Easy Homemade French Bread
Homemade French bread has never been easier! This simple recipe produces a perfect loaf of French bread that will rival any bakery with a super easy tip for getting that crisp outer crust and soft, fluffy inside. Yum!
It’s no secret that I love bread.
My love for really good bread rivals my commitment to dark chocolate.
And this easy homemade French bread is right up there with some of my favorite bread in the history of ever.
It is SO simple. So, so simple and perfect for a beginning bread maker.
But it is also jaw droppingly delicious enough for you expert bread makers, too.
This French bread has easily fit into my Best Of bread category for years (many of you have made it and loved it, too!).
And it’s high time it got a makeover and updated recipe post, if you ask me. Plus, I have some fun, new details to share about it!
Because I make this bread at least monthly (probably more than that, actually) and have done so for the last 9+ years, I’ve learned a couple things I’d like to share.
Investing (ha!) in a $15 or less baker’s lame (fancy name for bread slashing tool) has upped my bread making game.
Especially with this homemade French bread.
Before, I would choose the sharpest knife in my drawer (admittedly my knives aren’t always as sharp as they should be – oopsie).
And then I would hack at the bread to get artisan-looking slashes, instead deflating the whole life and ending up with flatbread.
Sob.
About five years ago, I found a baker’s lame at a local kitchen store and eyed it warily, wondering if this unassuming, lightweight tool could help me.
And it has, oh it has.
It’s basically a razor blade on a stick shaped in a slight curve to get those gashes and slashes just perfect.
Bonus: I have this one from Amazon {aff. link} now and it’s less than 15 buckaroos.
I use it for my homemade bread bowls, soft pretzel rolls, rustic crusty bread, sweet molasses bread…and any other bread that needs a swift, but loving, gash.
If you have a super sharp razor blade or knife (needs to be extremely thin and sharp so it doesn’t deflate the bread), that should do the trick as well.
The other little variation I’ve added for this homemade French bread is a nifty bread baking hack that I’m pretty sure one of YOU suggested to me years ago in the comments.
And it’s stuck with me – I do it all the time for almost any freeform bread I make now.
Right as you place the bread in the piping hot oven, toss 3-4 ice cubes onto the bottom of the oven and close that door as quickly as you can (but gently! don’t slam it and make the bread fall, for Pete’s sake).
The instant steam as the ice cubes hit the fiery bottom of the oven will lightly crisp up the outer crust as the bread bakes.
And don’t blame me if you shriek in absolute delight and scare the children when your bread comes out of that oven looking (and tasting!) like a legit loaf of bakery French bread.
Truly, this homemade French bread is the stuff dreams are made of.
I make it often to deliver to people that need a pick-me-up or just because I like them or if I’m also taking dinner to someone.
It makes an appearance when we have family fondue night or opt for French bread pizza.
And it is the bread recipe I turn to the most (along with these divine breadsticks) when I need (ok, let’s be serious, when I want) a no-fuss, easy bread to serve with dinner or just use for mood therapy.
Bread can do that you know.
And it makes the best French toast. Just sayin’.
P.S. if you’ve struggled with your bread flattening out while baking instead of holding the perfect shape, you might try these French bread pans {aff. link}. I have them and LOVE them. I don’t use them every time I make this bread, but I do pull them out quite often (I also use them for this rosemary bread).
I’ve noted this in the recipe below, but this homemade French bread is also a friend to whole wheat flour.
I make this quite often with at least half whole wheat flour.
And sometimes, I live on the edge and kick the white flour out completely, making it 100% whole wheat.
I’ve found that adding a couple tablespoons of vital wheat gluten, when going the 100% whole wheat route, helps fluff the bread up a bit and avoid the heavy denseness that can come from using whole wheat flour.
FYI: I always use white whole wheat (info on the different varieties of wheat can be found here).
Enough talking! If you haven’t made this homemade French bread, I hope you try it soon! Your life may or may not be changed for the better.
One Year Ago: Harvest Pasta Sauce {Trader Joe’s Copycat}
Two Years Ago: Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake with Chocolate Cookie Crust
Three Years Ago: Easy Homemade Egg Noodles {Step-by-Step Pictures Include Food Processor Method or By Hand}
Four Years Ago: Black Bean and Butternut Enchilada Skillet
Five Years Ago: Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Cookies
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. Also, I often use half to 3/4 finely ground white whole wheat flour with good results - and sometimes I get crazy and use 100% whole wheat flour (always finely ground white wheat) but the bread is a bit more dense with 100% whole wheat flour. If using part or all whole wheat flour, add a few minutes to the kneading time to help develop the gluten (adding a couple tablespoons of gluten flour can also help the whole wheat bread bake up light and fluffy). The original recipe called for 1 tablespoon salt; over the years I've decreased that amount just slightly.If you don't have an electric mixer, this dough can be made by hand using a large bowl and a wooden spoon the good old-fashioned way! As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.Easy Homemade French Bread
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe originally published June 2008; updated with new pictures, recipe notes, commentary.
Disclaimer: post contains an affiliate link for the baker’s lame I bought from Amazon.
Disclaimer: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Can you repost with weights please. Dough was very slack after adding extra flour. Taste was good. Appearance, not so much. Will try again.
I made this tonight and my family LOVED it! I made 4 small loaves rather than 2 bigger. Baked them all on the same pan, turned once in oven half way through. Absolutely perfect. I have put pans of water in my oven with my bread but never chucked ice cubes straight in the oven. Neat trick, worked like a charm. Crust was delightfully crunchy without being a danger to anyones teeth and it may be tbe chewyest bread i ever made. Petfect texture, wonderful flavor, awesome recipie. Thanks!!
Hi
Can i bake this in an electric oven?
I have an electric oven and it bakes just fine (if you mean toaster oven, I don’t think that would work, but I haven’t tried).
My first time making bread. The recipe produced the best bread. So long to store bought. Thank you for sharing your recipe. I now have the confidence to keep baking with yeast
This was the first time i’ve made French bread. Is the best bread recipe of any kind, in my opinion. I used the ice method and the bread was very crispy without the egg wash. Thank you for the tips. This will be my go to from now on.
When posting a baking recipe you should use weight measurements. It matters quite a bit.
Great recipe! I made this recipe 2 days in a row. The flavour is great!
First time, I followed the recipe exactly (aside from putting on an egg white wash since I had one leftover from the pasta dough I had just made). It required just over 6 cups of flour to get the right dough consistency.
It browned beautifully and tasted great but I wanted a slightly crisper crust.
On my second attempt I used 1-1/2 cups whole wheat and almost 5 cups of white flour.. No egg white with this time, but instead of throwing in the ice cubes, I put a whole pan of boiling water on the rack beneath the bread. Without the egg white wash the bread did not brown as well, but this time the crust had that nice French bread texture.
Thank you so much for this very easy and tasty bread recipe!
It came out ok. I felt like the flavor was lacking, though.
Made this on 3.02.19. Beautiful to look at but the inside was slightly doughy after baking it the full 30 minutes. I have a gas stove and oven so it could be that the temperature did not stay hot enough throughout the baking process . (?). It still tasted good though. I will try it again and bake it in my neighbors convection oven.
Is there a way to make this without a standmixer i dont own one.
Yes, I think you could make it by hand – just be careful not to overflour.
Can you use fresh yeast instead and get the same results? Thanks.
I’m not sure – I haven’t tried that and am not super familiar with working with fresh yeast. Sorry!
It is against the law in France to use butter,oil or any fat in french bread.
But sugar is okay? 😀
Not in French bread. This is more of an Italian style.
Great recipe but my bread came out a bit dense, I’m guessing too much flour though I actually used less flour then the recipe called for and got a nice smooth dough with just a bit of tack. I didn’t get the oven spring, maybe from lack of humidity, I did the ice cube trick but I think it needs a pan of water in the oven (especially in lovely dry winters). I tasted it though and it’s got great flavour!
Best french bread recipe ever. Tastes even better than Panera!
AMAZING!
I literally make this bread recipe so frequently I have it memorized and I’ve added my own tweeks. I don’t know why it took me so long just to comment on here. I love this recipe and I now use the ice trick in many of my own recipes.
One question, when it comes to let the dough rise, can i leave it over night, at room temperature?
No, I think that would be too long and the dough would over rise and deflate (which can cause issues baking the next day as well as a very strong yeasty taste). However, you could put it in the refrigerator overnight and then take it out the next day to come to room temp and rise.
Made this bread multiple times always turns out great!! Just wondering if I can put pats of but in dough as I’m rolling into loaves
This bread tastes great! Mine kind of flattened out a bit and wasn’t golden at all. I kept wondering if I didn’t keep it in the oven long enough but when I cut it, the bread crusty on thw outside and was fluffy inside. Do you know what I did wrong? Also, should I have used an egg wash to get it golden? I would like to make this recipe again and work out the kinks due to my error.
Sometimes adjusting an oven rack to a higher position can help bread develop a nice golden color.
Thanks!
Mine came out the same. A little flat lol. There are pans you can get from Amazon for baking French Bread. The link is posted at the end of the blog post. I’m going to get one and try it again.
THANK YOU!! You broke my bread curse!! Lol I have NEVER had a homemade bread turn out right. Not from scratch, not from the box mixes, nada. It was always a dry, dense, disappointment. I could NOT be happier with this!! It came out so delicious, so soft. I did an egg wash before putting in the oven (and did the ice cube trick!) And it had the perfect golden & glossy sheen, with a nice crust…but so very soft inside. This will be my forever recipe, and one that I will recommend to all! Thank you!!
Made this tonight because I forgot to grab French bread at the store and oh my gosh!!!! I haven’t made much bread so I was nervous but it came out SO good! Ate a whole loaf tonight! But how do I store the other one?
Well covered in a bread bag or ziploc at room temp is your best bet (don’t refrigerate or it will dry out!).
I have frozen my loaf and it still tastes great a week later.
Often I have more than I can eat while fresh. I pre-slice it, wrap tightly, and freeze; then take it out as I need it.
Outstanding, first time I made French bread and was as good or better than bought from the store
So my husband and I made these breads last weekend, and though they came out tasting good, they were really dense. Now we love in Colorado so we are at almost 9,000 ft. So naturally we need to add a bit more flour to most recipes, but not much at all. So just wondering what made them so dense? Is it possible we overworked the dough? I let my husband form the breads, and he was having fun lol.
It could be a combination of over flouring or not enough kneading (to activate the gluten). I’d be surprised if it’s due to over working the dough – it could also be that the bread needed a longer rise.
I love this recipe and I’ve used it multiple times but I have one issue I was hoping to get some help with. I use the ice cube method and right when the bread comes out of the oven, it’s nice and crusty but just a few minutes after the crustiness goes away. Am I doing something wrong? Can I do something to keep the crispness?
You might try putting an oven-safe pan of boiling water in the bottom of the oven and see if that helps the crispiness.
Very easy and delish! I did not have any of the “extra” tools and it turned out great! I tried one loaf with the ice cube option and it was definitely crispier. I will make this again!
I made this recipe 3 times already,perfect every time.Thank you so much!!
Fabulous recipe! Turned out beautifully! This was my first try at French bread. I hand kneaded about 8 minutes, did the first rising in the fridge about 3 hours because I had to go out unexpectedly , then shaped and the 2nd rise took just over an hour. I brushed an egg wash on before baking and had to cover with foil after 20 minutes because they were already beautifully brown. I was a little nervous making the slashes so my loaves could’ve been prettier but the taste is out of this world! Reading all the comments answered my questions and helped give me confidence. Great advice (and video) on adding flour, Mel! PS I used a thermometer to test doneness and my oven must be a little slow because they took 35 minutes.
Hi Mel,
Have you tried making this in a bread cloche? Curious how it would come out.
Cheers,
Joe
I haven’t – sorry I can’t help!
Easy, delish, even for a bread noob like me.
I egg washed the top before baking. Beautiful loaves.
Very flavorful.
This was the first bread recipe I ever tried and now is my go-to! Delicious! Thanks!
I ended up with flat bread. My daughter says, “Oh, ficcoccia again!!!” I followed the directions EXACTLY, and once again am disappointed with the outcome. Flat, not crusty, and a complete disappointment. Couldn’t be more unhappy with this recipe.
Excuse my bluntness, Sandy, but I believe you failed (not the recipe.)
Kas, That’s terribly rude and unhelpful. You should be ashamed of yourself.
Sandra, there’s many reasons why this could be happening. The dough could be overworked or underworked, over proofed, too high liquid ratio, or more. Your best bet is to keep trying and adjust a little each time.
Anne, this is the fifth recipe I’ve tried for French bread; the method I’ve used is the one from the bread maker dough recipe. That one turns out fantastic!!! I really want to be able to make a great loaf from scratch myself.
I’m not “Sandy,” Ms. Inhelpfu.
Kas,
I’m Sandra, not “Sandy,” Ms. Unhelpful. Either suggest a remedy, or stop trolling people who are frustrated.
Sandra, my bread came out extremely flat the first time I made it, too. When I cut the slits in it before baking, the knife wasn’t sharp enough and the whole loaf deflated. How I got around this problem was by cutting the slits right after I rolled the dough into a loaf. Good luck!
Turns out great every time!
I use a sharp scissors for making slashes on to of bread; works great.
A quick question. I made this the other day and tried the method of rising in the bowl. I was late in mixing it once and wondered if that was why my dough was sticky. It was a nice soft loaf after I mixed in all 6 cups plus a tad more of flour. I think I will go back to the old stand by of letting rise for an hour untouched. I have baked bread since my 4-H days. Never French bread yeast breads.
Also wondered if you have ever cut it in half. There are only four of us and too much bread is not always a good thing.
Yes, you can definitely cut the recipe in half! As for the stickiness, I don’t notice a huge difference with either rising method (I usually add the same amount of flour) but I’m not totally sure. If the one-time rise works best for you, I’d say stick with it.
I’ve never made bread before, this was my first time and loved this recipe because it’s easy to follow. I ran out of flour after 4 cups and ended up using almond flour. It still worked and came out delicious! Thank you for this recipe 5 stars!
I live in Italy. About 1 hour from Venice. I find i have to adjust the flour amounts quite a bit here. How much glour would u recng at sealevel?
Honestly, I’m not sure, sorry! Maybe start adding gradually and then focus on the texture of the dough vs the exact flour amount – that should help the bread turn out!
This recipe is perfect! I read the tip while I waited for the first rise and realized I’ve been adding too much flour to my breads, but despite that this loaf still turned out pretty good. It was the lightest softest loaf of bread I’ve ever baked and as soon as I finish off the loaf I made last night I’m going to try it again and see if I can get it to stay taller instead of falling sort of flat.
Well, this was my first foray EVER into breadmaking. I wanted to try something new on my new standmixer that I just got for Christmas. I decided to try this recipe because it seemed simpler than some others I’ve seen. It was AMAZING! So fluffy, so crispy, so delicious. Thank you!!!
Came out great. I did sesame seeds topping. Also left my pizza stone in oven. Used a misting of water sprayed in oven and over loafs every 15 minutes. Plus used a threw away aluminum pan with water on bottom of oven I used a High Gluten Flour. Used for pizza dough. 00 Caputo. Loafs came out crispy crunchy Tasty. I also used bottles water in dough. Tap water has to much chemicals. This recipe is a keeper. I live in Oklahoma transplant from new york. The bread here is nothing like back home. Sure glad I Tryed your recipe. Know to run down to store to get some cold cuts. And make me a New York Style Hero or as you southerners call a hoagie or sub ps I’m a male. If I can bake this .So can you wish I could share a photo of bread
Just had to comment again. Made this recipe and got one large loaf and two baguettes. The large loaf was gone the same day. Froze the 2 baguettes. One was gone the next day, the other one was used for shrimp po boys today and it is now also gone. I need to get a way bigger mixer as this recipe is now a staple in our home. I will NEVER buy store French bread again, wife will not allow that after tasting this bread. Thanks again Mel.
I don’t have a mixer, how long would I knead for?
Probably 8-9 minutes by hand.
Wife said “da*# that’s good!”
Thanks, Mel.
Hey Mel, I’m planning my cooking timeline and want to get as much done ahead of time as I can. Do you think I can make the dough Monday night and do an overnight rise in the fridge ? Also, do you think I can par boil pasta shells, stuff them, top with the marinara Monday or will the texture be weird ?
Yes, I definitely think you can do an overnight rise in the fridge for the bread (I’d probably shape it into loaves if it were me before popping in the fridge). I don’t know about the pasta. I think that might work!
Hi what measurements of the cups ur using I mean if u can give in grams as measuring cups differ ,
Here we measure 1 cup as to 250 Grams . So just got confused.
Pls do reply want to try this tom.
You might need to use a conversion calculator (via google); I don’t measure my flour in grams. But it should be right around 25-30 ounces of flour total.
My bread came out hard as a rock. What did I do wrong?
Could be overfloured dough or not a sufficient rise – those are two culprits to dense bread.
Can I make it without the sugar?
Can definitely try. 🙂
Try using malted barley instead of sugar.
Hmmmm I baked brad maybe 4 time before I found you! And I can tell you even seem all the recepis I did was same ingridians but brad didn’t come out as good! But this one came out perfect to me and my husband approves it too well he is the only one who eats the brad lol I need to watch my figure hahaha life! Good luck guys hope u be happy with this brad as we are!❤️❤️❤️
The recipe came out delicious. The only thing is that it is not browned on the top as shown in the pictures, although it did Brown a bit. The smell of fresh-baked bread was just awesome. Now I can make smaller rolls for sandwiches.
Just a quick side note to help with Browning process brush egg wash onto the dough before placing in oven. I found out why it didn’t brown a whole lot. Other than that he recipe is wonderful.
I’ve been searching for the perfect French bread recipe, and I’m done looking. Follow this recipe to the tee and you won’t be disappointed!
This makes beautiful, soft, perfect bread. Way better than what you buy in the store. And you know exactly what’s in it! Very easy to make. Now everyone thinks I’m a baking genius and is requesting bread! Hmmm… maybe it’s too good.
Thank you for posting such a delicious recipe! We made the bread for extended family the other night, and now we have been asked to make more of it for Thanksgiving day. There will be 50 or more people at Thanksgiving dinner. Is it possible to make the dough or the bread in advance and freeze it? If not, how long does the bread last after it has been baked? We did not have any left over after we made it!
Ack! Please disregard my question. Just saw an identical post and your response below! Thanks again for the great recipe!
I made this for friends yesterday that came for dinner. This was delicious and so easy to make. I actually did option 2 and let it rise in an oiled bowl for about 3 hours because I started it too early!! On the 2nd rise I made the slits after placing the dough on my baking pan and then let those rise for another nearly 2 hrs. They baked up beautifully and a whole loaf was gone after dinner. Thanks for sharing this!
Wow! I can’t believe I made this. They were so pretty. LOL! I don’t like mine so crunchy on the outside, so I cover them with a towel for about 10 minutes when they come out of the oven. I wouldn’t change anything about this recipe. Delicious.
just took it out of the oven…omg it looks beautiful, smells even better
In the oven right now! I hope I got the rolled up part correct
I am a complete bread making newbie. I like to bake, but I usually stick to muffins and cookies. I’ve made this twice now and all I can say is VIVA LA FRANCE! This is beautiful bread. Merci!!!
Couldn’t wait! I had to eat the fisrt loaf hot while the second one is baking. It is the most delicious, fluffy and crusty bread I’ve ever made. I did all the mixing and kneading by hand. Thanks Mel.
Tried the egg white, good results
So this bread is very good, but I need help. I followed the recipe exactly, used rising method number 2, and all was well. I put the ice cubes on the bottom of the oven and shut the door quickly, but in 20 minutes my kitchen was filled with smoke and the bottoms were burned while the tops remained pale. They were barely done, but still edible and tasted nice minus the burnt bottoms and halfway crusty top.
Anyone know what I did wrong?
Where was the oven rack in your oven? Close to the middle or close to the bottom? You might try decreasing the oven temperature – sounds like your oven may cook on the hot side.
This is a great recipe. The bread turned out amazing! It was very easy to make using my mixer. I made the slits in the loaves before the final rise and that worked out perfectly. The bread was delicious!
I meant to give this 5 stars!!
Has anyone ever halved this recipe and made it in a Lekue breadmaker?
Oh man i am amazing.. Thank you for the recipe. I did a broccoli cheddar with chicken to go with it and rediscovered why i love myself 🙂 i used the half wheat/half white flour recommendation above and just poured some water in the bottom of the oven as i am out of ice for some ungodly reason.. I actually use that method for a good majority of my baking.. Baked goods like steam rooms vs dry saunas!
It’s in the oven now and I can’t wait!!!
Mel,
Great recipe! Daughter and I did pretzels last week and now French Bread. The bread turned out awesome by the way 🙂
Hi, I was wondering if you have tried this bread with gluten free flour? If so would it be a 1:1 swap?
I haven’t…it usually doesn’t work very well to sub in gluten-free flour for all-purpose flour in yeast bread recipes. You might have better luck finding a French bread recipe already developed to be gluten free.
I used this recipe as directed. It needs to have more salt in my opinion. I guess it’s okay if you are eating it with salted butter or another spread. I like my bread plain and I’ll have to add more salt next time to enjoy it that way. Other than that, it’s a good straight forward recipe. I’m using the bread I made tonight for garlic bread.
This recipe is so quick and easy! Our family loves it and I especially love that my kiddos can bake it up in their own!
Any videos available? I need a visual guide, lol.
This recipe is awesome. I combined the sugar, yeast and water then I placed the flour and salt in my bread machine. Once the yeast mixture was bubbly I added the oil and poured it into my bread machine on the dough cycle. I watched it for texture and added flour until the dough wasn’t too sticky. After the machine did the first rise I rolled it out into a rectangle and treated it like cinnamon rolls by spreading a light coat of butter, sprinkled grated cheddar, romano and parmesan cheese then I rolled it up and cut it into 12 rolls. (I think I could have even pulled of two trays of 12). I let it rise an hour, sprinkled the top with garlic powder, then baked it at 375 for 25 minutes. I did the ice cube trick too and the crust was nice. These were a huge hit and they remain moist the following day when completely cooled also. Thanks for the awesome recipe!
This bread deserves more than 5 stars!! Dont know what happened in my review. I clearly meant 5 stars!!!
I can fix that, Stacy – thanks!
Outstanding! Super easy instructions turns out perfectly every time. I gave up my old french bread that only made one loaf for this and wont go back! I have made using all purpose as well as bread flour. Both with excellnt results.. thankyou Mel!! I have a batch rising now !
This looks more like ciabatta than French bread (i.e. a baguette).
This is the easiest recipe and the bread is delicious. I typically use the recipe as written, but today I added a teaspoon of garlic powder and used 1 1/2 tsp of salt. The result was perfection. The hint of garlic is mmm mmm good. Thank you for sharing the recipe and helpful suggestions.
This was amazing. I did the method 1 rising and also used the ice idea for the bread. This is easily the best bread I have ever made. Thanks for sharing!
Mmm mmm! Wonderful flavor. I could eat the whole loaf!
Making it today will let you know
Best bread recipe ever! Before I put my lobes in the oven I brushed with an egg wash and sprinkled with sesame seeds. Delicious! Thank you for sharing a recipe I feel like I’ve been looking for my whole life.
My best bread making experience. Thankyou
I haven’t made homemade bread in a few years and wanted to attempt to make some again. it turned out wonderful and delicious, just can’t stop having a slice. I will make your recipe over and over. Thank you.
Can you use garlic powder on the initial mix?
Sure!
I only started making bread a few months ago so I’m still learning. Right now my ‘accomplishments’ are Basic White Bread and my own recipe of Jalapeno Cheesy Bread which keeps being baked at the request of several neighbors. Lol.
(For anyone who loves really spicy hot Jalapeno Cheesy Bread, try this:
I use a Basic 2 lb White Bread recipe. Then, after the first rising is done, I add 8 to 10 diced-up Jalapenos WITH seeds, 2 cups of my favorite shredded 3-cheese blend, 10 heaping tablespoons of grated Parmesan Cheese, and enough extra flour to decrease the dough wetness so it’s just slightly tacky but still soft. Then, after hand-kneading for about 15 minutes, this dough is placed into a greased 9 x 13-inch baking pan and allowed to rise for the 2nd time until almost doubled. After that, it is placed into a preheated 350 F oven for 30 minutes or until the baked bread sounds hollow when tapped on.)
I came across your Easy Homemade French Bread recipe yesterday morning…thought “Wow, something different AND easy enough to do!”…printed out the recipe…and then started making it.
Once the two loaves were rolled up and placed on non-stick foil, I used a sharp knife and gently ‘sawed’ 1-inch deep cuts into the loaves’ tops BEFORE allowing each dough to rise for the 2nd time. This way, I wouldn’t accidentally deflate the dough, and the cuts would fill in while still showing up as a decoration.
Since my oven seems to run a bit hot, I baked each loaf separately at 350 F for 30 minutes instead of at 375 F.
THE BREAD CAME OUT GREAT!!!
After removing each loaf from the oven, I rubbed half a stick of softened butter over the top so the crust would soften up a bit…then let the loaf cool for about 30 minutes…and then wrapped it up in non-stick aluminum foil.
One loaf was given to a friend to try and we kept the other loaf.
It’s soooooooo good!!! My hubby and I had it with some ready-made lasagna last night for supper, and we both had more warmed up bread for breakfast. Lol. It’s delicious!
I’m so glad you posted this recipe! This Easy Homemade French Bread will definitely be a staple in our home…and in others’ once our neighbors find out about it! 🙂
Can you freeze the dough and bake at a later time? I’m always wishing I had a good loaf of bread, but no time to make it.
I think it is best fresh and if I freeze bread, I prefer to freeze it after it’s been baked, but you could certainly experiment!
This is the recipe I’ve been searching for. I should have known you would have it!
Can you use the ice cube trick in a gas oven? They have those open slats on the bottom for the flame. Just wondering. Thanks
Hey Marie. I’m not sure about that? I will have Mel respond when she gets back from her vacation next week!
Sure put ice in a aluminum baking pan that’s how I do it
That’s a great question, Marie – I probably wouldn’t recommend it based on that.
I do it all the time! The slats are so far off to the side and the ice cube almost are immediately turned to steam. If your nervous about your particular oven, maybe try 1 or 2 cubes at 1st.
Put a baking pan on the very bottom shelf in the oven. Preheat the oven and the pan. Drop the ice onto the heated pan instead of the bottom of the oven and this should give you similar results.
You absolutely can! While you’re preheating your oven, set your bottom rack to the lowest setting in the oven, and put a 9×13 metal baking dish on that rack..when you’re ready to put your bread in, just throw those ice cubes in the baking dish and close that oven quickly( and carefully so as not to deflate that beautiful loaf!) and the steam will create that wonderful crunchy crust you’re looking for!
Love this recipe! Found it a couple of weeks ago when I wanted to give making homemade bread a try. It’s a no fail and turns out perfect every time. My question is if I want to make smaller loaves for sandwiches, what do I adjust the baking time to? Thanks!
It really depends on how small the loaves are, but I’d probably suggest checking on the bread 5 minutes earlier than the time stated in the recipe and add additional minutes if needed.
I made 1/2 of the recipe (you cut the dough in half) French Bread style and the other 1/2 I put in a loaf pan. Both turned out great. The loaf I plan on using it for sanwiches.
LOVE LOVE LOVE this bread! Super easy and super tasty!
Absolutely AMAZING!!! I just made this recipe today and the bread came out great and my whole family loved it. Thank u for the wonderful recipe!
Hi, I made this today.. all was well but the bread became flat and hard.. Y do u think this happened.. I really want a nice french bread. please help
Try adding a bit more flour and not letting the bread overrise.
I’ve made this French bread three times now.
It’s over the top good. I followed all the directions exactly, used bread flour (don’t know if that made any difference), got a lame to score the bread. I baked it in a jelly roll pan lined with parchment the first time and that made the dough spread out and it had a really brown bottom so I went one step further and bought the two loaf bread pan that’s linked in the recipe. That pan made all the difference. I got mine at Bed Bath and Beyond for $25.
This bread is better than any I’ve eaten in the best Italian restaurants.
Thank you for posting this recipe.
I’ll never buy French bread again!
I made this bread yesterday and it is so delicious! I used one loaf for garlic bread with dinner, and cut the second loaf for sandwiches this afternoon. I will definitely be making this again! Next time I’m going to make several much smaller loaves to use for sandwiches, instead of the 2 larger loaves. *Bonus: I didn’t have to make any high altitude adjustments!
I am going to use this to make my beerocks. My family loves mine. This will be cheaper than using canned dough, and I can use healthier flour
Recipe was so easy i mixed by hand and the bread came out perfect.
I made this french bread and it came out delicious, I’m very happy that I choosed this recipe, because it turned out so good and my husband loves it. The only change I will make next time is add a little more salt, that’s all that this recipe is lacking. Other than that it’s perfect!!!
I must be reading wrong or something but I scored the bread after the second rise with slits in the top and DISASTER. My whole beautiful load just deflated. They were so nice and round and perfect and then BOOM. I should’ve stopped but I continued I figured they would rise while baking…..NOPE. So next time I will scors BRFORE the second rise!
Mel, this French bread looks so good, thanks for the recipe and for the detailed instructions!
I didn’t know about the trick with the ice cubes but it sounds so practical, thanks, I’ll keep it mind!
Will try to follow this as I had tried & tried & had not been very successful. Hoping that this time it will be a success.
Love the bread!!!!!❤️ However, I’m still working on finding that golden brown color. I took my bread out and it was pale. But for some reason, brown or not, I’ve made this recipe once more…(hint: this bread is AMAZING). I love it! I will surely continue to try more of these website’s recipes! God bless you and your family! Blessings!
Has anyone ever halved the recipe and baked it in a Lekue?
I halved the recipe and it worked perfectly! I actually still made 2 small loaves from the recipe that was already halved and baked them on a pizza stone. My family loved it. Recipe is a keeper!!!
Thisnisy second time making this recipe and my family loved it thanks for the amazing tips, the ice thing really does work.
Oh my goodness!!! Best bread recipe ever! Even my husband thought it was shop bought…. won’t try any other recipe in future.
Do you know the changes you would make to use a sourdough starter with this recipe?
I don’t, sorry!
Looks delicious! Did you brush something on the loaf on the right to give it that gloss? Can’t wait to make it. Thanks!
Butter 🙂
Thanks so much this and all of your recipes! Just started a YSA mission for the LDS Church in Trondheim Norway and used this and the chocolate chip cookie bars in the past week. Everyone who tried one or the other or both LOVED them! I visit your site often!
Thanks, Lorrie!
This was easy and excellent. I mixed with a spoon. Anyone can do it!
Another tip; preheat the oven to 425 and lower it down to 375 when you place the bread in.
I did it … delicious
Great recipe! Easily one of my favorites for homemade bread 🙂 I made it for some guests and it was fantastic. Thank you!
I am thinking of trying to make homemade bread for the first time and decided on this recipe. I do not have an electric mixer but did read the note at the end stating I could just use a bowl and spoon if I didn’t have one. Any other tips you my have for this first timer?
It should work great making it by hand! You might find it’s easier to turn it out on the counter to knead/mix if the bowl feels too crowded.
Very Easy. I have made this many times, never posted a “Thank You”. I usually start mine omitting salt, and 3 to 3.25 cups of flour.
I stir it with a whisk. Let proof. First thing in am.
Sometimes I don’t get to it. Refrigerate. Go at it again the next day. Add remaining flour. Knead “in” bowl. It is every bit as good this way used as an overgrown sponge. Bigger air pockets, and chewier.
Bread made all in one bowl, minimal mess, and fuss. Great, always tasty…always a welcome gift. Funny….am I invited to dinner more often because I bear Loaves??? Maybe. Probably.! Decide for yourself:) It’s that good.
Thank you for sharing this recipe! It went well for a novice like me. I am wondering though why my bread did not look that brown like the ones in your pictures, which are also very shiny looking; is it because of the butter used at the end?! I wish mine will look like the ones on the website. They were delicious regardless, so thank you for sharing it!
You can also do an egg wash to get the shiny crust look 🙂
Easy and delicious. I make it a few times a week. We love bread!! ❤️
finally. After years of trying, I did it. This is a. Fabulous recipe and so darn easy. Thanks g or sharing-tried to load picture but couldn’t figure how
Well I died and went to heaven but they sent me back for bread! I made both your heavenly white bread and the scrumptious French bread. Excellent ! No problem making either and this is my third attempt at making any kind of bread . Was ready to give up until I found your site. Only one negative thing …. to my dismay my waist seems to have enlarged … but will keep making and eating it!! Thank you for the wonderful site and excellent recipes !
I’m gonna preface this by saying I’m a 46 year old man that has never made bread that didn’t come out of a can. I’m considering opening a poboy business and was looking for a bread recipe. I made this one today. as my first attempt. Needless to say, it wasn’t the prettiest loaf ever. It wasn’t even a loaf. More of a boulle really. But it was tasty! I don’t think this is the beginning of what I’m looking for, but it’s a keeper for bread around the house. Reminds me of the bread at Johnny Carino’s.
Hi, Mel! I make your french bread rolls all the time (both white and wheat) all the time in different sizes, but have only tried the loaves once. I have a very (!) sharp knife that I used to put in the slashes, but it instantly deflated. Is it absolutely necessary to put in the slashes? I do my mixing/1st rise of all your breads in my machine, then finish by hand. Thanks so much for all the time you’re put in to making us all into accomplished bread makers!
No, you can definitely leave the slashes out if it deflates!
I would recommend cutting gashes in the dough BEFORE the second rise (method 2). That way, you cut them and then allow them to sit a bit more to rise again. Perfect fix for me! 🙂
I generally don’t do comments, but I have to say I am totally overwhelmed at this recipe! I honestly do not think it could be screwed up, it’s just wonderful and so easy, and everybody LOVES it!!! (14 exclamation marks). I have made about 10 batches now, and somehow it just gets better. So far I’m happiest with 1 C bread flour and the rest AP. Since I’ve made it so many times I can now recognize when the dough ball is just right, wonderfulness. I did go to 1 tbs salt versus the 3/4 in the recipe, other than that I just follow it down the road. I use rising method 2 so I don’t hover over the bread. Seems to be about 65 minutes to perfect rise. And for those interested, since I’m so close to having it always great, I’ve started weighing the flour, 1 lb 14 oz seems to be right on or very close. I don’t have near the issue with flour all over everything this way, I can just toss in the 1 C bread flour and then add AP out of the bag until I hit the weight. As I learn, I may crank that up another oz, but I don’t know……
All I can say Mel is, BEST BREAD EVER!!! Thank you for taking the time to enlighten all us bread baker wannabees.
Thank you so much, Phil! And thanks for including all your expertise!
Don’t close the oven too quickly when tossing the ice in. One of my ice cubes didn’t quite make it into the oven and instead fell down in between the door and oven and cracked the glass on my oven door when I closed it. The bread is delicious though.
Oh my goodness, Kevin – yikes! Sorry to hear that; thanks for the warning.
Another commenter wrote that she did a “water wash” on her dough before placing it in the oven to replace the ice cubes. I tried it. Works the same way for me. (Sorry your oven door was damaged. 🙁 )
The loaves came out larger than I expected. They were amazing! And so soft! So many options now…. sandwiches, or with just butter, bread pudding, French toast, croutons or bread crumbs with smaller pieces. Not that there will be any leftovers, lol! I’m making this for Easter dinner
Delicious will be making this often!
I bought some french bread but when you take a piece of bread it’s like gum
I would love a video for this recipe. I make it all the time, but mine is not as pretty as yours! It is amazing bread and everyone loves it. If a someone is in needs of a casserole, this bread goes with it. All the church ladies ask for it for our bake sales. Thank you!!
I made this today and totally didn’t even notice bread flour vs all purpose. Guess what, still delicious!!!
Hi Baker Mel,
Second time making your bread. Today I want to add roasted garlic and put Italian seasoning on it/in it.Which is the best method? Also some Parmesan cheese on top?The first loaf came out great for my first use using a Kitchen Aid.
Hi Lynn, I’ve never tried that but it sounds delicious! I’d add the garlic and seasonings during the kneading process.
I have baked for over a decade (amateur) and have never encountered an easier, more reliable recipe for tasty bread. I did make one small change in that I replaced about 1/2 Cup of bread flour with whole wheat. I also frequently make it with All-Purpose flour instead of bread with little discernible difference. Thank you.
This bread is so good and easy to make. I can’t believe I only tried it for the first time today. I don’t think i’ll ever buy bread again! Really great recipe. Mel, do you brush butter on your bread once it comes out of the oven?
Sometimes I do, Christine – kind of depends on my mood. 🙂
This recipe is so easy and delicious. I made two batches of this and let them rise together then made several loaves to keep in the freezer. It is so easy to just pull one out every night (yes, every night) with dinner 🙂
I’m not really understanding step 5 can someone help please. Do you roll the dough with a rolling pin or with your hands and what edges need to pinched. Please help I’m trying to make it now and this is the only step that is killing me.
I just press it with my hands into a rough rectangle and then pinch the seam as it comes together (after rolling or pressing).
Hi Mel…thanks for the tips..I too am a bit confused…when making into a rectangle, what seam are you talking about?…I will use my hands to form it, but not sure about the seams…yes, I am an amateur!…lol!…thanks for any help elaborating!
When you roll it up there will be a seam where the rolled dough comes together. Just pinch it to seal so the loaf stays closed.
The BEST and easy too!
Made this today, was wonderful and crispy I wasn’t able to get it to the Golden brown as depicted in the picture but I did my best. As to the cutting razor tool I just took a blade from our bathroom that we never have used and weaved a paintbrush through it giving it that perfect curve did the job I just didn’t cut deep enough but it made the perfect slit and didn’t deflate the dough.
If I want to bake 1 loaf now and 1 later tonighy how would I store the risen uncooked loaf?
I would pop it in the refrigerator until time to bake.
Way way way too much water!? I had to add 8 cups of flour….
Are you sure you measured correctly I put in the amount called for and 5.5 cups bread flour and it came out perfectly
That is odd! I did it today and it worked out perfectly with the recommend amount of flour.
Today I tried your bread recipe and it was great. I tried many, many different recipes in the past and this one was by far the best.Easy to follow, Simply delicious.
I was really impressed with so many positive reviews- I almost wondered who you paid to get such rave reviews- then I tried this magical recipe and I am amazed! This is my first ever loaf of French bread and it will not be my last! Although I better find ways to share it all, because my waistline will suffer otherwise. I had NO problem sharing these first loaves – snatched up hot and fresh out of the oven by all! Thank you so much!
I absolutely love this recipe! I have made this 6-7 times now and it’s actually proofing as I type! Every time I make them they come out perfect! My fiance can’t get enough of it and I have to keep him out of the kitchen long enough to let them cool at least a little! Thinking about making up some garlic butter to spread on before baking the loaves today and pairing it with some amazing pot roast can’t be more excited for dinner tonight. Thank you so much for this recipe Mel!
Thank you! I made this last night. It was easy and delicious. I was searching for a recipe that did not require a days work and was very happy to have found this one!
could you put it in the fridge over night before the second rising??
Yes, I think so.
That is grate recipe, easy and perfect
Then why only 3 stars?
We love this recipe! Made it for the fourth time in a week! We like it part-wheat, all-wheat, all-white, any way is delicious! Have you ever frozen the loaves right after you shape them and then defrosted for the second rise to bake fresh?
I haven’t, but I bet it would work just fine!
I’ve been searching for a good recipe for French bread and finally found this one, at last! No voodoo, no need to purchase a special oven that squirts in steam at the exact correct moment, this one you can actually make. Absolutely great, 5 stars!!! I just made my 3rd batch yesterday, and another success, I’m munching on some now as I type this. Thanks so much for this recipe!!
Good afternoon! My husband works out of town long term (oil field) and stays in our 5th wheel camper .. It’s not quite like home but it is very nice. This last weekend I went to visit him and to surprise him, decided to bake some homemade bread. Your recipe turned out to make the best french bread I have ever made! The entire camper smelled of the wonderful aroma! I’m back home and making more today. Thank you for this simple recipe! It’s perfect!
I made it today! It turned out perfect like I knew what I was doing. I appreciate the detailed information!
What can we use if we don’t have an electric stand mixer and dough hook?
You can make this by hand (using a large bowl, wooden spoon, and eventually kneading with your hands).
My husband and I have only made homemade bread twice now, first Portuguese and now this French bread. We did the old fashion style. It turned out amazing! Best bread I’ve EVER had!
My 9 year old made it herself today. Delicious and easy. Great kitchen confidence builder!!!
Wow, Bryn! Tell her I am seriously impressed!
I’ve never baked bread (or anything) before and wanted to give it a shot. Came across this recipe and decided it would be my first attempt. Wow, could it really be as easy as described? Yes! Although I’m still learning how to make a “perfect” dough, I’ve practiced with this recipe three times now and each time produced a beautiful looking and delicious loaf of bread. It’s even inspired experimentation. The last time I baked this I added a half cup of crumbled parmesan cheese and a light sprinkle of oregano over the dough in its rectangular shape before rolling it up. Yummy! I’ll be baking this recipe and variations on it for years to come, thanks for sharing!
I made this bread last night to go along with lasagna. Oh my was this bread great! The recipe was simple and the bread turned out absolutely perfect. The only thing I did different from the recipe was sprinkle a little bit of sea salt over the melted butter on top of the bread after it finished baking. Texture and taste were perfect. This will be my new go-to French Bread recipe.
What is the temperature of the water?
Do you have a sour dough recipe?
I don’t, sorry!
About 110 degrees.
It turned out incredible!! Thanks for all the tips and the ice cube hack
It’s funny you posted this !!! I’m in the process of making French bread today !!!! I always make bread at least once a month ! I freeze it and use as I need to with my homemade spaghetti or anything else it goes with !!! It’s to bad I found my true calling late in life !!! I’ve always loved to cook and am finally working in the restaurant business !!!!
Just made this tonight, was a little worried when I sliced the top that my bread flattened a bit, but it cooked up beautifully, and the taste is heavenly. So easy to make. Will definitely make again!! Thank you for sharing the recipe and the play by play instructions!!
Excellent recipe
This recipe is fantastic! My boy friend and I ate half a loaf and didn’t even make it to dinner because we were full of bread, I’m okay with this. I did let my bread maker do all the dirty work. I put everything in at once and let it mix and rise there before I split the dough and let it rise a tad longer. It turned out gorgeous!
Just made it! Great recipe! We finished 1/2 a loaf at dinner. What is the best way to store this bread?
For a day or so, I keep it covered in a bread bag (tied closed). Any longer, and I freeze to keep it more fresh-tasting (when thawed).
Hello. What happens if the active dry yeast does not bubble?. How warm does the water needs to be?
About 110 degrees
Too late to help you but sometimes yeast needs a little “kick” to get going. I usually add a pinch of ginger (you won’t taste it in the bread but it really helps yeast to wake up).
Awesome recipe! East to make, and my family loved it!
I will definitely make it again!
My husband is usually the bread maker, I stick to banana bread, muffins, and scones. I decided I wanted to make an attempt at bread…I love french bread but never thought I could ever make it UNTIL I found this recipe! This is the easiest bread recipe I have ever tried (I have tried making other breads with little success). I’ve made this loaf several times now and each time it has turned out exactly like the picture and tastes even better!!! Thank you, thank you, to the creator of this recipe, my family and friends love it and it never lasts in our home very long!
Hi…dough is rising….so excited got a kitchenAid mixer and was dying to use bread hook…
Can you bake both loaves at same time on large cookie sheet? Or do you have to bake seperately?
Thanks for the recipe
All the best,
Jennifer
Yes, you can bake them together – they may end up flowing into each other as they bake, which is why I usually bake them separately.
Bummed. I made this and I purchased razor blades to make gashes. When I tried to hash them the dough just stuck
To the blade. One of my loaves totally deflated. . Should I just use it as a pizza dough now? It still has some puffiness but not enough.
Oh darn it! Yes, you can use the dough for pizza or even bake it flat (like a focaccia).
I would recommend cutting gashes in the dough BEFORE the second rise (method 2). That way, you cut them and then allow them to sit a bit more to rise again. Perfect fix for me! 🙂
First timer. I am just getting ready to place then on the greased countertop to separate. At what point would one add more flour. I have been reading the comments. Would I have to make it rise again (twice? Again) and do you bake one at a time? Do you ever use a baking stone? Or just cookie sheets and parchment paper. Convection or regular oven.
You would need to add more flour during the mixing process. I bake one on each baking sheet so they don’t spread and bake into each other. I don’t usually use a baking stone with this recipe but you could. I bake in a regular oven, but convection would be fine as well (just check a few minutes earlier than normal).
making this today. ready to go into the oven. super easy. I make pizza dough all the time, but this might now be my go=to recipe!!! let you know how it bakes!!!! hold on….so I baked it a bit longer than the 30 minutes. didn’t come out as dark as yours, but I will definitely make this again!!!!!
Spreading with butter after baking would soften the crust wouldn’t it? Mine is raising now….. I might try butter on one and not the other and see which result I like better…
Made this tonight along with a big pot of stew. It was absolutely perfect. Easy to make and the bread is outstanding. Saved the recipe.
I made this recipe and my loaves came out flat and looked like they’re not fully cooked. It’s also pretty cold today too. Is there something I can do to salvage this?
If they are already baked, I’m not sure there’s much you can do. Next time, though, try adding a bit more flour. This will help the loaves rise up instead of spreading.
I made some bread recently, I’m very new to bread baking and I messed up the first loaf, it had a giant air bubble and didnt cook right so i cut it up into small cubes and dehydrated the cubes with seasonings in the oven until they were crunchy like crutons and made it into stuffing. It wasn’t this recipe that didn’t turn out but hopefully this reply will help someone if their loaves don’t turn out. I’m making this bread recipe right now, it’s rising. Planning to make sandwiches with grilled chicken, sauteed onions and cheese.
This is the best bread ever! I was surprised at how easy it was to do the mix down every 10 minutes method when I was already in the kitchen. After making it once (for french toast) I promptly bought the french bread pans because I am determined to improve on my bread’s appearance! Next time I’m going to try to spritz the bread while baking and rub with butter when it comes out of the oven. Thanks, Mel!
Hi Mel! Thank you for your recipe. This was my first successful attempt (of many failures) of baking homemade bread! I did have one minor problem when proofing. When the dough was rising on the baking sheets, it spread outward too much, and didn’t maintain it’s height. Could it be that the dough was over-risen and didn’t have enough structure to support itself? Either way, I ended up with two flat yet still delicious loaves. Thank you!
Hey Rebecca – sounds like the dough needs a bit more flour. That will help it hold its shape while it rises!
This is the best bread recipe I’ve ever made. It tastes just like bread that I buy from the bakery. I will definitely keep using this recipe again and again.
I’m making this for bread pudding. Glad that it’s so easy.
I keep a spray bottle of water in my kitchen for baking crusty breads–when the oven is hot, just spray the inside and it makes it nice and steamy.
I made this bread today. I added fresh rosemary and the flavours were fabulous. The bread it light and airy. I used my kitchen aide to do all the work. Adding small amounts of flour at a time worked very well. The weather today was a real mixed bag… we had rain, snow and sunshine all within 7 hours…so adjusting the flour was a great suggestion. Thank you! Not only is the great very tasty, but the house smells amazing!
Mel,
This French bread is delicious, the entire family really enjoyed it.
I made this French bread a couple of days ago. Thank you for the recipe. I have a question about freezing the bread, and yes I’ve read through your comments and know you freeze after baking. My question is how do you freeze the loaf? Slice it or leave it whole, how do you wrap it, how long do you recommend freezing for ect. Also, can individual rolls be made with the dough?
Thank you for your time
Happy Baking!!
Hi Christi – I usually freeze unsliced (I find it dries out more if I slice it first). I put the cooled loaf in a bread bag, press out all the air I can and secure it with a tie. I usually try to use it within a month. I haven’t tried it, but I think this dough would work great for rolls.
I just love your blog. Your recipes seem to be so reliable and yummy. I’ve been making your French bread and just love it. I’ve made it 4 or 5 times, and the loaves have been delicious, but slightly different every time, mostly due to my experimenting. I’m using a proofing drawer and a convection oven. I use the “spurt method” of rising and it seems to make such a nice texture. My problem seems to be dealing with two loaves. I’ve tried putting both loaves on the same pan to rise and to cook. The loaves seem crowded and don’t cook uniformly. Today I tried putting each loaf on a separate pan. They both doubled in size. I removed the plastic from the first loaf, made the cuts, cooked it with the ices cubes and it was great. I left the second loaf in the proofer while the first cooked. When the first was done, I pulled the plastic off the second loaf and it collapsed. I’m guessing it rose too much. What do I do with the second loaf while the first one is cooking? Do the French baking pans help to keep the loaves from spreading or do I just not have enough flour? Thank you for your time!
Hey Lori – I know what you mean about baking two loaves one after another. If the 2nd deflated (but the first baked up great), I don’t think it is a flouring issue. I think it’s what you suggested – the 2nd loaf rose too much. If it were me, I’d put the 2nd loaf in the fridge while the first loaf bakes and then pull it out to finish rising while the 1st loaf is in the oven. OR, take it out of the proofing drawer earlier than the 1st loaf so it isn’t warming/proofing as long.
Wow, that was a quick reply. I am going to try it again today and leave the second loaf on the counter while the first one cooks. We’ll see. Either way, we’ll have lot’s of yummy bread to eat today! Thank you and have a wonderful day.
Amazing. So light and fluffy!!!
I also wanted t9 note that adding salt directly to the yeast mixture can deactivate the power of the yeast. I recommend adding some of the flour and then mixing in salt. Anybody else ran into this? This is what I learned in school.
I am really excited to try this and the bakers lame! I used to be a gluten Free cookbook author, writer, business owner, and I would baste my French bread with water before putting in the oven and that would do the same thing as the ice cubes. I have never done the ice cubes, but I am going to try it today. I went to cooking school, and we made all our breads by hand. I am fine with this method and actually love it, however, since I am not feeling good today and need to make bread, I was thrilled to see you could use your kitchenaid! Now I actually feel I can accomplish this. Which form of rising do you prefer? I am going to use a French loaf pan. I am assuming it uses same amount as half the dough on each side. Hopefully won’t overflow.
I really like both forms of rising. If I have time, I do the 10-minute increments.
OMG MY thighs are in trouble now! This is the EASIEST, french bread I’ve ever made, and I have tried more than a few. And it looked just like the recipe!! Delicious, soft..that crispy crust tip worked beautifully. This is going to 2 b my go to bread recipe for life!
I made this yesterday and I’m making it again today. Excellent recipe. I prefer my loaves to be on the skinny side so I’ll adjust today and make 4 loaves instead of two and see how it goes. Thanks!
Note: I used almost the full tablespoon of salt. Just a taste preference.
This was awesome! So easy and Everyone keeps begging me to make more
If wanting to freezer the bread should I before or after I bake it?
I always freeze after I bake and cool.
Hey Mel! I finally made this bread and it was a success!! Bread is one of the hardest things for me to get consistent results. Anyways. – I am a FACS teacher and would like to have my students make it. Do you have any suggestions how you would accomplish that in two class periods? Like a two day lab? Obvi I need to do a cool rise type of method but what do you think?
Hmmm, maybe refrigerating the dough and letting it come to room temp before they shape the loaves and let them rise (on the 2nd day)?
Easy and delish
Wow this actually tasted great! I didnt get quite the rise so ended up with a flatter focaccia shaped loaf but the taste was really lovely! Thumbs up for this recipe! Will try again but use a form to try and get better shape:)
Hi Gemma, I had a similar issue where I didn’t get a lot of rise after I shaped them into loaves…they sorta just spread outward. Maybe I let the dough rise too much during the first rise and therefor it lost its structure? I’ll modify that next time and see what my results are.
I love this recipe and make it all the time. I’m glad you put the 2nd options for rising…I used to forget to do all five risings so this is perfect for the lazy girl like me 😉 in your old recipe you used to use the French bread loaf pans. Do you not use them anymore? We bought the one you suggested and it’s totally changed my life! So I’m just curious why you don’t use it anymore? Thanks!!!
Yes! I definitely use those pans! I just forgot to mention it when I updated the recipe. I didn’t put them in the forefront of this recipe because they are more of a specialty item, but I agree, they are pretty life changing. I’ll update the recipe notes to mention it!
This recipe was is introduction to your website and it is a definite home run. My wife says i’m in trouble though as shes not going to eat store bought bread again. I can honestly say this is the best recipe i have tasted.
Thanks Mel
Thanks, Bill! Your wife is a pretty lucky gal to have such an awesome bread-making husband!
Hi did you make this bread with an egg wash or not? It looks kind of shiny on top so thought maybe you did but you don’t mention that you did..
Nope, no egg wash, but I do slather it with melted butter when it comes out of the oven.
Mel thanks for all your recipes!! I made this French bread and it is hands down THE best! My kids thought I bought it from the store. Have you ever used this French bread recipe for hoagie size rolls? I am wanting to make the cheesesteak sandwiches and was wondering about using this recipe for the rolls. Thanks.
Yes, it works great as smaller loaves or rolls!
Delicious as always. Fun to make!
This recipe turned out GREAT! Thanks for the ice cube tip on how to create a crusty exterior! I made this without a processor… hands worked just fine. I used method 2 for rising. Thanks for recipe!!
Just made this delicious bread! Your instructions are perfect for successful baking. Thank you so much
Easy to make and delicious!
After 29 years of marriage it is hard to surprise/impress my husband but thanks to your amazing French bread recipe I did!!! He said I don’t need to make any other kind of bread! Thanks for an easy, delicious recipe!
That’s high praise! Love it!
Thank you! Best bread I have ever made! Adjusted flour for humidity and baking time for high altitude. Hubs loves and this is my new ‘go to’! Added egg wash for shine ☺️
I made this for the first time last night, and was really impressed with how they turned out! I never bothered in the past to shape other loaves correctly, so thank you for your clear instructions. I think that helped my success. I immediately added a baker’s lame to my Christmas wishlist, too!
I’m glad the recipe worked out well for you, Tiff! Thanks for letting me know!
Oh man. I was concerned because I ran out of flour while making the recipe. I thought the loaves would be flat, but miraculously they puffed right up in the oven. Thank you for this recipe. I will be baking it again!
Yay!
My husband won’t let me buy store bought bread anymore. Thanks alot Mel!
I made this last night. Kids loved it and was super easy! Nice I could use it for a few dinners. Delicious warmed with some creamed Trader Joe’s honey. Thanks!
Thanks, Melanie! Hope the rolls work out for you!
Your French Bread is the first recipe I’ve tried from your site and I intend to make many more! It was very easy. I cook alot, and I’m considered a fabulous cook among my friends and family, but yeast breads have always intimidated me – no longer. I’m looking forward to trying the rolls this weekend.
Thanks, Melanie! Hope the rolls work out for you!
I made this on Sunday, and it turned out great—-my first success in baking bread! Tasted great too (I did add almost the full tablespoon of salt though). Thanks Mel, for making bread-making seem much less intimidating and something fun to try!
That makes me so happy, Christi!
Easy and delicious!
I am embarrassed to say I, too, have lost your Trader Joe list. I tried and tried to find it on your website, but to no avail. Could you please take pity on me and resend it?
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Yes, I’ll resend!
Hi Mel! Love, love, love your site and recipes! Could you resend me your Trader’s Joe List too?
Just resent!
Thanks for saying you would resend the Trader Joe list. However, I did not receive it. Perhaps you needed my info, so am sending this and a big thank you!
I did resend when you first requested, but just to be safe, I just sent it again.
AMAZING and sooo easy to make! I think this will be my go to bread recipe!
I made this bread yesterday and it tastes great, but my loaves are really flat and wide. I’m wondering if I should have kneaded it longer. I’m not sure where I went wrong.
I don’t think it’s kneading – sounds more like a little extra flour will do the trick to help them hold their shape.
Me too!!!! Im so bummed. Tastes good, but not as pretty as I’d like.
Can anyone pass along Mel’s first list for Trader Joe’s favorites? I finally get to go today but can’t find the first list :(. (Got the second list.). Thanks!!
I just resent it to you (via email). Let me know if you don’t get it!
Wahoo! Got it! You are awesome! Thank you!
Hi Mel- You’re the best!
When you bake this in a convection oven do you lower the temperature 25 degrees?
No, I keep it the same – but that’s mostly because my oven seems to be on the cool side at that temperature. Each oven will be a bit different. If it’s looking overly browned, you could decrease the temperature halfway through
I made this bread today to eat with our dinner. It was great. My husband asked why I didn’t make this type of bread sooner. I would like to make just one loaf since there is just the 2 of us and we don’t need 2 loafs at once. I am freezing the 2nd loaf and sliced left overs from first loaf to make garlic bread next time we eat spaghetti. I may try to cut the recipe in half next time I make it and hope it will come out just as well. I followed Mel’s suggestion to go light on the flour – ended up using just under the 5 1/2 cups. Used one cup white whole wheat and 4 cups white all purpose.
Glad you liked it, Dianne! And you can definitely cut all the ingredients in half for one loaf.
I’ve made this, along with just about every other bread/roll recipe on your site with great results. I have always had a love for bread making but it wasn’t until I stumbled across your site about 5 years ago that I actually got to be any good at it. After purchasing many books over the years, it was the recipes on your site that finally made things click and I began to get great results. It was amazing! Now at any time you can find a stash of hamburger buns (made with your french bread rolls recipe), buttermilk rolls (those are the best I’ve ever made!) or pizza dough in our freezer. My whole family thanks you!
Thank you so much, Erin! That made my day!
Just made two loaves of French bread today with my kids. Super easy recipe and both loaves look great. We can hardly resist cutting into them right now but they’re still popping hot!
We lack the same self-control!
Just made two loaves of French bread today with my kids. Super easy recipe and both loaves look great. We can hardly resist cutting into them right now but they’re still popping hot!
Rating this bread on ease of making, have yet to taste it’s yummy goodness.
look at that color! Perfect bread! My grandmother used to bake a bread that we called French bread!
Do you think this would fair well in a bread machine on the dough cycle? Thanks, love your stuff!!!
I’ve never used a bread machine, but as long as the quantity of ingredients fits in there, I think it should work!
I made it in the bread machine and it was a hit with the whole family! Thanks!!
Do you have the weight measurements for the flour to share? And any other ingredients you may weigh?
I don’t include weight measures for the flour because the exact amount for yeast bread recipes will vary depending on elevation, humidity, etc. But for me where I live, I use about 27 1/2 to 30 ounces.
I’ve been making this lovely bread for a while now, and have always done rising method #1, as I believe that was the only method on your original post. Rising method #2 is less time consuming, in that you don’t have to go back every ten minutes to stir, but is there a benefit (that you know of) to doing one method over the other?
That’s a great question, Nancy, and I should have clarified in the post today. Thanks for asking. I prefer doing rising method #1…and maybe that’s because it’s how I learned to make this bread. I feel as though it gives a slightly fluffier texture to the bread. However, because I make this bread all the time, there have been many days when I need to make the dough and leave the house while it rises (and I don’t have time to watch the clock for 10-minute intervals). That’s where rising method #2 comes in. I’ve used it many times over the years, and the differences in texture/fluffiness are not significant enough to say method #1 is the only way to go. Make sense? Basically, if I’m home and available, I do rising method #1, if not, I plop the dough in a bowl and use method #2.
Thank you! It’s great to know there is another method that works almost as well 🙂 There have been times where I’ve wanted to make this but then realize I don’t have time to do the 10 minute intervals and end up either doing without the bread or just picking up a loaf at the store. Never again! I’ll stick to method #1 as much as possible and use method #2 in a pinch! Love this bread!
Thanks for clarifying!! I am a long time fan of this recipe and was wondering the same thing! I’m excited to try the ice cubes too!
This was so amazing!
Looks delicious! Just a comment on the slashing topic… I’ve been baking French bread for 20 years, and I’ve always cut my slashes on the top of the loaf as soon as I get it on the pan, before raising. No chance of deflation this way.
Thanks, Audrey! I’ve tried it that way before, too, but then my gashes and slashes tend to spread out and become wide ravines as the bread rises…know what I mean?
Actually making it now. How long would you say it should sit to double in size? I’m in OH. Today’s the first day of Summer and the AC. is on. The temp is 73 and I’ve blocked the vent in the itxhen so it’s not so freezing. Not sure if that’s something that helps lol. I only ask because I tried a bread recipe yesterday and it was as hard as a rock 🙁
With that temperature, I’d probably say about an hour, maybe an hour and a half.
Good recipe! I’ve been looking for a good, easy French bread recipe for a while and this is it! The only criticism I have is with the amount of salt. 1 Tbsp is too much imho. I made it a second time with 1tsp of salt and it was to die for! Thank you so much for all your effort you put into your blog!
Thanks for the feedback, Tim!
Hi! I love your site and recipes. I just made this bread is absolutely delicious but it didn’t brown very much. It is still quite light in color, any thoughts?
Sometimes it’s simply the placement of the oven rack. I’ve found with different ovens that my breads bake better in the top third – and my current oven, they brown better in the bottom third. Also, try turning the temperature up 25 degrees (it’s possible your oven bakes on the cool side).
Mel, we love French Bread anyway it is served! I do have a question. When purchasing bread I always look for Italian because we love the flavor of it even more!!! What is the difference – there definitely is one? I am wondering if you know what it is.
Hi Brenda, I don’t know what/if the difference is. I heard one time it’s basically the same, just packaged differently but honestly, I have no idea. Sorry I’m not more help!
Made this using garlic salt in place of the salt, and added a TBSP of Italitan Seasoning…OH MY GAWD! Hands down AWESOMESAUCE! And it’s just my first time making french bread at all!
What a fantastic idea! I’ve made this bread multiple times (it’s actually in the oven as I type this) but I love the idea of adding some seasoning.
I add the seasonings when I use this recipe for pizza crust.
Mel you saved the day! I needed a bread to go with dinner I was taking to a friend and although this recipe was new to me I knew I could trust you- the loaves were beautiful and tasted delicious!! Thank you for such delicious reliable recipes!!
Hi Mel – great website. Got back into bread making now that my kids are out of the house and my wife & I are empty nesters. I tried this recipe out and it worked perfectly (used 5/6 freshly milled wheat flour, 1/6 all purpose white). Went well with my wife’s homemade turkey soup for lunch :). Thanks for all the bread recipes here and I’m looking forward to trying more – especially the ciabatta!
How would you change this to make a traditional hard crust?
Hi Jim – impressed with your bread baking skills! Usually a hard crust can be had by adding a pan of boiling water to the bottom of the oven and/or spritzing the bread with water while baking. Good luck!
I just purchased the French bread pan you recommended on your kitchen gifts. I am a little confused after reading some of the reviews. Do I still make 2 loaves or 4. Help please :). Thanks so much!
Hi Rachel – are you wondering if this recipe makes two loaves or four? I split the dough into two parts, shape and bake two loaves (using a large baking sheet or a French bread pan like you just bought that bakes two loaves at a time). Does that make sense?
I’ve made this recipe several times, and every time I do the slits with a serrated bread knife (going quickly) the whole thing collapses. Its frustrating. Any thoughts???
It takes a really (like, super super) sharp knife or bread lame to get the cuts into the bread without it collapsing and often a really sharp razor works better than a serrated bread knife. You could leave out that step altogether (it makes the bread look prettier but doesn’t affect the taste).
I use a kitchen shears to make the slashes.
Can I freeze the dough? What would I change or would I thaw it out overnight? Would love to make a couple batches ahead of time to have on hand when we want a fresh loaf. Also there’s only 2 of us and I know this recipe makes 2 loaves. Thanks.
I usually freeze this after it’s been baked and cooled – I haven’t tried it with just the dough.
This was heavenly! The only problem is I didn’t want to stop eating it! Glad there were two loaves!
Do you think I could split the dough in half (or thirds) and make French baguettes? How would that alter the baking instructions? I made this recently and my family loved it! I got a baguette pan and want to try it out. Thanks for so many delicious recipes!
Sure! I have a similar type pan and it works great. I usually take a few minutes off the baking time since the pan I have is perforated and the bread bakes more quickly
Thanks Mel! I did it and it worked great. They were so delicious!
Love this recipe! It’s rising now and I’m making it into subs for your meatball sub recipe. As others have said, this also makes the BEST french toast ever, so I always make an extra loaf. I love to use vanilla sugar if I have it on hand too. I will say, I did have better luck when I kneaded this by hand. I tried the first time just using the bread attachment, but it didn’t rise as much. That being said, I love making bread and kneading is almost like therapy for me, so I felt a little sad taking that step out anyway! Have to take out tension somewhere!
this is such an awesome bread recipe. I’ve made it numerous times now and it always turns out great!
I make a few loaves of this bread at least every couple of weeks, and we devour it within about 48 hours. I usually mix it up with how much wheat flour I use, sometimes I make it into 4 baguettes instead of bigger loaves… but this week, I added about 3 tablespoons of wheat germ, and used about 3/4 spelt flour. With one of the loaves I also sprinkled some mixed seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, flax seeds, and some others) over the rolled out loaves, so they are all in the dough once it is rolled out, and then sprinkled some on top right before baking as well. Oh my gosh, so good! I ate three slices straight from the oven… I love this recipe because it is so versatile, so I feel safe experimenting and still knowing we’ll have great bread! Thanks Mel!
Can you remind me how to do the egg wash? I really like it but don’t remember. I also still do the cornmeal. It’s the best.
Just whisk together an egg with a tablespoon or two of water and brush that on top.
Thank you for this recipe! I made four loaves of the French bread today. My husband and I eat sugar free, so I adjusted the recipe a little bit. I substituted the 2 tbsp of sugar for 2 tsp onion powder and 2 tsp garlic powder. I also used olive oil instead of vegetable oil. I used Better for Bread flour as well. I made two of the loaves this way, and then I brushed olive oil, minced garlic, garlic powder, and onion powder on the tops of the loaves. So delicious! For the other two loaves, I made them the same way but added more toppings. I rolled sliced jalapeños and shredded cheese up in the third loaf and I rolled marinara sauce and cheese up in the fourth loaf. Big hit with the husband!
I love this recipe and have made it too many times to count. Recently, it’s been dense and the texture is a little off. What could I be doing wrong? Thanks!
Hi Sally, glad you love this recipe. It’s nearly impossible for me to know what might be going on with the bread these last few times you’ve made it, especially without more detail. Have you moved to a different house/location? Higher or lower elevation? More or less humidity? Those factors can make a difference. Have you floured the dough any differently than in the past?
I don’t see anywhere regarding the type of flour I should use: a-p or bread?
Thanks!
Never mind…ended up using bread flour and it is positively lovely. Rave reviews from my family. Thanks for the awesome recipe.
I usually use unbleached all-purpose.
True French Bread, by LAW in France, has nothing but yeast, salt, flour, and water. That is by law in their country.
Finally! I have tried bread recipe after bread recipe and they’re always tough and dry. This one turned out perfect. I’ll be adding this one to the rotation for sure. Soft and delicious. Thank you!
It’s me again, the same Stephanie from above. I just wanted to let you know that this bread also works in a loaf pan to make a fantastic sandwich bread. It’s the same time and everything. The only difference is that the bottom doesn’t get quite as crunchy but that could be because I baked it on stoneware the first time and in a glass loaf pan the second time. Both ways are fantastic! Thanks again!
Awesome, Stephanie! Thanks for checking back in to let me know about the loaf pan!
Hi Mel! Found your recipe through Pinterest and made it today. Read it thoroughly and read your working with yeast directions. Very helpful instructions and fantastic recipe. I found it a little difficult to roll out on a well greased surface because it was so elastic and keep pulling back into a small rectangle, but once I got it to the right size, it rolled beautifully. By the time I popped it in the oven, I was so excited. It looked amazing. It tasted even better. We demolished half of the first loaf before dinner and finished the other half with dinner. So, so good. I can’t wait to make it again. Thank you!!!
Thanks for this recipe. I’m making it for the second time right now. I’m just curious about why this bread has to be kneaded and rise five separate times. I’m fairly new to bread baking still, but I’ve never seen a recipe like this before. Does it change the flavor or texture compared to just doing the traditional 2 rises? Just curious about the baking science. 🙂 Thanks!
Jenn – From my experience (when I just let the bread rise normally like other bread recipes), the five separate 10-minute rise times adds a chewiness and airiness to the bread that isn’t there without those steps. I’m not sure of the exact science but I just know the bread tastes and looks better. 🙂
Hello Mel , thank you so much for all the work you do to make me a better baker! I never thought I would ever make my own bread, but it’s been a couple of months since I’ve started, and the whole family thanks you!:)
I’m getting a little daring here, and planning to make a couple of this french bread for sandwiches to take for a picnic lunch.. I would like to bake the bread ahead of time, freeze and then re-heat on the morning of the picnic to build the sandwiches.. I wanted to ask, how to and in what to wrap the loafs and how to reheat the bread.. I trust your advice more than all the tips on the internet.. Hope to hear from you..
Once again, Thank you so much!
Hi Anne – so happy you are a bread baking expert! I love hearing that! Ok, so on this french bread, I would make it, bake it and let it cool completely. Then double bag or put in a freezer bag and freeze. If it were me, I wouldn’t reheat at all. I’d just take it out of the freezer the night before you want to make sandwiches and let it sit at room temp until the morning. If you want warm bread, I’d do the same (let it thaw overnight) but then cover in foil and pop it in a 325 degree oven for 5 or so minutes. Good luck!
Thank you so much! That is exactly what I did and it was fantastic!! Appreciate all that you do!! 🙂
First, thank you for putting all the best recipes in one place. I’ve tried lots of them and am rarely disappointed. You are one of my 3 go-to recipe sites (the others are ATK and King Arthur so you are in excellent company!)
Have you ever doubled this bread recipe and if you have, do you double the yeast? I know that doubling the yeast is not necessary for lots of recipes and wondered what your experience has been. I’m going to be making this x10 (in probably 2 batches) for yw camp this summer and am trying to determine the yeast ratio for this one.
Michelle – Yes, I have doubled (and tripled the recipe). For a doubled batch, I use double the yeast. For a triple batch, I just use a doubled amount of yeast plus an extra 1/4 teaspoon.
thank you!!
My loaves were wider and flat on the bottom……are they suppose to be more like baguettes??? What should i do different? The dough was sticky….was it to sticky????
Shannon – It sounds like you need more flour – that will help the loaves hold their shape. I think THIS tutorial will help answer your question. The French bread is meant to be light and fluffy.
I found you on pinterest and decided to try your French bread recipe. I’ve attempted French bread a few times and haven’t been successful in making it as good as bakery bought bread. We are planning to use the bread to make roasted veggie and turkey panini’s for supper tonight. My husband live fresh French bread so I’m hoping this turns out as well for me as it seems to have for everyone else who as left a comment.
Thank you, I almost added a bit more water but was afraid I would mess it up. Had I checked back I would have added some. Just came out of the oven a few minutes ago and it smells wonderful. Not nearly as pretty shaped as yours. DD and I did a quick taste and it tastes great, much better than store bought. Hopefully there will still be some left when DH gets home from work tomorrow morning so he can try some LOL
Making this now. I started with the 5.5 cups of flour, figured I could add more to the 6 if needed but even at 5.5 I think it might be over floured. My dough is smooth and soft but not sticky at all after it’s first kneading in the machine. I assume it’s going to make it a heavier less puffy bread? I’ll proceed with the stirring and resting for the remainder of the recipe and see how it all turns out and post the results. Next time I guess I need to add even less than the 5.5 cups to obtain the slightly sticky texture it’s suppose to have?
Hi Pamela – if the dough is overfloured then yes, the bread might turn out a bit heavy. If that happens again, sometimes I drizzle in a tablespoon or so of water and let the dough mix a bit to soften it up slightly.
This bread was yummy, but it wasn’t fluffy and didn’t raise well. It definitely wasn’t the size of a typical french bread loaf, but smaller and dense. I am new to baking with wheat flour. I used half white whole wheat flour and half white flour. How do you get it to rise? I gave it about an hour and 15 minutes to rise, but didn’t have more time than that before dinner. Yours looks so pretty!
Hi Katie – with whole wheat flour, I always try to knead longer (this recipe is a bit unusual in how it is being kneaded but you could increase the number of times or mix it longer). Also, take care not to overflour. Wheat flour naturally makes a bread dough slightly more dense and overflouring only compounds that. The dough is usually slightly sticky (but easily forms a ball if a small piece is rolled in your hand). Hope that helps!
Mel-was the 1 TBSP of salt a typo? My bread turned out pretty salty. It was perfect other than that. Next time I’ll cut it in half.
Danielle – no, it isn’t a typo. Sorry it was too salty for your taste! You might want to cut it down to 2 teaspoons next time.
Listen, I have not yet tried your recipe. I thank you in advance as I am new to breads. I recently moved to Colombia, yes the country not Columbia in South Carolina, USA, and the bread here is horrendous. I am being forced to learn to bake bread so that I can survive here. You would not believe how bad the flour is here. I am desperate to import some real flour from the USA or Canada. What I to complain about is your complete lack of specification of what type of flour to use. All purpose, standard, bromated, durum, bread flour, artisan flours? The one thing that I do know is that flour is ‘everything’ to baking. Please provide some details in your recipe ingredients. Otherwise, keep on rockin as I enjoy the site.
Pal – I use unbleached all-purpose or white whole wheat flour or a combination of both. You could definitely experiment with other types of flours thought. Good luck!
I made this French bread this morning and it was so delicious! I loved the flavor and the soft plush texture. It also was very easy to make , this was my first time making a French bread loaf. My family loved it and we have already eaten 1 whole loaf! I plan on making another batch tonight so we can try your French bread pizza.
Delicious and easy…my two favorite elements in a recipe!
Mel- i love this recipe! Thank you SO MUCH for posting. its perfect exactly the type of crust/fluffy interior i prefer, i’ve made 4 loaves in the past week because i keep thinking up ways to use it! the first two loaves went to french bread pizzas, SO SO GOOD. i tried it fresh out of the oven ( cooled) with just butter- fantastic- and then made garlic bread- this morning i tried it for french toast. SERIOUSLY that turned out really the best i’ve ever made at home with bread from scratch. french bread for french toast. HMM. i feel sad i had years of mediocre french toast because i hadn’t found this recipe for the bread!
Hi Mel- i made this yesterday and OMG thank you SO much for posting it, this is my keeper for the best bread i ever made, the crust was crispy ( i have a pizza stone but baked these loaves on a baking sheet with a silicon mat) “soft” french bread interior which is just what i wanted, i just finished lunch and it was the best french bread pizza base ( hot chicken sausage and cheese) and garlic cheese bread. what a lovely recipe you have posted i’m so happy with my loaves and i am so glad i decided to make the two loaves, it was easy to make, i just kept mine in the stand mixer with dough hook, also i used instant yeast and bread flour, the result was a soft fluffy crumb and crispy crust. i WILL test it for french toast as recommended by the other reviews. for others wondering should i – YES! make this bread!
What is this egg wash people are talking about in their comments? Did I miss something? My bread did not look like the pic and was a bit dense. I’m new to bread making so any helpful hints would be appreciated! This is my first “Mel” recipe that didn’t turn out, and I’m sure it’s me, not the recipe. Your recipes are a staple in this household. Love your site!!
Hi Ami – the recipe when I first posted it years ago included an egg wash prior to baking but I haven’t used it in years and years so I took it out of the recipe, especially since it isn’t used on the bread in the pictures. I’m guessing if your bread was too dense, you might have overfloured a bit or needed a longer rising time. Good luck if you try it again!
I just made this today and it is delicious. Mine for some reason did not get as brown as the one in your picture but was definitely done and crunchy. Also, any idea why my bread “split” on the side? Thanks for yet another great recipe!
Danielle – sometimes bread will split like that if there are air bubbles within that side of the crust or if it was pressed too thin in that area while rolling it into a loaf. Hope that helps a bit! (Also, placing your oven rack in the top third of the oven can sometimes help the bread to brown better.)
hi mel…im going to have a late dinner today (8pm), and i would like to make
righ know the dough, and have ready just to bake at last minute…should i put the dough on the fridge,
Marina – yes, this dough can be refrigerated. Just let it come to room temp and let it rise the second time before baking.
hi mel 2 question.
1.- if I used olive oil, the flavor is diferente?
2.- I have UNBLEACHED flour, can i used?
Marina – yes, the flavor will be different with olive oil but you could experiment. And yes, unbleached flour will work just fine.
Do you put something on the top of the bread before baking?
Hi Jenny – previous versions of the recipe included an egg wash but now (for the last couple years of making it), I don’t put anything on it prior to baking.
Nevermind! I didn’t realize that they’re two pages of comments and you already answered my question. Excellent recipe!
Oh man, another winner!! Great recipe. I recently decided to try my hand with vital wheat gluten and I added 1 teaspoon to every 1 cup of flour I used. My loaves did not turn out as golden brown as yours. As it was baking for the 25 mins I was reading the comments and I see one mentioned an egg wash. I do not see that in your recipe. Do you use an egg wash to get it that brown? I tend to find anytime I have to “wash” a bread recipe before going in the oven it deflates. Any tips on avoiding that?
Hi, I hope this isn’t a silly question – what kind of oil do you use? I love your blog!! Thanks for all the work you do.
Hi Amber – I use vegetable or canola oil.
All of the reviews were right. This was the best bread that I,personally, have ever made. I will admit that I was skeptical; my bread machine is my best friend, but I wanted to give it the best possible chance and it was soooo worth it! I was going to halve the recipe since there are only three of us, but I am glad I didn’t. I made half into a loaf, and the other half into mini-loaves for French Dips and it got rave reviews all around 🙂 My only regret is that I didn’t find you earlier, Mel!
Mel,
All 4 loaves turned out awesome. I even sent one home with a friend who just couldn’t believe they were homemade! Thanks so much!
Mel! I love this bread! I make it with bread flour and it works awesome. I use this bread to make your freezer garlic bread (yum!). I tried to double the recipe today and realized I need a bigger kitchen aid. But I only had to use about 9 cups of flour, not 11 to 12 like the recipe states. I’m hoping it still comes out the way the normal recipe does. Ever doubled it? Thanks!
Hi Juli – I double this a lot and don’t think you should worry about the flour amount. Bread is so finicky…depending on the temperature of my house or the humidity or whatever, I have to add different amounts of flour to many bread recipes. Hope it worked out!
This bread is so delicious!! We make it often- it goes great with a lot of different dinners. 🙂
Nevermind, just saw the comment above mine!
Could you give me an estimate of how long it should take for the loaves to double in size?
About how long do you think it takes for the bread to “double in size”? I’m going to make this bread tonight (I’m so excited about all the great reviews) but I don’t want to mess it up! 🙂
Kalee – it really depends on the temperature of your kitchen but an estimate would be an hour to an hour and a half.
Mel…. am I going CRAZY?
I’m reading all these comments with people posting about “egg wash” and I’m scratching my head wondering how I missed it in your recipe…. yet I’ve read and re-read it and don’t see any mention of the egg wash!!!
That nice brown crust you have in the photo: is that with the use of egg wash or NOT? Thanks!!!!
Hi Jen – no you aren’t going crazy. This recipe has been slightly changed over the years and I’m sorry if it is confusing. Several years ago, I used to use the egg wash but I haven’t done so in years and so the bread in the pictures is without the egg wash (which is why it isn’t in the ingredient list anymore). Nothing else has substantially changed in the recipe except for me providing a bit more detail to the instructions.
Question- when I sliced the loaves after letting them rise, they kind of deflated. Not a lot, just got a little wrinkly on top. 🙁 Are you supposed to cut prior to letting them rise?
Hi Lacee – if you slice the loaves prior to rising, the gashes kind of fill in and don’t hold their shape. Using a really, really sharp knife or actual bread lame (used for slicing loaves) makes a huge difference. I’ve used a knife I thought was sharp enough before and it did the same thing – but when I use a really sharp razor blade, it helps. Also, make sure your bread dough is adequately floured. And underfloured dough will be more likely to collapse a bit.
Made this today to go with my most favorite recipe ever, your creamy chicken wild rice soup. The bread turned out great! I subbed 1 cup of flour for white wheat and the texture is perfect! Thanks Mel!
I love this recipe! I make it all the time, whenever I forget that I want bread for dinner and don’t have time to wait for two rises. This comes out perfectly each time! Thanks so much
I absolutely love this recipe and so did my family! Definitely a keeper!
Used the second loaf for French toast the next day, good stuff 🙂
This bread is amazing. My husband actually said “I didn’t even know it was possible to make such delicious bread at home. I thought you could only buy it.” Ummm, thanks honey?
Thanks for sharing so many great recipes, love your site!
-J
I’ve made this several times, and it’s always delicious! I’ve even changed it up some, using honey or whole wheat flour. So good! Your recipes are always spot on!
This bread came out really salty. Everyone said it tasted like a pretzel. I was disappointed. It was really crusty and dark on the outside but gummy on the inside.
I had never made bread before and some ladies in my baby group said this bread was “it.” I have to agree. It turned out great, to my surprise. So addictive. The whole family loved it and munched on it till all was gone. Makes you want to stop buying bread and just make it. Trying the rolls tonight and the perfect chocolate chip cookie. Loved the Chocolate chip Peanut butter Oatmeal cookies too. Anywho…lovin’ your site and trying one recipe to the next.
Darn good recipe! My non-bread lover had two pieces with garlic butter on it! All the other bread lovers in the family finished off 1 loaf in one sitting along with our spaghetti. Thank you, definitely a keeper!
thank you so much for your help. winter colds have hit all 3 kids and the hubby, homemade chicken noodle soup and french bread are being requested. thank you again for your help and wonderful site!!!
Hi Staci – yep, you can use the same amount (officially, I think you are supposed to use something like 75% less instant yeast but I always just use the amount in the recipe).
Thank you! that is what i have also. Would it be the same amount?
so sorry but i think i missed the type of yeast used…?
Hi Staci – the recipe is tailored for active dry yeast (because it proofs in water) but you can also use instant yeast. That’s what I always use and I just skip the proofing step and throw everything in together to mix and knead.
Hi Mel!
Found your website yesterday on my lifelong search for the “perfect french bread” recipe! Everyone’s comments convinced me to try your so I did. I made it in the afternoon and let it come to room temp this morning. Was a little hopeful that it would turn out to be “the” recipe! Well I must say it really did rise! My mother said refrigerator dough never does but being stubborn I have to try things myself! It really is the BEST french bread I’ve ever made! I have 2 questions though, 1) when I took it out of the fridge this morning & turned it out onto my doughboard it was real “rubbery & dense” feeling! Is that normal? 2) It tastes great but it is extremely chewy. Is that normal? Did I do something wrong? Or is that how it’s supposed to be? I love your website and all your adorable children! Cherish this time of your life because believe it or not it goes quickly! Thanks for all you do!
Hi Eve – bread dough can definitely take on a bit of a different texture right out of the refrigerator if it has been chilled so I think what you felt was normal. Also, flavor and texture change/develop when yeast doughs are refrigerated overnight (or longer). In many cases, this is desirable and is how many artisan-style loaves are made. My guess is that the ultra chewy texture came from letting it rest in the refrigerator overnight. Did you use bread flour? That can also give it a chewy texture. When I make this bread (same day with no refrigeration) it isn’t chewy really, more soft and bready.
THANK YOU 🙂
Amber – yes, it is 2 tablespoons sugar.
I made this bread last night…. it was a HUGE hit with the fiance!!!! One question, how much sugar am I supposed to use? 2Tbs or 2Tsp? I got confused becuase it says 2T but everything else asys #Tbs… Thank you for sharing this WONDERFUL recipe!
Let me just tell you, this is seriously the BEST and most FANTASTIC French bread that I have ever tasted. I made this for a sandwich bread to bring to a baby shower and let me just tell you, it didn’t even need the chicken salad on it! It was SO GOOD and took my sandwiches to a whole other level. Make this bread! You will NOT be disappointed!
Don’t tell my mother…but I pulled up your recipe online before pulling her’s out of my recipe box when I wanted to make french bread today. (It’s been 4-5 years.) Then, come to find out, they are pretty much the exact same. It was amazing! Thanks!
P.S. I made an offhand comment the other day, I believe in reference to your corn bread, and it was something like “She usually puts her’s in a 8×8, but I wanted more top layer, so I put it in a 9×13.” And my husband, without even asking who I was talking about, or stopping to clarify, just continued the conversation….knowing that when I say “she” and a sentence dealing with cooking, it’s you! =) I thought it was funny! Thanks so much for ALL of the amazing recipes!!
I love that this bread comes together so quickly… 2 hours?! My husband won’t let me buy store bought bread anymore. Thanks alot Mel! 😉
I made this bread tonight for the first time. I used my bread maker to mix, knead and rise the dough. It made it so easy! It turned out perfect, just like your picture. The egg wash makes a huge difference. My husband cannot believe all your recipes. After he had a piece of the bread, he asked “is this from that website?” Ha! He said “that website is the best”. I agree 🙂
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!
What size loaf pan are we baking this bread in? I want to try it.
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!
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!)
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. : )
Just sliced into this bread…never thought such good bread would ever come out of myown oven! It is amazing!!
Shannon – yes, you could definitely modify forming these loaves into 4 thinner baguettes. Hope you liked the end result!
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 🙂
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!
This is the best french bread I have ever made! It was so easy! I will be making this again!
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?
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?
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).
This was incredibly delicious. Thank you!
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!
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!
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!
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.
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!
Making this again today, to dip with some Barbecued Shrimp. Will be a hit again, I’m sure!
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 : )
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!
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
Great, thank you!! 🙂
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.
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!
Just had this for dinner – it was so, so, so good!! So easy to make too!
Thanks, Melissa!
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!
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!
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.
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!
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 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!
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??
Sonya – what a great idea to make mini loaves. Love it! Thanks for letting me know these worked out for you!
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.
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.
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. 🙂
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).
That looks good! Fresh homemade bread is one of the best things!
This sounds just like the recipe that I use. I love it!
Thanks everyone for your nice comments! That’s why I love the blogging world – you always feel like a million bucks. 🙂
Ohhhhh – myyyyy! My stomach is growling – yummy!
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!
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!
Domestic Kate – thanks for trying this and letting me know you liked it! I clicked over to your blog and your bread looks fantastic!
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!
What a beautiful loaf of bread! I love your blog 🙂
that’s a nice-looking loaf o’ bread. soft and dense, you say? sounds fabulous to me.
Thanks for posting! I never thought I could actually make homemade French bread, but this recipe was pretty easy, and it tasted fantastic.
Yay, Elizabeth! I’m glad it turned out for you. This is one of my favorite bread recipes!
Well, let another recipe I know I’ll be trying very soon. Your loaf looks wonderful!
I made this today and it is fantastic! I will not be buying french bread from the store anymore!
So glad you like this! It IS fabulous! 🙂 You’re getting me in the mood now. 🙂
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.
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!
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!
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!
What type of yeast is best for this recipe?