French Bread Recipe
This homemade French bread is soft on the inside, crunchy on the outside, and easy enough for beginner bakers. Slather it with some softened butter or serve with your favorite soup or pasta dish.
A loaf a homemade bread is one of favorite things to make. In fact, this exact French bread recipe is the very first thing I learned to make completely from scratch over 20 years ago.
It took a couple of tries to get used to working with yeast and mixing the dough correctly, but after that it’s been smooth sailing.
This bread is a great recipe for beginner bakers. There are only a handful of ingredients and they’re all pantry staples.
My recipe makes one loaf instead of two so you aren’t trying to figure out what to do with all the extra bread.
Kim’s Tips for the Best French Bread Loaf
Start with less flour. Always start the dough with less flour and add more only if needed.
It’s okay to use a stand mixer. You can knead the dough by hand or use a stand mixer on a low setting. On my KitchenAid, that’s settings 1 or 2.
Check the yeast! I can’t stress this enough. Check the expiration date of the yeast before you start.
Here’s what you’ll need
How to Make French Bread from Scratch
I like to use a stand mixer for this recipe, but you can also mix the dough in a large bowl and knead it by hand.
Start by adding 2 ½ cups of bread flour, warm water, olive oil, sugar, yeast, and salt to the bowl of stand mixer.
Using the dough hook attachment on low speed to mix everything together. If the dough is too sticky, add more flour, ¼ cup at a time, until it comes together into a smooth, elastic dough.
Turn the mixer up one notch and let it knead the dough for 3 to 5 minutes. On my mixer, that’s setting 2, which is still considered low.
The dough should be soft, a little tacky, and pulled away from the sides of the bowl. If it’s sticking all over the bowl or leaving a lot of dough on your fingers, add a little more flour.
Remove the dough from the bowl and shape it into a ball. Drizzle it with a little olive oil, then roll it around a couple of times so it’s lightly coated.
Cover the bowl and let the dough rise until it doubles in size. This usually takes about 1 hour, but it can vary depending on how warm or cool your kitchen is.
After the dough doubles, gently press the air out with your hands. you can give it a light punch or just press it down. Either way works.
Move the dough to a lightly floured surface, then use a rolling pin to flatten it into a rectangle about 10 to 12 inches long on the longer side.
Fold one long side of the dough toward the center. Then fold the opposite long side over so it slightly overlaps the first side. Pinch the seam together to seal the loaf.
Fold each end of the dough inward about 2 to 3 inches toward the seam. Gently press the ends down so the loaf is about the same thickness from end to end.
Pinch along the seam one more time to make sure the loaf is sealed. Place the loaf seam side down on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Use a bread lame or sharp knife to a few slit across the top of the bread.
Cover the loaf with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise a second time until it looks puffy and about doubled in size. The usually takes 30 to 45 minutes.
When you’re ready to bake the bread, preheat the oven to 375°F.
If you’re using the egg wash, whisk one large egg with 1 tablespoon of water. Brush it over the of the loaf before baking. It helps give the bread a prettier golden brown crust.
Right before the bread goes into the oven, add a few ice cubes to a heat-safe dish and place it on the oven rack below the bread. The bread should bake on the middle rack.
Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the outside of the bread is browned and crisp. Brush butter over the warm loaf to soften the crust, or save the butter for spreading over individual slices.
Let the bread cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and serving. I love turning this into cheesy garlic French bread, serving it with a bowl of French onion soup, or pairing it with creamy tomato pasta.
How to Store Leftover French Bread
Leftover bread keeps best in a Ziploc bag at room temperature for up to 2 days. It keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days but the dry, cool air dries out the bread.
This bread freezes well, too! Freeze the whole loaf or individual slices. Wrap them in plastic wrap followed by a layer of foil then drop them into a Ziploc bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw in the fridge or at room temp before serving.
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 ½ to 3 cups (300 to 360 grams) bread flour, divided
- 1 cup (237 milliliters) warm water, 110°F to 115°F
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for coating the dough
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast, 1 standard packet
- 1 teaspoon salt
Optional Egg Wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
💌 Don't forget to save this recipe!
Instructions
- Add 2 ½ cups (300 grams) of bread flour, warm water, olive oil, sugar, yeast, and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer.2 ½ to 3 cups (300 to 360 grams) bread flour1 cup (237 milliliters) warm water1 tablespoon olive oil1 teaspoon granulated sugar2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast1 teaspoon salt
- If using active dry yeast, stir the warm water, yeast, and sugar together first. Let the mixture sit for 5 to 10 minutes until it becomes foamy, then add it to the flour and olive oil.
- Use the dough hook to mix on low speed until the ingredients come together. If the dough is too sticky, add more flour, ¼ cup at a time, until a smooth, elastic dough forms.
- Increase the mixer speed slightly, and knead the dough for 3 to 5 minutes. The dough should be soft, slightly tacky, and pull away from the sides of the bowl.
- Remove the dough from the bowl and shape it into a ball. Lightly coat the dough with olive oil, place it back in the bowl, and cover the bowl. Let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Gently press the air out of the dough. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface, and roll it into a rectangle about 10 inches long.
- Fold one long side of the dough toward the center. Then fold the opposite long side over so it slightly overlaps the first side. Pinch the seam together to seal the loaf.
- Fold each end of the dough in about 2 to 3 inches toward the seam. Gently press the ends down so the loaf is about the same thickness from end to end.
- Pinch along the seam one more time to seal the loaf. Place it seam side down on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use a bread lame or sharp knife to cut a few slits across the top.
- Cover the loaf with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise until puffy and doubled in size, about 30 to 45 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- For the optional egg wash, whisk the egg and water together in a small bowl. Brush the mixture over the top of the loaf.1 large egg1 tablespoon water
- Place a heat-safe dish with ice cubes on the oven rack below the bread. Place the bread on the middle rack.
- Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the crust is browned and crisp.
- Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
