Simple French Bread Recipe
Published February 22, 2023. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This delicious, easy-to-make French Bread Recipe is light and fluffy inside with a beautiful golden outside crust. You will love the flavors in this homemade bread recipe.
Baking bread is one of the most fulfilling and satisfying procedures that you can do. If you are looking for more tasty bread recipes, try my Banana Bread or Homemade Bagel Recipe.
French Bread
French bread is a light crusty, yeast-raised bread made with water, flour, and yeast. This comes in many shapes and sizes, including the classic baguette, rounds, and ovals. While this recipe has quicker proof times and uses commercial yeast, the flavors are still outstanding.
This bread is fantastic served with butter or used as the bread in a Steak Sandwich. It can be sliced longways, on a bias, or in thin slices. Once you make and it this easy French bread recipe, there’s no reason even to buy it premade again.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Flour – You will need to use bread flour for this recipe. It has a higher protein and will make better bread.
- Water – Regular old tap water heated to 112° to 115°.
- Yeast – You can use active or instant yeast in this recipe.
- Butter – Always use unsalted butter in your cooking and baking.
- Salt – I always use sea salt in my cooking and baking.
- Sugar – Some granulated sugar is used for feeding the yeast.
How to Make French Bread from Scratch
Add ½ of the water to the bowl of a stand mixer along with the sugar and yeast.
Whisk until combined, then let it stand for 5 to 7 minutes.
A raft should form on the top if you use active yeast. If you are using instant yeast, then there is no need to wait for the raft.
Add in the rest of the water, salt, and flour.
Knead with a stand mixer using the dough hook for 8 to 10 minutes. It’s ok if the dough seems a little sticky.
Remove the bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and place it in a warm place for 90 minutes or until it’s doubled in size.
Take off the plastic, and punch down the dough to its original size. If it’s stuck, dust it with some flour.
Knead the dough on a clean, floured surface for 1 to 2 minutes.
Form the dough into a large ball by cupping around the dough into the bottom.
Cut the dough into 4 equal parts. If you want larger thicker French bread, cut it into 3 equal parts.
Press down 1 of the doughs until it forms the shape of an oval.
Fold the dough up by 1/3.
Fold it up again by 1/3 meeting at the seam.
Pinch the seams with your fingertips until they are shut.
Roll the dough out until it is roughly 12 to 16 inches long and tapered at the ends.
Place it on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and cover it with plastic wrap. Proof for 60 minutes in a warm place.
Preheat the oven to 425° and place a pan filled with water on the bottom rack. This will help create moisture in the oven and provide a nice golden brown crust on your bread.
Remove the plastic and cut 3 slices on a bias using a sharp knife or razor. You can spray or brush the tops with water for an extra crisp crust.
Bake in the oven on the middle rack at 425° for 22 to 25 minutes or until browned on top and cooked through.
Cool to room temperature. Slice and serve.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: You can make this French bread up to 1 day ahead of time.
How to Store: Cover and keep at room temperature for three days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can freeze this loaf of bread for up to 6 months. Thaw it at room temperature until thawed before slicing and serving.
Chef Notes + Tips
- You can substitute the butter with olive oil.
- A trick to help proof the dough is to add the bowl while resting in a slightly cracked oven with only the oven light on. It creates the perfect moist temperature environment for proofing.
- Adding a pan of water to the oven will help create moisture and provide a nice golden brown crust on your bread.
- No need for a rolling pin in this recipe.
- The bread should be light and fluffy inside with a beautiful hard crust on the outside.
- After the French bread has been formed and is on the sheet pan with parchment paper, feel free to spray one side of the plastic wrap with non-stick spray and place that sprayed side down over the dough when proofing to help it not stick when removing it.
More Bread Recipes
Video
Simple French Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cup warm water, 112° to 115°
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 packet active yeast
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 2 teaspoons softened unsalted butter
- 5 cups bread flour
Instructions
- Add ½ of the water to the bowl of a stand mixer along with the sugar and yeast.
- Whisk until combined, and then let it stand for 5 to 7 minutes.
- If you are using active yeast, a raft should form on the top. If you are using instant yeast, then there is no need to wait for the raft.
- Add in the rest of the water, salt, butter, and flour.
- Knead with a stand mixer using the dough hook for 8 to 10 minutes. It’s ok if the dough seems a little sticky.
- Remove the bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and place it in a warm place for 90 minutes or until it’s doubled in size.
- Take off the plastic, and punch down the dough to its original size. If it’s stuck, dust it with some flour.
- Knead the dough on a clean, floured surface for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Form the dough into a large ball by cupping around the dough into the bottom.
- Cut the dough into 4 equal parts. If you want larger thicker French bread, cut it into 3 equal parts.
- Press down 1 of the doughs until it forms the shape of an oval.
- Fold the dough up by 1/3.
- Fold it up again by 1/3 meeting at the seam.
- Pinch the seams with your fingertips until they are shut.
- Roll the dough out until it is roughly 12 to 16 inches long and tapered at the ends.
- Place it on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and cover it with plastic wrap.
- Proof for 60 minutes in a warm place.
- Preheat the oven to 425° and place a pan filled with water on the bottom rack
- Remove the plastic and cut 3 long slices on a bias using a sharp knife or razor. For an extra crisp crust, you can spray or brush the tops with water.
- Bake in the oven on the middle rack at 425° for 22 to 25 minutes or until browned on top and cooked through.
- Cool to room temperature. Slice and serve.
I just made this bread for the first time and it was soo delicious!
Excellent!
Hi Billy! My husband tried this recipe last night, being careful to weigh everything on the food scale prior to assembly. The dough came out quite wet and sticky, so he did add extra flour to improve the consistency. We are wondering what we could do to improve the texture of the dough when getting ready to form them into loaves. The flavor turned out excellent. Thanks. for your help!
I would just use the measurements instead of weight
Turned out great. Absolutely delicious!!! A definite keeper. Thanks for posting!!!
my pleasure!
Does the crust go soft on day 2 or does it have to be baked and eaten on the same day,?
fresh bread is always better on day 1
Can I use all purpose flour instead of bread flour?
yes, but decrease the amount of liquid by 2 to 3%
Yumm . And furthering, Yum!
Today will be the second time I’ve made this recipe. This is now my go to bread recipe. It makes the most amazing sandwiches. Its soft, light and keeps well. I highly recommend trying it!! You won’t be disappointed!
Thanks for giving it a try!