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    Home » Homemade French Bread Recipe

    Homemade French Bread Recipe

    Published: Apr 16, 2021 · Modified: Nov 28, 2022 by Laura · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    This homemade French bread recipe is easy to make with only 6 ingredients and is so much better than store-bought. Watch the video and follow our step-by-step instructions to learn how to make French bread!

    overhead view of a loaf of Homemade French Bread Recipe with 4 slices cut

    I'm a sucker for homemade bread. No knead bread, pretzel bread, dinner rolls, you name it I prefer to make it fresh in my kitchen. This Homemade French Bread is no exception, and it's the best French bread recipe you'll ever make! 

    It's easy to make with only 6 ingredients! Once you try this French bread you will never be tempted to buy those $2 loves of bread at your local grocery store again. Use it to make homemade croutons or this french toast casserole.

    overhead photo of a 4 pieces of Homemade French Bread, one with butter spread on top

    French bread recipe: Ingredients & Substituions

    Here are a few notes on the ingredients in this french bread recipe, as well as some possible substitutions. 

    • Warm water. Make sure the water does not exceed 105 degrees F, or it will likely kill the yeast. 
    • Granulated sugar. honey can be used in place of granulated sugar, if desired. 
    • Active dry yeast. If using instant yeast, decrease the amount to 1 ½  tsp. 
    • Olive oil. Any neutral oil works well in this french bread recipe, if you don't have olive oil my top two recommendations are canola oil and avocado oil.
    • All-purpose flour. Use unbleached, all-purpose flour or bread flour for the best results. You can substitute up to 1 cup with whole wheat flour, if desired. 
    • Egg (for egg wash). This is optional, so you can skip the egg wash if you have an egg allergy in your family. Note that if you choose to omit the egg wash the bread will  be just as tasty, but not shiny or as golden-brown. 
    • Ice Cubes. The steam from the ice cubes helps crisp up the outside of the french bread! A special trick for perfect homemade french bread. 
    overhead photo of the ingredients in this Homemade French Bread Recipe

    How to make French Bread

    Like I said earlier, this recipe is easy to make, but as always we'll walk through how to make french bread step-by-step, and don't forget to watch the video! 

    Proof the yeast

    The first step in this french bread recipe is to proof the yeast. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine water, sugar and yeast. Let stand until foamy, which takes about 10 minutes. If mixing and kneading by hand, proof the yeast in a large bowl. 

    two overhead photos showing How to Make French Bread

    Add ingredients

    Once the yeast is proofed, add olive oil, sea salt and 1 cup flour to the mixture and stir with the dough hook. Then, add more flour, ½ cup at a time until the dough is smooth and forms a ball on the dough hook.

    If mixing by hand, stir with a spatula or wooden spoon as you add the flour until a ball forms. 

    two overhead photos showing How to Make French Bread

    Knead the French Bread dough

    Knead for 2-3 minutes either with the dough hook or by hand, until the french bread dough is smooth and elastic. It will be slightly tacky, but will form a ball easily. Then, turn the dough out onto a floured surface and shape it into a ball.

    First rise

    Next, lightly oil a large bowl, place the french bread dough in the bowl, and cover with a damp tea towel. Let the dough rise for 30-60 minutes until doubled in size.

    two overhead photos showing How to Make French Bread

    Roll out the French bread dough

    Once the dough has risen, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a large baking sheet or line it with parchment paper. Remove the air from the dough and roll it out into a 12”x 9” rectangle.

    two overhead photos showing How to Make French Bread

    Roll into a loaf

    Then, roll the dough like a jelly roll, tucking in the ends and pinching the seams and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Use a sharp knife to cut 4-5 shallow diagonal lines down the loaf.

    two overhead photos showing How to Make French Bread

    Second Rise

    Next, let the dough rise for about 30-60 minutes until it has about doubled in size. 

    Apply egg wash & bake

    If desired, brush egg wash over loaf, then bake the french bread on the middle rack of the preheated oven. Put ice cubes on the bottom of the oven as soon as you put the pan in there and close the door. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

    two overhead photos showing How to Make French Bread

    Slice & Serve

    Let cool slightly, slice and serve. Here are some of our favorite ways to enjoy this homemade french bread: 

    • Serve this french bread recipe alongside your favorite soup - like this vegetable soup, tortellini soup, butternut squash soup or this chicken and rice soup!
    • Dip it in this baked goat cheese dip!
    • Use it to make the best bruschetta recipe!
    • Slather some homemade cinnamon honey butter on this french bread for a special treat! 
    • I love dipping this french bread in some high-quality olive oil and parmesan cheese or balsamic vinegar! 
    • Serve it alongside your favorite main dish like this roast turkey and this balsamic slow cooker pot roast.
    • This french bread is a great companion to your favorite pasta dishes like this pesto pasta and this cheesy sausage gnocchi! 
    • Use any leftovers to make the best homemade croutons ever!
    overhead photo of Homemade French Bread on a baking pan with 4 slices cut

    How to store french bread

    Store any leftover french bread in an airtight container (or plastic bag) at room temperature for up to 3 days for maximum freshness. You can use any leftovers to make these homemade croutons too - so good!

    To freeze

    Let the homemade french bread cool completely, then wrap in plastic wrap and put in an airtight container or plastic bag in the refrigerator. Thaw at room temperature or wrap in foil and thaw in the oven set to warm (about 200 degrees F). 

    FAQs

    How do you make French bread crispy?

    Putting ice in the bottom of the oven when you put the loaf of french bread in helps create a crispy outer crust. The egg wash also helps.

    How do you reheat bread without it getting hard?

    To reheat, wrap the bread in foil and put it in an oven preheated to 300 degrees F for about 5 minutes, or until it's warmed through. Wrapping it in foil will help lock in the moisture and prevent it from drying out.

    What can I do with hard French bread?

    I suggest making this french toast casserole - yum!

    up close overhead photo of 4 slices of Homemade French Bread

    If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don't forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube - be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

    Homemade French Bread Recipe

    Laura
    This homemade French bread recipe is easy to make with only 6 ingredients and is so much better than store-bought. Watch the video and follow our step-by-step instructions to learn how to make French bread!
    5 from 8 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Rising 2 hrs
    Total Time 2 hrs 40 mins
    Course Appetizer, bread, Side Dish
    Cuisine American, French
    Servings 12 Servings
    Calories 129 kcal

    Equipment

    • KitchenAid Mixer
    • measuring spoons
    • measuring cups
    • baking sheet
    • spatula
    • Parchment Paper

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1 cup warm water
    • 1 ½ TBS granulated sugar
    • 2 tsp active dry yeast
    • 2 TBS olive oil
    • 1 tsp sea salt
    • 2 ½ to 3 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 egg beaten (optional egg wash)
    • 5 ice cubes

    Instructions
     

    • In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine water, sugar and yeast. Let stand until foamy – about 10 minutes. If mixing and kneading by hand, proof the yeast in a large bowl.
    • Add olive oil, sea salt and 1 cup flour, and stir with the dough hook.
    • Add more flour, ½ cup at a time until the dough is smooth and forms a ball on the dough hook. If mixing by hand, stir with a spatula or wooden spoon as you add the flour until a ball forms. 
    • Knead for 2-3 minutes, either with the dough hook or by hand, until the dough is smooth and elastic. It will be slightly tacky, but it will form a ball easily.
    • Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and shape it into a ball.
    • Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and cover with a damp tea towel.
    • Let the dough rise for 30-60 minutes until doubled in size.
    • Once the dough has risen, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a large baking sheet or line it with parchment paper.
    • Roll the dough into a 12”x 9” rectangle and roll it like a jelly roll, tucking in the ends and pinching the seams. Place the rolled dough on the prepared baking sheet.
    • Take a knife and cut 4-5 shallow diagonal lines down the loaf.
    • Let the dough rise for about 30-60 minutes, until almost doubled.
    • If desired, brush egg wash over loaf.
    • Transfer loaf to the middle rack of the preheated oven and put the ice cubes on the bottom of the oven. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.
    • Let cool slightly, slice and serve.

    Video

    Notes

    Ingredient Substitutions

    • Warm water. Make sure the water does not exceed 105 degrees F, or it will likely kill the yeast. 
    • Granulated sugar. honey can be used in place of granulated sugar, if desired. 
    • Active dry yeast. If using instant yeast, decrease the amount to 1 ½  tsp. 
    • Olive oil. Any neutral oil works well in this french bread recipe, if you don't have olive oil my top two recommendations are canola oil and avocado oil.
    • All-purpose flour. Use unbleached, all-purpose flour or bread flour for the best results. You can substitute up to 1 cup with whole wheat flour, if desired. 
    • Egg (for egg wash). This is optional, so you can skip the egg wash if you have an egg allergy in your family. Note that if you choose to omit the egg wash the bread will  be just as tasty, but not shiny or as golden-brown. 
    • Ice Cubes. The steam from the ice cubes helps crisp up the outside of the french bread! A special trick for perfect homemade french bread. 

    How to store french bread

    Store any leftover french bread in an airtight container (or plastic bag) at room temperature for up to 3 days for maximum freshness. You can use any leftovers to make these homemade croutons too - so good!

    To freeze

    Let the homemade french bread cool completely, then wrap in plastic wrap and put in an airtight container or plastic bag in the refrigerator. Thaw at room temperature or wrap in foil and thaw in the oven set to warm (about 200 degrees F). 

    How to store french bread

    Store any leftover french bread in an airtight container (or plastic bag) at room temperature for up to 3 days for maximum freshness. You can use any leftovers to make these homemade croutons too - so good!

    To freeze

    Let the homemade french bread cool completely, then wrap in plastic wrap and put in an airtight container or plastic bag in the refrigerator. Thaw at room temperature or wrap in foil and thaw in the oven set to warm (about 200 degrees F). 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1sliceCalories: 129kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 3gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 14mgSodium: 200mgPotassium: 39mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 20IUCalcium: 6mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase a product through a link you clicked on here, I receive a portion of the sale. Thank you for supporting JoyFoodSunshine!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Elise

      August 21, 2022 at 3:41 pm

      5 stars
      We did 1 loaf of following the recipe and 1 loaf with garlic butter, basil, and cheese. We all thought it was so good.

      Reply
      • Laura

        August 21, 2022 at 3:58 pm

        Thank you so much Elise! I'm loving the idea of garlic butter, basil AND cheese! YUM!

        Reply
    2. Fran

      July 18, 2022 at 12:54 pm

      5 stars
      I love your blog! The recipes are easy to make yet delicious and when I look for new ideas that are realistic to make while two toddlers ransack the house, I know I will find a keeper here. I have made white and whole wheat versions of this bread, always as a double batch, and it's never failed. The kids are demanding pieces as soon as the bread exits the oven. Wonderful as a base for bruschetta, sandwich based dinner, toast as a side for soup or in the French toast casserole recipe. Thanks for being my go-to sanity dinner site!

      Reply
    3. Michaelangelo

      December 04, 2021 at 10:56 am

      5 stars
      3rds time around for this one…..1st cup I used whole wheat…then mix of bread and plain flour…standard go to now…great soft …didn’t egg wash it ..we like it soft

      Reply

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    About Laura

    I’m Laura, a former chemistry teacher turned homeschooling mom of six beautiful babies! I create simple and delicious recipes that are tested and perfected to make cooking and baking joyful and fun!

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