Easy Soft French Bread Recipe

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This easy French bread recipe uses only 4 ingredients and makes the best homemade oven-baked loaf. Learn how to make crispy bakery French bread right out of the oven that becomes soft and chewy as it cools.

Try my easy yeast rolls or garlic naan bread recipe next!

What is French bread?

This homemade French bread is made with flour, water, yeast, and salt. It can be mixed by hand or a stand mixer and shaped into your favorite form. Once baked, the crust is golden and crispy. As it cools, it becomes a super soft French loaf for anything.

Why you'll love this recipe

• Easy for any bread-baking level - This simple bread recipe is tried and trusted among bread beginners and skilled bakers.
• You need only four ingredients - Flour, water, yeast, and salt- to make French bread dough. Of course, you also need a tiny amount of oil to prevent the dough from sticking during the proofing phase.
• Two yeast options - This recipe includes instant or active dry yeast instructions.
• Two mixing methods - You can hand-knead the dough or use an electric mixer – both methods are included.
• Economical - The ingredients for this homemade French bread are a fraction of the cost of store-bought bread.
• Enjoyment - Making bread at home is fun and relaxing, especially when your whole house smells like a bakery.

How to make French bread

Here's a brief overview. Visit the printable recipe card below for detailed instructions.

1. Combine water and yeast and bloom yeast if needed.
2. Add flour and salt.
3. Mix and knead the dough.
4. 1st proofing - This means allowing the dough to double in size. You can even proof dough in the Instant Pot to accelerate this process.
5. Deflate and reshape to prep for 2nd proofing.
6. 2nd proofing - This is optional but recommended for gluten development.
7. Deflate and shape dough into a baguette, oval, round, or loaf.
8. Final proofing - This means allowing the final form to expand before baking.
9. Bake the French loaf.
10. Cool and store.

Stand mixer bread vs hand kneaded bread

This soft French bread recipe can be easily kneaded by hand or with a stand mixer. Depending on the batch size I want to make, I bounce between both mixing methods. So, I included instructions for both methods in the recipe below.

How to knead French bread in the stand mixer

I use my 5-quart KitchenAid stand mixer for this bread recipe, which yields about 2 pounds of dough. This size is perfect for my 5-quart mixer with the dough hook attachment because it mixes and kneads without any delay. The mixer struggles with smaller batches because the attachment can't reach the ingredients to gather and knead the dough effectively.

To mix dough in a stand mixer, secure the dough hook attachment. Use the lowest speed to mix and knead ingredients into a cohesive, smooth, elastic dough (about 3-5 minutes). Sprinkle reserved flour into the bowl as needed during the mixing process to prevent the dough from sticking to the sides of the bowl. You may also need to stop the mixer and pull the dough back into cohesion with a spatula or your hands.

How to knead French bread by hand

Hand-kneading - Knowing how to knead dough without an electric mixer is good. I usually hand-knead this French bread recipe when I make a half batch (1-pound dough yield) because my hands can incorporate and knead smaller batches more efficiently than the mixer.

To hand knead: Stir ingredients together (using a utensil or your hands) in a large mixing bowl until a shaggy dough forms. Transfer dough to a steady surface and hand-knead until a cohesive, elastic dough forms (about 3-5 minutes). Sprinkle the reserved flour in small amounts to prevent the dough from sticking to the table or your hands during the entire process.

Proofing

You can proof homemade French bread using different methods. Proofing bread in the Instant Pot is my favorite! It creates the ideal environment to proof at a constant temperature of 90 degrees Fahrenheit. It's so convenient because your dough doubles in size in only 45 minutes, even in a chilly or drafty environment.

French bread shapes

Shaping French bread is half the fun! You can shape a baguette, sandwich loaf, oval, or round. A baguette or loaf pan isn't required, but they help maintain shape and height, which is great for bread beginners, especially if your dough texture is loose.

Here are some 'before and after' examples of my French bread shapes.

Free-form French Baguettes or long loaves. These long rolls have many uses. French bread also goes with a meat and cheese board.

French sandwich loaf in a loaf pan

Free-form oval sandwich loaf on a mini baking sheet

Tools and equipment

These are the bare minimum bread tools needed for this recipe. I've included links to these and additional tools in the recipe card below.

• Mixing bowls - Use these to knead dough by hand and/or proof dough.
• Stand mixer - (Optional) You can also knead French bread by hand.
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Quick-read thermometer - (optional) Gauge water temperature and baked bread temperature.
• Dough whisk - Or any stirring utensil to combine ingredients
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper - This helps prevent the bread from sticking to the bakeware.
• Bread lame - This scores the dough. A plain razor blade can also be used.
• Oven mitts - Use these for safe handling of hot bread and bakeware.

Can you freeze French bread?

Yes! Allow the loaf to cool completely and freeze in an airtight bag or freezer-safe container for up to 30 days. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for a few hours.

Recommended bread recipes

• How to Make Crostini
• Homemade Croutons
• Easy Beer Bread
• Cranberry Walnut Bread
• Pull Apart Bread
• Best Bread Stuffing
• How to Dry Out Bread

How to serve French bread

There's nothing better than dinner served with fresh, homemade French bread. Grab any one of these mouthwatering entrees made for Instant Pot or stove!

• Lasagna Soup
• Chicken Pesto Pasta
• Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo
• Chickpea Kale Soup
• Split Pea Soup
• Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce
• Sausage Soup
• Minestrone Soup
• White Bean Kale Soup

📖 Recipe