Homemade Butter Croutons

A delicious and inexpensive way to make your own homemade butter croutons! Use day old bread, buns or any other bread you have on hand! Great on salad, soup or even as a snack.

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This recipe was photographed and updated 4/2024.

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Shopping list:

• sourdough bread
• unsalted butter
• garlic powder
• Italian seasoning
• salt
• black pepper

Today's recipe is for one of my favorite snack foods, croutons! In addition to snacking, they're great on a salad or on top of soup. I also grind them in a food processor and use them as a topping for homemade macaroni and cheese! It's so much better than regular breadcrumbs. 

The great thing about this recipe? It's inexpensive and a great use for close to date or out of date bread. You can use pretty much any bread you have on hand, and this ensures it won't go to waste.

These croutons have a wonderful savory garlic butter flavor. The Italian seasoning and garlic powder are a great flavor combo, along with the butter. You'll want to skip store bought and make your own every time.

These croutons are so delicious sprinkled on top of a creamy or cheesy soup! Some of our favorites to use them with are, Broccoli Beer Cheese Soup or Cheesy Bacon and Corn Chowder.

Keep scrolling for the full printable recipe 💙

You can add or substitute with these ingredients:

• use any bread or buns instead of sourdough (sourdough is my preference, it turns out so crunchy)
• use olive oil instead of butter, or a combo of both
• add onion powder
• use dried parsley or basil instead of Italian seasoning
• use seasoned salt instead of regular
• add crushed red pepper flakes
• use fresh herbs instead of dried spices

Recipe tips:

• I suggest grabbing rubber gloves and folding the croutons with your hands before baking. It’s the best way to ensure the bread doesn’t get smashed.

• The coating on your croutons isn’t going to be perfect. You'll never notice the difference once they're baked.

• You can use salted butter, you may want to skip the salt altogether or reduce it by at least half.

• Store in an airtight container for up to 3-5 days.

Yield 6 cups

Author Hot Eats and Cool Reads

Prep time

5 Min

Cook time

45 Min

Total time

50 Min

Homemade Butter Croutons

Ingredients

• 24 ounce loaf of sourdough bread
• 1 stick unsalted butter (½ cup)
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Place parchment paper on a baking sheet.
2. Cut your bread slices into large chunks, about ¾ of an inch.
3. Slice your stick of butter into 4 cubes and place it in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for about 1 minute or until the butter is fully melted.
4. Add the garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper to the melted butter and stir well.
5. Place the bread chunks in a large mixing bowl and pour the melted butter mixture evenly over the top
6. Using your hands or a rubber spatula, gently fold the bread pieces until they’re evenly coated with the butter mixture.
7. Spread the coated bread cubes evenly on the prepared baking sheet.
8. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven, cool and store in an airtight container.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

449.84

Fat

18.08 g

Sat. Fat

10.29 g

Carbs

60.38 g

Fiber

3.02 g

Net carbs

57.36 g

Sugar

5.31 g

Protein

12.68 g

Sodium

1073.19 mg

Cholesterol

40.49 mg

Hot Eats and Cool Reads is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe you try from this blog/website. You may not always have the same results I do due to variations in ingredients, humidity, altitude, cooking temperatures, typos, errors, omissions, or individual cooking abilities. 

You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful. I am not a certified nutritionist and make no claims to the contrary. Each individual's dietary needs and restrictions are unique to the individual.

Our favorite kitchen equipment and supplies used with this recipe:

• NutriChef 3 Piece Baking Pan Set
• Precut Parchment Paper Sheets
• OXO Good Grips 6-Piece Plastic Measuring Spoons
• 10 inch Bread Knife
• Epicurean Kitchen Series Cutting Board 
• Food Prep Gloves
• Pyrex Smart Essentials 3-Piece Prepware Mixing Bowl Set

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