Today I’m going to show you how to make croutons.
Baking is a science, and sometimes an experiment in the kitchen doesn’t turn out exactly how you want it to the very first try. This happened to me last week while trying to perfect a sourdough discard maple cornbread recipe. My first two attempts just weren’t exactly what I was looking for and I had to give it a couple of tries before I was happy with the finished product.
So what do you do with failed bread?
No one wants to throw out or waste food, even if your recipe didn’t turn out exactly as planned. The solution is simple: use your imperfect breads to make croutons!
Recipe
Making croutons is quick and easy. Start by cutting your bread into cubes and place into a large bowl.
Next, drizzle your bread cubes with olive oil and sprinkle whatever seasonings you’d like. I used garlic powder and vegan cheese for these. Toss your bread cubes to coat in olive oil, seasonings, and cheese.
How do you make homemade croutons crisp?
Next, spread your bread cubes out on a cookie sheet. Space your bread cubes out. If you put them too close together they won’t get crispy. The goal is for croutons that are nice and crispy on the outside but chewy on the inside. Having a helper can make this step more fun. 😉 I helped him spread his out a bit more before placing them in the oven.
Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, flip using a spatula and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until they reach your desired crispiness.
Because I used sourdough maple cornbread, my croutons turned out unexpectedly and delightfully sweet. If you’ve made a sourdough loaf with inclusions that you aren’t sure will make delicious croutons, go for it! You’ll likely be surprised and how delicious they turn out!
How to store homemade croutons
Allow croutons to cool completely before placing them in a Ziploc bag. Allowing them to cool will ensure no moisture gets trapped, leaving you with soggy bread cubes. Store them in your pantry for two weeks.
How long do homemade croutons last?
Store homemade croutons in a Ziploc bag in your pantry for 2 weeks.
Little Cooks Corner
These croutons are the perfect recipe for little cooks of all ages. Little helpers can use a Montessori knife to help cube the bread. Placing bread cubes on the baking sheets is an easy activity for kiddos of all ages as well. Older toddlers can also help measure ingredients and toss the bread cubes in the seasoning and cheese. Learn more about toddlers in the kitchen here.
How to make homemade croutons
- Preheat oven to 375.
- Cube 6 cups of leftover sourdough bread and place in a large bowl.
- Drizzle bread cubes with 1/2 cup of olive oil.
- Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Top with 6 tablespoons cheese of your choice.
- Toss bread cubes to coat.
- Place bread cubes, spread out, on 2 baking sheets and bake for 10 minutes.
- Flip and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
How to Make Croutons
Description
Make your own homemade sourdough croutons out of unsuccessful sourdough bread loaves.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375.
- Cube 6 cups of sourdough bread and place in a large bowl.
- Drizzle bread cubes with 1/2 cup of olive oil.
- Sprinkle bread cubes with 1 teaspoon of garlic powder and 6 tablespoons cheese of choice. Toss the bread cubes to coat.
- Place bread cubes on 2 baking sheets, ensuring that they are well spaced out.
- Bake your croutons for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, pull your croutons out of the oven, flip them, and bake an additional 10 minutes.
Notes
- Make sure you space your croutons out on the cookie sheets before baking. This will ensure your croutons come out crispy.
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