This Homemade French Bread bakes up golden and crisp on the outside with a soft, fluffy center, and one batch makes three loaves. It’s an easy bread recipe to serve with soup, pasta, or turning into the best garlic bread.
We’ve been sharing this bread recipe since 2014, and it’s a great one for anyone who feels a little nervous about baking with yeast. The ingredients are simple, there’s no bread machine needed, and our step-by-step method shows you what the dough should look and feel like, how to shape the loaves tightly, and when they’re ready to bake.
The short rest and final rise help create light, airy loaves, while scoring the tops gives the dough room to expand and an egg wash adds that beautiful golden crust. For more homemade breads, try our Italian Bread, Baguettes, and No Knead Bread.
Why You’ll Love It + Why It Works:
- Makes Three Loaves. One batch gives you plenty for dinner, sharing, or freezing.
- Beginner Friendly. Simple pantry ingredients and straightforward shaping make this a great yeast bread to try at home.
- So Versatile. Serve it with soup or pasta, use it for sandwiches, or turn leftovers into Garlic Bread, Croutons, or French Toast.
- Soft Dough Makes Better Bread. Adding flour gradually keeps the dough light instead of dense.
- Tight Shaping Builds Structure. Rolling and sealing each loaf helps it rise up instead of spreading out.
French Bread Ingredients
- Cornmeal (¼ cup): Keeps loaves from sticking to the pan and adds a pleasant texture to the bottom.
- Rapid rise yeast (2 tablespoons): Gives lift and structure, helping the loaves rise reliably. Active dry yeast, instant yeast, or rapid-rise yeast can be used. We dissolve the yeast first in this recipe because that is how we have tested it and it also lets you confirm the yeast is active.
- Warm water (½ cup, 110–115°F): Wakes up the yeast so it activates quickly.
- Hot water (2 cups): Keeps the dough warm, which supports a better rise.
- Vegetable oil (5 tablespoons): Tenderizes the crumb and keeps the bread soft for serving.
- Sugar (3 tablespoons): Feeds the yeast and adds a hint of sweetness to balance the salt.
- Salt (1 tablespoon): Strengthens the dough and seasons every bite.
- All-purpose flour (6 cups, divided): Forms the dough’s structure, added in stages for easy mixing and the right texture. You can also use bread flour.
- Egg (1, beaten): Brushes on for a shiny, crisp crust.
How to Make French Bread
PREP. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle evenly with cornmeal. (Greased baking sheets work too, but we prefer the cornmeal method.)
YEAST. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.
DOUGH. In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer, combine hot water, oil, sugar, salt, and 3 cups of flour. Mix with the paddle attachment (not the dough hook attachment).
- Add yeast mixture and mix to combine.
- Add the remaining flour 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition.
- Mix until the dough is smooth and pulls together around the paddle.
NOTE: Watch the dough, not just the flour amount. The finished dough should be soft, smooth, and slightly tacky but should not leave a lot of dough on your fingers. Add extra flour a little at a time only if needed.
Once all of the flour is added, cover with a kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 15-30 minutes.
SHAPE. Place dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into three equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 9×12-inch rectangle (add extra flour if needed so it’s not overly sticky). Roll each rectangle up from the long edge like a jelly roll.
Roll each rectangle tightly from the long side, pinch the long seam closed, and tuck the ends underneath so the loaf stays even and holds its shape.
- Place each dough roll on a prepared baking sheet, seam side down.
- Score the bread across the top 3 or 4 times (diagonal slashes will allow the bread to expand along those cuts without risking deflating a fully risen loaf.) Beat 1 egg and brush each loaf with the egg wash for a crisp and shiny crust. Let rise in a warm place, uncovered, for about 30 to 45 minutes, or until noticeably puffy.
- For a softer crust: Skip the steam and brush the hot loaves with melted butter as soon as they come out of the oven.
BAKE. Toward the end of the rise, preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Some recipes call for baking in a French bread pan, but I found that for the best results, simply use a regular cookie sheet, jelly roll pan, or baking stone.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, or until deeply golden and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
Let cool slightly, then slice with a serrated knife and serve warm.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- To score, make 3-4 diagonal slashes at an angle that are about ¼ inch deep.
- Watch the dough, not just the flour amount. The dough should be soft, smooth, and slightly tacky. Add extra flour a little at a time only if it is too sticky to handle.
- Shape the loaves tightly. Roll each rectangle snugly, pinch the seam closed, and tuck the ends underneath so the loaves rise up instead of spreading out.
- Let the dough look ready. Rise time can vary with room temperature, so look for loaves that are noticeably puffy instead of relying only on the clock.
- Use a serrated knife. A bread knife gives you cleaner slices without squishing the soft center.
- For a softer crust. Brush the hot loaves with melted butter after baking.
- For a crispier crust. Use the steam method and let the bread cool uncovered so the crust stays crisp.
- Do not slice too soon. Let the bread cool for at least 15 to 20 minutes so the inside can finish setting before slicing.
- Freeze an extra loaf. Since this recipe makes three loaves, cool one completely, wrap tightly, and freeze it for an easy dinner side later.
- Slather with Honey Butter, Cinnamon Butter, or Strawberry Jam.
Easy Homemade French Bread
Ingredients
- ¼ cup cornmeal
- 2 tablespoons rapid rise yeast
- ½ cup warm water, 110–115°F
- 2 cups hot water
- 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 6 cups all-purpose flour, divided
- 1 egg, beaten
Instructions
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle evenly with cornmeal. (Greased baking sheets work too, but we prefer the cornmeal method.)
- In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine hot water, oil, sugar, salt, and 3 cups of flour. Mix with the paddle attachment.
- Add yeast mixture and mix to combine.
- Switch to the dough hook attachment and add the remaining 3 cups of flour 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition. Mix until the dough is smooth and pulls together around the paddle. NOTE: Watch the dough, not just the flour amount. The finished dough should be soft, smooth, and slightly tacky but should not leave a lot of dough on your fingers. Add extra flour a little at a time only if needed. Once all of the flour is added, let the dough rest for 15-30 minutes.
- Place dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into three pieces. Roll each piece into a 9×12-inch rectangle. Roll each rectangle tightly from the long side, pinch the long seam closed, and tuck the ends underneath so the loaf stays even and holds its shape.
- Place each dough roll on a prepared baking sheet, seam side down.
- Score the bread across the top 3 or 4 times (diagonal slashes will allow the bread to expand along those cuts without risking deflating a fully risen loaf.) Brush each loaf with beaten egg for a crisp and shiny crust. Let dough rise in a warm place, uncovered, for about 30 to 45 minutes, or until noticeably puffy. For a softer crust: Skip the steam and brush the hot loaves with melted butter as soon as they come out of the oven.
- Toward the end of the rise, preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, or until deeply golden and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
- Let cool slightly, then slice with a serrated knife and serve warm.
Notes
- Measure flour correctly, spoon and level to avoid dense loaves. If the day is humid, add a bit more flour until the dough is soft and not overly sticky
- For extra crust, lightly mist the loaves with water and create steam in the oven using a hot water tray, then bake at 375°F. See the FAQ for steps.
- To score, make 3-4 diagonal slshes at an angle that are about ¼ inch deep.
- Slather with Honey Butter, Cinnamon Butter, or Strawberry Jam.
Nutrition
Recipe FAQ
After you have shaped the dough, do not let it rise, instead place it on a baking sheet and freeze it. Once solid, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and again with foil. Freeze for 3-4 months. Thaw to room temperature (this will take several hours) and then let it rise for 30 minutes before baking.
Store baked bread inside a plastic bag, bread box, or aluminum foil. The bread should last 2-3 days.
To freeze, wrap it in parchment paper, then foil and freeze for 3 months. To reheat, thaw, wrap in foil, and place in an oven preheated to 400°F until warm.
Simulate a baker’s oven to create a crispy crust:
Place a small metal pan on the lower rack while the oven preheats. Add a few ice cubes or a small amount of hot water when the bread goes in to create steam.
Too much flour, inactive yeast, or not enough rising time can make the loaves dense. Keep the dough soft and slightly tacky, make sure the yeast is active, and let the shaped loaves rise until noticeably puffy.
The dough may have been too wet or the loaf may not have been shaped tightly enough. Add flour only until the dough is soft and workable, then roll tightly and pinch the seam closed.
Complete The Meal
Main Dishes
Bread Recipes
Easy Italian Bread Recipe
2 hrs 40 mins
Baguette Recipe
15 hrs 14 mins
Focaccia Bread
8 hrs 55 mins
Sourdough Bread
8 hrs 40 mins
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This post was originally published September 2014.
So easy and delicious! Probably won’t ever buy store bought French bread again! I never leave reviews so that should tell you something 😂
That makes my day thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review!
This bread was delicious and so easy and fast to make!! I was wondering if I could use this recipe to make cinnamon roll dough, since its so fast and user friendly??? Maybe add more sugar and a couple eggs??? Thank you for all of your recipes; Lil Luna is one of my always go tos when looking for different recipes!!!
So glad you loved it! This dough is great for quick bread, but it isn’t quite the same as cinnamon roll dough. I do have a one hour cinnamon roll recipe that you might like to try.
Great recipe.
I used it to make bruscetta and added chopped garlic to the one loaf before rolling it up. Yummy.
I just made it again & used chopped garlic on all three loaves this time.
this is a sweet bread..easy to make comes out great
fabulous everytime
When I bake I just use metric because I always have best results
….my question is … can you add to your site to change to metric. A lot of sites are doing that now… imperial/metric.
Just made this. Come out nice and soft. Great recipe!!!
You stress the importance of measuring correctly but fail to give the weight of the ingredients.