Homemade Croutons

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Cut the loaf of bread into 3/4-inch cubes and place in a large bowl. Make sure the bread cubes are all the same size so the croutons cook evenly. You can also tear your bread if you want rustic bread cubes. I usually like to cut the bread with a bread knife to make sure they are the same size, but either way works!

Drizzle the bread cubes with olive oil and melted butter. Sprinkle the garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper over the bread. Toss until all of the bread cubes are well coated.

Spread the bread cubes onto the prepared baking sheet, making sure the bread cubes are in an even layer and not touching. If they are too close and overlapping, they won’t cook evenly and won’t crisp up.

Bake for 12 to 20 minutes, tossing halfway through, or until the croutons are golden brown. Check early to make sure you don’t burn them. Time will depend on how thick your bread pieces are and how your oven cooks.

Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Warning, it is hard to walk by the pan and not grab a crouton or two…or a handful:)