Homemade French Bread
Simple, quick, and easy homemade French bread recipe.
Kids can even make this bread. For real. It's that easy. Making any bread from scratch can be a daunting task and it's easy to be intimidated by the whole process. I am going to break it down and hopefully ease any worries. You may even become a master bread maker!
This Homemade Bakery French Bread can be done in a little more than one hour which means you can have hot, fresh bread straight out of the oven when the kids get home from school even if you don't start baking until afternoon. You won't need to run to the bakery for your french bread anymore when you can make better bread at home....in no time flat.
I taught a culinary class for kids in both Texas and Arizona and I've watched 7-year-olds tackle this homemade French bread recipe. I loved seeing the pictures those kids sent me showing the french bread masterpieces they made for their families.
As a child, I remember riding my bike home from school and opening the back door to the smells of homemade bread baking in the oven. My Mom always said that she could live on bread alone so bread was always essential in our home. There's nothing more comforting than a hot piece of bread straight from the oven covered in churned butter and homemade strawberry jam.
Let's get down to the basics so you can start baking.
How to make quick and easy homemade bakery french bread:
- Making sure the yeast proofs is essential. Using fresh yeast is important and mixing with warm water (not too hot, not too cold) will ensure success. Yeast loves sugar so add a pinch of sugar to the mixture. Let it work for about 10 minutes.
- Adding flour one cup at a time is important so you can see when the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. That's when you know it's ready. Put flour down on the counter so the dough doesn't stick. That isn't fun. I love my Bosch mixer and can find a great deal on one below.
- Using rolling pin, roll out into a 9 x 12 rectangle. Roll up lengthwise and mold into french loaf. I love this marble rolling pin.
- The loaves don't have to look perfect. I rolled these babies in 7 ½ minutes flat before I sprinted to my little girl's performance. Don't forget to make 3-4 diagonal cuts with a sharp knife before placing on silpat or greased cookie sheet. These silicone baking sheets make it so easy to remove the bread from the baking sheet. Let rise for 30-40 minutes.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 18-22 minutes until lightly golden brown. Watch it carefully to turn a light golden brown color.
Homemade Bakery French Bread
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons Yeast
- ½ cup Warm Water
- 2 cups Hot Water
- 3 Tablespoons Sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoons Salt
- ⅓ cup Oil
- 6 ½ cups Flour
- 1 Egg for brushing on bread
Instructions
- In a small bowl, dissolve your yeast in ½ cup warm water. Make sure that your water is warm (not too cold, not too hot). Let proof for 10 minutes.
- In a separate mixing bowl, combine hot water, sugar, salt, oil and 3 cups of the flour and mix together. Add the yeast mixture to a bowl.
- Add the remaining 3 ½ cups of flour, one cup at a time, mixing after each addition. Watch for it to start pulling away from the bowl to know it's ready. Once all of the flour is added, let sit for 10 minutes.
- Separate your dough into 3 pieces. On a floured surface roll each piece into a 9x12 rectangle. Roll it up like a jelly roll. Shape into a french bread loaf and smooth out edges.
- Place the dough on a greased baking pan or a Silpat, seam side down. Using a knife, make 3-4 diagonal cuts about ¼ inch thick in bread. Brush with your beaten egg.
- Let dough rise uncovered for 30-40 minutes in a warm place.
- Bake at 375 for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown.
Video
Happy Baking, my friends! I can't wait to hear what you think about this quick and easy homemade french bread.
Amity
I made it three times. Very good bread! About 15 people tried it and everyone loved it. I like it with butter, butter and honey, and butter and jelly. It rises well. I'm sure the hot water and ample yeast help it rise fast. It is a very soft fluffy bread when you use all white flour. I also tried half white and half whole wheat. It is a little denser but is still good. I plan to use this recipe the next time I want to make garlic bread.
Kathy Cowens
I'm a beginner French bread Baker and while I found the recipe easy, both tries have yielded gooey, unmanageable dough making for flat loaves that taste great! First time I used flour amount called for. Second time, added another half cup. How much more flour would be too much? Just not sure what the dough consistency should be. Any thoughts?
Mimi
I think the problem is with the yeast: it was not enough for the flour. I use 50 grams of fresh yeast for this recipe, that's perfectly enough. If the dough is too wet, add more flour. You should get a consistency that's not sticky, the dough should keep it's shape. I hope you give it another try, because this is truly a wonderful recipe.
Cynthia Mott
This is so good! I read comments before trying and though it cant be bad with so many raves! Well here’s another. I imagine doing great things with this recipe! Ate three loaves in one day between three of us!
Nancy
I too made this in two bread loaf pans, and it worked great! Here as some tips that I hope will help others. Prep your pans with spray even if they are non-stick. After the dough sits for 10 minutes, divide in half. Roll each half in a rectangle, approx. 7" x 15" each. Roll each starting from the short side. Smooth over the seam and the ends, then place in pans, seam side down. Cut slits and add egg wash to the tops; don't allow egg to drip down the sides if you don't want to glue your bread to the pan! Let rise 30-40 min. until dough mostly fills the pan and top of dough is just past the top of the pan. Bake together for 30-35 minutes. If the tops start to brown too much during baking, loosely place a sheet of foil over them until done. Yields two large and lovely loaves of french bread. : )
Debbie T.
Did you use 9" x 5" or 8 ½" x 4 ½ pans? Thanks!
Kendra Passon
Thank you for these tips!
Michelle
What type of yeast did you use?:)
alisa
I wondered this too. The yeast link shows Red Star Active Dry Yeast 2 lb bag. No longer available on amazon. I will have to look for an alternative, since I have only ever seen the little packets. It would take multiple packets, as she calls for 2 tablespoons of yeast. Hope this helps.
Yasmin Ali
Hi, I just made the bread, its baking in the oven, I cannot wait to taste it! Yummy
Kiera
My 10 yr old daughter made this tonight & it was delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
Kat
I made this recipe today. It was so easy and delicious. My family has already polished off one loaf. Thank you for sharing!
Penelope
Great recipe! I’ve never had good results with French bread until I tried this one. There’s only 2 of us, so I cut the recipe in half and made 1 large loaf. Perfection! Why buy stale store bread when making your own is so easy? I will be sharing this one.
Laura York
I put the dough in two loaf pans and left them in the oven an extra 15 minutes. Came out perfect.
Saundra
I never comment on recipes I get off the web. I HAD to for this one.
I was perusing for a great bread recipe and I don't even remember what I typed in the Google search, but, your recipe came up.
I read over it, printed it out, went to the kitchen and made the best 3 loaves of French bread a person could ever hope to make. WOW!
I gave 2 loaves to my culinary challenged neighbor. She loved it! This recipe is a keeper. I will be making this on a regular basis! Thank you for sharing such an easy, wonderful bread recipe!
Marisa Pedroncelli
Hi there! I’m looking forward to making this bread this week, but I have a question before I can start. Can this be made with instant yeast, and if so, what changes need to be made to the recipe? Would I skip the step of putting the yeast in the warm water and just go straight to adding it to the mixing bowl with the other ingredients? Do I only use the “hot water” measured amount of water in the recipe? I only ever buy instant yeast, and I would really love to know what changes need to be made in order for me to be able to use the instant yeast in this recipe. I don’t want to have an epic fail! Haha, so I’m looking forward to hopefully hearing back soon with an answer, so that I can make this sometime this week! Thanks so much!!
Michelle
I made this bread tonight with rapid rise yeast. I added the yeast to the dry ingredients, used the total amount of warm water. I let the dough rise for 19 minutes, kneaded for about two minutes and shaped and let rise for 30 minutes. Turned out great.
Kimberly J Hall
So if i am reading this right you used both hot water and the warm water ? Regardless that you added the instant yeast to the dry ingredients.
I added it to the dry but i only used the hot water part of the recipe
Sweet Cook
No. You must dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup of warm water. Let it proof, and the you add it to the mixture of sugar, salt, oil, flour and the 2 cups of hot water.
Melissa S.M
Tried this recipe today my goodness..I cut the recipe in half so i made 2 small loafs and they came out perfect so delicious and better yet so easy!! Thank you Melissa????
Gigi
Our first try with this recipe and my family loves it! We cut it right away after baking but it came out wet. We were wondering if my bread was undercooked or I need to let it sit? I took it out at 20 mins because it looks brown already.
Vera Moore
That can happen with any hot bread fresh out of the oven. It's baked through though. Just let it cool somewhat before you slice.
Tara
This bread is SO good! I baked all three loaves, then froze one and gave the other to my son. Later, thawed the frozen loaf and reheated in foil. Worked beautifully. BTW, I have a stand mixer and used that to mix up the dough. I will be making this bread in a regular basis. Would be great for French toast and grilled cheese sandwiches in addition to dipping in olive oil/spices or simply with butter and jam. Yum!
Anne
Did you use your dough hook or paddle attachment??
Ed C
Can you freeze the dough? If I yes, how long does it stay good? Three loaves at one time is a bit much for me.
Penelope
Try cutting the recipe in haif and making one loaf. You won’t be disappointed.
Rick
How long do you cook it? Thanks
Bree
I have been trying bread recipes for over a decade but it never turned out good! This bread was amazing!!! I’ve never tried rolling it out and up like this before but it worked!!
Patrica Harris
I made theses! They're about to come out of the oven! Looks like you have a lot of other recipes I will be making! Thank you!
Andrea
Just made your bread and it is delicious and it looks great too. I put a cake pan with about 1 inch of water on the bottom shelf while I was preheating the oven and while baking the bread so it would give it a crunchy crust. I will be making this again.
R
Mine came out amazing. I'm wondering if there are any tips for making a crispier crust. Mine came out a bit soft. The inside was perfect and my family loved it.
Lynn Nordsiden
Put a pan of water in the oven also. This added moisture creates a crust on the bread like you get in bakeries. My daughter is a chef & this is the trick they use in bakeries. Some ovens now have steam option.
becky
Yes, I do this all the time when I want a crispy crust and it works like a charm! I also sometimes will dust with flour prior to making the cuts in the dough, in lieu of the egg wash. Just like from the bakery! Haven't tried it yet with this recipe though (waiting for it to rise as I type), but I'm sure it will be the same!
Kjsippeljr
Did you skip the egg wash?