The BEST homemade french bread recipe made in just 90 minutes! So easy to make and comes out golden and crispy on the outside, while remaining soft and chewy on the inside.
Homemade bread is one of my favorite things to make. It can seem a bit intimidating at first, but this easy french bread recipe is a great place to start. It has a quick rising time and takes only 90 minutes from start to finish. If you’re a beginner to bread baking, make sure to check out my 3 ingredient artisan bread and my 45-minute breadsticks. Both are so simple along with my favorite dinner rolls and french bread rolls!
Easiest French Bread Recipe
If you’re looking for an easy french bread recipe, this is it! You’ll have 2 beautiful loaves in 90 minutes. The actual time you’ll be working will only be about 15 minutes, the rest of the time will be patiently waiting for the dough to rest/rise. This homemade french bread is golden and crispy on the outside, while remaining soft and slightly chewy on the inside. We love to serve it with a bowl of warm soup and the first time I made it, my husband said “this bread is SO good, where did you get it?” He thought I picked it up from our local bakery. It is just that good and really so easy to make. You’ll never want to buy store bought french bread again.
I absolutely love making bread and rolls of all kinds. There’s something so satisfying about making them in your own kitchen. The smell is unbelievable. We love to serve this homemade french bread with softened butter, honey and/or strawberry jam. So so good. Trust me when I say, this is the best french bread recipe!
How To Make Homemade French Bread
- Proof the yeast. In a small bowl, combine the warm water, yeast and sugar. Let sit for 5 minutes, or until it has begin to foam.
- Mix and let rest. Place 2 cups of flour into a large mixing bowl with the salt. Stir in the yeast mixture and begin to knead by hand or using a dough hook and stand mixer. Add 1/2 cup of the remaining flour at a time until the dough is smooth but not sticky. Rub the olive oil around the dough ball and let rest for 15 minutes.
- Shape and let rise again. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and divide it in half. Roll one half into a rectangle. Starting from the long side, roll the dough into a cylinder. Turn both ends in and pinch the seams closed. Round the edges and place onto a baking sheet. Repeat with the second dough ball. Let rise for 30-45 minutes. Make three diagonal cuts across the top of each loaf.
- Bake in oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bake for 17-20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Brush the top of the homemade french bread with melted butter if desired. Slice and enjoy! :)
Baking Tips
- The key to the perfect consistency is to knead in flour a little at a time, until the dough becomes soft and not sticky.
- If using a bread dough hook to knead the dough, knead the last couple of minutes by hand.
- Let the dough rest a minute during the mixing process (this allows the gluten to relax).
- Let the dough rise in a warm spot by the window or on top of the stove.
- Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and then press down with your finger tips to remove any air pockets.
- Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough and any extra bubbles.
- Roll the dough into a loaf and then make sure to tuck the ends under and pinch all the seams together tightly to create a nice seal.
- For a crispier/shinier crust, brush on egg wash (1 egg white (whisked) with a teaspoon of water) before baking.
- For a softer and more flavorful crust, brush with melted butter right when it comes out of the oven.
Favorite Ways To Enjoy
- Top with butter, garlic herb butter, honey, cinnamon butter, jam or apple butter
- Dip in olive oil bread dip as an appetizer
- Use it to make classic bruschetta or bruschetta caprese
- Serve with all types of soup, like lasagna soup, corn chowder and hearty vegetable soup
- My family loves to make french bread pizza, stuffed french bread or garlic bread
- We also like to make spaghetti boats using leftovers of my easy spaghetti recipe.
- Make a french dip sandwich
- Once it’s a few days old, make french bread french toast, bread pudding or croutons
- Cut into cubes and serve with this cold Knorr spinach dip.
Freezer Instructions
Since this recipe makes two loaves, sometimes we freeze one of them for later. To freeze, wrap the bread tightly in foil or saran wrap (make sure it has cooled completely). Then place in a zip top bag and store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
More Homemade Bread Recipes To Try:
HUNGRY FOR MORE? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all the newest recipes!
Homemade French Bread Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups warm water , about 105°F
- 1 Tablespoon active dry yeast
- 2 ½ teaspoons granulated sugar
- 5 cups (650 g) all-purpose flour , or bread flour (add more as needed)
- 2 ½ teaspoons table salt or fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- Melted salted butter , optional
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let sit 5 minutes, or until it begins to foam.
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl, stir together 2 cups flour and salt. Stir in the yeast mixture on medium-low speed or by hand. Knead in 1/2 cup of the remaining flour in increments until the dough is smooth but not sticky (depending on climate you could use more or less than 5 cups). Add more flour as needed.
- Rub the olive oil around the dough ball, cover the bowl with a towel and let rest 15 to 30 minutes. If you have more time, let rise up to 1 hour.
- Turn the dough onto a well-floured surface and divide it in half. Set one half aside. Roll the other half into a rectangle (about 15 inches). Starting from the long side, roll the dough into a cylinder.
- Turn both ends in and pinch the seams closed. Round the edges and place onto a baking sheet. Repeat with the second dough ball. Make three diagonal cuts across the top of each loaf. Cover loaves lightly with a towel. Let rise 30 to 60 minutes (the longer the better, if you have the time).
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Bake 17 to 23 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. When you knock on it, it should sound hollow. If it's browning too fast, lightly cover with foil and lower the temperature to 375°F.
- Brush the top with melted butter, if desired. Slice and serve while warm.
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: Bread, Dairy-Free, Reader Favorites, 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.
I have never committed on a recipe before but this one is one of the best. It is wonderful. Have tried several French bread recipes and have never been happy until this one. Can’t wait to make another batch. Have a bake sale coming up and I plan to make several batches and I know they will sell.
Thank you.
Bernnie
Yay, this makes me so happy to hear Bernnie! Have fun at the bake sale :)
I made this last night and this is the BEST tasting french bread! Tastes better than store bought. Easy to follow directions. I did not use the egg wash and the loaves came out nice and brown on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside. Thank you for sharing this recipe. This will be my go to recipe.
You are welcome! So glad you loved it so much :)
I love the recipe. Thank you so much 😍😍😍😍😍
You are so welcome! Enjoy :)
Mine is in the oven – 25 minutes now – the bread isn’t getting dark. I’m a seasoned bread maker and I’m stumped as to why it isn’t getting dark. It’s hard, but I”m afraid it’s going to be too dense.
Hi Jori! Some ovens run hotter than others. If my bread is browning before the center is done, I’ll typically place a piece of foil over top to prevent it from browning.
Very easy and tasty recipe. Nice density. Printed it and will use it many times I’m sure. Thank you for sharing!
You are so welcome! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe, Laura :)
This is my go to recipe for french bread now. When I have it rolled out, I add garlic butter, parmesan and other cheeses and it is always a big hit at gatherings.
YUM, that sounds so delicious! I’ll have to try that next time :)
It is delish! But I tried swapping with bread flour and the cooking time wasn’t the same. Any advice? Thanks!
Bread flour has a higher protein content so it can typically be a little more dense. If using bread flour I would use a little less flour and cook a 3-5 minutes longer.
This was so easy and tasty – even my six year old couldn’t get enough!
Yay, that’s always a win! :)
I love this recipe. It is so quick and easy- plus my kids love it. It is a perfect addition to any meal! And it freezes well too.
So happy to hear this! Thanks for your comment, Amy :)
If I want to make 4 smaller loaves how would I adjust cooking time?
I would start checking them at about 15 minutes.
I’ve made this recipe several times now and it is AMAZING! Came out fluffy and delicious every time! Thanks for making this helpful recipe.
You are so welcome! Love hearing that you enjoy the recipe and that it comes out great each time :)
I halved this recipe and made just one loaf. It was super delicious and fluffy however the dough was extra sticky and unmouldable. I added in more flour to help it, but it was still difficult. My end product was quite pale and more flat than the pictures on the blog. I might make it again because it was tasty and quick, but have to figure out how to fix the mistake.
Hmmm, sorry you had trouble halving the recipe. It should work to half the recipe, you’ll just want to make sure you half every ingredient. You can use the slider (if you hover over the serving amount) and it will half the ingredients for you. Also, the bread freezes great. So usually I’ll make the 2 loaves and then freeze the other for later.
maniana lo preparo , berta
First time I made french bread, I wasn’t sure I was doing it right but it came out great! My son said it looked like store bought loaves, best compliment ever 😁😁😁
Yay, amazing job Gracie! So glad you enjoyed the recipe.
My absolute go-to bread recipe. Easy, tasty and quick! Has not failed me once. French bread pizza, sandwiches, garlic bread or just a piece of toast with fresh preserves. It also freezes well. YUM!!!!
So glad to hear this! Thanks so much for the review :)
Great bread and quick!!!
So glad you liked it, Elizabeth :)
hi, i have a question. you’re recipe calls for an active dry yeast. can i use an instant yeast instead? will there be any difference in the measurement if i will use the instant yeast? thank you.
Yes, it will work. No need to proof with water first. Just add the same amount in with the other ingredients.
Perfect! Nice and light texture. Easy to make and doesn’t take so much time! I will definitely be making this again.
I’m so glad you loved it, Karen! Thanks for your comment and review :)