The BEST homemade french bread recipe made in just 90 minutes! So easy to make and comes out golden and crispy on the outside, while remaining soft and chewy on the inside.
Homemade bread is one of my favorite things to make. It can seem a bit intimidating at first, but this easy french bread recipe is a great place to start. It has a quick rising time and takes only 90 minutes from start to finish. If you’re a beginner to bread baking, make sure to check out my 3 ingredient artisan bread and my 45-minute breadsticks. Both are so simple!
Easiest 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 Homemade French Bread
- Proof the yeast. In a small bowl, combine the warm water, yeast and sugar. Let sit for 5 minutes, or until it has begin to foam.
- Mix and let rest. 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.
- Shape and let rise again. 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.
- Bake in oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bake for 17-20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Brush the top of the homemade french bread with melted butter if desired. Slice and enjoy! :)
Baking Tips
- The key to the perfect consistency is to knead in flour a little at a time, until the dough becomes soft and not sticky.
- 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 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, brush 1 egg white (whisked) with a teaspoon of water before baking.
- For a softer and more flavorful crust, brush with melted butter right when it comes out of the oven.
Favorite Ways To Enjoy
- Top with butter, garlic herb butter, honey, cinnamon butter, jam or apple butter
- Use it to make classic bruschetta or bruschetta caprese
- Serve with all types of soup, like lasagna soup, corn chowder and hearty vegetable soup
- My family loves to make french bread pizza, stuffed french bread or garlic bread
- We also like to make spaghetti boats using leftover spaghetti
- Make a french dip sandwich
- Once it’s a few days old, make french bread french toast, bread pudding or croutons
- Cut into cubes and serve with this cold Knorr spinach dip.
Freezer Instructions
Since this recipe makes two loaves, sometimes we freeze one of them for later. To freeze, wrap the bread tightly in foil or saran wrap (make sure it has cooled completely). Then place in a zip top bag and store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
More Homemade Bread Recipes To Try:
Homemade French Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups warm water , about 105°F
- 1 Tablespoon active dry yeast
- 2 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 5 cups (650 g) all-purpose flour , more as needed
- 2 1/2 teaspoons table salt or fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- Melted salted butter , optional
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let sit 5 minutes, or until it begins to foam.
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl, stir together 2 cups flour and salt. Stir in the yeast mixture on medium-low speed or by hand. Knead in 1/2 cup of the remaining flour in increments until the dough is smooth but not sticky. Add more flour as needed.
- Rub the olive oil around the dough ball, cover the bowl with a towel and let rest 15 to 30 minutes. If you have more time, let rise up to 1 hour.
- Turn the dough onto a well-floured surface and divide it in half. Set one half aside. Roll the other half into a rectangle (about 15 inches). 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. Make three diagonal cuts across the top of each loaf. Cover loaves lightly with a towel. Let rise 30 to 60 minutes (the longer the better, if you have the time).
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bake 17 to 23 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. When you knock on it, it should sound hollow. If it's browning too fast, lightly cover with foil and lower the temperature to 375°F.
- Brush the top with melted butter, if desired. Slice and serve while warm.
Video
Notes
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Easy squeezy! I like to add herbs and garlic, and then place sun dried tomatoes, wilted (and all the water sqeezed out ) spinach and spread a thin layer of goat cheese on dough before I roll it up. Awesome with soup or salad. My family loves it!
Mmm that sounds SO delicious, Mary! I’ll have to give that version a try sometime! :)
This recipe has been my go-to recipe for almost 3 years! I usually add a teaspoon of Italian seasoning and a teaspoon of oregano. It also doubles beautifully! We have a big crowd for dinner every Saturday and we’ve had as many as 60 people! I usually do one loaf for every 10 people, which means I double this recipe often. Its always perfect! I love the using sea salt instead of regular salt, and if you get the kind of yeast that doesn’t need to activate, it is even more fool proof!
I am so so happy to hear you love the recipe so much, Emily! Thanks so much for your kind review :)
AT LAST — A FRENCH BREAD RECIPE THAT WORKS — FUN TO DO AND BETTER TO EAT — I HAVE MADE IT WITH -GARLIC & ONION — SWEETCORN & CHEESE — TOMATO AND BASIL THANK YOU SO MUCH — HAVE SHARED RECIPE WITH FRIENDS
Mmm those versions sound fantastic! So happy to hear you love the recipe so much, Dave!
Love making this bread.I just add a extra tablespoon off olive oil in my dough mixture.It so moist.
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed it, Mika!
OMG !!You are right, I will never buy store bought again!
Happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Jill!
I am new to the baking world, Cooking Forever just Shy to Baking, and this is truly a Great Recipe!! I have been working with this recipe for about 4 months. Simple and able to create different flavors during the mixing process or during the rolling process. I have done anything from Savory (Garlic/Onion) to Sweet (Honey/Cinnamon).
Thank You for the Recipe!!
So happy to hear you’ve enjoyed the recipe! Those variations sound delicious :) Thanks for your comment and review, Jon!
Excellent Recipe. My husband loves this bread.
So happy to hear that!