The Best Homemade Croutons Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep homemade croutons crispy? ›

The best is to store them air tight and prevent any moisture from coming in. Moisture is the main enemy of croutons, making them lose their sogginess. If they do become a little soft, heat them again in a pan to crucnh them back up.

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.

Why are my homemade croutons soggy? It could be that you stored your croutons before they were fully cooled. Warm croutons trap moisture, and the croutons can become soggy if they're stored airtight too soon. This can also cause them to go stale too quickly.

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.

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.

Croutons: Yes, you can freeze them! Cube stale bread and toast it for a few minutes. Then, place the croutons into a resealable freezer bag and stow in the freezer. You can also freeze the uncooked bread cubes and toast them at a later time.

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. The dates listed on prepackaged croutons are a “best before date”, a date after which the croutons are likely to go stale and not have the right taste.

Let croutons cool in a single layer on the baking sheet. Use immediately or keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days. To refresh stale croutons, bake for 3 to 4 minutes at 400 degrees.

Although you can put croutons refrigerate croutons in an airtight container for up to 5 days, they can become chewy or soft because they absorb moisture in the fridge. Need to crisp up your croutons? Spread them on a baking sheet and warm them for 3 to 5 minutes in a 300 °F (149 °C) oven.

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.

Can you dehydrate homemade croutons? ›

It's easy to make croutons crunchy: Just dry the bread pieces in a dehydrator or low-temperature oven (around 125°C) for a couple of hours. This should be done before adding oil or seasonings, since the process would cook off a lot of their flavor.

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.

Nearly any type of bread—in a loaf or pre-sliced, with or without crust—may be used to make croutons. Dry or stale bread or leftover bread is usually used instead of fresh bread. Once prepared, the croutons will remain fresh far longer than unprepared bread.

Keep crispy stuff and cheesy stuff off

Since a salad is typically a high-moisture dish, it's best to keep anything crispy or cheesy off until serving. Crispy items such as croutons or fried wontons will become soggy and cheese will become soft.

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.”

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).