Here’s how to make homemade crispbreads. A great way to save money and use up every scrap of a loaf of bread. And of course, this is a very old method of preserving food for later. Another zero waste recipe!
I hate wasting food. I make mini pots of jam from a few berries lurking in the fridge, no wrinkled pepper is safe from the preserving pan and those browning bananas just have to be cake!
But what of the really basic stuff, bread. While my sheep love to nibble on the odd slice and the chickens will fairly dance for a few crumbs, I do like to use as much of it in the house as possible so I make these homemade crispbreads.
We love sourdough bread and find it lasts longer than most loaves in our trusty old bread box.
However even it has to give up the ghost eventually.
While I make breadcrumbs and stock the freezer with bags ready for coating fish and chicken I also make these simple homemade crispbreads, dried slices or toasts and keep them in a jar.
Forget the diet industry sort of crispbreads. This dried out bread (which is what crispbread is) dates back centuries as a way to preserve bread for later use.
These homemade crispbreads are just like those French-style crispbreads that used to be really popular back in the eighties and are still very common in France.
While you can buy them in the supermarket it is super easy to make your own and a great way to use up aging bread.
How to make homemade crispbreads
I make my crispbread just by slicing my favourite bread into 1cm/1/2″ pieces and laying them out on a wire rack.
Pop this into the oven at the lowest setting and leave for an hour to dry out completely. For me this means the coolest oven on the aga.
After that the toasts are crisp and completely dried out let them cool completely and store in an airtight container.
How long does this keep
Your homemade crispbreads will keep for months in an airtight container. As long as you have removed all the mosir#ture from the bread in the drying process they will be good for up to 3 months.
Serving suggestions
They are perfect with jam or cheese or just to crumble into a nice bowl of soup at lunch time.
You can also crumble them (put in a bag and bash with rolling pin) to make a breadcrumb coating for fish, chicken and veggies.
Hardly a recipe really, but a good larder standby that saves a few pennies now and then.
Looking for more super easy larder basics you can make at home? Then check these out before you go;
How to make pasta from scratch
How to make Labneh (yogurt cheese)
How to make all-nut butter (just like peanut butter)
Homemade garlic oil for cooking and salads
Finally, if you do try this recipe don’t forget to leave a comment/star rating below as I just love to hear from readers. Want more Larder Love? Then follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter and sign up for my newsletter too of course.
How to Make Homemade Crispbreads
Ingredients
- 6 sliced bread about 1 cm thick
Instructions
- preheat oven to it's lowest setting
- place the slices of bread on a wire rack and bake at the lowest setting until completely dry and crisp. The timing will depend on your oven.
- Allow to cool completely before storing in an airtight jar for up to 3 months.
You know I never even though of doing this for me, I love crispbreads and they are so handy for a little nibble or to dunk in soups. Usually I dry out stale bread in the oven and give it to the dogs instead of their usual mixer.
But now it’s mine all mine 🙂
My Mum used to make crispbread in the wood oven, the hatch slightly ajar. Dark rye bread sticks made this way taste so good!
This is a neat trick. I usually throw my old bread out or the birds, but I am going to try this. Ow do you think of all these good ideas, Karon! Thanks for sharing!
Patti xxoo
Glad you are all enjoying the crispbreads. Get using up that old bread ladies, somewhere great to spread those gorgeous preserves!
Thanks for your nice comments today.
K x
2nD Attempt – Great idea as I have home made breadcrumbs coming out of my ears. You mentioned Sour Dough, I love it, but one of the few things that I am still trying to master is my own starter. Do you have your own starter nourishing away? xx
will have to do a post on that when I have time…..
K x
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Thank you for this!! I have an autistic child who only eats crispy, brown food, and we’ve been struggling to get him to eat bread, but I think this might work!! Would whole wheat still be good for this?
Hi Camilla
Glad you found this recipe useful. Yes, you can use any bread to make these crispbreads. Hope it works for your son.
K
Hello! Love your site! I bought a marked down loaf of French bread and remembered your technique so wanting to try this! I have a two oven Aga. Would you recommend putting the bread slices in the simmer oven? Or just maybe leave on a rack on the hob until the bread is dry and crisp. Thank you from Indianapolis!
Hi Veronica
I would use the simmering oven for this one. Haven’t actually tried doing it on a rack on the hob, must try that myself.
All best
K
Thank you so much for this super easy recipe. I am of like mind as to wasting food and was delighted to know I can make my own crispy snack base from my homemade bread rather than buying those small round toasts from the grocer.
Hi Sandra
So glad you like this recipe. It’s one I use a lot myself.
K
Tried this today with the odds n ends of bread in the freezer – omg, they are delicious, crisp but not hard (for old teeth). Thank you so much!!
Hi Kath
So glad you foound my recipe useful. It’s a great way to use up bread.
K