Homemade Croutons Recipe

Cheese croutons are the detail that makes a good soup or salad genuinely great. These come together in 45 minutes with day-old bread, cheddar, and olive oil, and they stay crunchy for days.

“I made these with the leftover sourdough sandwich bread and tossed them with sharp cheddar and garlic powder. They came out so crunchy and stayed that way even after sitting on top of my soup for a few minutes. This is my new go-to for using up bread!” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Chris

I have been making these cheese croutons on repeat lately, mostly because they disappear faster than anything else I put on the table. A handful of simple pantry ingredients and one sheet pan is genuinely all it takes.

They are the finishing detail that makes a bowl of homemade tomato soup or a simple green salad feel like a full meal. If you enjoy baking your own bread for the crouton base, my cheese bread doubles down on the cheesy flavor and slices up perfectly for this recipe.

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Day-Old Bread: Drier bread absorbs the olive oil and seasonings more evenly and crisps up better in the oven than fresh bread will. Same-day sourdough bread adds tangy depth, while white sandwich bread or milk bread gives you a milder, softer crouton. If you want to bake a loaf specifically for this, my easy no-knead focaccia tears into rustic cubes that toast beautifully.
• Sharp Cheddar Cheese: Sharp cheddar brings a bold, tangy flavor that stands up to the seasoning and toasts into crispy bits on every cube. It will not cling as cleanly as Parmesan would. Pre-shredded cheddar is coated with anti-caking agents that keep it from sticking to the bread, so it falls off during tossing and pools in the pan. Buy a block and chop or pulse it yourself for the best result.
• Italian Seasoning: This herb blend adds a mild, savory depth that complements the cheddar without competing with it. If you don’t have a premixed blend on hand, a mix of dried oregano, basil, and thyme gets you close.
• Onion Powder: A small amount rounds out the savory notes and adds a background warmth without any sharpness. It works quietly here, which is exactly what it should do.
• See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.:

Variations for How to Make Homemade Croutons

• Garlic and Herb Croutons: Skip the cheddar entirely and add a teaspoon of garlic powder along with the Italian seasoning. The croutons come out lighter and more neutral, which makes them a good fit for delicate salads where sharp cheese would compete.
• Parmesan Croutons: Swap the cheddar for an equal weight of finely grated Parmesan. Parmesan clings more evenly to the oiled bread than cheddar does, so you get a more uniform crispy coating on every cube.
• Spicy Croutons: Add a pinch of cayenne or a half teaspoon of smoked paprika to the olive oil mixture before tossing. The heat is subtle but builds, and it pairs especially well with tomato-based soups.
• Sweet Croutons: Use a sweeter bread as your base, like my chocolate sourdough or this cinnamon raisin sourdough. Skip the cheese; use a neutral oil and some cinnamon sugar for a great sundae topping!

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Professional Tips for Perfect Homemade Croutons

• Dry the bread completely before adding oil. Most bakers rush this step, but it is the most important. Bread that still has moisture in the center will steam in the oven instead of crisping, and no amount of extra bake time will fix a soggy middle. If you are short on time, the 15-minute oven-drying method at 350°F works well, but move the cubes around occasionally so the softer sides get some air.
• Toss the oil and seasonings first, then add the cheese. Adding the cheese to already-oiled bread gives it something to stick to. If you toss everything at once, the cheese clumps together at the bottom of the bowl instead of distributing across the cubes.
• Cool on the pan before storing. The cheese finishes crisping as the croutons cool: pull the pan from the oven and leave it on the counter for a full 10 minutes before touching them. Storing them warm traps steam in the container and softens the crust you just worked to build.

How to Make Homemade Croutons

Use these instructions to make crispy, golden, cheese-coated croutons with a savory bite in every cube. Find further details and measurements in the recipe card below.

Step 1: Prepare the Cheese. Pulse the shredded cheddar in a food processor until it is finely chopped, or chop it by hand with a chef’s knife.

You are looking for small, irregular pieces that will catch on the oiled bread and crisp up in the oven. Either method works well here; I use a quick 5 or 6 pulses in the food processor.

Step 2: Dry Out the Bread. Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the middle and line a sheet pan with parchment. Spread the cubed bread across two parchment-lined sheet pans, spacing the cubes apart so air can circulate around them. You have two options here: let the cubes sit out at room temperature for up to 2 days, or speed things up by sliding them into the oven for about 15 minutes, moving them around occasionally. Either way, the sides of the cubes touching the pan will stay a little softer longer, which is completely normal. (photo 1)

Day-old bread that already feels dry to the touch will crisp faster and more evenly. If your bread still feels soft or moist in the center, let it dry out fully in the oven before moving on. Skipping this step is the most common reason croutons turn out chewy instead of crisp.

Step 3: Season and Coat. Add the dried bread cubes to a large bowl and drizzle them with olive oil. Sprinkle in the onion powder, salt, and Italian seasoning, then toss until every cube is evenly coated. (photo 2)

The cubes should look glossy all over with no dry, floury patches. If some cubes look bare, keep tossing.

Step 4: Season and Coat. Add the chopped cheddar and toss again so it clings to the oiled surfaces. (photo 3 & 4)

It will not coat as smoothly as Parmesan would, and that is completely fine. Some cheese will stick, and some will fall to the bottom of the bowl. Scatter any loose cheese left in the bowl directly over the croutons once you spread them on the pan, so none of it goes to waste.

Step 5: Bake the Croutons. Spread the coated bread cubes in a single layer on the sheet pan, then scatter any remaining cheese from the bowl over the top. Slide the pan into the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, tossing halfway through. Look for croutons that are golden and crisp on the outside, with no soft, spongy spots when you press one. (photo 5)

If you plan to serve these on soup, bake them an extra 5 to 8 minutes so they are fully crisp before they hit the liquid, since even a well-baked crouton will soften quickly once it lands in a warm bowl.

Step 6: Cool Before Storing. Let the croutons cool completely on the pan before storing. (photo 6) The cheese will tighten and crisp up as they cool, so resist moving them to a container too soon. Once fully cooled and firm, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Cooling on the pan is not optional here. Sealing croutons while still warm traps steam inside the container, and that moisture is what turns them chewy overnight.

Recipe FAQs

Before You Go

If these homemade cheese croutons have you thinking about what else you can do with good bread and a hot oven, there is plenty more waiting for you. Browse our Bread Recipes for different breads to turn into croutons, like this rye bread recipe.