French Bread Recipe is easily made in your stand mixer. It’s perfect for sandwiches, garlic bread, bruschetta toast, even bread and butter.
French Bread is one of our favorite bread recipes. You can simply serve it with butter, make it into french bread pizza, garlic bread, stuff it, or even use for homemade bread crumbs!
When making homemade french bread you could even add in herbs to flavor or add sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or even everything bagel seasoning to the top for extra flavor. We use our stand mixer to make french bread easier. It kneads the dough for you!
French bread ingredients
- Active Dry Yeast: This helps the bread rise. Dissolve in warm water to activate. You can also use instant yeast.
- Sugar: We use a bit of sugar to not only add sweetness, but also to feed the yeast.
- Warm Water: Make sure it’s between 105°F-110°F for the best yeast activation.
- Salt: We use salt in the dough and also salted butter on the outside. You can even sprinkle with a little salt.
- All-Purpose Flour: You can also use bread flour if preferred.
- Olive Oil: Used for greasing the bowl during rising and in the dough. It also adds a subtle richness to the dough.
- Egg: We mix with cold water to make an egg wash to brush on before baking to give the bread a shiny, golden crust!
How to make French Bread
In the mixing bowl combine the sugar and yeast with the warm water, mix them to dissolve. I love using metric measurements with my scale for the best accuracy.
Add in the flour, salt, and oil. Mix the dough on speed 2 using the dough hook for about 2 minutes.
Let the dough rest for 10-15 minutes and then mix again if you added any flour, if needed.
Cover the dough with olive oil, move it around to coat the entire dough bowl.
Cover the dough in the mixing bowl and allow it to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour.
Once the dough is doubled in size, punch it down and divide it into two pieces.
Place one half of the dough onto a floured surface and roll into a log to form the bread, around 12 inches by 14 inches. Roll the dough tightly, keeping it thinner towards the ends.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the french bread loaves onto the baking sheet.
Score them 3-5 times, brush with egg wash and then cover them with greased plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Preheat your oven to 375°F. Bake the loaves for 22-25 minutes and then remove from the oven.
Use a stick of butter on the warm bread when it comes out if you want a softer crust.
You could also use this bread recipe for mini loves or even buns. Kids love helping in the kitchen and they can get creative with it too!
Recipe tips and alterations:
- Skip the butter for a crispier, chewier crust.
- Substitute 25-30% of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat for a nuttier flavor and denser texture.
- Bake with a pan of water in the oven to create steam, which gives a crustier finish.
- You can shape the dough into rolls, boules, or baguettes depending on your preference, but you will need to reduce or increase the baking time accordingly.
- Add sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or your preferred seasoning to the top for a flavorful twist.
French Bread Recipe
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Print Pin Recipe 🖤 SaveIngredients
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast or instant
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 1/4 cups warm water about 110°F,
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 tablespoon olive oil divided
- 7 cups unbleached all-purpose flour or bread flour, use more if needed
- 1 large egg beaten with 1 teaspoon cold water to make an egg wash
- 1 tablespoon butter for brushing once done, optional – use country crock plant butter for dairy free
Instructions
- In the mixing bowl combine the sugar and yeast with the warm water, mix them to dissolve. If you’re using active dry, let it activate for 5 minutes.1 tablespoon active dry yeast, 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, 2 1/4 cups warm water
- Add in the salt, 1 tablespoon oil, and flour. Mix the dough at low speed using the dough hook for about 2 on speed 2. Add more flour a tablespoon at a time if needed.2 teaspoons salt, 2 tablespoon olive oil, 7 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- Let the dough rest for 10-15 minutes before kneading again for another 20 seconds or so. Let it rest and repeat the kneading for another 20 seconds.
- Cover the dough with 1 tablespoon olive oil, move it around to coat the entire dough bowl. Cover the dough in the mixing bowl with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and allow it to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour. Once the dough is doubled in size, punch it down and divide it into two pieces.
- Place one half of the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Make it into a rectangle and then roll into a log to form the bread, about 12-14 inches in length. Press out any air bubbles with the palm/heel of your hand. Roll the dough tightly, keeping it thinner towards the ends.
- Place the loaves seem side down onto a parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the egg wash. Cover them with oiled saran wrap and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.1 large egg
- Preheat your oven to 375° F and place the oven rack in the center. (If your bread is browning too fast or your oven cooks on the hotter size, do 375°F.)
- Make 3 or 4 scores across the loaves once ready using a bread lame or serrated knife. Make them diagonally across each loaf. Bake the loaves for 25 minutes and then remove from the oven.
- Bake for 22-25 minutes or until the bread is lightly golded and the center the cetner temperature is 190°F.
- If you want a softer crust, brush with a bit of melted butter after baking.1 tablespoon butter
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Nutrition
The nutritional information is automatically calculated and can vary based ingredients and products used. If the nutrition numbers are important for you we recommend calculating them yourself.
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