Easy Homemade French Bread
Homemade French bread has never been easier! This simple recipe produces a light and fluffy loaf of French bread that will rival any bakery!
This easy homemade French bread is so simple and perfect for a bread making beginner.
But as you can see from all the comments below, it’s just as valued by expert bread makers, too!
Making French Bread Dough
This straightforward bread dough can be made in a stand mixer or by hand.
- Warm water
- Yeast (instant or active dry yeast)
- Bit of sugar and oil
- Salt
- Flour (all-purpose or bread flour)
At the start, the dough will look shaggy and rough.
But as it kneads, it will become soft and smooth.
The most important part of this dough (and other yeast doughs) is to judge the amount of flour by the look and feel of the dough rather than the exact amount of flour called for in the recipe.
Factors such as humidity, elevation, room temperature, how we each measure flour, and more can affect the amount of flour added. So don’t stress about precise flour measurements and continuously feel the dough to achieve a soft dough that is slightly tacky but doesn’t leave a lot of residue on your fingers.
Too little flour and the dough will be a mess to handle. Additionally, the bread won’t hold its shape as it rises and bakes.
Too much flour and the dough won’t rise well and the bread will be tough and dense.
Two Methods for Dough Rising
In the recipe, there are two methods to letting the dough rise:
- Leave the dough in the mixer, cover with a lid or towel, and let the dough rest for 10 minutes. Stir it down by turning on the mixer for 10 seconds or so. Repeat the “rest and stir down” cycle five more times.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover with a towel or greased plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until doubled, about an hour or so, depending on the warmth of your kitchen.
I alternate between the two methods depending on my mood. The 10-minute increment rising method is unique to this original French bread recipe. The idea is that allowing the dough to rise this way produces a lighter crumb.
But the more traditional rising method also results in a delicious, fluffy loaf.
How to Shape French Bread Loaves
The question I get asked the most about this easy homemade French bread is how to shape the loaves.
The loaves can really be made any size or shape; I usually end up making 12-inch loaves, but if they end up being a bit thinner or chubbier, it’s no big deal!
Press each portion of dough into a flat rectangle and fold the bottom edge up and over the dough, pressing the seam flat with your hand.
Then, roll the dough up again to meet the top edge.
Fold the top edge over and press or pinch lightly.
Take the end of the bread dough and fold it up and over an inch or two to give an even thickness all the way down the loaf.
Pinch to seal the end. Repeat on the other end of the dough.
Then, deliberately and thoroughly pinch and seal the entire length of the loaf.
How to Score the French Bread Dough
Scoring the bread dough (in my house, also called: slashing or gashing) helps the dough rise better AND prevents it from cracking in unexpected places while baking.
Using a bread lame for this task is extremely helpful. A bread lame is a long stick or utensil with a razor blade on the end. The razor is used to make thin cuts in the dough.
If you don’t have a bread lame, using a clean, sharp razor blade or an extremely sharp kitchen knife can work. Be aware that if the knife isn’t sharp enough, it’ll likely deflate the dough.
The bread loaves can be scored before or after the final rise. I prefer to do the slashing and gashing before they rise as I’ve had one too many loaves of risen bread deflate at the first touch of the razor, and there is nothing so soul crushing as when that happens.
Let the bread loaves rise until noticeably puffy before baking.
Easy Hack for Crusty French Bread
For a delicious golden crust, immediately before putting the bread in the oven, toss 3-4 ice cubes onto the bottom of the oven. Add the bread and quickly (but gently!) close the oven door.
The steam as the ice cubes hit the toasty bottom of the oven will lightly crisp up the outer crust as the bread bakes.
Important Note! Please consult your oven’s manual for details or caution on putting ice/water on the bottom of the oven floor – I’ve never had a problem, but everyone should do their own research and use their own best judgment (also take care not to toss the ice cubes on the glass oven door as it could crack).
If you are struggling to get a deeper golden crust on the French bread, try:
- Increasing the oven temperature by 25 degrees and/or
- Moving the oven rack up one position (I find my bread browns the best in the middle or upper middle area of my oven)
Whole Wheat French Bread
As noted in the recipe, French bread works quite well using whole wheat flour. I’ve found the best results are when using white whole wheat flour (red whole wheat flour makes a denser, heavier loaf).
I recommend subbing in half whole wheat flour to start and then adding more whole wheat flour as you continue to make subsequent batches of bread.
If using whole wheat flour, add a 2-3 minutes to the kneading time to help develop the gluten (also, adding a couple tablespoons of vital wheat gluten/gluten flour can also help the whole wheat bread bake up light and fluffy).
Helpful Tip: 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).
Perfect Homemade French Bread
With over 2,500 5-star reviews, this homemade French bread has become a favorite for so many of you.
Hundreds of you have let me know that you have been intimidated by homemade bread until you found this recipe! It is easy, foolproof, and will make you feel like a bread making rock star.
Helena says: Finally, after 5 failed bread attempts using other places recipes, this is THE recipe to use! Happy dance! Thank you for sharing this awesome recipe! Delicious bread!
Valerie writes: Such a fantastic, easy recipe. The “hands on” time is minimal and it comes out perfect every time. Thanks for sharing a recipe that’s become my “to do” dinner bread!
Nichole says: Followed instructions exactly! First time making any sort of bread ever. The bread turned out perfect!!!!
Pia commented: Hands down my go-to bread recipe. Today’s edition is 1/3 dark rye flour, with Italian herbs and caraway seeds mixed in and sprinkled with everything bagel topping. Yum! Best bread recipe ever, and so easily customizable!
FAQs for Homemade French Bread
Yes! Halve all the ingredients straight across – just keep an eye on the amount of flour and judge the final amount by the look and feel of the dough.
Yes, it freezes great (after baking and cooling).
Moving an oven rack up or down can help. In my oven, the bread browns best in the upper half of the oven. Also, you can try increasing the oven temp by 25 degrees.
Absolutely! You can mix the ingredients in a bowl with a spatula or spoon and knead by hand.
I always use the same amount interchangeably. Recently, I’ve heard that active dry yeast doesn’t need to be proofed in liquid first, but I always still do when using active dry yeast (no need to proof with instant yeast).
Yes, just keep an eye on baking time – smaller loaves may need less baking time.
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Easy Homemade French Bread
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups warm water, 110-115 degrees F
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon instant or active dry yeast (see note)
- 2 ¼ teaspoons salt (see note)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, canola oil, vegetable oil or avocado oil
- 5 ½ – 6 cups (781 – 852 g) all-purpose flour or bread flour (see note)
Instructions
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the water sugar and yeast. If using active dry yeast, let the mixture bubble and foam before proceeding (this can take 3-5 minutes). If using instant yeast, proceed with the recipe (no need to let the yeast activate).
- Add the salt, oil and 3 cups of flour and mix. Add in 2 1/2 to 3 more cups of flour gradually. The dough should clear the sides of the bowl and form a soft ball that doesn't leave a lot of dough residue on your fingers.
- Knead for 2-3 minutes until the dough is smooth. If the dough starts to cling to the sides of the bowl (or the center column if using a Bosch or other mixer with a center), add 1/4 cup of flour at a time until a sturdy but soft ball of dough forms.
- Rising Method 1: Leave the dough in the mixer, cover with a lid or towel, and let the dough rest for 10 minutes. Stir it down by turning on the mixer for 10 seconds or so. Repeat the "rest and stir down" cycle five more times.
- Rising Method 2: Instead of letting the dough rest for 10 minute spurts and then stirring it down, transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover with a towel or greased plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until doubled, about an hour or so, depending on the warmth of your kitchen.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly greased surface and divide in half. Pat each section into a thick rectangle, 9X13-inches or thereabouts (doesn't have to be exact). Roll the dough up starting from the long edge, pressing out any air bubbles or seams with the heel of your hand, and pinch the edge to seal. Arrange seam side down on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper (I use separate baking sheets for each loaf).
- With a bread lame, razor blade or VERY sharp knife, cut several gashes at an angle on the top each loaf (you can wait to score the bread until after it rises, but it can easily deflate if the razor/knife isn't sharp enough).
- Cover the loaves with greased plastic wrap or a kitchen towel, and let rise until noticeably puffy and nearly doubled in size, about an hour.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and make sure an oven rack is in the center position. If you find your bread isn't browning as much as you like, preheat the oven to 400 or 425 degrees and/or move the oven rack up one position (watch carefully so the bread, especially the bottom, doesn't burn).
- Optional: for an extra golden, crisp crust, place the loaves in the preheated oven and immediately toss 3-4 ice cubes on the bottom of the oven. Close the oven door quickly but gently. (See note below!)
- Bake the loaves for 25-30 minutes until golden and baked through.
- If desired, brush melted butter over the hot loaves (this softens the crust a bit, so if you want a crispier crust, don't butter the top).
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: from The Sister’s Cafe
1,505 Comments on “Easy Homemade French Bread”
Love this recipe would this be able to do in little loafs for beef dips
Awesome recipe! I think this one is the best loaf ive made yet.
This was my first time making French bread and it was so yumm!! I used a KitchenAid mixer with a dough hook (I do bake rolls a lot and the recipes are pretty similar). I increased the salt to 2.5 tsp, used a mild olive oil, used the #2 rising method, and used a wash on top of 1 egg and 1 tablespoon water whisked together and lightly brushed on top (my ice maker is broken). I used wax paper but it stuck to the bottom of the bread so I just cut off the crust. Not bad for my first try. I’ll make again with a few changes…I’ll use 3 tsps salt and omit wax paper. Wish I’d found this recipe years ago… thanks for sharing!!!
My family loved this bread! This is truly a great recipe.
I was apprehensive about making this as I am not very good in making bread. But this is so easy and turns out so well!! I am so proud of myself. Thank you so much for the recipe and such detailed instruction, I really appreciate it. This recipe is a keeper!!
Great bread recipe, was easy to make and came out great. It will be hard to ever buy supermarket bread again.
Came out like a bakers batch with perforated pans! Any suggestions for how long to bake three baguettes instead of two? Thank you for the recipe.
If the loaves are significantly smaller, I’d check after about 20-22 minutes.
Delicious
Mine ended up getting very wide but not tall and round- no idea what I did wrong 🙁
Hi Nicole, sounds like your dough needs a bit more flour in order to hold structure to rise up instead of out. Try adding another 1/4 cup flour to the dough (or more, if needed).
I’m making this for the second time!!
My grandson who NEVER tries new things has requested more of this delicious French bread ,he even had me pack it in his lunch!!
This is on a weekly rotation in our family meal plan and I enjoyed making it by hand . it turned out perfect!!
Very good easy recipe & delicious. I will be keeping this one! I don’t understand how anyone could give this recipe less than 5 stars, makes no sense.
I tried this the first time and it was so good I took a loaf to a dinner party with friends. Make it all the time now. Tried something new and brushed the top of one loaf with olive oil mixed with garlic and herbs. So good and my house smells delish. Thank you for a great recipe that even the newest bread maker can follow and succeed
My family loves when I make this! So tasty
I’m out of white sugar do you suppose I can make this with honey, powdered sugar or brown sugar instead?
Honey will work great!
I’ve made a lot of bread recipes over the years and have never found one as easy as this one with fantastic results. Thank you!
We love this recipe! I would give it a five star if it called for more salt, and Mel is fantastic in mentioning that she uses less. It seemed like the flavor was lacking for us with the smaller amount of salt probably from greedy taste buds, ha. I took your advice and added more and it changed the flavor completely. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. It would be pretty neat if you could see how people (including my family) incorporate these into their family life and these meals become memories around our tables. Delicious!
Completely agree with the final comments about how recipes get incorporated into family life. This is one we go to regularly and really enjoy. Simple is great. Thanks!
Tasty bread, simple recipe. However it has more of that bready crumb texture if that makes sense. It has a chew to it but I was wishing for more of the airy pockets and pull away chew you get from a French bread. Regardless I do think it’s a good recipe and it yields a LOT. Making lasagna tonight to go with it!
This recipe never fails!! It’s perfect every single time I make it
This French bread is seriously SO tasty. The crust is crisp and chewy, and the inside is soft. This was my first time making French bread, and it turned out delicious. I will definitely be using this recipe again.
Delicious and easy to follow recipe. I made the loaves and now making hoagie loaves. Turning our great.
I made this recipe yesterday. It was easy and turned out good. It was a little heavier than I would have liked. Is it something I did or just the recipe?
It’s not going to turn out as airy as, say, the french bread at the grocery store in the foil packages (usually sold for $1 a loaf or something like that), but it should be nice and fluffy. Try letting it rise a bit longer and see if that helps.
Perfection!! I followed the directions to a T, and this was absolutely beautiful and extremely yummy!
Made this recipe tonight and, well, one loaf is completely gone even though it didn’t come out of the oven unt supper was over. Delicious!
I used 7 cups of flour and bread was still sticky and unmanageable. ??
Wet your hands a little bit to keep it from sticking but without flour. After proving dough gets less sticky and you don’t want to add too much flour.
Hi, there Mel! Well I’m your newest big fan!
I’ve made the easy creamy chicken soup with the herbs de province.
And then I saw you have an easy homemade French bread recipe. I made it today. (I’m all about the easier, the better!)
I have a stand mixer, I don’t use it often as I grew up with a hand mixer, and that is just easier for me.
Well, I guess I’ll be dragging out the big stand mixer! This bread recipe was so incredibly easy, I just couldn’t believe it. The dough rising was the longest part. I really had this whipped up in about 10 minutes!
And it’s delicious. I thought to myself, how good can it be, when it’s absolutely no trouble to make?
My husband raved about it! And that’s a good thing, I assure you! Lol
Thanks for another great recipe!
LOVE this. I do need to work on my shaping. It turned out a bit flatter and wider rather than round and narrow like the pics. Which means I’ll have to keep making it until I get it just right. And no one will be sad about this in my house!!!
Thank you so much for this amazingly easy, and yummy recipe! I feel like a chef! I used option 2, had dough rise in oven heated to 200° then turned off since it is very chilly in Denver and I was afraid that my kitchen wasn’t warm enough. Worked great!
This turned out great! I was surprised as I messed up in the beginning by not adding enough water to the yeast. I did add the rest of the water after I added some flour. Yikes!! No worries all turned out great! Next time I will do it correctly and it will be amazing! Thank you
Followed the recipe exactly; I used rising method 1. This really was the best and easiest French bread. My family LOVES it when there’s fresh bread with dinner and I can see this working mom having time at least weekly to give it to them!
Amazing but mine came out a little heavy not as light and airy as French bread in Paris. Any suggestions.
I just made this recipe with home-ground whole wheat and added the gluten. It turned out just like store-bought! I will definitely use this recipe again!
This recipe is amazing. Just baked my second batch of bread in two weeks. The bread turned out perfect. I did the “ice cube” thing in the oven and the crust was crunchy and the inside was moist and fluffy.
I have never felt confident making yeast breads but this recipe is definitely a keeper.
I only use this recipe for French bread! I love it. I make it at least twice a month!
Mine was a little dense any suggestions
I just made this bread! Such an easy recipe and the bread!!!! Oh my! It is light on the inside with a lovely crispy crust and the taste is amazing! If you love fresh, homemade bread, don’t wait! Make this bread right away!
I love all of Mel’s recipes! Without exception they never disappoint!
Can’t wait to make this. All your recipes are amazing!! Quick question. What type/brand salt do you use in your recipes and do you use different types for different recipes? Thanks!
Great recipe !!
What would I need to make this garlic bread? Will make again but for 56 loaves /14 batches
Made it today.
Worked bakery over 45 years and if our steamer was out of oven we just sprayed our breads prior to placing in oven.
Try it. It works great
Now recently retired and bake for grandkids now who absolutely love bread.
Beth you sprayed the bread with what? Water/oil? Do you put water/ice in with your oven when you bake bread at home now? Thank you!!
Made this bread and it was a hit
I love this recipe!! I’m not sure what the magic thing is, but I have never made better bread. Sometimes, after a few failed recipes trying this or that experiment in the kitchen, I come back to this one to “reset” my success-o-meter. I often will bake this and bring it to friends, with the recipe printed out just in case they want to give it a try. I have also made it “overnight” allowing the first rise to happen in the fridge while we slept, and continuing from there – but it’s truly the very best “same-day” bread I’ve ever baked or EATEN! Thank you, MEL!
We love this bread! This is my most used recipe from your site- we make this a LOT, and it’s great everytime.
Finally, after 5 failed bread attempts using other places recipes, this is THE recipe to use! I followed instructions, but sifted my bread four through a sieve and used a quart size Pyrex dish of water on a tray on the bottom rack from the moment I began preheating the oven. Happy dance! Thank you for sharing this awesome recipe! Delicious bread!
Oh man…best French bread I’ve ever made! Thank you for the tips! I will make this again and again! BTW…I made pizza out of it tonight, but plan to make a few and freeze. I’m allergic to soy and most store bought French bread has soy in it, so I never get that yummy soft goodness of French bread until now!!
Forgot to mention that I only had super cheap generic bread, so I sifted it first hoping it would make up for not having great bread. I cooked both loaves at the same time, swaped and turned them half way through…and I completely forgot to slash them before rising and was too afraid they would deflate if I tried afterwards. I’m still on a high after how great they turned out!!
How can I make this bread with a darker crust? Also, when I made the slash marks raw crust really split – advice? Novice
Hi Jackie, try slashing the bread before it rises and see if that helps. For a darker crust, increase the oven temp and/or bake in a higher position in the oven and/or brush with an egg wash prior to baking.
The crust can be browned by spritzing with water a couple of times while baking the bread.
This French bread turned out beautifully. Will keep this recipe and share it with everyone.
So many yeast recipes call for “warm water”. What is the temperature of warm water?
Also, using a stand mixer is mentioned, but no speeds. What speed do you run yours on?
Hi John – the water should be right around 105-110 degrees. Stand mixer speeds vary depending on the brand of stand mixer which is why I don’t offer a speed number in the directions. I use a Bosch mixer that runs faster than, say, a KitchenAid.
Love this bread. Turned out perfectly
I tried, I really did. Bread just doesn’t like me. I halved the recipe to make one loaf. Things seemed to be going well until the dough came out of the greased bowl after the first rise. Some stuck to the bowl anyway, with the rest almost tearing away from it. The dough was rather sticky while rolling it up and transferring it to the pan. During the second rise, it did rise up, but rather spread out. What I ended up with after baking is a wide, low, albeit tasty with a crunchy crust, loaf. Where am I going wrong?
Hi Linda, you can do this! Sounds like your dough needs a bit more flour so it isn’t quite as sticky and so it will hold its shape as it rises. Try another 1/4 to 1/2 cup flour in the half batch of dough.
It’s been 45 min in the oven and it’s not browning at all. I raised the temp to 400 and still nothing. Idk what I did wrong
This happened to me as well. Not really sure what happened. It seemed like I had plenty of flour, but if she said it wasn’t enough… maybe I’ll try more next time.
Can this recipe be made in a. Bread making machine?
I’m sorry, I don’t know! I don’t own a bread machine and haven’t tried it that way.
So I have a bread machine and prefer to use it. So first time making it I used 806 grams of flour. I have scales so that’s how I measured my flour. Added everything to the machine and turned it to the dough cycle. The dough came out really sticky. Ugh I divide the dough and worked with adding more flour. It turned out delicious and we did eat all of it. So today was my second try. I added all the ingredients and all 6 cups of flour. Let it go through the dough cycle. It turned out a lot better. I did the rising method 2 then divided the dough. It turned out great. My husband and I both love the flavor! Will be making this more in the future.
I have been making this bread with sourdough using your “lazy guide to sourdough” hack on how to add sour dough to a bread recipe. My bread looks fabulous when I pull it out of the oven, but seems to flatten out as it cools. Any tips or tricks to avoid the having my bread flatten out?!
Hi Kirstie- try baking it longer (5-10 minutes) .
This was so easy and delicious. I used the first method of rising.
Can you advise what you are using for measuring flour (AP and or bread flour).
I do weigh my flour but am from the school of measurement using 120 grams per cup of flour. Advise your cup measurement for flour and where this measurement originates from.
Just trying to figure out why yours seems to be a lot more than 120 grams per cup
I use 142 grams of flour per cup (that’s the amount I test all my recipes with).
It rose good but when I cut slits it deflated. But bread is still good, and my son approved. So my recommendation is not cut the slits.
I’ve made this a couple of times before and the crust has turned out uninspiring. But then this last time I baked it with the oven cranked to 425 to accommodate another bake and the crust turned out beautifully brown and crackly with the softest inside. I will definitely be making this one again!
Made this tonight with some bruschetta!! I have yet to try it but it smells absolutely delightful
My first time making french bread (been on a bread making kick the last couple of weeks). I needed a loaf to make garlic bread for spaghetti and not only was this recipe incredibly easy, it also made the most DEVINE loaf of garlic bread. Tha k youuu!
I am going to make a practice run before Christmas Dinner. I see the comments from the French Bread Police about no sugar and oil and was wondering if you could omit those from this recipe? I do typically like a more traditional French loaf but this recipe looks simple and has good reviews.
You can definitely try experimenting – I always make the recipe as written.
I made this recipe many time. It’s always so comforting with a nice beef stew on a cold December evening, like tonight. The ice trick makes this bread crispy on the outside and so soft in the middle!
I made this today and what an easy recipe that comes out delicious. I topped it with Parmesan cheese the last five minutes of baking. Served with spaghetti and meatballs delicious will make again
Turned out perfect, thanks for sharing!
Waste of time this recipe. Spent ages on it and ended up in the bin!
I’m surprised to here this. I have made this 3 times now (6 loaves) and it always turns out beautifully. What happened to yours?
Your page is half pop ups and how do you dedicate half the page of stories of you’re bread once or q and a asking if you can gift it to a neighbor or is it ok to microwave it? Or can it be gluten free? Like holy heck just give me the weights and go from there. How many bored housewife’s can’t figure out the recipe on the back of the flour? And it’s bread. Simple bread. Use good old olive oil. Make that oven 500 and throw a pan under it with ice cubes in it. Heck do a simple egg wash that glossy nonsense. Not that hard. And 30 questions of the utility of bread are useless come on people
You may understand bread making but you don’t understand SEO. There’s a reason this website pops up in the first few Google results over a simple, no-nonsense recipe.
It may suck for the readers, but blog owners can’t just get straight to the recipe or they’ll be stuck in the bad books of Google for copyright and poor SEO techniques.
Blame Google, not the blogger.
If you don’t want to be subjected to the pop-ups, etc., all you have to do is click on “Jump to recipe” which is right under the title of the recipe at the very top of the page. As you say “It’s not that hard.”.
Such a fantastic, easy recipe. The “hands on” time is minimal and it comes out perfect every time. The French bread loaf pans you linked made a huge difference – love how they help with the shape.
Thanks for sharing a recipe that’s become my “to do” dinner bread!
Just a little tip I recently learned, to give your bread the shiny look, place an oven-safe dish with water in it, on the bottom rack while baking your bread. It’s amazing, I will definitely try the ice cubes though, my dough is on its first rise, jm so so excited to try it! Thank you!
This bread recipe is AMAZING! So easy and yields wonderful results. I will certainly be making this again. The whole family loved it! Thanks Mel!
My family absolutely loves this recipe and truthfully, I could take both loaves and eat them both, still hot, as I fiercely fight off the family, and not feel bad about it. It was also a huge hit on a party night amongst the friends.
One thing I have found, and being new to baking bread, I thought the dough was good to go after about 4c of flour. It was still sticky, but not to the mixer. Using the full 6c (for me) gives the dough an almost dry to the touch feel and makes it VERY easy to work with, without sticking to me or the surface.
Also, no matter what I did, it wasnt browning up to the golden color…I started doing an egg wash just before putting it in the oven and it comes out beautifully!
Excellent recipe! Beautiful loaves. Delicious. I have struggled with making French bread. I don’t know why because I have been making bread for 40+ years. If you are looking for the best French bread recipe, this is it!
Used stand mixer. Followed recipe. No change. Made awesome loaves and is delicious.
This recipe is perfect. Thank you ever so much. I’m at 6000 feet elevación. I’ve been trying so many recipes. My kids are so happy, me too, thanks!
Followed instructions exactly! First time making any sort of bread ever. The bread turned out perfect!!!!
This is not French bread by any stretch of the imagination… It is more like Italian bread. French bread typically combines a mixture of flour, yeast, water, and salt – and nothing else. In fact, it is against the French law to add any oils or fats to the bread. The recipe is close to one that I have made for many years, so I am sure it is quite good.
I halved the recipe because it was my first time making it. The bread turned out beautifully in spite of a rookie mistake. After I took the dough out of the bowl after the first rise, I was concerned it didn’t have enough gluten so I kneaded it. Then I realized that this meant I would need to let it rise again. So, I let it rise another hour then finished the recipe. I got to use my new lame to slice the top and brushed egg on the outside. It is wonderful! So glad I found this recipe and that it worked out well.
Great easy recipe
The house smells so good
Everyone loves it
I wish I could show the picture the bread is so easy to make turns out great every time I make it …
I found this recipe while looking through your tips for sourdough starter. Could you use sourdough discard or starter for this recipe?
I haven’t tried that, but I’m sure you could experiment!
Do you brush the dough with anything before putting it in the oven? To help with the golden look ?
No, I don’t – but some people brush with an egg wash.
I’ve been making this for several years now and it’s a no fail recipe.
I absolutely love this recipe! I’m very new to making bread still, this is the third recipe I’ve tried and it’s definitely the winner so far! i just made the exact recipe this time but divided into four smaller loaves instead of two to make it easier to split among friends! I also sprinkle everything bagel seasoning on one just before cutting with the lame! Turns out delicious every time! Thank you for the recipe! 🙂
Lovely recipes you have and thank you for sharing it with us!
There are so many ads on the screen it’ s very slow and difficult to read.
I guess we’re supposed to accidentally click them. Adware risks is not good for your visitors.
Will have to skip this site.
The recipe and tips are free. If you read it rather than “click” you’ll never have any dealings with ads. You and your internet connection are what is slowing you down. How about being thankful for this truly amazing and easy recipe? I’m a man and never baked anything in my life. It came and comes out perfect every time.
What settings did you use on your stand mixer? I used the first setting stir in the beginning, but was not sure what setting I should movie it up to for kneading. My loafs came out tasty, but I’m sure they could have been better.
Should you knead the dough until you can do the window pane test?
Different brands of mixers might have different speeds, but I use 1 or 2 to mix and knead. I don’t necessarily use the window pane test, but you could use that to improve this bread if you are looking for little tweaks.
Hands down my go-to bread recipe.
Today’s edition is 1/3 dark rye flour, with Italian herbs and caraway seeds mixed in and sprinkled with everything bagel topping. Yum!
Best bread recipe ever, and so easily customizable!
Can I add extras like cinnamon and chocolate chips ?
I haven’t used add-ins for this recipe, but you could definitely try!
I started making bread a few months ago. This one is my favorite!
How can I make this at high altitude?
Try making it per the recipe and see how it goes? You can also google high altitude adjustments for bread if you want to try to tweak the recipe.
I have been making this bread with this recipe over and over again! It always turns out wonderfully and we love to use it for crestinis!
This is a staple in my home when my kiddos can’t seem to get enough bread! It’s fast, easy, and my family loves it. Thank you for sharing this recipe, it’s a lifetime keeper.
I’ve made this recipe lots of times. Trying it out in my steam oven today instead of using ice cubes. One question, why do you recommend rotating the sheet in the middle of the bake when doing both loaves on convection? I’ve never done it. Just curious.
It probably really just depends on the oven, but in my oven, it helps the loaves to brown evenly.
Can you cut the recipie in half
Yes
This recipe is perfection.
Mine were not crispy despite me popping ice cubes in but not the less delicious!! I will turn my oven up a bit next time and spray the loaves with water. Beautiful bread , a keeper for sure
Just made and it is amazingly delicious!!! I almost cut the recipe in half thinking it would be too much breach…but never enough bread lol. I did not use ice cubes in oven and still came out perfect!!! Another winner recipe!!! Thanks Mel
Can you omit the sugar in these recipe?
If doing this by hand without a mixer how long should you knead?
Probably 10-12 minutes – but more than anything, just keep an eye on the texture and feel of the dough and knead until it is soft and supple.
I made this today. Best bread recipe ever. My family ate it all up immediately. Now none for supper !! Thanks for your delicious recepe.
I really want to try this! Did you use regular table salt, Morton’s kosher, or Diamond Crystal Kosher? Thanks!
I use table salt. If using a coarse, kosher salt, you’ll need to increase (with Diamon crystal, you’ll likely want to double the salt amount).
For me this is a go to recipe for sandwich bread as well as a french loaf. I tried others and did not like the end results. This is easy with few ingredients and has a great flavor and crust.
I have never attended to make any kind of bread before. I followed this recipe to the letter! Even put the ice cubes in the oven. The bread turned out freaking fantastic!!!! Highly recommend
Made this for a crowd. Everyone loved it!
Thanks for the very easy and delicious bread recipe!
This is the very best bread recipe I’ve ever tried! I’ve been baking bread for years but THIS recipe is my new gem. I found it just a month ago and I’m already making it for the fourth time as I write.. It turns out PERFECT every time thanks to your fabulous directions. Thanks also for the ice cube trick! Ingenious!
Great recipi! I used a very sharp raser blade to make the slits since my knife crushed one loaf when trying, but even the flattened loaf turned out delicious! One loaf looked picture perfect and the other loaf looked like flat bread, but both were equally delicious! I used extra virgin olive oil, soo good! Better than store bought for sure! I followed the recipe exactly, great instructions!!!
I made this bread it was excellent.
This bread recipe is amazing!! Such a nice crust and soft and fluffy inside.
I made this in a dutch oven instead of on an oven tray. I also made a fruit loaf variation and put some mixed fruit, cinnamon and mixed spice in it- it was SO good!
I will definitely be using more of your recipes!
Being the first time I made it I halved the recipe. It turned out great. Love the texture. Only thing I have to say is even doing the “ice cube thing” it was crispy when it first came out of the oven byt got soft as it cooled. Next time I think I may do an egg white wash before baking to make it crispier. This recipe was a great find.
Divided the dough into thirds, spread spaghetti sauce, cheese and pepperoni on them before rolling up and baked them on a perforated baguette pan at 350 on my pellet grill. Daughter claimed it was perfection!
Just made this. The ice cube trick didn’t work for me, but the bread still came out very good. Wife and kids lived it, and so did I.
OMG! I made this for the first time tonight and followed the recipe. Here are the alterations I used : I used a pizza stone, baked the first loaf for 30 mins and it was wonderful. Then, for the second loaf, I used an egg wash and baked for 40 mins ( this one was crispier). I did BY HAND and only kneaded for the 2-3 mins. I used no more than the 6 cups of flour suggested in the recipe.
both loafs are gone lol
TRY THIS ONE OUT, just do it 😀
This recipe is a keeper. Everyone in my family loved it. We cut some slices heated in the microwave for a few seconds the put butter on it. YUM! Even without butter it was amazing. Thanks for the recipe.
I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong with this recipe. It’s very straight forward but my guess is that because I don’t have a mixer it’s not turning out. I have to mix and knead by hand and I’m not an experienced bread baker. My first attempt and the loaf came out dull so I brushed the top with butter and cooked a little longer. Looked perfect at that point but when I cut into it it was so dense!
Read into that and I let it rise a lot longer than before and tried to knead it as long as I could handle and I definitely had to have over kneaded it because it came out flat and dull again. The crust is also super hard so I probably over cooked it trying to get the nice brown color. I’m sure it’s user error and I just wish I had a kitchen aid but any tips will help!
I have raised the oven 25° and moved the loaf higher and that didn’t help the dullness
Hi Haley, it’s really hard to over-knead this dough, so I don’t think that would be the issue. My guess is that either the dough is getting over floured and needs a bit less flour and/or the shaped loaf needs to rise a bit longer before baking. What is the texture and consistency of the dough as you are kneading it?
Mel, nice recipe! Easy to make and tasted good. Thank you.
I found this recipe last year and I’ve been making this bread at least once a month usually more often. It’s amazingly easy and tastes oh so good. Horrible recipe if you’re trying to cut carbs, very addictive especially warm!!
I made this bread and it was so easy and delicous. Think i will try and add fresh herbs next time. Never thought i could make french bread. So easy. And the ice cubes gave it the perfect crust. Thank you. Definitely a five star recipe in my cook book.
Wonderful! Nearly 100 times better than what you can find at a chain grocery store. The first loaf is nearly gone on the same day and the second is waiting in the freezer after the first proof.
Mine came out a little flat. I think maybe my package of yeast was shy of a TBSP. C: Still tasty tho. Thank you!
I just made this bread this afternoon to go with my smoked London broil! OMGOSH!!! This came out soo good! The texture and all. First time I’ve ever thrown ice cubes on the bottom of the oven. I used to just put a pan of water on the bottom of the oven. Thank you!!!
I just made this bread this afternoon to go with my smoked London broil! OMGOSH!!! This came out soo good! The texture and all. First time I’ve ever thrown ice cubes on the bottom. I used to just out a pan of water in. Thank you!!!
ive tried making bread for some time now and this recipe worked flawlessly!! easy to make and came out as pictured! Thanks
I am not a baker or even come close to being one . Your homemade bread recipe was great. Easy to follow, easy to understand. More importantly the taste and texture was perfect. Made 2 loaves yesterday they were gone before dinner was over with. Well I was hoping to have a loaf of bread for dinner tonight,. Its 7 am and they are in the finale resting than off to the oven. I will probably never buy another loaf of French bread , easy and doesn’t take long .
This is a great and easy recipe! I don’t know what I might have done wrong as the only issue I have is that it was all good until I put it in the oven….it came out looking a bit flat and pale. It tastes great though. I’m hoping you can let me know what to do differently next time!
Hi Donna, sometimes it can flatten if it over rises before going in the oven or if there isn’t enough flour (was the dough really soft and/or sticky?). If it’s not browning very well, increase the oven temp by 25 degrees and/or move an oven rack to a higher position.
I tried this recipe yesterday and it worked great, but was confused by the 2cup+ flour difference so I tried it again today and double checked the ingredient amounts to make sure I wasnt crazy, (it was a little less than 8 cups this time). Which is good! It still turned out great, but I’m kind of confused how and why?
Hi Nate, just so I understand, are you saying that you have to add two cups flour in addition to what is called for in the recipe? What elevation do you live at, out of curiosity?
Made the recipe only to find out you did not put the oven temp setting.
The oven temp is included in step #7. 🙂
Loved this recipe! It was so good and moist. I don’t entirely trust my oven so instead of throwing ice cubes in the bottom of the oven, I put ice water in a small pyrex pan on the bottom rack under the bread while it was cooking and it turned out great!
I was surprised how good it turned out, but it took more than 8 cups of ap flour to get the dough to the right consistency with the rest of the ingredients, rather than the 5 1/2-6 cups that it said. I’m not sure how it still turned out so well with such a difference in the amount of flour?
Easiest recipe to follow and so delicious! Brought a loaf to dinner at my friends house and she couldn’t believe I made it myself!
Omg//this deserves 5 stars.my family lived them
I made it twice, by hand, with 2 cups whole wheat flour and 3 1/2 bread flour, 11gr dry yeast. It is amazing. Thanks a lot!
I had never made French bread before, only loaf bread. I made this today; it was easy, beautiful, and delicious! My family loved it! I will definitely make this again.
Can the dough be made in a bread machine? I can’t knees with my hands anymore.
I don’t have a bread machine, so I haven’t tried it, but I’m guessing if the quantity of dough fits in the bread machine, it should work just fine.
I had never made French bread before, only loaf bread. I made this today; it was easy, beautiful, and delicious! My family loved it! I will definitely make this again.
Can this dough be froze after the first rise, then thawed and rolled out and left to rise again before putting in the oven?
I haven’t tried that, but I believe others have with good results.
Excellent recipe, I made it today and it’s great, thanks! I used garlic infused olive oil, it’s a game changer. I cranked the temp up to 400 half way through and added more ice. I wish I could share the pic, it’s beautiful!
I want to make this bread for my bingo crew but i already have my hands full with this big dinner, was just wondering if i could make this bread a day ahead and bake the next day? If so any special thing i need to do?
Hi Melissa, you could make the dough a day ahead of time and pop it in the refrigerator. Let it come to room temp and puff a bit before shaping into loaves and baking.
Thank you so much for this recipe! My daughter has been on an elimination diet as she is nursing her baby who has some food sensitivities. She hasn’t had bread in months. She just added wheat back in to her diet (but not dairy or soy) and I made his for her last weekend. She literally cried as she ate this bread. It turned out perfect!
LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe. Works perfectly every time!
I absolutely love this recipe and my family goes nuts over it but lately we have been cutting sugar from our diets so I was wondering if there is a replacement for the sugar or if it would be fine without it?
Are you eating honey? You could use honey or try leaving it out (it helps with the bread rising).
I’m about to make this for the third time, this is pretty much the only bread we’ve eaten in two months. So good!
Very good. My oven has electric coils on the bottom so when I use ice for my bread a just stick another pan on a rack on the lowest setting. That way I can toss ice in it without worrying about my oven. Lol.
I haven’t baked mine yet and my loaves are like soggy or something, they look like they’re melting when I try to shape it !
If the loaves aren’t holding their shape, it sounds like you need to add more flour to the dough when mixing. The dough should clear the sides of the bowl and be soft…but shouldn’t be overy sticky.
I’ve made this recipe several times and it turns out perfectly each time. I want to cut it into four loaves and am wondering how long they should bake. I bake them at convection 375 which actually bakes at 350. Thank you.
Hi Chris – I would check around 22 minutes. They might take upwards of 28 or so minutes.
Best. Bread. EVER. This recipe was so easy to make and so delicious!! I will be making this recipe all the time!! Thank you so much!
I love making nread
This recipe is easy and is the BEST bread I’ve ever made – I’ve been baking for years. My family each gave it two thumbs up!
I found your recipe a week ago and have made it twice already! Once for a meal I made for my SIL and tonight for my family. It’s turned out great and smells so good while baking. What would you say the ‘shelf life’ is for the bread (if you don’t eat it all right away!)?
Hi Jacy, the bread is best the day of and it’s pretty good on the second day, but after that, it tends to dry out.
Thanks for this recipe, it is my go to for French bread. I have tried a variety of recipes…some were so complicated. This is simple but good. I have always used water in the oven for some breads. The ice cubes are a great idea. I put a small foil pan in my oven while I preheat and drop the ice cubes in the pan when I put the bread in.
I’ve made this a few times now and no one believes I made it my parents liked it so much they asked me to make them some for every event from now on that’s how good it is! The only thing I can’t seem to get right is that beautiful color.. It cooks perfectly but the color is always so pale how can I get it to look nice and dark like yours ?
Try increasing the oven temp by 25 degrees and/or moving the bread to bake on a higher rack in the oven.
Easy and delicious! This was my first attempt at homemade bread. I’ve made it several times now and with great success . I plan on making Mel’s Rosemary Bread next.
Can you make ahead and refrigerate before baking?
I haven’t tried that…but you could. If so, I’d suggest cutting down the yeast otherwise the slower rise in the fridge might allow the bread to over rise.
Troubles with oven spring. I got good rise but experiencing a deflation after scoring with my lame.
Fantastic! So easy and turned out better than what you buy at the store, OMG!
Can I use this recipe on the dough setting on my bread machine?
A lot depends on the capacity of your bread maker – if the dough ingredients fit, it should work just fine.
I’m not sure what all the fuss is about with failing bread. I just started baking bread about 6 months ago and this recipe is my favorite! It has never failed me….well except for that one time I wasn’t paying attention when I used a sealer and it sucked all the air out of my bread…but it was still good when we ate it dipped in oil. I have applied cinnamon sugar to one loaf before rolling up and it taste great to me. I have bought the bread sheet and the lame that Mel suggested…I’m still trying to get the hang of that lame. I bake bread once or twice a week with this recipe and today I am going to use this recipe in mt stone loaf pans. Thank You Mel for a wonderful recipe for a beginner bread maker.
The BEST bread, consistently!! I didn’t have any regular yeast, so for the first two batches, I used a sourdough yeast culture….then back to regular yeast. This recipe is perfect. Nice thick crust, and the interior is a thick, dense sponge. Freezes great! Slices great! Thank you for this recipe!!
I love you and bread. and I hope to establish bread maker factory as soon as possible in my town.
I am confused….A standard cup of flower weighs 120 grams. You list 5.5 – 6 cups which should be 660 grams to 720 grams. Instead you say it’s 781 grams to 852 grams. This would mean 6.5 cups to 7.1 cups
I test my recipes using 142 g of flour per cup.
Buy a Stanley Knife or any razor blade holder and keep if for only kitchen stuff
Great recipe, easy and delicious. Thank you for sharing.
How can I triple the recipe? The liquids are making the dough wet. I have been experimenting but it is not quite right. Have you figured it out? Is there a formula? I use quick rise dry yeast. Thank you!!
Sylvaine
Hi Sylvaine, for a triple recipe, only double the yeast. Triple all the other ingredients. Add flour until a soft dough is formed (don’t worry much about the exact amount of flour – judge the dough based on the look and feel).
The bread tastes great! But – it is not the beautiful toasty brown color. Any suggestions? I’m a newby at this
Hi Pattie, try increasing the oven temp by 25 degrees and/or moving an oven rack to the middle or upper middle position.
I love this recipe! I haven’t tried any other but why try another one when this one is easy and perfect!
Hi Patti, I had the same problem with it not browning nice.increasing my temp did not help so i tried a trick that i had read about from another receipe. and it came out perfect-take a egg white and 1 tsp of water and whip it with a wire wisk till its somewhat frothy ,and brush the bread with it before you place it in the oven
First time making French Bread and won’t be the last. This recipe was awesome. Great direction and turned out beautifully! I purchased a bread pan and lame which I think are game changers. Thanks for the notes and tips, Love your site!
If you are worried about harming your oven with ice cubes, just place a pan on the lowest shelf when preheating your oven. When you put your bread in, just put the ice cubes in the hot pan.
It is what I do when making sourdough.
Amazing!!!
Great recipe!! Came out perfectly. Thank you.
Good but a bit dense for myself and my husbands taste.
A dense bread just didn’t rise enough. So, next time let it rise 2-3x longer or let it slowly rise overnight and bake in the morning.
Also, knead longer or use a mixer on a high speed for 5 min to really knead.
This was easy and delicious. First time I ever made French bread – thanks for making it a great experience!
I LOVE this recipe! I have made this multiple times and the only thing I’ve changed is adding more salt. I do bake both loaves at the same time on the same cookie sheet. I just swap them about halfway through. Put the melted butter on it, it’s sooo good! Also, like most bread, this isn’t as good the next day. Unless you freeze it! We usually eat this with soup, so we cut the bread into individual pieces and then put it in a freezer bag in the freezer. Just pop it in the microwave and it’s just like the first day you made it!
Wondering how to keep my crust crunchy? It came out nice and crunchy and then as it cooled it seemed as if the crust got soft. Any ideas?
There’s not a super great way to keep the crust from softening on this bread. It always softens for me too. You could try reheating the bread in the oven for a crispier crust but it might make the crumb dry.
Great recipe, if you want the crust crunchy, just brush with water instead of butter.
I have made this 3 times now. This last bake was my best yet. I don’t have a mixer so I hand kneed, this time I did it for 15 minutes and the dough rose so much quicker and the end result was bigger, more airy, and very good! Also this time I did one loaf with egg wash and one without, the one with the egg wash was awesome like I bought it from the store. Next time I will divide the dough into 3 or 4 loaves, I realized absolutely love the crust and want more surface area.
Man, this is by and large the BEST bread I have ever made. I real keeper.
BTW, I used the full tablespoon of salt instead of the 3/4.
So I made this recipe this morning and ate it for lunch. Couple changes I made. during the dough making process I put in 1 tablespoon of Salt instead of the called for 3/4 tablespoon. Before I placed it in the oven I egg washed it the cut slits then egg washed it again. Lastly sprinkled Kosher Salt on top and it was amazing.
Recipe was easy to follow, did an egg wash instead of the ice and came out beautiful. Crispy outside, soft fluffy inside. Only issue I had was a slight yeasty taste in the bread. I used active dry yeast. I think next time I’ll try 2 teaspoons of yeast instead of a whole tablespoon.
Followed the recipe somewhat exactly… used 3 cups all purpose flour, 1 cup whole wheat, and 1 cup bread flour. Bread was still fluffy and tasted great…. Made some little bread sticks too.
Highly recommend this recipe if you want to make a loaf of bread using whole wheat and bread flour. It has great texture and isn’t heavy.
I save a knob of my last loaf of French bread and throw it into the next one as a preferment. It adds a lot of flavor. I also often make a poolish by mixing a cup of water with a cup of flour and a pinch of yeast and letting it sit overnight. Then I finish with the rest of the recipe (although I cut back on the yeast,) It’s another preferment to add flavor.
Super easy, and so yummy!
I don’t have any idea why I was intimidated to try and make French bread… because they turned out PERFECT! We loved this and I will be making this recipe A LOT more! Thank you Mel!!!
Smelled so good while baking, I will never buy french bread again!
Came out just like the picture. The ice cube trick made the outside nicely crusty. The inside was perfect. I made it by hand so no machinery necessary.
Easy to follow and the bread turned out amazing!
Wonderful dough easy quick & tastes great.
what does it mean to roll the dough and the stuff about sealing it? is there a video?
It’s regarding shaping the dough into a loaf. I’ll try and post a video soon.
Ice, try preheating a small pan on the bottom rack and toss the ice cube in that.
If I use convection oven to bake 2 loaves, do I change the oven temperature?
Sometimes it is recommended when using convection bake to drop the temperature 25 degrees. Each oven is different. In my current oven, I would leave the oven temperature the same (but that’s because it tends to cook on the cool side of things vs the hot side of things). Also if you are baking the bread on separate oven racks, I’d recommend switching oven racks halfway through so both loaves brown evenly.
If I use
Just perfect!! Thanks for the recipe!
This was just ok. I think two tablespoons of sugar to feed the yeast is excessive as my loaves came out tasting much sweeter than I would have liked.
I was wondering about that, I’ve seen recipes that only used 1 and a half teaspoons so I wasn’t sure if that was a typo or if it was going to come out on the sweeter side
Can you freeze this dough and then use it later?
I haven’t tried that, but many yeast doughs like this freeze well, so it should work pretty well.
Amazing bread works every time
So I made this recipe and it looked beautiful. I egg washed and sprinkled “Everything Bagel” seasoning on top. Hard lesson learned tho, after second rise I touched unbaked loaf and POOF…Fell flat.
Tastes yummy anyway, just not pretty.
Instead of using ice cubes which could harm your oven, I keep a cheap sprayer filled with water close to my oven to spritz inside of my oven. If I rotate the pan, then I spritz again.
Instead of using ice cubes which could harm your oven, I keep a cheap sprayer filled with water close to my oven to spritz inside of my oven. If I rotate the pan, then I spritz again.
I have made this recipe for years and it’s great. Pulled it up online today and noticed an alternate proofing method has been added…. which is much easier, esp if you want to mix the dough and then run an errand, pick up a kid, etc. while it’s proofing. Do the different proofing methods result in any significant difference to the final bread structure?
I haven’t done a side by side comparison, but I don’t think the end results are very much different from each other.
Recipe tasted meh at best, found a much better recipe on YouTube with clearer and more concise instructions.
I have never made bread before and I was so pleasantly surprised by how delicious, even better then hot store bought. Maybe try again. It was super easy even for a beginner who knows nothing like me
Awesome recipe! Will absolutely make again. I used this loaf for garlic bread and it was great, but I think next time we will just eat it as is! Very easy, and the dough rose up beautifully. I didn’t have a bakers lame or a sharp knife to score with, so I just used a normal knife I had and cut the bread after I formed it into a loaf before it rose. Worked great! I wish I could post a picture.
Comes out wonderful every time
And EZ
Love it bake one every weekend
“French Bread Law:
Bread may only contain 4 ingredients: wheat flour, water, salt and yeast.”
Tastes similar to French bread but is not traditional French bread.
Correct, adding fat (olive oil) and sugar make it Italian bread. Good recipe regardless but, I would not use as much sugar to feed the yeast, maybe tsp. or 2 of honey.
This was the best bread I’ve ever made. It tastes just like the fluffiest fresh bakery bread with a flaky crusty crust- just perfect! I used bread flour and weighed it as directed. This makes two huge loaves.
A wash should be added before the baking process and temp needs to be higher
Fantastic! I used 1/2 water and 1/2 buttermilk and used the ice cube trick. Turned out amazing. I paid attention to the details and read his blog about yeast and the proper consistency of the dough. Very educational and helpful to know when to stop adding flour. My previous breads were always so dense because I over floured the dough. Highly recommend reading up on that if your a first time bread maker.
I have made this recipe but my bread isn’t soft inside and a good crust on the outside why I use the cold water under the bread and even spray it before it goes in hot oven what I’ m I doing wrong
I make this almost once a week! It’s the best!
Do you have instructions on how to bake after freezing? Like oven temp and time?
I’m not much help for that because usually I bake and then freeze.
No problem! How do you bake it after baking and freezing?
I don’t bake it again after baking and freezing…I just thaw and we slice and eat it or reheat lightly in the oven or microwave.
Best French bread I have ever made.
Could I form this dough into breadsticks? Made it once as loaves of bread and it was delicious I would love to be able to make individual breadsticks…
I haven’t tried it, but I bet you could!
Not french bread. French bread is a lean bread. No oils also it is made with a poolish
This is by far the best French bread recipe I have EVER tried! My bread turns out perfect every time! But I’d love to find out how to sweeten this bread for cinnamon rolls.
By far the best bread recipe I have found. My fist batch got deflated but my 8 year old said I should open a bakery. It tastes great even when you mess it up. ❤️❤️❤️
Nah, never use this again.
Hey. Sounds like you just didn’t make it right
The bread came out so well I’m incredibly impressed! The dough fluffed up perfectly and the loaf tasted heavenly. This was my very first attempt at baking bread and I was not disappointed. I ended up halving the measurements to make only one loaf, but ended up with enough to make 2 slightly smaller loaves. Definitely worth giving this recipe a try, even for a beginner like me!
The recipe was easy to follow and the French Bread was amazing!
I made this recipe but ended up with 2 loaves that were completely as long if not slight longer than the bread mold suggestion in the post. I live in the Southwest USA at 5000 ft. elevation. Any suggestions of why the loaves were so huge? By the way the flavor of the bread was to die for.
You can split the dough into four loaves if you’d like. It could be that I roll them a bit thicker and not quite as long.
Love this recipe! Followed to the letter and came out beautifully! My family asked immediately when they could have a slice!
It passed the Hilary test (our daughter is very picky!). Thank you, Mel! I appreciate all your baking and look to you first for a very good recipe to use for my family and friends.
Amazing recipe! We liked ours on the lighter side.
Great!! I use half buttermilk half water to give it that twang French bread has. Can do tsp lemon juice or vinegar as well! I only use instant yeast so I cut both rise times in half. Also a good old fashioned straight razor is what I use can be found at any beauty supply “sallys” for under $3 pack of 10 will last forever if just using for bread!
Also you can brush with beaten egg b4 you bake if you want a darker crust
I’ve made this bread several times in the past few months and I get perfect bread every time. This time, however, I switched things up. I added more salt as the recipe is a little bland, and this time I seasoned with garlic powder, onion powder, sage and Italian seasoning after I rolled the dough out, just before rolling it up to form the loaf. And just before popping it in the oven I added the same spices to the top. Never in a million years did I think it would be possible for me to bake bread this well!
Used it several times. Now it is my forever french bread recipe
i really love this recipe! can i double the batch?
Yes, it doubles great!
What weird animals do you have at your farm?
Hey Eliza, we have miniature donkeys, kunekune pigs and a wide range of specialty chickens (not necessarily weird, I guess, just kind of fun and unusual)
Delicious and so easy, very good directions !
which do you prefere ap or bread flour
I almost always make this with unbleached all-purpose flour.
Made this today, turns out perfect just as u mentioned. Love this French loaf so much. TQVM
French bread does not contain sugar or oil.
This one does and it’s AMAZING
I followed the instructions, just used a sharp knife to slit the top. Came out GREAT!
I have made this multiple times and it’s always a hit. Taste great the next few days too and makes good toast.
Thank you 🙂
Excellent but it needed more salt 🙂
This is the best French bread recipe! I have made it multiple times and always cut dough into 3 pieces so I have three lovely loaves. I make them a bit longer and cut the slashes in right then, never after they rise. They freeze beautifully (so make a full recipe) as long as you let the loaves fully cool. I double bag them for freezer.
Is 1 tablespoon of yeast the same as 1 packet of yeast?
I think I it’s 2&1/4 teaspoon so almost a tablespoon
Hi Barb, a packet of yeast is 2 1/4 teaspoons and one tablespoon is three teaspoons.
I was so excited for this bread. My bread never freaking rises but this one did. Then I made the slashes and it deflated 🙁 I should have read the instructions better. Since I don’t have a bread slashing tool and my knives aren’t the sharpest I should have done it before the second rise. This is like my 4th batch of bread and I swear the 5th batch will finally be perfect. Lol
You’re supposed to score the bread before the hour of proofing; I worked at Subway and if you score when it’s big it’ll deflate. I forgot this and the same thing happened to me lol
No I haven’t where is the recipe looked all over
Made 1 loaf last night, Used a Kitchenaid for the mixing. Sprinkled 5-6 chopped cloves of garlic before rolling up and then served with lasagna. Excellent. Thanks.
Yes I halved the recipe it was fair . Definitely did not look like your loaves.
Made this today, easy recipe to follow and the bread is delicious!
Made this bread last night and it came out perfect. Was so easy. Cut in half to make just 1 loaf.
hi do you ever use the “proof” setting on your oven for this?
Just made this tonight and it was perfection!
This recipe turned out amazing! The only thing I did differently was I w used a European-style Artesian flour and in place of the water, I used whey I had from making mozzarella cheese. The crust is very and the inside is soft. It has alot of flavor. Thanks Mel for a great recipe!
Have you ever added cinnamon and sugar after the first prove before rolling it up to make a cinnamon bread? Do you think that would work? Thanks so much for the recipe! My family LOVES it, and we were thinking of switching it up and making one sweet loaf this time. Any suggestions appreciated!
I haven’t, but I definitely think it is worth a try!
I have totally done this multiple times and the kids love it! You can also add butter and garlic and spice it up. It’s all delicious! The recipe is amazing!
I’m at sea level and I don’t know if that was the problem or my oven, but the crust did not crisp up – even with the ice cube trick. It wasn’t the flavor I was looking for either.
You can brush with beaten egg for a darker crust. I use half butter milk half water to give it that twang French bread has otherwise this is just white bread. You can add a tsp of vinegar or lemon juice too! You may like it more if you try those tricks I do!
I just made this and its doing the second rise. I got confused when rolling it up. What is starting at the long side?
Hi Charlie, sorry for the confusion. In step #5 when the dough is patted into a thick rectangle, start rolling it up from one of the longest sides of the rectangle (vs a short side). Does that help?
I made the bread according to the recipe, using bread flour and instant yeast. I placed ice cubes in a tray underneath the bread. I baked both loaves at the same time, side by side. They came out beautifully! Thank you!
I made this recipe for my family and THEY COULD NOT GET ENOUGH!
They thought I had bought it from a bakery!
It turned out, light and fluffy inside with that crispy outside. Absolute perfection!
I used a loaf to make garlic bread and that was an enormous hit as well!
Hi I just finished making this last night, I want to use it Saturday for French toast, how do you recommend storing it?
I usually store sealed in a bag (once it has cooled completely).
Your bread looks delicious and I would like to try it. Just a little note, technically French bread does not have any kind of fat added, but Italian loafs do.
Hi! My bread came out very light in color. For some reason I’m not able to get that beautiful golden color. Do you know what the reason might be?
Hi Sabina, you can try increasing your oven temperature by 25 degrees and/or moving the oven rack to middle or upper middle position (I’ve found this helps my rolls or free-formed bread brown better).
Is the rise method an either or? Or do you do both rises?
The dough needs to rise but you can use either method #1 (rise in one big mass in a bowl) OR method #2 (rise in 10 minute increments).
This was so easy and turned out so yummy!
I’ve made this bread twice in 2 nights. We love this recipe. The bread tastes amazing, the texture is perfect and the crust is exactly how I like it. My boyfriend waited and waited to cut it but then photographed it first. Haha That was flattering. I used bread flour the first time and all purpose flour the second time. I think, I like the Ap best, but both were delicious! Thank you for a great recipe! I can’t wait to use this recipe on holidays.
Can’t wait to make this! If I plan on refrigerating the dough overnight, should I shape it into loaves first? (I am a novice baker). Also, how long would I wait to bake it after removing it from the fridge?
I would shape into loaves and then refrigerate. After you take it out of the fridge, I’d let the dough come to room temperature and continue rising until puffy.
I haven’t made bread in years and finally decided to give it a go. I used bread flour and followed the recipe perfectly and the bread came out absolutely delicious. Thank you for sharing!!
Easy and yummy!
Made this bread. Two large loafs! It was oh so good! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
bread tasted great but my loaves were flattened. they rose great both times and when i put them in the oven it flattened. any tips?