes from about 6 slices of bread. Day-old bread cuts cleaner than fresh.
Toss bread cubes in a large bowl with 3 tablespoons olive oil. Each cube needs coating. Add 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder. Mix with your hands for 30 seconds until every piece glistens.
Spread cubes on the sheet pan in a single layer. Leave 1/4 inch between pieces. Crowded cubes steam instead of toast.
Bake for 8 minutes. Pull the pan out and shake it. The bottom sides should look light golden. Some pieces will smell toasty.
Return pan to oven for 7-10 more minutes. Watch through the oven door after minute 5. Perfect croutons are deep golden brown on all sides and sound hollow when you tap them with a spoon.
Cool on the pan for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack if you have one. They crisp up more as they cool. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Common Mistakes
Using fresh soft bread
What happens: Croutons turn mushy and never crisp properly
Fix: Use day-old bread or leave fresh slices out for 2 hours to dry
Cutting uneven sizes
What happens: Small pieces burn while large ones stay soft
Fix: Measure your first cube and match all others to it
Too much oil
What happens: Greasy croutons that taste heavy
Fix: Use exactly 3 tablespoons oil per 4 cups of bread cubes
Overcrowding the pan
What happens: Steam builds up and prevents browning
Fix: Use two pans if needed to maintain single layer spacing
Troubleshooting
Croutons burn on the outside but stay soft inside
Then: Lower oven to 325F and bake 5-8 minutes longer
Croutons lose crispness after storing
Then: Re-toast in 300F oven for 5 minutes before serving
Related Techniques
FAQ
Can I use butter instead of olive oil?
Yes, but melt 3 tablespoons butter first and work faster. Butter browns at 350F while olive oil handles 375F safely. Watch butter croutons closely after 10 minutes total baking time. They go from perfect to burned in 60 seconds.
What bread works best?
Sourdough, French bread, and Italian loaves with tight crumbs work best. Their water content is 35-40% compared to 45% in sandwich bread. Avoid anything with sugar in the ingredients. Sugar causes burning before the inside crisps.
How do I make gluten-free croutons?
Use gluten-free bread that's 2-3 days old. Reduce oil to 2 tablespoons since GF bread absorbs less. Bake at 325F for 18-20 minutes total, flipping every 6 minutes. GF croutons need 50% more baking time than wheat versions.
Can I season croutons differently?
Add dried herbs during the last 3 minutes of baking to prevent burning. Use 1 teaspoon total of rosemary, thyme, or oregano per batch. For cheese flavor, toss hot croutons with 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan immediately after baking.
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