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Don’t throw away the scraps! Repurpose leftover bread and make your own homemade croutons. They’re great to have on hand for soups and salads. They even make great snacks for the kiddos. I’ve written this article Homemade Croutons Recipe and Storage to teach you how to make them and store them.
I don’t know about you but at my house, we seem to always have bread scraps. Nobody wants the crust pieces of the sliced sandwich bread. I inevitably have a single leftover hamburger or hot dog bun when I buy them for a get-together. Or rarely, I may have leftovers from my homemade loaf. Don’t throw them away. Pop them in a bag and toss them in the freezer for your homemade croutons. I usually do this for 6 months to a year or so until I need to make some freezer room and clean out all the bags. You could be more organized and put everything in a gallon zipper bag. I prefer to just throw the bag of ends and pieces in the freezer as is. They will fit in smaller spaces and I can use my freezer space more efficiently.
How to:
You can use different kinds of breads together for your homemade croutons. Brown, white, buns, bagels, slices, and loaves. Anything goes! Check out our own recipe for 3 Ingredient No Knead Dutch Oven Bread. This would make delicious croutons!
Pull out the frozen bread scraps and slice them into small squares approx. 1in x 1 in. The smaller they are, the faster they’ll dry out. Try to be consistent with the size in order to have even drying time. If you have large chunks throughout, you might have to extend the drying time or risk moisture inside those larger pieces. Moisture breeds bacteria and mold and will ruin your product.
This is a matter of preference. Typical crouton seasoning is onion salt, garlic salt, Italian herbs, parmesan cheese. You can really add anything you want to your homemade croutons. I like the flavor of tossing the croutons in olive oil however if you want them to last for a really long time, the oil can taste stale after a while. An alternative is to store them plain and then toss them in oil and season in a fry pan before use. It really depends on how you plan to use them. I like to make a batch to last for a long time (potentially years) so I keep mine plain.
Drying
Spread bread cubes on your dehydrator sheets or a cookie sheet for oven drying. Either way works great. I use theExcalibur 9 Tray Electric Food Dehydrator but you can put them in the oven at its lowest setting. I’ve also dehydrated garlic to make my own Garlic Powder and Citrus Powder out of orange peels.
Food Dehydrator Method: Dry for 4-6 hours at about 155°. Check the homemade croutons and make sure they are completely dry and crunchy. Any moisture is disastrous.
If you need to store your homemade croutons, determine the best method for you. No matter how you store them you should use theseFood Grade Moisture Absorber Packets. Otherwise, they go stale faster.
Jar storage works well for a couple of weeks unless you suck out the air and seal the jars. This can also be done with Food Saver accessories. I’m still using croutons I made in 2017 but officially I’m sure I’m not allowed to claim a 4-year shelf life. Give it a try and let us know how they turned out. Like I say, much of your preparation will depend on whether or not you use them right away or plan to store them.
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.
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.”
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.
Depending on how dry and crisp your croutons are, they will last for up to a week in an airtight container, but will be at their best for the first two days. You can refresh them in the oven for a few minutes to crisp up again if you like.
Place in airtight packaging and freeze up to 3 months, or longer if vacuum sealed. Thaw croutons and bake at 300 degrees Fahrenheit 8-10 minutes, or until they're crispy to your liking.
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.
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.
When does crouton expire? Store-bought croutons, when unopened, can last for up to 6-8 months past the printed date on the package. Once opened, they can stay good for 1-2 weeks if stored properly. Homemade croutons have a shorter shelf-life, lasting about 1 week.
Vacuum sealer manufacturers recommend that you do not package raw onions, fresh mushrooms or fresh garlic due to botulinum concerns. Some foods do not seal well, such as bakery foods and liquid products.
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.
Croutons. Why is it unhealthy? Croutons can add some delicious crunch to your salad, but they can also add calories. You might be surprised to learn that just a cup of croutons can add an estimated 120 calories to your salad, and that number goes up to 180 if they are the seasoned variety.
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. Storing them in the refrigerator will give you a couple of additional days, up to 5 days.
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.
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Introduction: My name is Maia Crooks Jr, I am a homely, joyous, shiny, successful, hilarious, thoughtful, joyous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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