Easy homemade breads bowls are made with simple ingredients and are crusty golden brown on the outside with a soft and fluffy center! They are perfect for filling with your favorite soup.
If you love homemade bread recipes, try homemade breadsticks, Dutch Oven Bread or dinner rolls, too.
Table of Contents
Homemade Bread Bowl Recipe
There’s nothing more comforting on cold days than warm soup in homemade bread bowls. My family and I love making soups and my kids always get so excited when they see I’m serving the broccoli and cheese soup in a bread bowl!
I’ve been known to pick them up from Panera, but homemade bread bowls are actually easier than you may think. I adapted this recipe from my famous French bread recipe and the bread bowls are soft and fluffy on the inside and golden and crispy on the outside. And they only need to rise for an hour, too!
Ingredients
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Yeast: I used active dry yeast in this recipe. If using instant yeast, simply mix it in with the dry ingredients and skip proofing it in water first.
- Water: This gets mixed with the yeast in the proofing process. Make sure it’s warm water, about 110°F. Anything hotter will kill the yeast.
- Sugar: This is also used to help proof the yeast. A Tablespoon of sugar is mixed in with the water and yeast to help it grow.
- Flour: I used all-purpose flour and it worked great. Bread flour would work too. Make sure you know how to measure flour accurately before getting started.
- Salt: A couple of teaspoons of salt are added for extra flavor.
- Oil: Olive oil is used for more flavor, as well as to coat the dough while it rises.
How to Make Homemade Bread Bowls
These homemade bread bowls start by proofing the yeast. Make sure you have warm water (around 110°F) and fresh yeast. Then add the yeast to the water with the sugar and give it a good stir. Cover the bowl with saran wrap and then wait about 5 minutes until it starts to poof up. Once it’s foamy, you’ll know it’s ready.
- Combine 4 cups flour, salt, 1 teaspoon olive oil and the yeast mixture in a large bowl.
- Use a dough hook if you have one and mix with your stand mixer on medium speed. Add in 1/2 cup flour at a time until the dough becomes smooth, not sticky. Then knead with a dough hook for an additional 3 minutes or by hand for 5-6 minutes. Let rise in a warm place until it doubles in size.
- Punch dough down and divide into 6 equal portions. Form each piece into a ball and pinch the bottom to round it. Then place seam down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cut an X on the top of the dough ball with a sharp knife and allow to rise for 30 minutes, or until doubles in size.
- Then bake at 400°F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown. To serve, cut out a big round piece at the top of each loaf and hollow out the center.
Quick Tips
- Make sure your water is bath tub temperature! You want it around 110°F.
- To knead, feel free to use a dough hook (this will quicken the process).
- To help your dough rise quicker, turn oven to 150°F and then turn off. Place bowl inside of oven (leave a small crack) and let rise about 20-30 minutes.
- You can also place the bowl on a heating pad to help it rise quicker too.
Best Soups for Bread Bowls
There are ALL types of soups that taste delicious in bread bowls! We tend to serve ours with a soup that has a creamier consistency. They also make a great vessel for serving dips like this Knorr spinach dip or buffalo chicken dip. Either way, they’re sure to be a hit!
- Crockpot potato soup
- Chicken pot pie soup
- White chicken chili
- Ham and potato soup
- Corn chowder
- Tomato basil soup
More homemade bread recipes include easy homemade bread, artisan bread, easy homemade pizza dough and rosemary focaccia
More Homemade Bread Recipes
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Bread Bowl Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 ½ Tablespoons active dry yeast
- 1 ¾ cups warm water (105°)
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 5 cups bread flour , can sub for all-purpose if needed
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
Egg wash
- 1 egg
- 1 Tablespoon water
Instructions
- Proof yeast: Line two pans with parchment paper or a baking mat and set aside. Dissolve 1 1/2 Tablespoons yeast and 1 Tablespoon sugar in a small bowl with 1 3/4 cups warm water. Cover with saran wrap until it poufs up.
- Make dough. In a large bowl, combine 3 cups flour, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 Tablespoon olive oil and the yeast mixture. Beat on medium speed (using a dough hook if you have one). Add 1/2 cup flour at a time until the dough becomes smooth, not sticky. Knead 3 minutes with a dough hook or 5-6 minutes by hand.
- First rise: Rub dough with oil or non stick spray and place in a large bowl. Cover with saran wrap or a towel and allow to rise until doubles in size, about 60 minutes.
- Form: Punch down the dough and then divide into six balls. Form each piece into a ball and pinch the bottom to round it. Then place seam down on pan.
- Second rise: Cut an X on the top and cover with towel. Allow to rise for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400°F while bread bowls are rising.
- Bake: Whisk egg and water together and brush on top of the dough balls. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Serve: For serving, cut a large round piece out of the top of the bread bowl and then hollow out the center.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: 5 Ingredients Or Less, American, Bread, Dairy-Free, Nut-Free, Vegetarian, Yeast Bread
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
What’s the measurement for water? It says 1 ¾ cups warm water (105°) for ingredients but 1 1/2 cups warm water for proofing the yeast. I can’t find anywhere where the additional 1/4 water is used.
I already started the recipe with 1 ¾ cups warm water per the ingredients, so I’m hoping the yeast still blooms and I don’t have to start again.
Hi Tally, sorry about that. 1 3/4 cups should work great. How did they turn out for you?
No worries. I needed exactly four cups of flour. No problems with rise or bake. Scoring the dough was a little difficult because it was soft, but it could just be the recipe. I’m going to do it again to compare. However everyone liked it and the texture was great. :)
So glad you had success with the bread bowls!