The Easiest Homemade Crostini
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There’s no need to buy crostini when you can easily make it at home! With just three basic ingredients, these homemade crostini crackers are amazing for dipping, topping, and more. Even better, they only take about 15 minutes to bake up in the oven.
As far as appetizers go, crostini are honestly elite. I love a handheld snack situation, especially when I’m throwing a party and don’t want to deal with utensils or running out of forks. And these little bite-sized snacks are amazing with all kinds of toppings like marinated mozzarella balls, honey baked Camembert, or fried burrata.
If you’ve never had crostini, let’s huddle, friends. Crostini is an Italian appetizer that translates to “little toasts”. They’re made up of toasted (or grilled) bread topped with all kinds of delicious things like cheese, meat, veggies, sauces, spreads, and everything in-between.
Even better, there’s truly no reason to buy store-bought crostini because it’s ridiculously easy to make at home. When I was in pastry school, we used to use all the leftover bread to make crostini. But of course, store-bought bread is totally fine. All you need is 3 ingredients and 15 minutes and you have the perfect base for all your favorite toppings!
The best bread for crostini
To make this recipe, all you need is bread, olive oil, and Morton’s Kosher salt! I like to use a baguette which is the perfect size for a two-bite appetizer.
Of course, feel free to use any of your favorite breads like sourdough, ciabatta, or a country bread. A rosemary baguette is one of my personal faves! You just want a loaf that is long, skinny-ish, and has structure so it holds up all of the toppings. Skip anything too soft and fluffy like sandwich bread or rolls.
Make this recipe
- Start by cutting a baguette into 1/2-inch thick slices. I like to cut them at an angle because I think it looks prettier!
- Place the toasts on a sheet pan. It’s ok if they touch a little! Then, use a pastry brush to lightly brush both sides with olive oil.
Don’t slice the baguette too thick! You want the toasts to be easy to bite into. About 1/2-inch should do the trick.
- Sprinkle both sides of the crostini with a few generous pinches of salt.
- Lastly, bake the crostini at 400°F (204°C) until they’re golden and crisp on the edges.
The bake time will depend on the density of the bread you use. For a baguette, you will need to bake the toasts for about 10-12 minutes. If you’re using a lighter bread, it might be closer to 7-8 minutes.
Add garlic or herbs
If you want to make garlic crostini, start by slicing a couple of cloves of garlic in half. Right after the they come out of the oven, rub both sides of the crostini with the cut side of the garlic. Place them back in the warm oven for about 1 more minute if you want to tone down the spiciness of the raw garlic a bit.
You can also make herb crostini. Just add some finely minced fresh herbs to the oil before you brush it on the toasts. Start with about 1 teaspoon and add more to taste. I like rosemary, thyme, and parsley!
Topping ideas
These crostini crackers are basically a blank canvas for any toppings you like. These are a few of my favorites!
- Bruschetta or mozzarella and tomatoes
- Steak with horseradish sauce
- Goat cheese, figs, & honey
- Pear, blue cheese, & thyme
- Caramelized onions or mushrooms
Make sure to add any toppings right before serving. The toasts will get soggy if they sit too long!
Store & re-crisp
You can make ahead and store the crostini crackers in an airtight container or zipper bag for 2-3 days. And just a head’s up, depending on the humidity situation, the crostini might lose a bit of their crunch. To re-crisp the crackers, just bake them at 350°F (177°C) for about 3-5 minutes. Tent the pan with tin foil if they start to brown too much.
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The Easiest Homemade Crostini Crackers
Ingredients
- 1 baguette (about 1 pound/454 grams)
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 2-3 cloves fresh garlic, peeled (optional – for garlic crostini)
Equipment
- 1-2 sheet pans
- Pastry brush
Instructions
Plain Crostini
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Slice the baguette at a diagonal into 1/2-inch slices.
- Line the baguette slices cut-side up on a sheet pan. It's ok if they touch a bit on the edges. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush both sides of the toasts with olive oil. Season with a few pinches of salt, to taste.
- Bake the crostini for 8-12 minutes, until they're golden brown and toasty. Cool completely and enjoy!
Garlic Crostini
- If you want to make garlic crostini, start by slicing a couple of cloves of garlic in half. Right after the the they come out of the oven, rub both sides of the crostini with the cut side of the garlic.
- Place them back in the warm oven for about 1 more minute if you want to tone down the spiciness of the raw garlic a bit.