How to Make Whole Wheat Panko Breadcrumbs

Whenever I get a chance to make a whole wheat version of something, I nearly always do it - I love the nuttier and more complex flavours. I can't get a hold of Panko breadcrumbs here - the only ones the stores sell are those horrible, rock-solid fine ones that resemble grains of sand. They're ideal for mixing with beef to make burgers, but definitely not suitable for making a crunchy coating.

So, whenever I need to make bigger and better breadcrumbs, I grab a loaf of bread - whole wheat, of course - and do it myself! Here's some easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions so you can make your own Panko-style breadcrumbs, too.

How to make your own whole wheat Panko breadcrumbs

Take your loaf of bread... (it doesn't really matter how many slices)

How to make your own whole wheat Panko breadcrumbs

...and slice the crusts off. (I always end up nibbling at this point!)

How to make your own whole wheat Panko breadcrumbs

Get rid of the crusts - or eat them, whatever - and tear the remaining bread into smaller pieces...

How to make your own whole wheat Panko breadcrumbs

...and place them into a food processor.

How to make your own whole wheat Panko breadcrumbs

Process until you have the size of breadcrumbs you're looking for. I usually stop when I have a mixture of teeny-tiny pieces and pea-size crumbs.

How to make your own whole wheat Panko breadcrumbs

Place the breadcrumbs on a baking tray and bake at 400F/200C.

How to make your own whole wheat Panko breadcrumbs

Toss the breadcrumbs after five minutes to ensure the crumbs at the bottom get a chance to get all toasty and bake for another five minutes until golden brown and crunchy. And there you have it! Store in an air-tight container at room temperature.

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  1. Erika @ The Hopeless Housewife

    What a great idea! We'd love for you to add it to our link party!

  2. Jeni

    Great idea! Thanks for sharing!

  3. KC @ The Real Thing with the Coake Family

    I didn't realize that Panko breadcrumbs were just toasted breadcrumbs. Easy! Thanks for the tip!
    KC

  4. Jennifer

    Visiting from Monday Funday. I'd like to invite you to my Friday Flash Blog, where you can share your best blog entry of the week! The party goes on ALL weekend at thejennyevolution.com. And who knows, you may just get featured next week.

    Jennifer
    thejennyevolution.com

  5. Marie

    Wow, this is great. I can't wait to give these a try. 🙂

  6. Shirlee

    Thank you cant wait to go thru your page I too like making my own things

  7. Olivia

    This is so easy! I love it. I've had so many occasions where a recipe called for panko and I didn't have them on hand (whoops) and so opted for another variety when I could have just made the panko myself! Stopping by with Freedom Fridays 🙂

  8. Samrina

    Without baking is there any other idea for making bread crumbs crispy?

    • Nicola

      Hi Samrina! You could try toasting the bread in an ordinary toaster, then tearing it up into pieces and chopping it into crumbs in the food processor.

      • Bruzote

        I have tried toasting whole grain bread and tearing it (by hand), but at least some kinds of whole grain bread (e.g., Dave's Killer Breed "Good Seed" type) seems to compress and stretch between the fingers, a bit like taffy! This ruins the crumb texture. The toaster simply did not make it crumbly, and it was turning dark brown. I suspect you need to crisp the bread by toasting lightly (not browning), then cooling, and repeating the cycle. I didn't try that, since I preferred to try methods like yours rather than experimenting. Plus, I switched to a local bread with very simple ingredients, no added acids or sugars. (I am on low-acid/low carminative diet for GERD.)

        I am amazed that toasted bread can still stretch. It's annoying when you want it to crumble and instead it crushes into flat taffy as you pull on it.

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