All the secrets to success when making homemade croutons. Today I’m sharing tips for making croutons that are perfectly crispy and incredibly delicious with lots of possible flavor combinations.
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Hey friends!
How are you?
My kids and husband are working from home for school and work starting yesterday. So far it’s gone pretty well and I’m trying to stay positive about the good that can happen in spite of all of the challenges I know we will face.
I hope you are all safe, happy, and able to see some good in this as well.
Meanwhile, I’m still trying to post amazing recipes for you all. And hope that they are helpful.
Today I’m posting a simple recipe, but one that I’ve been looking for, for a long time.
Have you ever made croutons? I’ve tried so many different recipes for homemade croutons online and elsewhere and I’ve just not really been happy with them.
So after many years of experimenting, today I’m sharing three of my secrets for perfect homemade croutons.
Three tips for success
The first tip is this: the type of bread matters. Different breads will yield different tasting croutons.
I like to use 1 baguette loaf or 6 of these baguette rolls as they are not too crumbly but still give crispy croutons.
If you have any stale bread laying around, this is a great way to use it up. In fact stale bread seems to work a little better so I usually let the bread hang out a day or two before I make croutons.
Usually in our house, I have to threaten the kids not to eat my crouton bread because bread doesn’t last very long.
Store bought bread works too. French bread is good. You may need to try a few varieties until you find a bread that you like.
Second thing: LOW and SLOW. Don’t try to cook the croutons too fast. This is important. If you cook them too quickly at a higher temperature the outsides burn before the insides are completely dried out. That’s not want you want, my friends. So be patient. Cook them longer at a lower temperature. That helps to dry out the croutons completely so that there’s no moisture left in them.
Third: Rotate the bread cubes every 15 minutes so they cook evenly on all sides and remove from the oven only when they are all the way dry. If there is any chewiness when you taste one, let them hang out for another 5-10 minutes longer.
Okay that’s it.
They are not complicated and I hope those tips will give you confidence to make your own homemade croutons with success.
It’s super easy to switch up the recipe with different spices or keep it simple with just just the basics.
Once the croutons have cooled completely you can store them in sealed container for up to 2 weeks.
As always let me know in the comments if you have any questions. I love them plain (and usually half the pan ends up just getting eaten that way). But they are also delicious on a fresh salad.
A little crunch from homemade croutons takes any salad to the next level.
Homemade Croutons
All the secrets to success when making homemade croutons. Today I'm sharing tips for making croutons that are perfectly crispy and incredibly delicious with lots of possible flavor combinations.
Ingredients
- 7 cups (14 ounces) ¾-inch bread cubes see note
- ¼ cup oil or melted butter
- 1 clove garlic minced, see note
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- other spices as desired, see note
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
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Place bread cubes in a large mixing bowl.
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In a microwave safe bowl combine the oil (butter) or minced garlic. Microwave for 30 seconds to infuse the oil with garlic flavor.
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Pour infused oil, salt, pepper, and additional spices (if desired) with bread cubes. Toss well to combine.
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Spread bread cubes evenly on prepared baking sheet and bake in preheated 250 degree oven for 60 to 70 minutes or until bread cubes are baked through and crunchy (not chewy at all). Remove from oven every 15 minutes during baking time and toss to ensure bread cooks evenly on all sides.
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Let bread cubes cool completely on pan. Then store in sealed container for up to 2 weeks.
Recipe Notes
1. For the bread cubes, I like to use 1 baguette loaf or 6 of these baguette rolls. I like them just bite-sized.
2. Add another clove of minced garlic if you like a really strong garlic flavor or leave off the garlic if you want them plain.
3. You can add other spices as desired: Italian seasonings, ranch dressing mix, Parmesan cheese, etc
Recipe Source: Heather @ The Cook’s Treat
All images and text ©The Cook’s Treat
Disclaimer: post contains affiliate links for items on Amazon.
