This is a lean, four-ingredient French bread — bread flour, water, yeast, and salt — made at home with a long first rise and a hot, steamy oven. The honest reason to make it: a fresh loaf costs almost nothing in ingredients, and the result is genuinely better than most grocery store French bread. Two loaves come out of one batch, so it earns its time.
Before you start
Two things decide whether this bread works. First, your yeast has to be alive — dissolve it in the warm water with the sugar and wait the full 5–10 minutes. If it doesn’t foam, stop there and get fresh yeast before you go any further, or you’ll waste the rest of your ingredients. Second, steam in the oven is not optional for a proper crust. The steam keeps the outer surface of the dough soft long enough for the loaves to expand fully before the crust sets. Without it, you get a thick, pale crust and a denser crumb. A shallow pan of boiling water on the oven’s lower rack during the first 10–15 minutes of baking is the simplest way to get this right at home.
Substitutions that actually work
- Bread flour vs. all-purpose: Bread flour gives you better chew and structure because of its higher protein content. All-purpose flour works — the loaf will be slightly softer and less chewy, but still good. Use the same amount.
- Active dry yeast vs. instant: The recipe uses active dry yeast (1½ tsp) or instant yeast (1¼ tsp). Instant yeast can go straight into the flour without proofing first, which saves a step.
- Fine sea salt vs. table salt: Table salt works fine here. Use the same measured amount — the difference in the finished loaf is minimal.
- Cornmeal for dusting: If you don’t have cornmeal, parchment paper alone handles the release perfectly. Skip the cornmeal entirely — not worth buying a whole bag just for this.
- Filtered water: Tap water is fine in most households. If your tap water is heavily chlorinated and you notice it affecting yeast activity, let it sit in an open container for 30 minutes before using.
Mistakes to avoid
- Skipping the second rise: After shaping, the loaves need that 30–45 minutes to relax and puff. Baking them too soon means tight, dense bread that doesn’t open up properly when scored.
- Scoring too shallow: The diagonal slashes need to be at least ½ inch deep. Shallow cuts seal back up in the oven heat before they can guide the expansion, and the loaf bursts unevenly on the sides instead.
- Opening the oven door early: Let the steam do its job for the first 10–15 minutes without opening the door. Every time you open it, steam escapes and the crust starts setting too soon.
- Flouring the surface too heavily during shaping: Extra flour worked into the dough at the shaping stage tightens the crumb and can leave floury streaks inside the loaf. Use just enough to keep the dough from sticking to your hands.
- Cutting into the loaf too soon: Hot bread is still finishing its internal structure as it cools. Slice into it before it’s fully cooled (at least 20–30 minutes out of the oven) and the crumb compresses and turns gummy at the cut.
Keeping and reheating
French bread stales faster than enriched loaves because there’s no fat to slow moisture loss. At room temperature, wrap the cut end tightly in foil or a beeswax wrap and keep it on the counter — it’s best within 2 days. Don’t refrigerate it; the fridge actually speeds up staling. For longer storage, freeze the loaves whole or in thick slices, well-wrapped, for up to 3 months. To reheat a whole frozen loaf, run it briefly under cold water, shake off the excess, and bake at 375°F for 12–15 minutes — the steam from the water revives the crust. Frozen slices can go straight into a toaster from frozen.
Classic French Bread
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Baking sheet or baking stone
- Stand mixer with dough hook (optional)
- Kitchen towel or plastic wrap
- Sharp knife or lame for scoring
- Oven with steam capability or roasting pan for steam
Ingredients
- 4 cups bread flour preferably unbleached, high-protein for best gluten development
- 1 ½ cups warm water 110°F (43°C), filtered if possible
- 1 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast or 1 1/4 teaspoons (4 g) instant yeast
- 1 ¾ teaspoons salt fine sea salt preferred
- 1 teaspoon sugar helps activate yeast
- 1-2 tablespoons cornmeal, or a sheet of parchment paper optional; for dusting baking surface
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the sugar and yeast in warm water. Let sit for 5–10 minutes until frothy—a sign the yeast is active and alive.
- Stir in about 3 1/2 cups of the bread flour and the salt. Mix until a sticky dough forms. Add remaining flour a bit at a time until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl but is still soft and tacky.
- Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 10 minutes by hand (or 7 minutes with a stand mixer and dough hook). The dough should be smooth and elastic. If it bounces back when poked, it’s ready.
- Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let rise in a warm area for 1 1/2 to 2 hours—or until doubled in size.
- Gently deflate the dough and turn it out onto a very lightly floured surface. Divide into two equal pieces and shape each into a long loaf or bâtard shape. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet dusted with cornmeal for easy release.
- Cover loaves loosely with a towel and let rise another 30–45 minutes, until puffy and nearly doubled again. Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C) during this time. If using a Dutch oven, preheat it inside the oven.
- Just before baking, use a lame or sharp knife to slash three quick diagonal cuts across each loaf—this allows for beautiful 'oven spring.' Optionally spray loaves with water for extra crunch.
- Place loaves in the oven. For steam, add a shallow pan with hot water to the bottom rack. Bake for 30–35 minutes or until the crust is deep golden brown and the loaves sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
- Cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing. This allows the crumb to finish setting.
Notes
- For added flavor, allow the dough to ferment overnight in the fridge after the first rise—this cold fermentation develops depth in both flavor and texture.
- You may substitute 1 cup of all-purpose flour for a lighter loaf, though bread flour will yield the most authentic result.
- To enhance the crust's crispiness, mist the oven walls with water right after placing the loaf inside, or bake on a preheated pizza stone for even heat distribution.
Nutrition
FAQ
Can I make this bread without a stand mixer?
Yes — hand kneading works well here. Ten minutes of firm kneading on a lightly floured surface gets the dough to the same smooth, elastic point as a stand mixer. The dough is a lean, medium-stiff type that’s actually easier to hand-knead than a sticky enriched dough.
Do I have to do the overnight cold fermentation, or can I skip it?
You can skip it and bake the same day after the first rise. The overnight cold rest builds more complex flavor and a slightly chewier crumb, but the same-day version is still a solid loaf. If you have the time, the fridge step is worth it; if you don’t, don’t stress it.
My dough feels too sticky — should I keep adding flour?
Add flour slowly and stop as soon as the dough pulls away from the bowl sides but still feels soft and tacky. A slightly sticky dough produces a more open, airy crumb. Adding too much flour is one of the most common reasons homemade French bread turns out dense.
Can I freeze the dough instead of baking it right away?
Freeze it after the first rise and shaping, before the second rise. Wrap each shaped loaf tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 6 weeks. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then let the loaves complete their second rise at room temperature before scoring and baking.
What if I don’t have a sharp knife or lame for scoring?
A serrated bread knife works in a pinch — use a quick, confident slashing motion rather than pressing down. The key is speed; dragging a dull blade deflates the dough. If you bake bread regularly, a cheap razor lame (a few dollars online) is genuinely useful and lasts for years.
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I love this recipe, I’m sorry it won’t allow me to give 5 stars but this is a 5 star recipe. Very easy to follow and my first time successfully making bread. Thank you!