Cube bread: Use a serrated bread knife and cut the bread into cubes that are roughly an inch in cubic size. If you prefer your croutons to be larger or smaller, then feel free to do so. Just make sure that they are all the same relative size, as not doing so can result in some croutons being overcooked, and others undercooked. Once all of your bread is cubed, place them out in an even layer on a cookie sheet.
Let the bread cubes get staler: Even though you might be starting with stale bread you will more than likely need to let the bread get staler. To do this, simply let these cubes sit out on your kitchen counter, anywhere from an hour to half a day. You will know that the bread cubes are ready when they are completely stiff when you squeeze them. The key here is that we want to make sure that as much of the excess moisture of the bread is gone.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
Oil & season the bread: Pour just enough olive oil, garlic powder, and herbs over the bread cubes so that their tops are evenly covered by all ingredients. Then use a spatula and flip and mix all of the bread cubes so that they are coated all over by the oil, herbs, and garlic powder.
Bake croutons: Place the bread cubes into your heated oven, and bake them for around 10 to 15 minutes, flipping and stirring them with the spatula about every five minutes. Make sure to keep a close eye on them during this time as you don’t want your croutons to get too browned or else they will be unpleasant to eat. You will know that they are done when they attain a slightly golden color.
Let the croutons rest: Take the croutons out of the oven, and let them sit on the cookie sheet for 10 to 20 minutes to cool off. Once they are cool to the touch you can store your croutons in a glass jar.
