Homemade French Bread

The BEST homemade french bread recipe made in 90 minutes. So easy to make and comes out golden and crispy on the outside, while remaining soft and chewy on the inside. You’ll fall in love with this easy french bread recipe!

Homemade bread is one of my favorite things to make and this easy french bread recipe is at the top of my list! It’s so fluffy and delicious. I also love to make whole wheat bread, Irish soda bread and my infamous white bread recipe.

French bread recipe

If you’re looking for an easy french bread recipe, this is it! You’ll have 2 beautiful loaves in 90 minutes. The actual time you’ll be working will only be about 15 minutes, the rest of the time will be patiently waiting for the dough to rest/rise. This homemade french bread is golden and crispy on the outside, while remaining soft and slightly chewy on the inside. We love to serve it with a bowl of warm soup and the first time I made it, my husband said “this bread is SO good, where did you get it?” He thought I picked it up from our local bakery. It is just that good and really so easy to make. You’ll never want to buy store bought french bread again.

I absolutely love making bread and rolls of all kinds. There’s something so satisfying about making them in your own kitchen. The smell is unbelievable. We love to serve this homemade french bread with softened butter, honey and/or jam. So so good. Trust me when I say, this is the best french bread recipe!

How to make french bread

Although making your own bread can be intimidating, it’s pretty easy! Just follow the steps below to get started. Scroll down for the printable easy french bread recipe and video.

1. In a small bowl, combine the warm water, yeast and sugar. Let sit for 5 minutes, or until it has begin to foam.
2. Place 2 cups of flour into a large mixing bowl with the salt. Stir in the yeast mixture and begin to knead by hand or using a dough hook and stand mixer. Add 1/2 cup of the remaining flour at a time until the dough is smooth but not sticky. Rub the olive oil around the dough ball and let rest for 15 minutes.
3. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and divide it in half. Roll one half into a rectangle. Starting from the long side, roll the dough into a cylinder. Turn both ends in and pinch the seams closed. Round the edges and place onto a baking sheet. Repeat with the second dough ball. Let rise for 30-45 minutes. Make three diagonal cuts across the top of each loaf.
4. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bake for 17-20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
5. Brush the top of the homemade french bread with melted butter if desired. Slice and enjoy! :)

Quick tips for this homemade french bread

Making sure that the homemade french bread dough is the right consistency is one of the most important steps. The key is to knead in flour a little at a time until the dough becomes soft and not sticky. Here are a few other tips for making the perfect french bread dough.

• If using a bread dough hook to knead the dough, knead the last couple of minutes by hand.
• Let the dough rest a minute during the mixing process (this allows the gluten to relax).
• Let the french bread dough rise in a warm spot by the window or on top of the stove.
• Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and then press down with your finger tips to remove any air pockets.
• Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough and any extra bubbles.
• Roll the dough into a loaf and then make sure to tuck the ends under and pinch all the seams together tightly to create a nice seal.
• For a crispier/shinier crust on the french bread loaf, brush 1 egg white (whisked) with a teaspoon of water before baking.
• For a softer and more flavorful crust, brush homemade french bread with melted butter right when it comes out of the oven.

Favorite ways to enjoy french bread recipe

Plain: There is nothing better than a warm piece of homemade french bread! So delicious. We like to top it with butter, honey, jam, apple butter…you name it!

Soup: You can’t beat a piece of fresh bread dipped in a warm bowl of soup. We love to dip this homemade french bread in all types of soup, like lasagna soup, corn chowder and hearty vegetable soup.

Pizza: My family loves to make french bread pizza! It’s so easy, delicious and the perfect way to use up the homemade french bread.

Spaghetti Boats: Another one of our favorites is spaghetti boats. It’s the perfect way to ‘dress up’ leftover spaghetti.

Sandwiches: This french bread recipe makes the perfect sandwich. We especially love to make french dip sandwiches with the french bread loaf.

French Toast: If we still have a french bread loaf left after a couple of days, I like to make an overnight french toast bake…it’s the best way to use up homemade french bread that’s a few days old.

Bruschetta: Bruschetta is one of our favorite appetizers in the summer. If using this french bread recipe to make bruschetta, try making your loaves a little longer so that the slices are smaller.

Homemade French Bread Recipe

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: French

Keyword: Homemade french bread

Prep Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Servings: 32

Calories: 73

Author: Jamielyn Nye

The BEST homemade french bread recipe made in 90 minutes. So easy to make and comes out golden and crispy on the outside, while remaining soft and chewy on the inside. You'll fall in love with this easy french bread recipe!

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Ingredients

• 2 cups warm water (about 110°F)
• 1 Tablespoon active dry yeast
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 5-6 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons table salt or fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon olive oil

Instructions

• In a small bowl, combine the warm water, yeast and sugar. Let sit for 5 minutes, or until it has begin to foam.
• Place 2 cups of flour into a large mixing bowl with the salt. Stir in the yeast mixture and begin to knead by hand or using a dough hook and stand mixer. Add 1/2 cup of the remaining flour at a time until the dough is smooth but not sticky. Rub the olive oil around the dough ball and let rest for 15 minutes.
• Turn the dough onto a floured surface and divide it in half. Roll one half into a rectangle. Starting from the long side, roll the dough into a cylinder. Turn both ends in and pinch the seams closed. Round the edges and place onto a baking sheet. Repeat with the second dough ball. Let rise for 30-45 minutes. Make three diagonal cuts across the top of each loaf.
• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bake for 17-20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
• Brush the top with melted butter if desired. Slice and enjoy! :)

Video

Notes

For a crispier/shinier crust, brush 1 egg white (whisked) with a teaspoon of water before baking french bread loaf.

Nutrition

Calories: 73kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 2g | Sodium: 146mg | Potassium: 22mg | Calcium: 0.3% | Iron: 5%

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I hope you try this french bread recipe! Don’t be intimidated. If you’ve made homemade rolls before, you got this in your back pocket! This really is the best french bread recipe and my family begs for it weekly!

Enjoy!