If you love the bold, savory magic of an everything bagel and want that flavor on more than breakfast, these crunchy Everything Bagel Bits are your new secret weapon. Sprinkle them on avocado toast, salads, soups, roasted veggies, popcorn—basically anything that needs a garlicky, oniony, toasty boost.
Flavor & Texture Highlights
Buttery-crisp bites with nutty sesame and poppy seeds, punchy garlic and onion, and a clean, salty finish—built to add crunch and umami to any plate.
Jump to Section
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- What You’ll Need To Make This Recipe
- How to Make This Recipe
- Expert Tips
- How to Store and Reheat It
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Recipe
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Big flavor, little effort: Pantry spices and stale bread turn into a gourmet topping in minutes.
- Ultra-versatile: Works on breakfast, snacks, mains, and sides.
- Customizable: Swap bases (bagels, bread, pita) and tweak the spice blend.
- Make-ahead friendly: Stays crisp in a jar for easy meal upgrades all week.
What You’ll Need To Make This Recipe
The full ingredient measurements are listed in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Day-old bread or bagels, cut into small cubes
- Sesame seeds, poppy seeds
- Garlic powder, onion powder
- Flaky sea salt and black pepper
- Butter or olive oil
- Optional: red pepper flakes
How to Make This Recipe
See the recipe at the end of this post for detailed measurements and times.
- Preheat the oven and line a sheet pan.
- Cube your bread or bagels and spread in a single layer.
- Drizzle with melted butter or oil; toss to coat.
- Combine seasonings and sprinkle evenly over the cubes; toss again.
- Bake until golden and crisp, stirring once midway.
- Cool completely, then store airtight.
Expert Tips
- Use day-old bread: Drier cubes crisp faster and more evenly.
- Season evenly: Toss, season, toss again for perfect coverage.
- Watch the last minutes: Once dry, cubes brown quickly—pull when golden.
- Scale easily: Double for meal prep; store in a glass jar.
How to Store and Reheat It
- Store: Airtight container at room temperature, up to 1 week.
- Crisp back up: 300°F (150°C) oven for 3–5 minutes if they soften.
- Freeze: Up to 2 months; re-crisp in a low oven before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use ready-made everything bagel seasoning?
Yes. Start with your favorite blend and adjust salt to taste. Add extra sesame or poppy for more crunch.
What breads work best?
Bagels for classic flavor, sturdy white or sourdough for shatter-crisp bits, pita for ultra-light crunch.
Are these gluten-free?
Use gluten-free bread or crackers and confirm your spice blend is certified gluten-free.
Everything Bagel Bits
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 10–15 minutes | Total: 20–25 minutes | Yield: about 1–1½ cups
Ingredients
- 3–4 slices day-old bread or bagels, cut into small cubes
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp poppy seeds
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp flaky sea salt (or to taste)
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- Optional: 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 tbsp melted butter or olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Spread bread cubes on the sheet. Drizzle with melted butter or oil and toss to coat.
- In a small bowl, mix sesame, poppy, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using.
- Sprinkle seasoning over cubes; toss again for even coverage.
- Bake 10–15 minutes, stirring halfway, until golden and crisp. Watch closely near the end.
- Cool completely on the pan. Store airtight at room temperature up to 1 week.
Notes
- For extra toastiness, lightly toast seeds in a dry pan before mixing.
- For bigger shards, use torn bread instead of neatly cubed.