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    Home » Homemade Croutons

    Homemade Croutons

    Published: Aug 4, 2019 · Modified: Apr 28, 2021 by Laura · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    This Easy Homemade Croutons Recipe is made with 4 ingredients in 15 minutes! Learn how to make these garlic croutons by following a step-by-step tutorial and video! They will transform any salad from good to WOW!

    up close overhead view of a bowl of Homemade Croutons.

    If you've never made croutons, you're seriously missing out! These homemade croutons are so delicious they transform any salad from good to WOW! They're also super easy to make and only take 15 minutes to whip up from start to finish! 

    If you need another reason besides taste to make your own homemade croutons, consider this...many popular store bought crouton varieties contain over twenty (2-0) ingredients including corn syrup, preservatives and food dyes...yuck! This homemade crouton recipe only contains four (4) ingredients, all of which you can pronounce! Especially if you use our homemade french bread recipe to make them - yum!

    We eat a lot of salads in our house, and my husband is a firm believer that a salad is only worth eating if it contains croutons. So making homemade croutons is a no-brainer for me, because it means I avoid feeding my family highly processed salad toppers on an (almost) daily basis!

    overhead view of a bowl of Homemade Croutons with a salad, tomatoes and more croutons around it

    How do you make Homemade Croutons?

    Making this homemade crouton recipe is very easy, and only takes 15 minutes and 4 ingredients! Let's chat about the process step-by-step!

    Step 1: Cube the bread

    Start by cutting a half a loaf of french bread into ½ to 1" cubes. If you prefer softer croutons (ME!), cut them on the larger side (1"), if you like crispy croutons, make them smaller!

    overhead view of hands cutting half a loaf of french bread on a wooden cutting board to make Homemade Croutons

    Step 2: Add olive oil

    Once the bread is cubed, put it in a large bowl. Drizzle half of the olive oil on the bread cubes, stir, then add the second half of the oil and stir to combine. 

    In every step of this recipe it's important to add the ingredients in halves. Olive oil soaks into the bread very quickly, so adding it in two steps with stirring in between ensures all the cubes are coated well! 

    front view olive oil being poured over bread cubes in a glass bowl to make Homemade Croutons

    Step 3: Add garlic powder

    Sprinkle half of the garlic powder over the bread/oil mixture and stir. Add the other half and stir again until it's evenly distributed. 

    The garlic powder will stick to the oil quickly, which is why it's important to add it in two steps with stirring in between to ensure all the cubes are coated with. 

    Step 4: Add Garlic Salt

    Sprinkle half of the garlic salt over the bread/oil mixture and stir. Add the other half and stir again until it's evenly distributed. 

    front view of garlic salt being poured over bread crumbs in a glass bowl to make Homemade Croutons

    Note: Stir Gently

    In every step, it's important to stir gently. If stirred too vigorously, the bread cubes will break apart and you will end up with bread crumbs instead of nice, square croutons! 

    overhead view of hands stirring Homemade Croutons in a glass bowl before being baked

    Step 5: bake

    Bake the homemade croutons for 10 minutes, stirring once halfway through. You may need to adjust baking time depending on your oven and your preferences (crunchy or slightly soft). Test at 10 minutes and adjust accordingly!

    Please note: these croutons won't really brown, but they will get crispy! Once they reach your desired doneness, set them aside to cool!

    overhead view of a spatula stirring Homemade Croutons in a metal baking pan after they have been baked

    Serving suggestions: What can you do with croutons? 

    Now it's time to enjoy these croutons! Here are some suggestions of ways to enjoy them!

    • On a salad. The most obvious way to enjoy these homemade croutons is on your favorite salad! I suggest using them on this Burrata Salad! YUM! They're great combined with these candied almonds for a sweet crunch too!
    • In soup! We love adding fresh croutons to our favorite soups in the winter time! They taste great in just about any soup! Some of our favorites include: roasted root vegetable soup, sausage kale soup, the best homemade tomato soup, and slow cooker chicken pot pie soup. 
    • As a snack. My kids go crazy over these croutons. Whenever I make them I always put a few on their dinner plates to enjoy by themselves, they're that good!
    • As breadcrumbs. If you need breadcrumbs and just so happen to have these homemade croutons on hand, toss some in the food processor and presto! The most delicious breadcrumbs you've ever tasted!

    up close overhead view of Homemade Croutons on a baking sheet after baking

    FAQs about Homemade Croutons

    How do you store homemade croutons? 

    Chances are you won't eat the entire batch of homemade croutons in one shot. To save for tomorrow's salad, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week! I don't recommend refrigerating them, because they could lose their crunchiness. 

    How long do homemade croutons last? 

    I have kept these croutons around for up to 1 week and they still taste great! 

    Can you freeze croutons? 

    Yes! You can freeze them in an airtight container or plastic bag for up to 1 month. However, since a loaf of bread is about $2 at the store, and these croutons definitely taste the best when they're fresh, I recommend just eating them all within a week! 😉 

    How do you reheat croutons? 

    I actually love my croutons warm! Even if I'm eating a cold salad I enjoy the warm bready crunch of these homemade croutons so much, that I usually reheat them. To do so, simply preheat your oven to 250 degrees F. Spread the croutons out on a baking sheet and heat until they are warmed through (about 10 minutes). 

    Homemade Croutons: Ingredients & Substitutions

    overhead view of the ingredients in this Homemade Crouton recipe: bread cubes on a square wood cutting board, a bottle of olive oil, a container of garlic salt and a container of garlic powder

    • French bread. You can use any bread you have around your house to make homemade croutons. However I recommend french bread for the best taste - especially this homemade French bread! Other ideas include, sourdough, rye or your favorite gluten-free bread for gluten-free croutons. 
    • Olive oil. In both the croutons and the dressing, the taste of the olive oil really matters! High quality oils will give a richer more robust flavor! You can also substitute a flavor infused olive oil (like herb or garlic), for yummy variety!
    • Garlic salt. If you don't keep garlic salt on hand, you can substitute sea salt! 
    • Garlic powder. I don't recommend omitting or substituting the garlic powder, because it makes these garlic croutons very flavorful! But you could leave it out if you want plain croutons. 

    front view of a bowl of Homemade Croutons with a salad and tomatoes in the background

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    Homemade Croutons Recipe

    Laura
    This Easy Homemade Croutons Recipe is made with 4 ingredients in 15 minutes! Learn how to make garlic croutons by following a step-by-step tutorial and video! They will transform any salad from good to WOW! #croutons
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 10 mins
    Total Time 15 mins
    Course condiment, Salad
    Cuisine American
    Servings 20 servings (¼ cup per serving)
    Calories 52 kcal

    Equipment

    • baking sheet
    • measuring spoons

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 6 cups French bread cut into ½ to 1” cubes
    • ¼ cup Olive oil
    • ½ tsp Garlic salt
    • ½ tsp garlic powder
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees Lightly grease a large baking sheet, set aside.
    • Cut French bread into ½ to 1” cubes (about 12 to 18” loaf of French bread).
    • Drizzle with olive oil, stir to combine.
    • Sprinkle half the garlic salt on the bread, stir. Sprinkle the rest and stir again.
    • Sprinkle half the garlic powder on the bread, stir. Sprinkle the rest, stir until evenly distributed.
    • Spread the seasoned bread cubes in one layer on prepared baking sheet.
    • Bake 10 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
    • Set aside to cool.

    Video

    Notes

    Note on cooking time: 

    The cooking time will vary depending on the size of your bread cubes and how crispy you like your croutons. I like mine slightly soft, so I cut them larger and bake for 10 minutes. For crispier croutons cut smaller cubes and bake for 10 minutes, then check and bake longer if desired. They will crisp more after being removed from the oven.

    Ingredient Substitutions

    • French bread. You can use any bread you have around your house to make homemade croutons. However I recommend french bread for the best taste - especially this homemade French bread! Other ideas include, sourdough, rye or your favorite gluten-free bread for gluten-free croutons. 
    • Olive oil. In both the croutons and the dressing, the taste of the olive oil really matters! High quality oils will give a richer more robust flavor! You can also substitute a flavor infused olive oil (like herb or garlic), for yummy variety!
    • Garlic salt. If you don't keep garlic salt on hand, you can substitute sea salt! 
    • Garlic powder. I don't recommend omitting or substituting the garlic powder, because it makes these garlic croutons very flavorful! But you could leave it out if you want plain croutons. 

    How to Store Croutons

    Chances are you won't eat the entire batch of homemade croutons in one shot. To save for tomorrow's salad, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week! I don't recommend refrigerating them.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 52kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 1gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 107mgPotassium: 12mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gCalcium: 4mgIron: 0.4mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase a product through a link you clicked on here, I receive a portion of the sale. Thank you for supporting JoyFoodSunshine! 115.

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    Comments

    1. Emily Swanson

      August 05, 2019 at 3:55 pm

      5 stars
      I think no croutons match homemade croutons. I haven't had croutons in so long but it's such a good way to use leftover bread. 🙂

      Reply

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    About Laura

    I’m Laura, a former chemistry teacher turned homeschooling mom of six beautiful babies! I create simple and delicious recipes that are tested and perfected to make cooking and baking joyful and fun!

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