Fresh bread is something you have to attempt at least once in your life. This French bread is perfect served alongside Spaghetti Squash topped with this Fresh Tomato Sauce. Dipping warm bread into a hot bowl of Lentil Soup or Broccoli Cheddar Soup is especially comforting.
Fresh bread baking in the oven has got to be one of my favorite smells in the whole world. The only thing better is actually getting to EAT the bread. I know that making your own French bread can seem super intimidating *I definitely felt the same way,* but this recipe is so easy, peasy to make. It’s perfect for a beginner bread maker.
Homemade French Bread
This recipe takes a bit of time, but that is just due to the dough needing to rise twice. Your actual hands on time to make the dough is only about 20 minutes. Making and getting to eat your own homemade bread is definitely worth the wait!
I love that this French bread is made with only 5 ingredients. Probably ingredients you already have laying around in your pantry. And you can keep this bread vegan by leaving off the egg wash before baking or the butter spread after baking.
This bread is delish! The outside of this French bread has this perfect golden brown glow and is soft and chewy. The inside is so light and fluffy. Use this bread for sandwiches, served with a nice bowl of soup, or just smeared with a little butter.
I highly recommend trying your hand in making sourdough bread, too. Try this beginners sour dough starter for an easy tutorial on how to make it.
Can I Make French Bread Without A Mixer?
Yes, you can make bread without a stand mixer! All you have to do is proof the yeast and then start mixing the dough. Continue to knead the dough by hand until it is no longer sticky and bounces back slightly when touched.
My Favorite Bread Trick
Pre-heat the oven and add in the first loaf of bread. To the bottom of the oven, toss in 3 or 4 ice cubes. Or you can put the ice cubes in an oven-proof pan and put it on the bottom rack of the oven. This will help give the crust a nice texture.
French Bread Ingredients
- Yeast: You can use instant or active dry yeast.
- Sugar: Use granulated sugar.
- Water: You want to use water that is warm to the touch, but not too hot or too cold.
- Salt: I like sea salt or kosher. Fine salt works well in bread-making.
- Oil: I used olive oil, but you could also use canola or vegetable oil.
- Flour: All-purpose flour or bread flour.
How to Make French Bread
- Mix together the yeast, sugar, and water in the bowl of a stand mixer. If using active dry yeast, let the yeast mixture sit. With instant yeast, you can just move into next step, no need to let the mixture sit.
- Add in the oil, salt, and flour. Gently combine together. Once mixed, start adding in the rest of the flour gradually. The dough should form a ball that is not sticking to the bowl at all. If it is still sticking you will need to add a little more flour in at a time till it’s not sticky.
- Once dough has formed into a nice, soft ball, transfer to a lightly greased bowl and cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel (I don’t like plastic wrap but you could use that too). Allow the bowl to sit out on the counter for about an hour until doubled in size.
- On a lightly greased surface, turn out the dough and shape into a disc. Divide the disc in half. Form each half into a rectangular, loaf shape. Tucking in the ends or sides as necessary to make a nice shape.
- Using a very sharp knife, make 4-5 gashes in the top of the dough. Try to make them quickly to get the best cuts and so that you don’t compress the dough too much.
- Place each loaf onto two separate baking sheets that have been covered with parchment paper.
- Cover the loaves with a towel and let sit on the counter for about an hour until about double in size.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Move an oven rack to the center of the oven. Once preheated add in one of the loaves to the oven. If you want you can add 3 ice cubes to the bottom of the oven or put them in an oven proof dish on the bottom rack of the oven. This helps give crispness to the crust.
- Bake each loaf separately for 25-30 minutes. After removing each loaf from the oven, spread with melted butter using a basting brush. This is optional but it will make the loaf a golden brown.
Homemade French Bread Recipe Tips
- Be sure to start with the lowest amount of flour. If the dough still seems sticky, add in the flour about a 1/4 of a cup at a time. The weather may affect your dough, so it could be different from day to day. I needed more flour, (6 1/2 cups the day I made these loaves) but also live in a humid area.
- Make sure that you are using WARM water and that it is not too hot. It should feel comfortably warm to your finger. If the water is cold, it will not activate the yeast. If it’s too hot it will kill the yeast.
- You can use an egg wash (one egg mixed well with one tablespoon of water) on the shaped dough loaves before putting them into the oven. This will give them a more golden tone. This is completely optional.
- After baking the bread, brush on some melted better for an even more beautiful, golden finish. This is completely optional.
- This bread can be made by hand without the use of a mixer. See directions above.
Homemade French Bread Variations
- Try baking the dough in two 9″ loaf pans, use the same amount of baking and rise times.
- Form the dough into 4 loaves instead of two and use for hoagie sandwiches.
- Add in chopped, fresh rosemary to the dough for rosemary French bread.
- Make it into garlic bread.
- Serve it with Oil and a Balsamic Glaze for dipping.
Storage Instructions for Homemade French Bread
This bread is best eaten on the first day, but two loaves is kind of a lot to finish in just one day. Just in case you happen to have left overs here are the directions for properly storing the French bread.
- How to Store French Bread: Let the bread cool and put in a glass container or BPA-free airtight plastic container or zipper bag. It should last about 2-3 days on the counter or a week in the refrigerator.
- How to Freeze French Bread: Let the bread cool off completely before putting into an airtight glass, BPA-free freezer-safe bag or freezer-safe plastic container. Make sure to label with the recipe name and date. The French bread should last about 3 months in the freezer.
- How to Thaw Frozen French Bread: Thaw the frozen bread on a plate in the refrigerator overnight, until bread is no longer frozen.
- How to Re-Heat French Bread: Pre-heat oven to 380 degrees and cook the loaf of bread for about 5 minutes to revive it.
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Homemade French Bread
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon instant or active dry yeast
- 2 1/4 cups warm water
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
- 5 1/2 – 6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
-
Mix together the yeast, sugar, and warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer. If using active dry yeast, let the yeast mixture sit for 3-5 minutes. With instant yeast, you can just move into the next step, no need to let the mixture sit.
-
Fit the mixer with the dough hook attachment.
-
Add in the oil, salt, and three cups of flour. Gently combine together on a low speed. Once mixed, start adding in the rest of the flour gradually. The dough should form a ball that is not sticking to the bowl at all. If it is still sticking you will need to add 1/4 cup of flour in at a time until it's not sticky.
-
Once dough has formed into a nice, soft ball, transfer to a lightly greased bowl and cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel or greased plastic wrap. Allow the bowl to sit out on the counter for about an hour until doubled in size.
-
On a lightly greased surface, turn out the dough and shape into a disc. Divide the disc in half. Form each half into a rectangular, loaf shape that is about 4×12. Tucking in the ends or sides as necessary to make a nice shape.
-
Using a very sharp knife, make 4-5 gashes in the top of the dough. Try to make them quickly to get the best cuts and so that you don't compress the dough too much.
-
Place each loaf onto two separate baking sheets that have been covered with parchment paper.
-
Cover the loaves with a thin towel and let sit on the counter for about an hour until about double in size.
-
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Move an oven rack to the center of the oven. Once preheated add in one of the loaves to the oven. If you want you can add 3 ice cubes to the bottom of the oven or put them in an oven proof dish on the bottom rack of the oven. This helps give a little crispness to the crust.
-
Bake each loaf separately for 25-30 minutes. After removing each loaf from the oven, spread with melted butter using a basting brush. This is optional but it will make the loaf a golden brown.
Recipe Notes
- Be sure to start with the lowest amount of flour. If the dough still seems sticky, add in the flour about a 1/4 of a cup at a time.
- Make sure that you are using WARM water when proofing the yeast and that it is not too hot.
- Bread will last at room temperature for about 2 days and a week in the refrigerator.
* Please note that all nutrition information are just estimates. Values will vary among brands, so we encourage you to calculate these on your own for most accurate results.
Nutrition Information
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