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Crispy oven-baked garlic herb croutons cooling on a baking sheet after roasting with olive oil, butter, and seasonings
Isaac blogger

Homemade Garlic Croutons (Crispy & Garlicky)

Crunchy homemade garlic croutons made from crusty bread, olive oil, butter, and herbs. Oven-baked until lightly golden and crisp, these croutons are easy to make and perfect for salads, soups, and snacks.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 28 minutes
Servings: 8
Course: Side / Salad Topping
Cuisine: American
Calories:
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 12 oz crusty bread, (sourdough, ciabatta, French bread, or similar)
  • ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp dried parsley
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Method
 

  1. Before You Begin
  2. Prepare your cookware as needed. Cooking times and results may vary depending on your equipment and ingredients.
  3. Preheat the oven to 375°F (191°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper if desired.
  4. Prepare the Bread
  5. Cut or tear the bread into bite-sized pieces. Slightly uneven edges help with browning.
  6. Make the Seasoned Oil
  7. Warm the olive oil and butter together over low heat for a few minutes, stirring gently. Add Italian seasoning, parsley, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
  8. Coat the Bread
  9. Place the bread pieces in a large bowl. Pour the seasoned oil over the bread and toss until evenly coated. Add Parmesan if using and mix gently.
  10. Bake
  11. Spread the bread in a single layer on the baking sheet.
  12. Bake for about 10 minutes, then stir to promote even browning. Continue baking until the croutons are lightly golden and crisp on the surface. Cooking time may vary depending on the size of the bread pieces and their moisture content.
  13. Cool Completely
  14. Remove from the oven and allow the croutons to cool on the baking sheet until fully cooled. They typically become crispier as they cool.

Notes

  • Bake at 375°F (191°C) until lightly golden and crisp, stirring once for even browning.
  • Spread bread in a single layer so croutons crisp instead of steaming.
  • Warm oil and butter gently over low heat, not high heat.
  • Let cool completely so croutons finish crisping before storing.
  • Store fully cooled croutons in an airtight container up to 10 days.
  • To refresh, bake at 300°F (150°C) for 5–7 minutes until crisp again.
  • Freeze in sealed containers up to 2 months.
  • Discard if smell, texture, or appearance changes.