I have been making this French bread recipe for years, thanks to my sister-in-law who happens to be one of the sisters at The Sister’s Cafe. It is her family’s recipe and I am forever indebted to them for sharing it with me! Let me say this about French bread, though – you either like your French bread crusty and authentic like a fabulous baguette or soft and dense like this bread. I happen to love both but since I am a sucker for all things carb-related, especially soft, dense breads, AND I haven’t conquered making authentic French bread at home, this recipe is my go-to French bread recipe. I could eat the entire loaf, people. If you love soft, tender, delicious French bread, this recipe is for you!
Grandma’s French Bread
Printable Version
Printable Version with Picture
*Note: as with all yeast doughs, I never use the flour amount called for in the recipe as a hard fast rule (unless a weight measure is given and then I pull out my kitchen scale). Because humidity, temperature, altitude and a multitude of other factors can impact how much flour you need in your yeast doughs, I always judge when to quit adding flour by the texture and look and feel of the dough rather than how much flour I’ve added compared to the recipe. This tutorial on yeast may help identify how a perfectly floured dough should be.
INGREDIENTS:
2 ¼ c. warm water
2 T. sugar
1 Tbsp yeast
1 Tbsp salt
2 Tbsp oil
5 ½ -6 cups flour-stirred before measured
DIRECTIONS:
Dissolve sugar and yeast in the warm water. Let this proof—or sit for a few minutes until it bubbles. Then add salt, oil and 3 cups of flour and beat well. Add in 2 1/2 -3 more cups of flour. The dough should clean off the sides of the bowl and not be too stick – but be careful not to add too much flour. Knead for a few minutes.
Leave the dough in the mixer to rest for 10 minutes and then stir it down (turn on your mixer for 10 seconds) and then allow to rest another 10 minutes. Repeat for a total of 5 times. Then turn dough onto a floured surface and divide into two equal parts. Roll each part into a 9×13 rectangle. Roll dough up, starting from long edge of loaf to seal. Arrange seam side down on large baking sheet that’s been sprinkled with corn meal, allowing room for both loaves. Repeat with second part of dough. With a sharp knife, cut 3 gashes at an angle on the top of each. Cover lightly; allow to rise 30 minutes. Brush entire surface with egg wash (one egg beaten slightly with 1 Tbsp of water). If desired, sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees.
Recipe Source: from The Sister’s Cafe
{ 73 comments… read them below or add one }
What type of yeast is best for this recipe?
Thank you for your quick reply. I can’t wait for the morning so I can buy the ingredients to make this and amaze my family!
Melanie, I found out about this site thru “Aunt Marilyn”. I try recipes here all the time. Tried the french bread and it was a big hit with everyone, especially when dipped in olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Yum!
Yum. There is nothing like a hot fresh loaf of homemade french bread. Great recipe, I think I’ll be giving this one a try!
Good to know that this one’s a keeper. I’ve been wanting to make my own French bread for ages! Thanks for the recipe.
So glad you like this! It IS fabulous!
You’re getting me in the mood now. 
I made this today and it is fantastic! I will not be buying french bread from the store anymore!
Well, let another recipe I know I’ll be trying very soon. Your loaf looks wonderful!
Yay, Elizabeth! I’m glad it turned out for you. This is one of my favorite bread recipes!
Thanks for posting! I never thought I could actually make homemade French bread, but this recipe was pretty easy, and it tasted fantastic.
that’s a nice-looking loaf o’ bread. soft and dense, you say? sounds fabulous to me.
What a beautiful loaf of bread! I love your blog
Oh my yumminess! One of my kids’ favorite dinners is cheese, fresh french bread, & aged basalmic vinegar to “dip”. I’ve never been able to master french bread but I am going to try this recipe this week! Thanks for sharing!
Domestic Kate – thanks for trying this and letting me know you liked it! I clicked over to your blog and your bread looks fantastic!
We made this tonight with French dips. It is great! I have been wondering how to make French bread and now I can.
Thank you!
Anonymous – glad to know about the Aunt Marilyn connection and really glad to know you liked this bread. We love dipping it in olive oil and vinegar, too!
Ohhhhh – myyyyy! My stomach is growling – yummy!
Thanks everyone for your nice comments! That’s why I love the blogging world – you always feel like a million bucks.
This sounds just like the recipe that I use. I love it!
That looks good! Fresh homemade bread is one of the best things!
The Ones In Colorado – yay! I’m so glad you liked it. That sounds FABULOUS to use with french dips. Anonymous – I always use active dry yeast because it is what I buy in bulk and it works for most of my recipes (assuming the yeast dissolves in the water first).
Made this over the weekend as a treat- french toast, etc. On a whim, I grilled a few buttered slices with a steak dinner to rave reviews. Grilled bread has now been declared the official starch of summer, surpassing the potato. Thank you for a great bread recipe.
Molly – I for sure would be declaring the grilled bread the official starch of summer. Love that! Thanks for letting me know this was a hit.
I made these today as a test run for Easter dinner. I’m making shredded beef sandwiches and wanted to make homemade rolls. I made the loaf into mini loafs so we can each have our own and they are wonderful. Thanks for another great bread recipe.
Sonya – what a great idea to make mini loaves. Love it! Thanks for letting me know these worked out for you!
Sorry for being dense (it is me, not you) but what does this mean, “Roll dough up, starting from long edge of loaf to seal.”
I am excited to make this on Saturday but don’t want to make any mistakes.
Thank you for all of your inspiring recipes.
Melissa J – you aren’t dense, I promise! The instructions mean to start at one of the long ends of the 9X13 inch rectangle and roll the dough up into a tight log – then just pinch the edges together so it creates a good seal. Does that make sense??
I made this to go with homemade spaghetti sauce and meatballs tonight, and it was perfect! I forgot the egg wash, but that didn’t stop us from loving it – my husband kept going on about my “restaurant quality meal.”
Besides the fantastic taste, I loved that it only took 2 hours from start to finish! Thanks for a wonderful french bread recipe, I’ll def. be using this again!
Hi Emily – glad you liked this bread and thrilled your husband thought this was restaurant quality. That is high praise!
I made this for a french toast breakfast and it was delicious!!! It held up so well with the egg mixture, never once got soggy in the middle! Thank you for sharing!
Katy – I may have to use this bread for french toast based on your recommendation. I’ve never done that but always seem to have it on hand…glad it was delish!
I can’t believe I haven’t left a comment for this bread before! I love it. It just came out of the oven, I spread hot butter on it, and the kids are in heaven.
Thanks, JoAnn!
Oh My Gosh! This bread almost put me into a coma! It’s SO good! Never thought making French Bread was this easy… I’ll never buy it from the store again!
Now, could you freeze the loaf right before you’d bake it to make later? Or would you need to freeze it before that final rise?
Bliss – we must be BFF’s because good french bread is balm to my soul and I hear you on it being coma-worthy. If you were to freeze it, I would do it before you let it go through the final rise. Then pop it out of the freezer, let it defrost and go through that final rise and then it can be baked.
Mel, it works wonderfully frozen! I could LIVE off of hot French Bread and globs of butter. (I think it’s because I was born and raised in South Louisiana) This hits the spot when I miss being further south. If you ever need a great Gumbo or Jambalaya recipe, I’ll be more than happy to share
Bliss – thanks for checking in on the frozen french bread. I agree, I could live on french bread (and butter) alone! And I would love a gumbo or jambalaya recipe – I’ve actually been looking around for a good one of either of those!
I love making this bread. I can’t believe I can make a loaf of bread that looks so good and tastes great. Thank you! I like to freeze slices of this and then pull a few out to make french toast with when I get a hankering for some really, really good french toast. We just had it for breakfast this morning, in fact.
Lucy – what a great idea to freeze individual slices for french toast!
Just had this for dinner – it was so, so, so good!! So easy to make too!
Thanks, Melissa!
I’m a relatively new bread baker and I’ve tried a lot of different recipes for french bread, but yours is my favorite. It works every time I’ve tried to make it, and my relatives love it. Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
Thank you, Hassan!
This is sooo good, and sooo easy!! We had it for dinner tonight and we ate one loaf (I could have eaten the whole loaf by myself, but somehow restrained). Will the other loaf still taste this good tomorrow, or should I put it in the freezer?
Whitney – the loaf won’t taste quite as fresh the day after, although it can be helped along by sprinkling it with a few drops of water and putting it in a warm (350-ish) oven for a few minutes. We still eat this the day after and love it but beyond that, I usually freeze it.
Great, thank you!!
Hi! I tried this recipe yesterday and Im amazed on how good it was. Thank you so much for sharing this fabulous recipe. My bread did not really have the nice rectangular baguette shape, and the I was having a little trouble cutting the gashes at the top of the bread. I think I should’ve added a little more flour?
But other than that…OH MY GOD! It tasted great and my family looooved it. We only have 1/2 baguette left.
Thanks, again
Hey Mel! LOVE your website! It’s my go-to place when I’m looking for recipes to use in my upcoming weeks! We’re actually having your Chicken Gyros tonight – everyone is ridiculously excited! We tried the French Bread last night, and it didn’t even last 2 hours! It is heaven on a pan fresh out of the oven! I couldn’t stop myself from cutting another piece, just to taste it…and another…and another. Hubby and I could seriously live on bread alone!! Making it again today on [kind] demand!
My loaves looked more like baguettes, and your loaf looks so big and wonderful! I was just wondering what might cause the difference? Thanks so much!
Suzi – I’m glad you like the bread recipe! The end shape result is probably related to how we both form our loaves. When I shape my loaves to put on the pan they are fairly puffy and large to begin with (probably about 4 inches across) and then of course they get bigger as they rise and bake. Either way, I’m glad your bread turned out!
i’ve made this bread twice in the last week or so… it is delicious!!! it makes good french toast the next morning too. my sister-in-law will be trying this recipe tonight after having it at our house. we may never buy french bread at the grocery store again! thanks for the recipe : )
Making this again today, to dip with some Barbecued Shrimp. Will be a hit again, I’m sure!
I was trying to figure out how to make this bread if you don’t own a mixer. Any suggestions?
The Queen Vee – You could easily mix the bread dough by hand and leave a wooden spoon in the bowl. After each 10 minute cycle, “stir” down the dough with the spoon or gently knead it down with your hands. It should work just as well!
Thank you so much for this receipe. I have tried it a couple times with fantastic results. I added some fresh rosemary that i needed to use and 3 heads of roasted garlic. Turned out better then I have ever made!!! Thanks again.
Made this again over the weekend. This was the second time that I “forgot” to use the egg wash. ( I say “forgot” because both times, I had the egg wash ready to go, but baby Marie decided she needed attention right then and there) I missed the crunchy, crispiness that the egg wash adds, BUT it was SO soft. Like, sandwich bread soft. Melt in your mouth with the gobs of butter you slathered on soft. So, if you forget the egg wash, no biggie, you still get amazing bread. It still browned up well, and was devoured!
I’ve made dozens of loaves of bread but for some reason I can never master French. It always turns out hard and flavorless. After reading your post I decided to give it one more shot. Although it wasn’t as pretty as yours, my whole family thought it was delicious. We downed both loaves in a matter of hours. Thanks so much for finally breaking me of my bad French bread record!
Hi Mel! I just made this bread for meatball subs tonight (your recipe of course). This makes a ton for my small family of 2 and a little one. Can I freeze 1/2 to dough? Would I then shape it into the loaf, let it come to room temp and then rise? I would rather freeze the dough than make 2 loaves and freeze it while cooked. Any help would be great! Thanks for all the fabulous recipes!
Hi Natalie – yes, you can definitely freeze the dough. I usually plop my leftover dough in a greased ziploc freezer bag and put it in the freezer. I take it out about 6-8 hours before I want to use it, then I shape it, let it rise and bake it. Hope that helps!
This was incredibly delicious. Thank you!
We love this recipe around here. I was just curious what combinations of flour you like to use with this. I am borrowing a friends wheat grinder (love!) and experimenting with different ratios of wheat to all-purpose, so I was just curious on this one. Thanks!
Hi Bethany – I make this french bread a lot and have experimented endlessly with the flour amounts. Just yesterday I made it with nearly all 100% white wheat flour (I ran out of wheat flour right at the end and used maybe 1 or 1 1/2 cups white flour). It was delicious – really hearty and obviously pretty dark in color, but if it is kneaded for a while, it still turns out really soft. I will also usually throw in a cup of ground flax meal and that works out great, too. When I really want to splurge, I make it with all white flour because it is nearly like dessert then. Basically, it is a really foolproof recipe and works well with all or mostly all whole wheat flour – just make sure it is kneaded for a bit longer to help develop the gluten (before going through the ten minute stir down cycles).
I just made this bread to go along with some lasagna and it is utterly divine!
The only problem I had, and I have every time I make bread that has to be formed is that the bottom of the bread loaf goes flat…do you know why it does that? Like it’s a perfect log when I form it and it rises, but then when it’s done baking the bottoms bake out and to the pan instead of being rounded. I don’t know if that makes sense but I obviously have a problem. Any ideas?
Nicole – hmmm, I’m not entirely sure what you mean. Looking at the picture of the french bread in the post – does your bread have a wider/flatter base than that? The only thing I can think is that it might need a bit more flour to keep its shape and structure. Do you think it could be rising too long before you bake it?
This is the best french bread I have ever made! It was so easy! I will be making this again!
M-
I’ve been baking French baguettes for about 4 months now. Though my latest ones turned out great, they’ve always been a bit too crunchy for me. Your recipe looks like it may do the trick. I just popped the loaf in the oven. I’ll get back to you with a “tasty” review.
Thanks!
I would think you could form this into 4 skinnier loaves for more of a baguette style bread?
I’m going to try this later on….I’ll let you know how it turns out
Shannon – yes, you could definitely modify forming these loaves into 4 thinner baguettes. Hope you liked the end result!
Just sliced into this bread…never thought such good bread would ever come out of myown oven! It is amazing!!
Made this tonight, and I agree with the poster who said I CAN’T BELIEVE SOMETHING SO GOOD CAME OUT OF MY OVEN! We used it for Taco Loaf tonight, and we’re going to make fish sandwiches with the second loaf tomorrow night. SO YUM! Thanks so much for sharing. : )
There seems to be tons of really great reviews on this bread! I plan to make it ‘garlic bread’ style tomorrow with my mom’s secret salmon soup (yum!), but I am really interested to know if making this with bread flour would make it any different (or better) then just using all-purpose?? Or maybe half-and-half (half AP and half BF). Can’t wait! (I’ve tried a french bread recipe before and didn’t have such luck, but I’m really counting on this one, your recipes seem to always turn out!)
Jen – I’ve never made this with bread flour but I don’t think it would hurt the outcome. Maybe try it with half bread flour the first time just to see. Good luck!
What size loaf pan are we baking this bread in? I want to try it.
Kathleen – you don’t use a loaf pan for this bread. It is free-formed and baked on a large baking sheet. Hope that helps!
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