Crouton

Homemade croutons are just day-old bread cut into cubes and dried slowly in a low oven until golden and shatteringly crisp. One ingredient, your choice of herbs and spices, and a couple of hours of hands-off baking.

The low temperature is what makes these work. Baking slow and gentle dries the bread all the way through instead of just toasting the outside while leaving the center chewy. Stir every 30 minutes and poke with a fork to check. When they’re crunchy all the way to the core, they’re done.

Day-old bread is ideal because it’s already partially dried out, which gives you a head start. Fresh, soft bread takes longer and can turn gummy in the middle before the outside crisps. Any bread works: sourdough, French, Italian, whole wheat, even leftover baguette.

Kitchen Tips

• Cut the cubes roughly the same size so they dry evenly. Tiny pieces will burn before big ones are done.
• Toss with olive oil, garlic powder, dried herbs, or Parmesan before baking for flavored croutons.
• Store cooled croutons in an airtight container at room temperature. They keep for up to two weeks.

Variations

• Toss with melted butter, garlic, and Italian seasoning for a classic garlic crouton.
• Sprinkle with smoked paprika and cayenne for a spicy version.
• Use rye bread and caraway seeds for croutons that pair with creamy soups.