Easy Croissant Croutons Recipe

Name: Easy Croissant Croutons
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 4 large croissants; 3 cloves garlic (minced); 1/4 cup olive oil; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon Italian seasonings; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Affiliate I may earn from qualifying purchases, at no additional cost to you.

Jump to Recipe

This croissant croutons are simple, ready in 15 minutes, and are a fantastic way to level up your next salad! Start by tossing cubed croissants with olive oil, herbs, and spices, and baking until crispy and golden brown.

These delicious French croutons are a great twist on a traditional recipe! They are great on salads, in French onion soup, and can even be used to make chorizo stuffing.

Want more great salad recipes? Try our Italian chopped antipasto salad, Thai wheat noodle salad, or our favorite light and crunchy Mexican tuna salad!

croutons made from croissants easy croutons with no bread french croutons recipe

Table of Contents

For our family holiday dinner this year I brought a Caesar salad (made with my favorite vegetarian Caesar dressing) and decided to kick the croutons up a notch! Instead of using plain stale bread, I cubed up croissants and toasted them instead.

The result? Croutons that are light, airy, and have a delicious buttery flavor. They work fantastically in a salad, especially one with a bright, fresh dressing.

Our recipe tasters commented that these croutons are much lighter than traditional croutons made from bread – they are soft and melt-in-your-mouth good!

Why This Recipe Works

Light, flavorful, and airy – these croutons have a perfect texture!
They aren’t too hard to crunchy.
The flavor from the dried herbs and garlic is in each bite.
They make a great salad topper.
A fun twist on traditional croutons.

Ingredients You’ll Need

ingredients for croutons from croissants modern croutons light and airy

Croissants – you can use stale day old croissants for this, or fresh croissants that have been left out overnight.
Olive oil – gives the croutons a golden brown finish, and helps the herbs stick to each croissant cube.
Italian seasonings – I like using a no-salt-added variety
Garlic – fresh garlic adds a fantastic flavor!
Garlic powder – for an even deeper garlic flavor in each bite.
Salt & black pepper – a little bit of seasoning is perfect for these croutons.

Additions and Substitutions

Instead of Italian seasonings, you can use a different spice blend if desired: rosemary, herbs de Provence, and thyme are all great substitutes.
If you want to use a different oil, you can try making these croutons with avocado oil, sunflower oil, or vegetable oil.
Or skip the fresh garlic, and double the garlic powder if you don’t have fresh garlic on hand.

How To Make These Croutons

a stale croissant cubed and sliced to make croutons

Step 1: Slice your stale croissants, and cube them into bite-sized pieces, about 1 inch thick. Place bread cubes in a large mixing bowl.

finely minced garlic on a cutting board with a steak knife.

Step 2: Slice and finely chop the garlic (or use a garlic press) until the garlic is minced into small pieces.

olive oil dressing for croutons in a bowl with dried herbs and fresh garlic.

Step 3: In a small bowl, add the minced garlic along with the remaining ingredients: the olive oil, garlic powder, Italian seasoning blend, salt, and pepper.

crouton dressing being poured over cubed stale croissants

Step 4: Mix the oil and garlic mixture well, and pour over the cubed croissants. Toss well to combine.

cubed bread in a baking dish covered with herbs and spices with garlic.

Step 5: Place the cubed croissants in a baking dish. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.

a caesar salad with croissants and parmesan cheese shredded with lettuce.

Step 6: Allow croutons to cool, then add them to your favorite soup or salad as a topper.

Make Croissant Croutons in the Air Fryer

To air fry, follow steps 1-4 as normal. Instead of a baking dish, place the croutons in the air fryer basket, and air fry at 400 degrees for 5-6 minutes until golden brown.

Recipe FAQs

How to store leftover croissant croutons?

For leftover croutons, place them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Use them on salads or in soups – or freeze extra croutons for up to 1 month.

What is the best bread to use for croutons?

While plain stale bread is traditional for croutons, I found that using croissants really adds a great texture and flavor in place of bread!

What are the best spices for croutons?

An Italian seasoning blend is a great option, as it has: parsley, garlic, thyme, rosemary, and many other delicious dried herbs. You can use another spice blend (like herbs de Provence) in place of Italian seasoning.

stale croissants in a baking dish and baked until golden brown and crisp on the outside.

More Delicious Bread Recipes You’ll Love

If you made this recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you!