Published: by Paula Montenegro
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When we want homemade bread without the hassle, this french bread recipe is GOLD. It's kneaded in the food processor in 45 seconds! There is waiting time after that, but very little hands-on work. The crust is crackly, and the inside is soft and creamy. Crusty French bread at its best, and with a video tutorial!
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I started making this bread recipe years ago. I would make a double batch, form it into individual sandwich-sized loaves and freeze them.
Or eat a freshly baked loaf in a matter of minutes; that also happened sometimes. Warm with a dollop of butter this bread is fantastic!
During the 2020 bread-baking craze, I dusted off this recipe and made it with regular white bread flour and superfine whole wheat flour. Both are amazing! The latter is more rustic and doesn't completely develop that crackly crust, but that is minor compared to the easiness of this recipe.
I love making homemade bread. The aroma in the kitchen is unparalleled, as are those first warm crusty bites.
For breakfast and sandwiches, I tend to lean towards fiber-laden ones like this whole wheat oatmeal bread recipe that is versatile and delicious. For bruschettas, there's nothing like this Italian semolina bread.
So, let's go straight into the details of making this French bread.
Ingredients
They are few, and you probably have them all in your pantry.
French bread, in essence, is the recipe with the fewest ingredients because it only uses flour, salt, yeast, and water.
- Yeast: for this recipe, you need dry instant yeast.
- Flour: depending on where you live they have different labels. I use bread flour, and I highly encourage it, as it has more protein, thus developing more gluten which makes for a better rise and crumb. All-purpose will work if that's all you have.
- Salt: I like to use kosher salt when baking. But regular table salt works just fine.
- Water: it should be tepid, and you can use mineral water or regular tap water. Be careful not to use hot water as it will greatly diminish the yeast's strength or kill it altogether, and the bread won't rise. Slightly warm or tepid means that you can dip your pinky finger and it will be barely warm.
Watch our step-by-step videos
How to make baguettes
You'll love how easy it is to make this recipe! There is some waiting time to allow the yeast to render its magic, but besides that, little hands-on work.
- Time is the most important step and makes this french bread recipe easy. You only need to process the dough for 45 seconds! Yes, that's right, less than a minute.
- Food processor: it's the necessary appliance for this recipe. Use one that is large enough to hold all ingredients comfortably.
Make sure the salt and the yeast are not touching before adding the water, as it can reduce the latter's strength if that happens. They will combine once the liquid is added.
Mixing: the process for making this dough is simply putting the ingredients in the bowl of the food processor with the steel blade and adding the water through the feed tube while the food processor is running.
Dough: it will be rustic, not smooth at all. You then have to let it rest for a couple of hours. The dough won't rise until doubled so don't worry if it has hardly changed in appearance. But it will be softer and more relaxed.
Forming and scoring the loaf
Baguettes or batards: they are French names that distinguish the type of loaf. The baguette is thinner and longer (more crust than crumb), and the batards are plumper and shorter (more crumb than crust).
How to form them?
Scoring: this refers to the slits that are made on top of the loaf right before it goes into the oven. This helps the bread to rise evenly.
Scoring razor: if you plan on making French bread often, I highly recommend buying a bread lame for dough scoring, which is a stick with a razor blade that makes clean slits.
Using a sharp kitchen knife is the homemade version, and the slits are not always as slick. See the image of the bread in the oven below for how irregular the cuts are when made with a knife. They still work though! Don't get me wrong. But the blossoming might not always be as it should.
Make a rectangle and roll it up with your hands like cinnamon rolls. Important: pinch the seams each time you roll the dough to keep out as much air as possible.
Use a lame (a stick with a razor blade that can be bought online) or a sharp knife.
Vintage Kitchen tip: Don't be tempted to make very deep slits as they will blossom too much during baking.
Baking the bread
Oven: this is where the magic happens, and it's highly recommended to put a pan with hot water on the bottom of the oven to create steam while the bread bakes. It helps to create that fabulous crackly crust that we all love!
When is it done? The bread will turn a golden brown, and the slits will open. The way to know if it is fully baked is by turning it upside down (carefully because it's very hot, so use a kitchen towel) and tapping the bottom of the bread. It should sound hollow and not be very soft. That's when the bread is done.
Kitchen notes
- Organization:read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Baking time:keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer(like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Time: this is a no-knead bread, but you need resting and proofing time (when the yeast does its magic), so plan accordingly.
- Flour: you can use white bread flour, all-purpose flour, or superfine whole wheat flour. With this last one, the bread will be more rustic and not have that crackly crust, but it renders a fantastic healthier bread.
- Oven: it's highly recommended that you follow directions for both the temperature and the pan with water in the bottom. This will aid in getting the best results possible.
- Storing: French bread is best about half an hour out of the oven (when it had time to cool down a bit) and those few hours after. You can keep it in a bread bag at room temperature, but it will lose the crackly crust. Unless you warm it before eating. You can't bring it back completely to its original state, but it'll be wonderful. And you can freeze this bread (I recommend slicing it thickly, wrapping it in plastic, and then in foil or a Ziploc bag).
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between French bread and baguette?
They are both the same. A baguette is a French bread shaped like a stick, long and thin, and the name used for this type of bread in France.
What is the difference between French bread and Italian bread?
French bread is the simplest type of bread, using a few ingredients (flour, salt, yeast, and water), with a crackly crust, and a more airy crumb. Italian bread can be more sophisticated, with a denser crumb with a coarse crust, and often includes durum flour (a type of flour used for making pasta) such as our very popular Semolina Bread recipe.
Can French bread be frozen?
Absolutely! And I recommend doing so if not eating in the first hours of making it as it can harden or become too chewy pretty fast.
Is French bread considered to be white bread?
If you mean white sandwich bread then no, not at all. But French bread is white in the way that it's made with white wheat flour as opposed to whole wheat for example.
OTHER BREAD RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE:
- Semolina Bread Recipe
- Parker House Rolls (no-knead recipe)
- Whole Wheat Oatmeal Bread
- 100% Whole Wheat Bread
Let me know in the comments below if you made this recipe andloved it and if you had issues so we can troubleshoot together. I love to hear what you think, always. Thanks for being here. It's much appreciated.
You might alsoconsider subscribingto our FREE Baking the Best email series and our regular newsletter. Or connect viaFacebook,Instagram, andPinterest.
Crusty French Bread Recipe
5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star
4.7 from 33 reviews
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When we want homemade French bread without the hassle, this baguette recipe is GOLD. It's kneaded in the food processor for 45 seconds! There is waiting time after that, but very little hands-on work. The crust is crackly, and the inside is soft and creamy. So if you're intimidated about baking bread at home, this is the perfect recipe. Crusty French bread at its best.
- Total Time: 3 hours 40 minutes
- Yield: 3 medium
Ingredients
Units
- 3 ½ cups (500g) bread flour
- 2 teaspoons (12g) salt
- 1 teaspoon (3.5g) instant dry yeast
- 310g (1 ⅓ cup) slightly warm tap water
Instructions
- Put the flour in the bowl of the food processor.
- Add salt on one side and yeast on the other, you don’t want them to touch for now.
- Cover with the lid and begin to process at medium/high speed.
- Add the water through the feed tube as you begin counting 20 seconds. Either do it out loud or use the phone timer. You’re going to see the dough starts to come together.
- Stop the machine after 20 seconds and see that it is not dry. It should be rough; make sure there are no spots of flour at the bottom. If it is dry, add 1 more tablespoon of tepid water.
- Cover the bowl back and now process for 25 more seconds. It should be 45 seconds in total.
- Transfer the dough to a dry bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and put it in a warm place for 2 hours. The dough is hardly going to rise or double, and that is fine.
- Dump it onto a lightly floured counter, and divide it into 2 or 3 pieces.
- With each piece, make some rough buns by cupping them with both hands until you have a smooth surface, cover them with a clean kitchen towel or loose piece of plastic wrap, and leave them alone for 20 minutes.
- Flatten each piece of dough on the counter (flour it lightly if needed) and shape them into baguettes. I like to make them shorter and thicker.
- Put them on an oven sheet pan sprinkled with polenta or oatmeal on the bottom, and dust the bread pieces with a little flour. Cover and let stand for 40 minutes.
- About 15 minutes before baking, turn on the oven at 450°F / 230°C.
- Have ready a roasting pan and a kettle of hot water.
- When the 40 minutes are almost over, put the roasting pan on the bottom of the oven and carefully fill it halfway with hot water. Close the oven door. This creates steam that is great for forming that crackly crust.
- Make 3 cuts or slits to each loaf with a lame (find where to buy it online in the Notes below) or a very sharp kitchen knife, and immediately put it in the oven.
- Cook for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown and they sound hollow if you turn them over and lightly tap the bottom with your fingers.
Notes
- Organization:read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Baking time:keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer(like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you need to adjust.
- Time: this is a no-knead bread, but you need resting and proofing time (when the yeast does its magic), so plan accordingly.
- Flour: you can use white bread flour, all-purpose flour, or superfine whole wheat flour. With this last one, the bread will be more rustic and not have that crackly crust, but it renders a fantastic healthier bread.
- Oven: it's highly recommended that you follow directions for both the temperature and the pan with water in the bottom. This will aid in getting the best results possible.
- Storing: French bread is best about half an hour out of the oven (when it had time to cool down a bit) and those few hours after. You can keep it in a bread bag at room temperature, but it will lose the crackly crust. Unless you warm it before eating. In this case, you can't bring it back completely to its original state, but it'll be wonderful. And you can freeze this bread (I recommend slicing it thickly, wrapping it in plastic, and then in foil or a Ziploc bag).
- Author: Paula Montenegro
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Resting time: 3 hours
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: International
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ⅛
- Calories: 218
- Sugar: 0.2 g
- Sodium: 584.4 mg
- Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 43.7 g
- Fiber: 1.6 g
- Protein: 7.4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
About Paula Montenegro
I'm Paula, a baker for more than 30 years and your designated recipe developer, sharing the best ones here with simple ingredients + easy-to-follow instructions.
Reader Interactions
Comments
Peggy says
Good flavor and crispy crust. I liked the ease of making it in the food processor. Mine turned out pretty heavy, however. I used regular flour and plan to remake with bread flour.
Reply
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Peggy, a reason we use bread flour is due to its higher protein content that renders a better crumb. Also, correct rising times and oven temperatures help to create a fluffier bread. Have a great week.
Reply
Todd says
I'm anxious to see how my bread turns out. When all the ingredients were in the food processor I did the 20second blend only to find my dough was the consistency of thick soup. I began to add flour but had no idea what the dough was supposed to look like. At any rate the dough is now rising for 2 hours. I'll let you know how (if) it turns out. I think it is time to calibrate my scale!
Reply
Marianne Frisby says
I want to make the spread, but I do not have a food processor. Can it be made by hand, mixed and needed by hand what changes have to be made if so?
Reply
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Marianne, this recipe is for the food processor, but the ingredients are traditional and you can knead it by hand or with a stand mixer and let the dough rise until doubled as you would a classic white bread.
Reply
J Barys says
Made this today. It turned out amazing.
Reply
Rose says
Can I use KAF all purpose since I don't have bread flour? Can I use cup4cup GF flour? Has anyone tried using GF flour?
Reply
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Rose, I can't talk about GF flour because I don't use it, but all-purpose flour will work for this recipe if that's all you have.
Reply
Rose says
Thank you, Paula!
Karen says
Hello. My bread turned very dense. Color, taste, smell was good but it felt very heavy. What am I doing wrong?
Reply
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Karen, it sounds like the yeast didn't work as it should.
Reply
Carol says
I was a little nervous trying this recipe out for the first time for a Christmas dinner, but it turned out great! I did cook it in a convection oven and even though I reduced the cooking time, I could have taken it up a little earlier. Even though it was a little darker after just fifteen minutes, it was delicious, crusty and the inside was light. I will make again but as mentioned in another post, will incorporate some Italian seasonings and serve with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Thinking about it is making me hungry!
Reply
Jessica Kelly says
Can I use a stand mixer instead of a food processor? Would I still use the time frame for the food processor?
Reply
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Jessica, a mixer is different from a processor. This technique works for the latter. If you use a mixer you have to make it the old-fashioned way.
Reply
Kie says
I would give this recipe 5+ stars if I could. It was amazing!! A perfectly crunchy crust and soft inside, both baguettes were devoured in MINUTES. Plus the fact that it only took 3 hours to make this (compared to 14 hours for other recipes)…. simply amazing. Best baguette ever, thank you Paula.
Reply
Maureen says
Mgood and crispy.ade these today and they turned out okay. I didn't get the golden brown color like yours nor did my loaves split open like yours. I cut them diagonally with my lame and they were deep cuts but the loaves just didn't open up. I maybe should have made three loaves instead of two. They were thick in the middle and tapered on the ends. Maybe should have rolled them out longer. Any advice would be appreciated. All said and done it is good and crispy.
Reply
MJ says
I seriously messed it up like halved the recipe, then added the wrong amount to the food processor, then gave up and let it sit there while I cleaned up. My husband decided to throw it in the oven anyways (hadn’t rested but maybe an hour) AND IT STILL TURNED OUT GREAT! Amateur proof!
Reply
Paula Montenegro says
This comment make my day MJ!
Reply
Mary says
Hands down my favorite French Bread. Every time we are invited to someone’s house for dinner they ask me to bring this bread. Easy and delicious,
Reply
Michaela geer says
Turned out perfect!! Ate a whole baguette in like 3 minutes
Reply
Bev says
I made this recipe and loved it! It was easy and the directions were through. It was my 3rd try at a yeast bread and I’ll try more of your recipes.
Reply
Paula Montenegro says
So happy to know it turned out so well Bev!
Reply
Sharie says
Can you make this dough in a stand mixer?
Reply
Paula Montenegro says
Yes Sharie, you can. The ingredients are those for regular French bread.
Reply
virginia lopez says
I also made this and it came out great making it again right now
Reply
Rupa says
Can I make this recipe by kneading? What changes would I need to make to the process?
Reply
Paula Montenegro says
The ingredients are standard for French bread, so I guess you can. Mix the ingredients, knead them for 10 minutes, let rest until doubled, form the baguettes, let rest until puffy, score and bake.
Reply
David says
Wow your measurements on water in grams is os far off. Get a new scales.
Reply
Paula Montenegro says
No, it's not.
Reply
Marilyn Cain says
Really enjoyed this as is. However i like a more yeasty flavour so i increased great to one packet of yeast and added 1 tbsp of dried rosemary and 1 tbsp thyme. Wow how great this was. Extra yeast grave me more softer inside bread. Still beautifully crusty. Thx
Reply
Nathalie says
Very very good. It’s not the first time that I make them and they are my favourite. May I ask, if we froze them, do we need to unfreeze them before putting them in the oven or they can be cooked frozen at 450, 25@30 minutes. Thanks
Reply
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Nathalie! Do you mean to freeze the unbaked dough after it's formed? You have to thaw it in the refrigerator (usually overnight) and then let it come to room temperature and let it rise for the second time before baking. You can't bake it directly because it's not completely proofed and will not rise well.
Reply
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