How To Make Croutons recipe from Jenny Jones | Jenny Can Cook (2024)

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How To Make Croutons

Three words: Easy. Easy. Easy. Homemade croutons leave all the others in the dust. I like to use fresh Italian bakery style ciabatta bread. Day old bread is okay but to me, fresh bread makes… fresh croutons. - Jenny Jones

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Makes: about 40

How To Make Croutons recipe from Jenny Jones | Jenny Can Cook (1)

Ingredients:

  • 4 one-inch thick slices of ciabatta or other Italian bread
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
  2. Cut bread into 1-inch chunks.
  3. Place in a bowl or plastic bag (a produce bag is good).
  4. Add oil, salt & pepper. Toss/smoosh to coat.
  5. Spread on an ungreased baking sheet.
  6. Bake for 20 minutes or longer until they are completely dry, turning once or twice.
  7. To make sure they are dry, you can turn off the oven and let it cool down for 15 minutes, then place the croutons back in the warm oven until totally dry.

Notes: Additions you can make: fresh garlic, fresh parsley, dried oregano or basil, onion powder, garlic powder, or parmesan.

For more on this recipe in my blog click here.

Leave a Comment

  1. Krissy

    June 24, 2021 at 12:48 pm

    I was wondering how should I store them & for how long? Ty in advance!

    Reply to this comment

  2. Jim

    February 19, 2020 at 10:15 pm

    I love to be able to make Croutons. The ones I buy at the store & even get served at restaurants, always seem to be in the harder side to me anyway. I wish when I do try making them, that they wouldn’t be as hard as a rock… Any Advice?

    Reply to this comment

    • Jenny Can Cook

      February 20, 2020 at 7:08 pm

      I would suggest cutting off the crust and maybe trying some different breads: plain white bread, egg bread, King’s Hawaiian, etc. and see if there’s a difference. Good luck!

      Reply to this comment

    • Donna

      August 21, 2018 at 5:21 pm

      Jenny, I am so glad I have found your videos on YouTube. I have been looking and looking for low fat recipes for so long now. I have not been able to find such until I found your recipes. I have stents in my heart now and can’t afford to eat like most people do anymore. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with us.

      Reply to this comment

      • Donna

        August 21, 2018 at 5:23 pm

        Oh, I like your humor too.

        Reply to this comment

      • Nancy W

        December 28, 2017 at 12:43 pm

        I recently discovered your YouTube videos, and now your web page. I don’t cook as much as I did when younger, but I do enjoy cooking from scratch from time to time. I was looking at bread recipes when I came across your crouton recipe. When I was young and into full “earth mother” mode I always made my own croutons, but didn’t add them to salads. I used them to top casseroles and baked mac and cheese, and they were excellent. All we did in those days was dice up good quality bread and saute it in butter, then top the casserole with it. It’s nice and crispy but still chewable that way. I expect you could adapt my old technique for use on salads and such, by spreading the sauteed bread in a cookie sheet and toast it gently in the oven as in your recipe.

        There is nothing tastier than good baked mac and cheese (sharp chedddar) topped with a layer of butter-sauteed croutons.

        Reply to this comment

        • Jenny

          December 28, 2017 at 12:55 pm

          Your mac & cheese idea sounds great. Thanks for taking time to share this with us.

          Reply to this comment

        • Shannon

          April 19, 2015 at 10:37 am

          Just made these to go over a Caesar salad for dinner tonight. They were great! I sprinkled them with garlic sea salt….yummy! Thank you!

          Reply to this comment

        • Kathleen Kennedy

          June 17, 2014 at 5:26 pm

          These were fantastic! And I forgot to take a photo. I’ll do that next time I make them which will be soon. I ate them ALL !

          Reply to this comment

        • Lois Hathaway

          June 14, 2014 at 9:06 am

          I make mine the same way! Super easy and, yes, ciabatta is the best!

          Reply to this comment

          Leave a Comment

          Want to share your photo of my recipe?
          Just click on this link: YourPhotos@JennyCanCook.com.

How To Make Croutons recipe from Jenny Jones | Jenny Can Cook (2024)

FAQs

How To Make Croutons recipe from Jenny Jones | Jenny Can Cook? ›

Crowding the pan.

Pile the bread cubes on top of each other and they won't have enough space to crisp up and brown. Instead, make sure they're in a even layer.

Read On
Why are my croutons not crispy? ›

Crowding the pan.

Pile the bread cubes on top of each other and they won't have enough space to crisp up and brown. Instead, make sure they're in a even layer.

Get More Info
How do you keep homemade croutons crispy? ›

Cool a batch of homemade croutons before you store them.

If you toss warm croutons into a storage bag, the bag traps moisture and you'll be left with soggy croutons! To avoid a mushy mess, spread the croutons in a single layer and cool them completely. If you're storing store-bought croutons, you can skip this step.

Discover More
How long does homemade croutons last? ›

The expected shelf-life for homemade croutons is about two weeks. Moisture encourages mold, so make sure your croutons are completely dehydrated during the bake and let cool completely at room temperature before storing them away in an airtight container.

Get More Info
How do you make croutons softer? ›

Here are some ways to do this:
  1. Use your hands: If the croutons are large and hard, try breaking them up into smaller pieces with your hands. ...
  2. Crush them with a utensil: If you don't want to use your hands, try using the back of a spoon or a fork to crush the croutons into smaller pieces. ...
  3. Soak them: If the croutons ar.
Feb 28, 2019

View More
Why are my homemade croutons chewy? ›

The key to crispy croutons is making sure that they're fully dried out in the oven and crunchy all the way through. They should not be chewy when they come out of the oven. Bake croutons in a single layer on the baking sheet to crisp up the bread, rather than steaming it.

Read On
Why are my croutons soggy? ›

If you're baking your croutons, make sure they are well-spaced-out on a shallow tray to ensure they crisp evenly and they don't steam, causing them to become soggy. They also need to be in a single layer and not touching. If you're frying the croutons, toss the pan regularly to make sure they crisp evenly.

Read On
How do you store homemade croutons so they don't get soggy? ›

You don't want any added moisture in the storage container. Once cooled, store the croutons in an airtight container or jar in a cool, dry place. To soak up any excess moisture, you can add a paper towel to the bottom of the container. Stored at room temperature, the homemade croutons will last up to 3 days.

Know More
Why do croutons not go bad? ›

Croutons don't expire in the sense that they become dangerous to eat. There simply isn't enough moisture in them to feed an spoilage bacteria and other such organisms.

Tell Me More
Are croutons fried or toasted? ›

A crouton (/ˈkruːtɒn/) is a piece of toasted or fried bread, normally cubed and seasoned. Croutons are used to add texture and flavor to salads—notably the Caesar salad— as an accompaniment to soups and stews, or eaten as a snack food.

Learn More

Do homemade croutons go bad? ›

Typically, homemade croutons remain fresh for up to two weeks if kept in an airtight container at room temperature. Their longevity hinges on how dry and crispy they are initially; the drier the croutons, the longer they can be preserved without losing their quality.

Find Out More
How do you know if croutons are stale? ›

The most common way to tell if croutons have gone bad is by smell and taste. If they have an off smell, it's best to throw them out. Similarly, if they taste stale or have lost their crunch, it's time to discard them.

Get More Info
How long are bagged croutons good for? ›

Croutons do, in fact, go bad. However, because they are toasted pieces of bread with no moisture, they will last for 8 to 10 months if wrapped and stored tightly. The package will not last longer than a month once it is opened. If you want to create your own fresh croutons, they will last no more than two weeks.”

View Details
How to make croutons Delia? ›

Method. Just place the cubes of bread in a bowl, together with the oil, and stir them around so that they get an even coating. Then arrange them on a baking sheet. Bake them on a high shelf in the oven for 10 minutes or until they are crisp and golden.

Keep Reading
Why are my croutons bitter? ›

Why are my croutons bitter? If the herbs or fresh garlic burns when making croutons, they can taste bitter. Try infusing the garlic flavor into warm olive oil, then remove the pieces before coating the bread. Alternatively, use garlic powder for a roasted flavor that doesn't burn.

Know More
Are you supposed to crush croutons? ›

Once the croutons are cool use a large rolling pin to smash them and roll out to a fine consistency. This is a messy task by hand with a rolling pin and the croutons could be placed under plastic to help keep the crumbs on the table. Alternatively, pulse them in a food processor until all the pieces are the same size.

Continue Reading
Are croutons meant to be crunchy? ›

Let me explain: Most croutons are crunchy through and through, but these are designed to be crispy on the outside and chewy in the middle–far better for munching out of hand (or as a complement to tender salad leaves) than the hard, desiccated store-bought kind.

Read On
How can I improve my store-bought croutons? ›

How to Make Store-Bought Croutons Taste Freshly Made
  1. 1-2 tablespoons butter or margarine.
  2. 1 teaspoon garlic or onion powder, or 1 clove minced garlic.
  3. 1 tablespoon chopped or sliced onion.
  4. 3/4 cup pre-made croutons.
  5. dash herbes de Provence or parsley.
Jun 27, 2014

Discover More Details
How do you make soggy bread crispy? ›

Heat it.

Put the bread in a cold oven, then turn the heat to 300° F. Let the loaf slowly heat up for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the density and dryness of the bread.

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