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.
If you made this recipe and loved it, you can comment below and leave a 5-star ⭐️ review. Also, if you had issues, let me know so we can troubleshoot together.
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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.
Anonymous says
it tasted good but it was really dense.
Pamela Frezza says
Can I use my kitchen aid mixer I do not have a food processor
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Pamela, you can but it'll be the traditional method of kneading for 7-8 until the dough is smooth.
Zara says
This was an amazing recipe. I had to add more water and flour but overall pretty great recipe.
Carylon Jones says
I was excited because this recipe seemed so easy. However, my three baguettes came out pretty flat. Will find another recipe.
Rose says
Hi, making this right now, so I can't really rate it, but have a question. Do you know if I can freeze it unbaked? It's only two of us home now.
Maybe after first rising? Thaw in fridge overnight?
Thank you!
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Rose! While I never tried it with this recipe, there’s usually no issues with that. I just can’t say from experience.
Julie Stephenson says
This was simple to understand and simple to do! I also appreciate how you have the ingredients with amounts within the written instructions as well, saving time going back and forth. This was my first time to make a baguette and it was a success!
Kids and adults approve!
Willow says
Ok, I was skeptical since my love in life is to find the best baguettes. I’ve made it twice, first time with regular yeast, second time with instant rising yeast, King Arthur bread flour, and I am impressed enough to share the warm loaves
Paula Montenegro says
So happy to know that Willow! Did you find one type of yeast worked better? I'd love to know that. Thanks!
Carmen C says
I must say, I was skeptical about the outcome, but this is one of those recipes you should not overthink or overwork! I even used regular activated yeast, and gave the rising an extra 60 minutes. Followed everything as recommended and don’t think I could have bought a crunchier and airy baguette. Or three. Its a keeper!
Bruce says
Followed this recipe to a "T", King Arthur bread flour, fresh "instant yeast", proofed in a bread proofing oven for two hours, cut into halves, rested covered for 15 minutes, shaped and then covered for forty minutes, preheated over to 450, scored bread with a lame, placed in oven with pan and heated water.
Bread has a nice crust, but very very dense, almost zero rise - As Amy said below, "much smaller, and dense".
Flavor, okay....but not what I expected from a "french bread", crispy crust with a light and airy interior, often with a slightly chewy texture. Not light, and not chewy. Disappointed.....
Deb K. says
Made this today and it is amazing! I have been baking bread for 50 years and this is by far the easiest and tastiest bread I have made in quite a long time. I love that it is no knead and that it uses the food processor for mixing. Thank you for this recipe!
Eric Sande says
Awesome crunch, easy to make, hard to stop eating it!
Zoritsa says
Hi Paula - thanks for a great recipe, simple and straight-forward!
Do you plan to reload your 'video' as I would like to see your exact method for creating the 'batard shape' as you roll/pinch (plumper in the center and tapering to the ends)
Thanks again - delicious loaves!!!
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Zoritsa, I added the video to the recipe card so it's easily available to watch as many times as you want. Happy baking!
Mardi says
I've combed this page and cannot find the video. Recommendations?
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Mardi! At the top, right next to the post title, you have a black icon that takes you to the video. Or look for it in the recipe card; it's embedded there.
Amy says
This bread is delicious! My son and I fought for the last piece. I definitely did something wrong as mine came out much smaller and denser but the taste was so good. (My yeast may have been a tad old) will definitely make again and try other recipes if yours also. Thank you!
Kathy Jones says
The recipe was easy to follow. I learned a lot by making this recipe. The bread turned out beautifully. I will pass it forward to others. Thankyou so much.
Ali says
I would love to bake on my steel or stone, any recommendations and does it change bake time.
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Ali! I used a stone for a while and the bottom crust is wonderful. Don't put it cold in the hot oven and spray with water before adding the bread and right after you slide it in; then quickly close the door. I think the biggest concern is the temperature of the stone as it can climb up a lot with some ovens, but those are usually more pro. If you place the stone in the middle or lower third, you should be fine. Baking times should not change much, but always check at the 2/3 mark of what the recipe says and also how the bottom is browning so it's crisp but not burned.
Christine Rosinski says
Getting frustrated
Trying to find recipes but every stinkin' site is cluttered with advertisements and links to other crapola that I am NOT interested in...
SHEESH! If your recipe is good we'll all tell you so! And we will share! No need to clutter your page up because most folk will not even look at it. I merely move on to the next one - one that I can actually SEE the recipe without having to navigate through all of the crap.
Papa says
Every website recipe postings does that. First a novella history of their childhood in the kitchen with grandma. Then another history about things that noone cares about before the actual recipe appears.
Heather Burke says
Hi! This bread has been my "go to" for the last year. I make it about twice a week. Absolute perfection every time. I unfortunately never printed out the recipe & always just come to the bookmarked site. When I got on today I was confused because it came up in cups and not grams. It's okay, I switched it to metric. But somehow the amounts seemed different. I'm not sure if it was less flour or more water, but my dough came out gloppy today and totally different. I just noticed the recipe was updated 6 days ago. Is there any way to get the old measurements? I'm so sorry to even ask. I'm afraid my family will rebel if I can't make the perfect bread they all are in love with lol. Thank you thank you. It truly is the best French Bread recipe.
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Heather! It's always fine to ask anything you need about the recipes.
The amounts in cups or grams can be changed with the toggle and that is automatic. I did change the style of the recipe card (due to technical issues) but the recipe is still the same, nothing changed. What I recommend you do is measure a cup of flour (scoop flour in the measuring cup without packing or shaking it until it mounds a little and then level it with the smooth side of a knife by swiping the excess) and weigh it. That way you'll have the exact weight for you. Flours can change in density and can clump if stored and have issues with humidity and other things.
And please let me know how it goes so we can troubleshoot further. Happy baking.
Rachel Thompson says
I'm excited to try this recipe I'm wondering what, if any, difference it would make to let the dough rest in the refrigerator overnight after the initial proofing. Thanks, Rachel
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Rachel, I have chilled this dough before the initial rising, and it usually works well. After the first proofing, the formed loaves need less rising time, so if you're refrigerating them overnight, make sure you place them in a cold spot, covered to prevent dryness. Happy baking!
Marion says
If I want to make two (not three) baguettes from this recipe, do I just bake them longer? If so, how much longer?
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Marion, divide the dough in 2 pieces and roll them as thick or thin as you want them. The thickness will determine the length. Happy baking!
Sam says
Amazing recipe! Easy to follow- definitely read through completely first before starting though! Almost forgot to start the steaming of oven before baking the bread.