You think you know all the food you have around the house all the time, but it’s highly unlikely.
There’s almost always a leftover pot you forget all about or a sneaky bag of toast hiding somewhere in the fridge.
Maybe there’s a bowl of bread rolls that have been sitting on your dining table for longer than you can recall.
Or Maybe you left some buns out, and now they’re all dry and crumbly.
Go ahead, check for yourself.
Now, you’re probably wondering what to do with old bread.
In this post, you’ll find 19 stale bread recipes that can turn your bland loaves into irresistible delicacies.
Let’s jump right in!
1. Stale Bread Strata
Strata is a beast of a dish to satisfy hunger. Imagine bacon, sauteed onion, butter, and cheese all in one bake!
But here’s the kicker:
You need to pre-cook and mix everything the night before to marinate. It’s an extra step to take, but it helps the bread soak in more flavor.
The next morning, you can top the mix with cheese and pop it in a preheated oven. In 45 minutes, you’ll be enjoying a hearty dish.
2. Classic Bread and Butter Pudding
Is there a simpler comfort food than pudding? Well, here’s a recipe for a nostalgic, aromatic, and very adaptable dessert.
You can easily adjust the texture by breaking down the bread into smaller parts. If you want more crisp, cover the top with halved slices.
A fun little twist to try is adding cocoa powder to the mix before baking. Alternatively, you can drizzle chocolate or caramel syrup before serving.
3. Bread Crumb Cookies
Chocolate chip cookies make a great stale bread recipe for crumbled loaves because you’ll break down the loaf anyway.
Once you’re done blending, the mix will smell divine. Try to resist tasting the mix raw. After all, baking only takes 10 minutes or so.
Here you go!
It’s a delicious way to make use of old bread. Just make sure to share the bake with some company.
4. French Toast Casserole
French toast is a classic breakfast loved by all. So, why not kick things up a notch and make a whole casserole out of it?
Overnight marination here is optional, but I like to do it anyway since this is a weekend breakfast.
Besides, you can shift the narrative on this casserole from savory to sweet. It’s all about the toppings and what you pair with the dish.
5. Italian Cheese Dumplings
Italian dumplings are notoriously soft and fluffy. Most likely, it’s not going to be like anything you’ve tasted before.
People hear dumplings and think of appetizers or side dishes, especially with lighter ones like this recipe.
I’ll let you in on a secret:
I made these dumplings along with some pasta and called it dinner. You’ll find them perfectly satisfying as the main course.
6. Fruit and Stale Bread Cereal
A timeless breakfast meal is a cereal bowl. Did you know that you can DIY your cereal mix using stale bread and fruit?
All you need to do is cut the loaf into small cubes, bake it, and put it in an airtight bag. Add fruit and milk to finish up.
I find bananas and blueberries the best options for this dish, but feel free to try out your combinations with grains and nuts.
7. Crostini
Golden, crispy, and bite-sized crostinis are the perfect appetizers, especially if you plan on making Italian main courses.
In my experience:
The key to getting the perfect crisp is mastering the slice thickness to about a quarter of an inch.
Pair the appetizer with mushroom cream soup for an extra flavor boost. Alternatively, you can dip crostinis in salsa.
8. Irish Gur Cake
One of my favorite uses for stale bread is to make vegetarian recipes. That’s why I just had to try Chester Squares or the Irish Gur Cake.
The taste is a meltdown between vanilla, puff pastry, and pudding. It’s light but somehow manages to satisfy sweet tooth cravings.
The juiciest part about serving this cake is the topping. White frosting works best to bring a punch to the flavor.
9. Cinnamon Sugar Treats
In just 10 minutes, you can prepare a treat for the kids to enjoy, and you probably have all the ingredients in your pantry right now.
Toast is perfect for these treats because you can cut the square shape into stripes with even thickness all over.
Here’s the best part:
Stale bread is much better than fresh loaves for this recipe because it won’t soak up the butter as much, keeping the stripes crispy and light!
10. Stale Bread Coconut Cookies
Originally from Malaysia, these coconut cookies are called Biskut Kelapa Cina, and they’re stunning to look at (and taste!)
It’s better to use dried-out bread since the original recipe calls for hard bread rolls. Alternatively, you can air-dry soft loaves.
Once you’re done baking the Biskut Kelapa Cina, move them into an airtight container to expand their shelf-life.
11. Honey Sesame Toast
If you’re a fan of French toast for breakfast, you’ll love this sesame toast idea. The stripes are drier but not in a bad way.
Word of advice:
Turn down the temperature of the oven a notch. The bake will take longer, but the result will be much more crispy all the way through.
The beauty of this recipe is the finger-like shape. This way, you get to enjoy your favorite breakfast food as a snack anytime, anywhere!
12. Caramel Bread Popcorn
Are you bored of regular popcorn for movie nights? If so, check out this alternative snack to refresh your family.
In only a few minutes, you’ll turn stale toast slices into popcorn-like cubes. Letting it crisp in a pan makes the texture just right.
Next, you need to top the bread with caramel with the recipe’s DIY caramel syrup, but store-bought caramel will do fine if you’re in a rush.
13. Apple Crumble Tart
The apple tart is a healthier alternative to the classic apple pie with a lower fat content and controlled serving size.
Here’s a little trick:
Sprinkle ground almonds in the apple mix for a popping crunch. You can also substitute almonds with peanuts.
By the time you’re done, those little tarts will look so pretty, won’t believe how easy the recipe was!
14. Toasted Garlic Bread
Turning stale bread to garlic bread seems like a trend in most households. It’s an efficient way to reduce waste and make a tasty snack.
The wonderful thing is that you don’t even need an oven for this recipe. You can crisp the bread in a pan.
Don’t forget to add some herbs to give the garlic bread its signature earthy taste. Parsley and rosemary are my go-to spices.
15. Sourdough Thyme Crackers
This sourdough cracker recipe is a herb lover’s heaven rich with smoked paprika, nigella, caraway, cumin, and much more!
Originally, the crackers are made with sourdough, but you can use any bread you have available as long as you slice it into fine layers.
These little crackers work best with savory dippings. Try it out with cream cheese or thyme. If you have a sweet tooth, top it with jam.
16. Chicken Panzanella Salad
If you’re looking for a light lunch to take to work, this Panzanella salad recipe has come to the rescue!
It’s very simple to prepare without lacking in flavor or nutritional value. I see it as the ultimate lunch-box meal.
That’s not all.
What makes this one of my favorite day-old bread recipes is that you can use leftover chicken too.
17. Pumpkin Sourdough Pudding
One way to revive sourdough bread is by turning it into a pumpkin pudding. It’s the perfect fall dessert.
The pumpkin in this dessert dish is interchangeable with butternut squash. Use whichever is available now.
You’ll know how special this recipe is once the ginger, cinnamon, and cloves fill your home with a heavenly aroma.
18. Savory German Knodel
German cuisine is hearty and incredibly delicious, and this Knodel stale bread recipe is no exception.
Here’s a handy tip:
Shaping the perfect dumpling requires damp hands. So, keep a little water bowl beside you as you roll the Knodels.
If you’re wondering what to pair it with, know that goulash complements the dumpling texture nicely.
19. Blueberry French Toast Bake
Blueberry desserts always seem very lush to me. How could I’ve had thought that this bake uses stale toast!
I suppose you could also use corn flakes in this dessert as well as a substitute.
This recipe requires a bit of overnight meal-prep time, but that’s okay since the servings can last all week.
To boost your mornings, take a slice with your coffee. It’s a double win, once because you made it yourself, and the other because blueberries are divine.
Tips for Serving Stale Bread Recipes
Just because a loaf is stale doesn’t mean it’s good for nothing. As you’ve seen, there are multiple uses for stale bread.
Most of these recipes are fairly easy to make if you know your way around the kitchen.
Here’s the catch:
Not everyone can get the hang of reviving old bread right away. Sometimes, you need a bit of a walkthrough.
Here are some tips to help you make the most of our day-old bread recipes:
Store the Bread in an Airtight Container
It’s hard figuring out what to do with stale bread sometimes. You might need to store the loaves while you find a recipe.
Airtight containers keep the contaminants and bacteria away from the bread, both fresh and stale. So, keep some bags and Tupperware ready.
Marinate the Bread Properly
Some recipes call for overnight marination. Make sure to cover the mixing bowl with a reliable sealing wrap.
If you’re going to add a marination step to a recipe, it’s generally better to use half the amount of milk required.
Use Aromatic Spices and Herbs
Stale bread has a certain scent to it that some people find unpleasant. If that’s the case with you, mask the scent with spices.
Nutmeg and cinnamon are great for sweet recipes, while basil, parsley, and rosemary work for savory dishes.
Check out our toppings for flatbread for a few other great examples.
Don’t Over Cook the Bread
Whenever you’re cooking stale bread, you have to be extra careful. Remember that there’s a fine line between crispy and burnt.
Do multiple checks on the bread along the way. This way, you can adjust the temperature as you see fit.
Use the Right Bread Type
When a dish is all about stripes, then toast slices are usually the best option you can choose since they’re easy to cut into thin fingers.
On the other hand, buns, rolls, and loaves are better suited for recipes that call for bread crumbs, like most pudding and dumpling recipes.
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