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Perfectly soft homemade French bread is easy to make at home!

Two loaves of French Bread baked on a sheet pan.
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the best homemade French bread!

We love Homemade Bread and after my mom mastered this homemade French Bread recipe, we now love it too! We’ve officially added it to our go-to bread recipes because it’s amazing.

Why we love this recipe:

  • It’s simple! With simple ingredients and easy steps, this recipe is no-fail!
  • Made with pantry staples. All of the ingredients are ones you should have in the pantry or fridge, which means you can make it any time.
  • Versatile. This French bread can be used to eat on its own, or use it to make Croutons, French Toast Casserole or serve it with your favorite soup recipe.
  • Easy to store and freeze. Like most breads, this is easy to make ahead of time and freeze which is always a bonus!

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons rapid rise yeast – Active dry yeast, instant yeast, and rapid-rise yeast all work for this bread recipe.
  • ยฝ cup warm water – This is used to activate the yeast. And should be between 110-115 ยฐF 
  • 2 cups hot water – adding hot water helps keep the dough warm which helps it rise better
  • 5 tablespoons vegetable oil – canola oil or olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar helps the yeast rise as well
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 6 cups all-purpose flour – bread flour can also be used for this recipe. Either way, be sure to Measure the Flour Correctly
  • 1 egg
  • ยผ cup cornmeal – is used to help keep the bread from sticking to the pan and it adds a delicious texture to the bottom. You can also use vegetable oil instead.

How to Make French Bread

  1. PREP. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle evenly with ยผ cup cornmeal. (Greased baking sheets work too, but we prefer the cornmeal method.)
  2. YEAST. In a small bowl, dissolve 2 tablespoons yeast in ยฝ cup warm water.
  3. DOUGH. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 2 cups hot water, 5 tablespoons oil, 3 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon salt, and 3 cups of flour. Mix with the paddle attachment.
    • Add yeast mixture and mix to combine.
    • Add the remaining 3 cups of flour 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition. Once all of the flour is added, cover with a kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
  4. SHAPE. Place dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into three pieces. Roll each piece into a 9-x-12-inch rectangle. Roll each rectangle up from the long edge like a jelly roll.
    • Place each dough roll on a prepared baking sheet, seam side down.
    • Score the bread across the top 3 or 4 times. Beat 1 egg and brush each loaf with the egg wash for a crisp and shiny crust. Let dough rise, uncovered, for 30 minutes in a warm place.
  5. BAKE. Toward the end of the rise, preheat the oven to 375ยฐF.
    • Bake on the middle rack for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Make it extra crusty

You’re going to need to simulate a baker’s oven to create a crispy crust:

  • Place a baking stone on the center rack. Preheat oven to 450ยบF. Put a metal broiler pan on the rack at the bottom of the oven (at least 4 inches below the baking stone).
  • Once risen, transfer the bread to a baking peel sprinkled with flour. Slash slits on the tops of the loaves and lightly spray the loaves with water.
  • Slide the loaves onto the preheated baking stone and add 1 cup of HOT water to the broiler tray. Reduce the oven temperature to 375ยฐF and bake for 20 minutes.
  • After 10 minutes use the water bottle to spray the bread every 3 minutes for the remainder of the bake time.
  • Use the baking peel to remove the bread from the oven and cool. The result – crusty French bread which is to die for!!
Homemade French bread loves in dish towel.
4.98 from 231 votes

French Bread Recipe

By: Lil’ Luna
This is the BEST homemade French bread and is so easy to make! It's soft, tasty, and comes out perfect every time.
Servings: 3 loaves
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Rest & Rise Time: 40 minutes
Total: 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients 

  • ยผ cup cornmeal
  • 2 tablespoons rapid rise yeast
  • ยฝ cup warm water, 110โ€“115ยฐF
  • 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 the flour. Mix with the paddle attachment.
  • Add yeast mixture and mix to combine.
  • Add the remaining 3 cups of flour 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition. Once all of the flour is added, let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
  • Place dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into three pieces. Roll each piece into a 9-x-12-inch rectangle. Roll each rectangle up from the long edge like a jelly roll.
  • Place each dough roll on a prepared baking sheet, seam side down.
  • Score the bread across the top 3 or 4 times and brush each loaf with beaten egg for a crisp and shiny crust. Let dough rise, uncovered, for 30 minutes in a warm place.
  • Toward the end of the rise, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  • Bake on the middle rack for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Video

Notes

Make ahead of time. To freeze baked loaves, let the bread cool and wrap in parchment paper, then aluminum foil. It can last for up to 3 months in the freezer. When you are ready to eat, remove from the freezer and thaw at room temperature. To reheat, preheated the oven to 400ยฐF and bake for 4โ€“5 minutes, or until warm.
Use it up. This recipe is great to serve as a slice of bread but you can use it to make other recipes, including Bruschetta, French Toast Casserole, French Toast, and Cheesy Garlic Bread.

Nutrition

Serving: 1loaf, Calories: 1037kcal, Carbohydrates: 214g, Protein: 30g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 55mg, Sodium: 2363mg, Potassium: 357mg, Fiber: 9g, Sugar: 13g, Vitamin A: 79IU, Vitamin C: 0.01mg, Calcium: 55mg, Iron: 12mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Recipe FAQ

  • Scoring bread simply means using a sharp knife or razor blade to make slashes on top of the dough that is ready for the oven. The slashes help control the way the bread will expand while it bakes, otherwise, it will expand anywhere that the dough is weak, creating an odd shape.
  • You wonโ€™t need to hand knead this bread, but be sure to mix each cup of flour sufficiently. Use the paddle or dough hook attachment on a stand mixer and mix at medium speed. Mixing well will help activate the gluten to make an elastic dough which will then create a better structure to the bread.
  • Store baked bread inside a plastic bag, bread box, or aluminum foil. The bread should last 2-3 days.
  • Freeze cooled chewy bread by wrapping it in parchment paper, and then foil. This easy French bread recipe can last for up to 3 months in the freezer. When you’re ready to eat, remove from the freezer and thaw. 
  • To reheat place in oven, preheated to 400ยฐF, for 4-5 minutes or until warm.

For More Bread Recipes:

About Kristyn

My name is Kristyn and Iโ€™m the mom of SIX stinkinโ€™ cute kids and the wife to my smokinโ€™ hot hubby, Lo. My momโ€™s maiden name is Luna, and Iโ€™m one of the many crafty โ€œLilโ€™ Lunasโ€ in the fam. On this site I like to share all things creative - from recipes to home decor to gifts and home decor ideas. Welcome!

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4.98 from 231 votes (142 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




213 Comments

  1. Lisa says:

    I love this french bread recipe. I would like to make it while we are glamping next week. Is there anything I should change for high altitude? I know it will rise faster and I will need to increase the temperature on the oven

  2. Lowie says:

    5 stars
    This recipe is fast and wonderful. I don’t use the egg wash on top so it is great for vegan or those allergic to egg and milk, (my grandson). Since it has no milk or egg I use it for sweet rolls using Imperial margerine, (no milk in it), and regular rolls. I either flour or oil my hands a little to pull the dough from the bowl onto a floured surface. The stickiness is worth dealing with for the speed and taste. It is stickier than normal dough but tastier and more versatile than normal dough. I bake for 20 minutes whether it is bread or rolls.

    1. Lil'Luna Team says:

      Thanks for sharing how you use the recipe!! So glad the bread it a winner!

  3. Pilar Williams says:

    French bread is not supposed to have sugar in it.

    1. Lil'Luna Team says:

      Not every recipe calls for sugar, that’s true. This one calls for a bit and we think it tastes delicious! You’ll have to let us know what you think if you make the recipe. ๐Ÿ™‚

  4. Ryan says:

    4 stars
    Iโ€™ve made this recipe several times and we love it. But I dread making it because it is sooo sticky. It takes me so long to be able to roll it out. I spoon and level the flour. But how long should the dough mix with the paddle before letting it rest 10 mins. Maybe Iโ€™m not doing it long enough. Please help!

  5. Dani says:

    5 stars
    We made this bread for our tiny family of 2. As you can imagine 3 loaves is quite a lot. So we experimented with the leftovers, we made, cheesy garlic bread, I froze one loaf raw, and I froze half a loaf wrapped in bee wax wrap. The one froze in beeswax wrap I pulled out today and allowed to thaw on my counter for dinner. I am AMAZED that the texture and quality are almost fresh. This is a keeper.

    1. Lil'Luna Team says:

      So so glad you enjoyed the bread! And could use store and use it for later!

  6. Rebecca Danely says:

    I love your recipes. I always for your recipes whenever I’m in the mood for cooking.

    1. Lil'Luna Team says:

      Oh thank you!! That makes me so happy to hear!

  7. scott robnett sr says:

    Can this be made using wheat flour?

    1. Lil'Luna Team says:

      It can. I would recommend using half whole wheat flour and half all purpose flour, because wheat flour is much heavier and dense. You’ll want to add a few minutes to the kneading time to help develop the gluten. It you need more tips on how to substitute whole wheat flour, you can find lots of info online!

  8. Mackenzie says:

    5 stars
    I was skeptical of this recipe while making it. I didnโ€™t have to oil any bowl and let the dough sit covered, or any of those other steps in most bread recipes. I have tried quite a few. Iโ€™m by no means good at making bread and typically always struggle with the rolling / shaping portion. I use a lot more flour to coat than is called for. I have also never followed the steps to shape any loaf and just shape my into a loaf in my own way. This recipe came out fantastic, even with me being not great at making bread. It was beautiful and rustic looking, crispy on the outside soft and flakey on the inside and slightly sweet which is a new thing from any bread Iโ€™ve made in the past and it tasted amazing. Will not make any other bread recipe again

    1. Lil'Luna Team says:

      Oh that makes me so happy to hear! So glad the bread recipe was a success!

  9. Cheryl Ottenwalder says:

    5 stars
    Easy ,Easy recipe came out excellent!And delicious.

  10. Jo Martinez says:

    Can the dough be seperated into two loaves instead, and if so, how much longer should they bake? If you know. ๐Ÿ˜Š

    1. Lil'Luna Team says:

      You could make two larger loaves, as long as you have a pan that will fit them. As far as baking times go, I’d say add 5 minutes and then just keep checking. You’ll know it is finished when the bread is a nice golden brown.