Easy Homemade Croutons
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Buttery, crispy, and wildly snackable—these homemade croutons take any soup or salad to the next level.
Store-bought croutons work in a pinch, but homemade ones are on a whole different level—extra crunchy, toasty, and full of fresh flavor. This is my favorite way to give stale bread a second life, and the results are super versatile. Toss them into salads, sprinkle over soups, or just snack on them warm from the oven. Best of all, when you make them yourself, you can season them however you like so they go with whatever you’re serving.
“Yum – where have these been all my life?? These are so easy and SO good (and a wonderful use for semi-stale bread)!”
what you’ll need to make this homemade crouton Recipe
- French Or Italian Bread: Day-old bread works best because it soaks up the butter and crisps up nicely. If you’re using a fresh loaf of bread, dry out the cubes by spreading them on a tray and letting them sit uncovered for an hour.
- Butter: Coats the bread with rich, buttery flavor and helps the croutons bake up golden and crisp.
- Fresh Herbs, Salt & Pepper: A mix of parsley, thyme, chives, sage, and/or rosemary adds a burst of fresh, herby flavor—use whatever you’ve got on hand. Don’t forget a good pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper to bring it all together.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions for Making Homemade Croutons
Step 1: Season the bread cubes. Scatter the bread cubes on a large baking sheet lined with heavy-duty foil for easy cleanup. Drizzle the melted butter and sprinkle the herbs directly over the bread cubes. Toss everything right on the baking sheet, then season with salt and black pepper. Arrange them in a single layer so they toast evenly.
Step 2: Bake, cool, and store. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, tossing once, until the croutons are golden and crisp. Let them cool, then store in an airtight container at room temp for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months (make sure they’re completely cool before storing so they stay crunchy). To re-crisp a bit before using, just pop them in a 350°F oven for about 5 minutes.
Top It Off: Recipes That Love Croutons
These recipes are even better with homemade croutons on top:
Other Homemade Staples You May Like
Homemade Croutons
Quick, flavorful, and a great way to use up day-old bread—these croutons bake up perfectly crisp and golden every time.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cubed French or Italian bread, preferably day old
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped mixed fresh herbs, such as parsley, thyme, chives, sage, and/or rosemary
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Scatter the bread cubes on a 13 x 18-inch baking sheet (for easier cleanup, line it with heavy-duty aluminum foil).
- Directly on the baking sheet, toss the bread cubes with the melted butter and herbs. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, tossing once, until the bread cubes are golden brown and crisp. Let cool and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 80 g
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated fat: 3 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Sugar: 1 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Sodium: 101 mg
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Yum – where have these been all my life?? These are so easy and SO good (and a wonderful use for semi-stale bread)!
Made a big batch of these to top off French Onion Soup. They’re delicious, and the croutons make eating the soup easier than a large slice of bread. I used a loaf of rosemary sourdough.
They are the best!
Hey Jenn! Is it possible to just use dried herbs instead of fresh since it’s what I have on hand? If so, any idea the ratio of how much to use instead? Thanks so much! Just made your caesar salad dressing and I loved it so now I’m looking to up my salad game even more haha!
Sure, Becca, that would be fine, I’d use a generous 1/2 teaspoon of dried herbs. Hope you enjoy!
Butter is not necessary for croutoons, I subbed for olive oil and added garlic powder. So delicious!
I did half olive oil & half butter, then sauted 4 cloves of sliced garlic in the melted fats. My grandfathers used to use half olive oil/ half butter when I was growing up. Both men were chefs. I always wondered why. Now I know that it changed the smoke point of both fats & imparted great flavor.
I have a question though…would be a good idea to saute the fresh herbs in the fats to pull the flavor of the herbs into the fats before mixing into the bread cubes?
Thank you for your thoughts.
Sure – that sounds like a good idea, especially for herbs like thyme, rosemary and sage.