We love a homemade loaf of bread, and especially today’s French bread recipe. My grandma mastered this bread recipe decades ago, and now that she has taught us how to make it it’s become a favorite side with dinner.
Like with most French bread recipes, this one uses basic pantry staples, simple ingredients, and the steps are easy (plus it stores and freezes well). If this is your first time making yeast bread, this is a great one to try; it’s no-fail with our step-by-step directions. No need for a bread machine!
For more bread recipes, try Italian Bread, Baguettes, and No Knead Bread.
Why we think you’ll love it:
- Three loaves! One batch makes 3 loaves; perfect for sharing or freezing.
- Texture. Each loaf has a soft interior with a shiny, crisp crust.
- Versatile. Perfect for dinners, sandwiches, croutons, or French toast.
French Bread Ingredients
- Cornmeal (¼ cup) – Cornmeal keeps loaves from sticking to the pan and adds a pleasant texture to the bottom.
- Rapid rise yeast (2 tablespoons) – Yeast gives lift and structure, helping the loaves rise reliably. Active dry yeast, instant yeast, and rapid-rise yeast all work for this bread recipe.
- Warm water (½ cup, 110–115°F) – Warm water wakes up the yeast so it activates quickly.
- Hot water (2 cups) – Hot water keeps the dough warm, which supports a better rise.
- Vegetable oil (5 tablespoons) – Oil tenderizes the crumb and keeps the bread soft for serving.
- Sugar (3 tablespoons) – Sugar feeds the yeast and adds a hint of sweetness to balance the salt.
- Salt (1 tablespoon) – Salt strengthens the dough and seasons every bite.
- All-purpose flour (6 cups, divided) – Flour forms the dough’s structure, added in stages for easy mixing and the right texture. You can also use bread flour.
- Egg (1, beaten) – Beaten egg 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 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. Once all of the flour is added, cover with a kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 10 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.
- 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 as it bakes). Beat 1 egg and brush each loaf with the egg wash for a crisp and shiny crust. Let the dough rise, uncovered, for 30 minutes in a warm place.
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 on the middle rack for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Let cool and cut with a sharp knife and serve warm.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- 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 slashes at an angle that are about ¼ inch deep.
- Slather with Honey Butter, Cinnamon Butter, or Strawberry Jam.
Homemade French Bread Recipe
Video
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. 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 9×12-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°F.
- Bake on the middle rack for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Complete the Meal
- Ways to eat French bread: Buffalo Chicken French Bread, Barbecue Chicken French Bread, Cheesy Spinach Artichoke Bread
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 oven, preheated to 400°F, until warm.
Simulate a baker’s oven to create a crispy crust:
Place a baking pizza stone on the center rack. Preheat oven to 450ºF. Put a metal broiler pan at least 4 inches below the baking stone.
Once risen, transfer the bread to a baking peel and lightly spray the loaves with water. Slide the loaves onto the baking stone and add 1 cup of HOT water to the broiler tray below.
Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and bake for 10 minutes. Use the water bottle to spray the bread every 3 minutes for the remainder of the baking time, 10 more minutes.
Complete The Meal
Main Dishes
Bread Recipes
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.
There is no video of the entire process. I sat through so many ads before I realized it just stops and goes to another partial recipe. I wanted to see how high your dough rose. It was frustrating with too many pop ups.
The video does come up. Please remember that those ads are how I make money and allow me to spend MANY hours testing and testing recipes to be able to give them to you for FREE. 🙂
This recipe is very easy! I taught my daughters and now they know how to throw the recipe together quickly when I don’t have the time. We sometimes throw the extra loaf in the freezer to save for the next time we need French bread to compliment our entree.
Turns out amazing every time! Everyone loves this bread recipe and it’s great for so many different meals- pasta night, French bread pizza, soup night, … so good with anything!
Can I refrigerate the dough at any step to add flavor and to make a few days in advance of baking?
I haven’t tried that, so I’m not totally sure. You should be able to refrigerate the dough after it’s all been mixed and kneaded. I don’t know if it would refrigerate for a few days… perhaps a few hours. Or overnight at most. You can also freeze the dough. After step 5, you’ll still score the bread and make sure it is in it’s loaf. Then wrap with plastic and put in a freezer bag. When ready to bake, you can defrost in the fridge overnight or set out at room temperature and has completed the second rise (from sept 6). Then bake as the recipe indicates. You’ll have to let us know what you end up doing and how it turns out.
Best and easiest recipe. Ever.
Thank you!! So glad you enjoyed the bread!
This the best bread recipe I have ever tried. Tried a lot of them lately and this is definitely the BEST!
Thank you so much!! So so happy to hear you love this bread.
So easy and came out great!!! Thank you!!!
Yay! So glad to hear. You’re welcome! Thanks for trying the recipe.
Can I pre freeze this before baking
Yes you can. After step 5, you’ll still score the bread and make sure it is in it’s loaf. Then wrap with plastic and put in a freezer bag. When ready to bake, you can defrost in the fridge overnight or set out at room temperature and has completed the second rise (from sept 6). Then bake as the recipe indicates. You’ll have to let us know how it turns out if you freeze the dough!
Fricken AWESOME recipe !!!
Thanks so much for sharing!
Delicious and easy!
Wondering if this bread can be par baked for use next Day, if so how long does it need to be par baked? How long after mixing and resting can loafs sit before being baked? How much would wheat flour change the recipe? Any information would be appreciated.
Glad you think so! I’m so sorry, but I haven’t tried any of those, so I would need to experiment myself, before just saying anything. Don’t want to tell you the wrong things 🙂