Homemade Croutons (from whole wheat, white, or any leftover bread)
Transform any leftover bread you have into homemade croutons! Cube up bread - whole wheat, white, rosemary, brioche, etc. - toss with olive oil and seasonings, and bake. It's so much tastier, cheaper, and often healthier than store-bought croutons!
other spices to tastelike crushed red pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, etc. (optional)
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
Spread cubed bread onto a baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle on the seasonings, and toss to coat well. It should be very well coated in oil - you may need more than you think.
Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 10 minutes, or until toasted. Turn off the heat and allow the croutons to sit in the oven for 10-20 more minutes - this will dry them out completely so they are very crispy.
Serve!
Notes
I usually like to specify how much salt and pepper to use in my recipes, but this will depend on the bread you are using to begin with and how much seasoning it has. You can always add more later, so don't overthink it. I probably added a teaspoon of kosher salt to my croutons - I like them pretty salty.
To store, place in an airtight container or bag and keep in your pantry for approximately one week, maybe longer.
Baking times may very depending on the kind of bread you use, or how stale it is, since different kinds have different moisture contents. Keep an eye on it. You may want to leave it in the oven for shorter or longer than 10 minutes after you turn off the heat.