Homemade Pumpernickel Croutons, a simple homemade croutons recipe that comes together with just 3 ingredients and 15 minutes!
After learning how to make do-it-yourself croutons, you’ll never go back to store-bought! This recipe uses pumpernickel bread, which has a slightly sweet and tangy flavor that you’ll love in croutons. Make a big batch ASAP and enjoy on top of soups or salads.
👉 Here’s why you’ll LOVE this pumpernickel croutons recipe:
- It’s delicious. These homemade croutons are better than what you’ll find at stores and restaurants. They’re seasoned just right and baked with olive oil, which adds the crisp that you won’t be able to get enough of.
- They are easy to make. DIY croutons couldn’t be easier to make at home. All you need is a loaf of pumpernickel bread, seasonings, and olive oil. Better yet, they take less than 30 minutes to make!
- It reduces food waste. Rather than tossing stale bread in the garbage, this recipe puts it to use by making delicious croutons. It’s a win-win for your taste buds and the environment.
- It’s versatile. The possibilities are endless for what you can do with pumpernickel croutons. Enjoy them as a snack by themselves, or add to your favorite soups, salads, and stews. You can also make croutons with French bread, sourdough, ciabatta, and rye bread if you don’t have pumpernickel on hand.
Are you ready to learn how to make croutons from pumpernickel bread? Let’s do it!
🥖 Ingredients you’ll need
Homemade pumpernickel croutons are simple to adjust based on your tastes – there are so many different substitutions you can use to make them the way you like. Here are our favorite ingredients to use for pumpernickel croutons.
- Pumpernickel bread: Bread is the key ingredient in croutons, and using pumpernickel bread as a base makes them extra yummy. You’ll cut pumpernickel bread slices into cubes, combine them with olive oil and seasonings, then bake them off in the oven.
- Olive oil: What you need to make croutons extra crispy when baked. Canola oil can be used in this recipe as well.
- Salt and pepper: A pinch of salt and pepper adds a simple and delicious flavor.
- Optional Ingredients: Take the flavor even further in croutons with Italian seasoning, or add dried herbs and spices like garlic powder, parsley, or basil.
🥣 How to make (step-by-step photos)
1️⃣ Step One: Preheat the oven + get the bread ready
Start with preheating your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Cut the pumpernickel bread loaf into 1 inch thick slices, then cut each slice into 1 inch cubes. Transfer bread cubes to a large mixing bowl.
2️⃣ Step Two: Add oil + spices
Cover pumpernickel cubes with a drizzle of olive oil. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, and any other spices of your choice.
Give the pumpernickel cubes a toss to coat them well with oil and spices.
3️⃣ Step Three: Roast croutons in the oven
Spread the pumpernickel bread cubes out evenly on a sheet pan.
Oven-bake for 10-15 minutes, or until croutons are crispy and golden brown. Make sure to cook on all sides by taking them out of the oven halfway through and giving them a good toss.
When done baking, remove the croutons from the oven and let cool. Serve on top of salads or soups. Store leftovers in an airtight container on the countertop for up to 5-6 days.
❓ Questions + quick tips
When stored in the refrigerator, homemade croutons last for up to a week. You can also store them at room temperature for 5 days, as long as they are kept in an airtight container.
Croutons that have a dark brown color are typically made from a dark bread like pumpernickel. The baking process for pumpernickel bread is typically long and slow, through which a browning reaction takes place. This is where it gets its dark color that transfers to croutons.
One of the best things to do with stale pumpernickel bread is make croutons! Simply cut pumpernickel bread into cubes and bake after combining with oil and seasonings. You can also make it into stuffing or cook into a bread salad or pudding.
💛 More homemade croutons recipes
Use your pumpernickel croutons in these tasty recipes:
- Butternut Squash Soup
- Grilled Peach Salad
- Roasted Tomato Leak Soup
- Quinoa Greek Salad
- Roasted Corn Potato Soup
Looking for other ways to make croutons? Try making homemade stale ciabatta bread croutons, croutons from leftover sourdough bread, or leftover rye bread croutons. And save leftover croutons and freeze for later use!
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Homemade Pumpernickel Croutons Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 loaf pumpernickel bread
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 Pinch salt and pepper, to taste
- Optional ingredients: spices like garlic powder or dried herbs like parsley, oregano, or basil
Instructions
- Preheat oven + prep bread: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Slice pumpernickel bread loaf into 1-inch thick slices, then cut each bread slice into 1 inch pieces. Add cubed pumpernickel pieces into a large mixing bowl.
- Add oil + spices: Cover the pumpernickel pieces with a drizzle of olive oil, then mix with a pinch of salt, pepper, and other spices. Toss to combine.
- Bake until crispy: Spread the seasoned bread cubes onto a sheet pan. Roast in the oven until the croutons are crispy and beginning to brown, which will take about 10-15 minutes. Halfway through cooking, flip the bread cubes to cook on all sides. When finished, take the bread out of the oven and let cool.
- To serve + store: Use homemade croutons as a crunchy topping for salads and soups. Store in an airtight container on the countertop for up to 5-6 days.
Recipe Notes
- Recipe notes: This crouton recipe is made with pumpernickel bread, but any type of bread can be used. We like ciabatta bread, rye bread, or sourdough for homemade croutons.
- Leftovers + storage: After croutons have cooled, store in an airtight container at room temperature for 5 days, or in the refrigerator for 6-7 days. We do not recommend freezing as the croutons will lose their crisp texture after thawing.
- Nutrition notes: This recipe uses all plant-based ingredients, making it suitable for vegan diets.
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