Have you ever noticed how fast homemade yeast bread goes stale? When compared to store-bought bread, it makes one wonder what they put in it. But back to the homemade bread. I have a great solution for whatever you don’t eat in the first 24 hours. I did this with the Banana-Date-Nut Whole Wheat Bread seen here but it can be done with other unsliced loaves–especially plain or sweet yeast bread. Here are the top four reasons to try this.
1. It makes the bread seem to go further when sliced thin.
2. Crispies last for days.
3. Each slice contains much fewer calories than a regular slice of bread and even less if you skip the butter and sugar on top. (SKINNY SECRET)
4. “Waste not, want not” my mom used to say.
Slice slightly stale loaf of bread (because it is firmer) as thin as you can. Try for 1/8 inch. Arrange on a cookie sheet. Save time by using a silicone baking sheet or parchment paper on the tray so you won’t have to wash it.
Spray each slice with one squirt of spray butter. Sprinkle lightly with 2 T. sugar mixed with 1/2 t. cardamom or cinnamon. Bake at 325 degrees for about 15 minutes. The time will vary greatly depending on the thickness of each slice. Some may be ready before others so keep an eye on them. They should be dry, crisp and golden brown.
Want to know a secret? I hid half of the banana bread loaf just so I would have some to make these crispies. They are so good!
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{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
I put a tsp. of lemon juice in all homemade bread recipes. It keeps it fluffier longer. I also slice and put in a container in the fridge. like this idea for a snack, especially since it’s sliced thin.
For leftover breads, I put garlic spreads on them and toast them till their crisp for a good serving of garlic toasts. Everybody at home loves them, and no bread goes to waste. It’s both healthy and delicious.
Jaeny, Why didn’t I think of this? Great idea! Have some bread in the freezer right now that would be perfect for this. Thanks so much for writing.
What a terrific idea! I am definitely going to try this. In fact, I have a loaf of chocolate chip banana bread in the freezer that my sister-in-law gave us. Hubby isn’t crazy about chocolate chips in his banana bread but I’ll bet he’d like it made into crispies! BTW, I came here via a tweet from Kalyn’s Kitchen!
Hi Cheryl, These are addictive with a little cinnamon and sugar on them. Just warning you.
My breads keep well in the fridge in a plastic container just made for bread, wrapped in grocery produce bags. I have the 12″ long narrow loaf pans, so this works out perfectly for storage. I always liked the bread I was getting from my Zojirushi but for the bottom few slices, and storage in the fridge was also a problem, and the slices SO large, so now I just use the dough cycle, shape my loaf and put it on the bottom shelf of my dish cabinet that has a fluorescent light attached on the underside and in 15 minutes I come back, turn the oven to 400 degrees, and return in another 15 minutes at most and put in the oven for 25 minutes and turns out just really great bread.
Love my Zoji too Julia.
Just made some, and they are yummy! What is the best way to store them?
Hi Elisabeth, Freeze them in a plastic bag or container. If I didn’t put some in the freezer, I would eat them all in a day.