No need to be intimidated by yeast with this easy French bread recipe. Nothing beats homemade bread fresh and warm straight from the oven!
EASY HOMEMADE FRENCH BREAD
I ventured into the world of French bread a while back. I purchased a bread machine a few years ago at Wal-mart for about $50. Now the funny part is - I never actually make bread IN the machine. I let the bread machine mix the ingredients, knead the dough, and give the dough the first rising but I've never actually made a loaf in there because it makes the loaves really huge. I take the dough out after the first rising, shape it into what I need and then do the second rising in a slightly warmed oven.
DO I REALLY NEED A BREAD MACHINE?
I just like the bread machine so much because it does most of the hard stuff and it takes a lot of the guess work out for me. I use it for so many things - from breads to cinnamon roll dough. If you don't have a bread machine, don't worry. I'm not expecting you to go out and buy a kitchen gadget just to make good bread. You can do this by hand too (see below.)
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BREAD FLOUR AND ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR?
- Bread flour has more protein and helps with the development of gluten in the bread. This is going to give you that nice chewy texture that we all love in bread. It also helps the bread to keep its shape.
- With all-purpose flour, the texture will be more loose and it will probably rise a bit higher than with bread flour.
- So, if you don't have bread flour, go ahead and substitute (one-for-one) with all-purpose flour.
VIDEO INCLUDED BELOW:
HOW TO MAKE THIS FRENCH BREAD WITHOUT A MACHINE:
- If you are doing this by hand, mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl, then add warm water and mix until combined.
- Take dough out and place on floured surface and knead dough for about 8-10 minutes (until dough is smooth and elastic.)
- Put dough into lightly greased oven proof bowl and cover with a clean dish towel.
- Preheat oven to 175F degrees and then turn off.
- Allow dough to rise in the warmed oven until doubled in size (about 45 min. to an hour).
- Then continue with below directions to finish making the bread (starting with cutting the dough ball in half.)
WHAT YOU'LL NEED:
1 ¼ cups very warm water
3 ½ cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 package of active dry yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons)
HOW TO MAKE FRENCH BREAD USING A BREAD MACHINE:
Place above ingredients in your bread machine according to manufacturer’s directions - mine requires that I put wet ingredients in first then dry. Start machine on dough setting.
Quick tip: I usually take a peek at my dough in the first 10 minutes or so to make sure all the flour is getting incorporated into the dough. Sometimes you just need to scrape down the sides a bit. After that, I leave it alone. When dough cycle is complete (usually about an hour to an hour and a half), remove dough and place on floured surface.
Preheat oven to 175F degrees (you’re going to put your loaves in the preheated oven to rise). Once oven reaches 175f degrees, turn it off. Cut dough ball in half and roll each loaf out (or save one dough ball for later use and put in freezer) to about 12 inches long in the shape of french bread.
Cut three small slices on top of bread and place loaves on a greased baking sheet (just spray evenly with nonstick spray.) Cover with a clean dish towel and place into warmed oven. Allow the loaves rise until doubled, about an hour.
Take loaves out and preheat oven to 450F degrees. Optional: to get a really nice golden color on top of the bread, make an egg wash. Mix together one egg with a tablespoon of water and whisk really well. Then lightly spread this egg wash on top of the bread before baking.
Bake loaves for 15-20 minutes until golden brown, turning the pan around once halfway during baking. Remove loaves when finished baking and allow to cool on wire racks.
Cook’s Note: I usually get the jar of Fleischmann’s Yeast for the Bread Machine and keep it stored in the fridge. If you are using yeast from a jar, give your jar a good shake and then measure out 2 ¼ teaspoons of yeast for this recipe. Also, you just need to use table salt for this recipe. Kosher salt granules will be a little too large to use here. 
Originally published: March 2011
Updated & republished: March 2020
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EASY HOMEMADE FRENCH BREAD
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups very warm water
- 3 ½ cups bread flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 packet active dry yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons)
Optional egg wash (for a golden brown top)
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp water
Instructions
- Place above ingredients in your bread machine according to manufacturer’s directions (mine requires that I put wet ingredients in first, then dry).
- Start machine on dough setting.
- Preheat oven to 175fF degrees (you’re going to put your loaves in the preheated oven to rise).
- Once oven reaches 175f degrees, turn it off.
- Cut dough ball in half and roll each loaf out (or save one dough ball for later use and put in freezer) to about 12 inches long in the shape of french bread.
- Cut three small slices on top of bread and place loaves on a greased baking sheet (just spray evenly with Pam).
- Cover with a clean dish towel and place into warmed oven.
- Allow the loaves rise until doubled, about an hour.
- Take loaves out and preheat oven to 450F degrees.
- Optional: to get a really nice golden color on top of the bread, make an egg wash. Mix together one egg with a tablespoon of water and whisk really well. Then lightly spread this egg wash on top of the bread before baking.
- Bake loaves for 15-20 minutes until golden brown, turning the pan around once halfway during baking.
- Remove loaves when finished baking and allow to cool on wire racks.
Video
Notes
- If you are doing this by hand, mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl, then add warm water and mix until combined.
- Take dough out and place on floured surface and knead dough for about 8-10 minutes (until dough is smooth and elastic.)
- Put dough into lightly greased oven proof bowl and cover with a clean dish towel.
- Preheat oven to 175F degrees and then turn off.
- Allow dough to rise in the warmed oven until doubled in size (about 45 min. to an hour).
- Then continue with above directions to finish making the bread (starting with cutting the dough ball in half.)
Great job! Looks really, really yummy...and carb-y...I want, I want!
I love how you take the bread out of the breadmaker and still do the exciting jobs. Your bread may be simple but it looks perfect and delicious.
This looks gorgeous. I am so jealous of you right now - my bread tastes good but never looks as good as this. Maybe it's because I'm not using bread flour? Although the recipes I use don't call for it. It always seems to flatten out on me. Hmmm...what do you think?
Ok so I think I am just going to scrap my recipe and use yours. You recipes are the best and so much easier!
So easy! I'll have to try it out. Great job.
I love French bread! Thanks for sharing this!
I can smell it now. Yum. I guess between you and I and our blog posts today- we both have bread on the brain. 🙂
Your bread looks wonderful! Nothing smells better in the oven 🙂
We're a household of carbaholics, so you know I think this looks delicious. 😉 We don't have a bread machine. (How did we just get married and not receive a bread machine? Doesn't everyone?)
Oh I'm so excited to try this! Thanks for letting me know about this post! I'm dying to practice my new found bread making skills. 🙂
I did it all by hand since I don't have a bread machine. It turned out great. The goal is to knead the dough until it is nice and smooth and elastic.
I would love some with butter, YUM!!! Thank you for sharing and have a great Sunday!
Thank you so much for this easy bread recipe.
Perfect!!
Finally made bread from scratch. I can't believe it. It actually worked! Yay!
I finally made this bread today. I am pleased to say that it was perfect! My french bread quest is finally over. Many many thank yous for posting this wonderful recipe!
Another fabulous recipe, Brandie.
Lovely recipe. I had a bread machine that was never getting used so this recipe was a great excuse to give it some use. Turned out perfect!
Can you let this finish cooking in the bread machine or does it need to be finished in the oven to cook properly? I'm too lazy to have to get dough out of machine once it goes in. Haha
HA! I totally get it! Yes, you could absolutely let it finish in the bread machine. It'll just make a big loaf because of how the bread machine's insert is made. 🙂
How can I adapt your recipe using a standing mixer and dough hooks. I have no bread machine and don't want to knead by hand. Thanks.
Hmmm...that is one I haven't tried yet. I don't have dough attachment for my mixer so I haven't tested that particular combination - I'm sorry!
I made this and it was wonderful!! I'm wondering though, could I leave it whole to make one larger loaf? And could this be baked in a Lekue?
Thank you for this wonderful bread. I was always afraid of making home made rolls or any other kinds of bread except biscuits. Because my husband taught me how to make it. I just starting back cooking from scratch again. Thank you. Appreciate you. Be bless
Making this now!!! Was going to do subs for dinner (lazy) and then realized I had no sub rolls.
So now we're doing open face sandwiches on french bread.
Thank You for an easy recipe
Have you made this with bread machine instant/rapid rise in the jar and or instant dry yeast? Will either or both work and do you use the same amount?
Wow. Your bread looks yummy and texture is so nice. Great share. Thanks.