This easy French bread recipe is GOLD (it has dozens of 5-star reviews!) when you want homemade bread without the hassle. It's kneaded in the food processor in 45 seconds! There is a waiting time after that, but very little hands-on work, so it's even perfect for beginner bread bakers. The crust is crackly, and the inside is soft and creamy. Crusty French bread at its best, and with a video tutorial!
A game-changer
I love making homemade bread. The aroma in the kitchen is unparalleled, as are those first warm, crusty bites.
I started making this bread recipe years ago. And as much as I love kneading by hand (I find it therapeutic) and making my favorite Italian bread recipe, the ease of this French bread dough is unmatched. The nice golden brown crust also has a lot to do with it, let's be honest.
What's the difference with regular French bread? It's the technique, as this one uses a food processor for mixing and there's no kneading at all!
I use it for this quick garlic bread and when I want small bruschettas (or bruschette in Italian). I'm also known for eating half a freshly baked loaf in a matter of minutes; that also happens sometimes. Warm with a dollop of butter or dipped in olive oil, this bread is fantastic!
During the 2020 bread-baking craze, I dusted off this recipe again and made it with regular white bread flour, superfine whole wheat flour and a mix of both. They were all different, but amazing!
- Cathie ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This recipe is life-changing! We can have fresh, homemade, delicious bread as often as we like. In our house, someone always finishes their lunch by asking what's for dinner. That's when I think, "Gee, in 45 seconds I could have bread rising for dinner," and I do. Thank you so much!
- Keith ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I'm a retired hotel chef. I got bored this morning and googled bread recipes. I thought 'if it's good, I'll share with the neighbors'.
I followed the recipe exactly, which is unusual for me. Point is, I've already eaten one of the loaves, and I don't like any of the neighbors to share. And my kitchen stayed spotless.
- Dietra ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I've never baked anything, and I made the most amazing baguettes.
Testing notes
Yeast: for this recipe, you need dry instant yeast, as it rises faster than active dry yeast.
Bread flour: depending on where you live, they have different labels. I use bread flour from the grocery store, and I highly encourage it, as it has a higher protein content, thus developing more gluten, which makes for a better rise and crumb. All-purpose will work if that's all you have.
Water: It should be tepid, barely warm water, and you can use mineral water or tap. 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.
Bread shapes: Besides the classic French baguette shape or batards (plumper, shorter breads), I sometimes form them into individual sandwich-sized loaves or dinner rolls. Or make a double batch if I have a small crowd or gathering.
Oven: It's highly recommended that you follow directions for both the temperature and the pan with water in the bottom. This will help you get the best results possible.
Don't slice it until it's at room temperature, or it will clump. If eating it warm, tear it with your hands rather than cutting it with a knife. French bread is best about half an hour out of the oven (when it has had time to cool down a bit) and those few hours after.
Whole wheat flour variation: I make this bread with finely ground whole wheat flour sometimes. It makes the bread more rustic and without that crackly crust, but it also renders a fantastic, more wholesome bread.
Storage: 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 return it to its original state, but it'll be wonderful. You can freeze this bread (I recommend slicing it thickly, wrapping it in plastic, and then in foil or a Ziploc bag).
FAQ
They're 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.
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.
How to make baguettes
You'll love how easy this recipe is to make! There is some waiting time to allow the yeast to render its magic, but besides that, there is little hands-on work.
- Time is the most important step, and this French bread recipe is easy to follow. You only need to process the dough for 45 seconds! Yes, that's right, less than a minute.
- Food processor: It's a necessary appliance for this recipe. Use one that is large enough to hold all ingredients comfortably.
Ingredients
Make sure the salt and the yeast do not touch before adding the water, as it can reduce the latter's strength if that happens. They will combine once the liquid is added.
Mixing
Put the ingredients in the bowl of the food processor with the steel blade and add the water through the feed tube while the food processor is running.
45' 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, less sticky.
Forming
Baguettes or batards 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).
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.
Scoring
This refers to the slits or diagonal cuts that are made on top of the loaf right before it goes into the oven. This helps the bread to rise evenly.
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. You need quick cuts with a scoring razor or a kitchen knife. Depending on how sharp it is, the dough will wrinkle (see oven image below), and that is fine.
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.
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Baguette Bread Recipe (no-knead French bread)
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups bread flour
- 2 teaspoons salt, I use kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon instant dry yeast
- 1 ⅓ cup slightly warm water, I use tap water
Instructions
- Put 3 ½ cups bread flour in the bowl of the food processor.
- Add 2 teaspoons salt on one side and 1 teaspoon instant dry 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 1 ⅓ cup slightly warm 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 spot or place for 2 hours. The dough rise will be very little; it will not double as with a classic kneaded dough, 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 lightly sprinkled with flour, polenta or oatmeal on the bottom, and dust the bread pieces with a bit of flour. Cover with a clean kitchen towel 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 boiling water.
- When the 40 minutes are almost over, put the roasting pan on the bottom rack of the oven and carefully fill it halfway with hot water. Close the oven door quickly. This creates steam that is great for developing oven spring that gives the dough a rapid burst of rise at the beginning, and helps to form a 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.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown and they sound hollow if you turn them over and lightly tap the bottom with your fingers.
Lori S. says
This is the easiest, best bread! My family loves it and I love that it is so simple! Thank you for the very detailed instructions as I love to cook but am NOT a baker!
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.
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.
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!
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?
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.
Nicole says
Yes you can! I have made this so many times with my stand mixer. Never had an issue. I do use all purpose flour. Delicious recipe and easy. Thank you!
J Barys says
Made this today. It turned out amazing.
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?
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.
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?
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Karen, it sounds like the yeast didn't work as it should.
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!
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?
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.
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.
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.
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!
Paula Montenegro says
This comment make my day MJ!
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,
Michaela geer says
Turned out perfect!! Ate a whole baguette in like 3 minutes
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.
Paula Montenegro says
So happy to know it turned out so well Bev!
Sharie says
Can you make this dough in a stand mixer?
Paula Montenegro says
Yes Sharie, you can. The ingredients are those for regular French bread.
virginia lopez says
I also made this and it came out great making it again right now
Rupa says
Can I make this recipe by kneading? What changes would I need to make to the process?
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.
David says
Wow your measurements on water in grams is os far off. Get a new scales.
Paula Montenegro says
No, it's not.
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