Crusty French Baguette Recipe
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Few things compare to the magic of a crusty French Baguette fresh from the oven. With its golden, crackly crust and tender, airy interior, this bread is irresistible served alongside a bowl of hot soup, piled high with sandwich fillings, or torn off piece by piece to enjoy with butter.
The best part? This recipe is made with just four simple ingredients, and most of the work is hands-off. A little patience goes a long way here, and the results are so worth it.
I am over the moon about that crunchy, splintery outer crust. See how it shatters? And the interior- soft, pillowy, and so airy. It's perfection.
My family loves a good crusty French baguette. We eat this kind of bread with so many things! It's so chewy, yeasty, and good. I've always been a little afraid to try making it myself. Everything you hear suggests it's complicated and fussy, and only a French boulanger could ever get it right.
WRONG! Here's living proof that anyone can make a killer baguette.
Why You'll Love This Baguette
- Bakery-style at home: You don't need fancy equipment to get an artisan-quality loaf.
- Simple ingredients: Just flour, water, yeast, and salt.
- Crispy crust, tender crumb: For the perfect balance of crunch and softness.
- Versatile: Enjoy it as a snack, side dish, or as a base for sandwiches.
Ingredients You'll Need
The recipe card at the bottom of the post contains the full list with all of the amounts. Refer to that when you're cooking.
- Bread flour - Provides the higher protein content needed for that perfect chewy texture and airy interior.
- Kosher salt - Balances flavor and strengthens the gluten structure.
- Active dry yeast - The key to a good rise and light texture. Instant yeast can also be used.
- Water - Warm water helps activate the yeast, while cool water keeps the dough manageable.
- Additional flour - For dusting your work surface and shaping the loaves.
How To Make A Homemade French Baguette
Step 1: Start the Dough
Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water and let it sit until it becomes foamy. This ensures the yeast is active and ready to work.
In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the dissolved yeast. Slowly stir in cool water until you have a shaggy, stiff dough. You may not need all of the water. Cover and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
Step 2: Fold and Rise
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently press it into a rectangle, then fold the sides into the center and flatten and rotate it. Repeat the process. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover it, and let it rise until it has doubled in size (about 1-2 hours).
Step 3: Shape the Loaves
Divide the dough into four equal portions. Shape each into a long, thin loaf, approximately 15 inches long, with tapered ends. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover loosely, and let it rise again until doubled in size (30-45 minutes).
Step 4: Bake with Steam
Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C). Place a pan of water on the bottom rack to create steam, which helps form that signature crust.
Slash each loaf with a sharp blade, dust lightly with flour, and bake until golden brown and crusty, about 30-40 minutes. The baguettes should sound hollow when tapped.
Helpful Tips and Tricks
- Don't rush the rise: A slower rise develops more flavor and better texture.
- Use steam: That pan of water in the oven is the secret to a crisp, golden crust.
- Slash with confidence: Clean cuts help the bread expand properly in the oven.
- Cool before slicing: As tempting as it may be, let the loaves rest for at least 10 minutes to allow the crumb to set.
Classic French Baguette FAQ
This type of loaf is infinitely versatile! Slice it into ½-inch rounds and it's perfect as a base for bruschetta or crostini. Or it can be used as a dipper for your favorite party dip. And we love it toasted with garlic butter, for garlic bread. So good with a pasta dinner! Or just tear into it and eat it with a hot bowl of soup. So satisfying!
Baguettes are best when they're freshly baked, but they're still pretty darn great after a few days!
To store a French baguette, wrap it loosely and keep it at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. If you notice it's not as crusty after a while, just pop it in a warm oven (around 170 degrees-ish) for 5-10 minutes, and it should come out good as new.
A fancy French boulanger might not agree with me on this one, but I say go for it!
I do this a lot at my house. When the baguette is still fresh, slice it into thin rounds. I'll often cut on the diagonal so there is more surface area to spread yummy things on. Then, just slip the baguette slices into a zip-top freezer bag, and into the freezer they all go.
Whenever we want a slice of crusty French bread, we just pull out what we need.
The baguette slices thaw in just a few minutes at room temp. Alternatively, they can be warmed in the oven or toasted. It's super convenient!
Yes, but the texture won't be quite as chewy or airy. Bread flour is best.
No. A parchment-lined baking sheet works beautifully for this recipe.
This could be due to inactive yeast, cool rising conditions, or using too little water. Ensure your yeast is fresh and allow the dough plenty of time to rise.
Spritz the loaves with water right before baking, in addition to using a steam pan.
More Homemade Bread Recipes
Ingredients
- 3 ½ tablespoons (52.5 g) warm water
- 1 ½ teaspoons (4.67 g) active dry yeast*
- 3 ¾ cups (468.75 g) bread flour
- 2 teaspoons (12 g) kosher salt
- 1 ¼ cup (295.74 g) cool water, (you may not need all of the water)
- additional flour,, for dusting
Instructions
- Place the warm water in a small bowl and sprinkle the yeast on top. Set aside and allow the yeast to dissolve and become foamy.
- Place the bread flour into a large bowl and stir in the salt.
- Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, and stir in the dissolved yeast.
- Add the cool water, a little at a time, while stirring, just until a stiff, shaggy dough (watch the video below to see what this should look like) has formed (you may not need to use all of the water).
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface, gently press it into a rectangle, and fold the short sides into the center. Flatten, turn 90 degrees, and repeat.
- Place the dough in a large oiled bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Allow it to rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk (about 1 to 2 hours).
- Divide the dough into 4 equal portions, and shape each one into a long loaf (about 15-inches long and 1 ½-inches in diameter), with pointed ends.
- Place the loaves on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover with oiled plastic wrap, and allow to rise until doubled in bulk (about 30 to 45 minutes).
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F, and place a pan of water on the bottom rack.
- Bake the breads until crusty and brown (approx. 30 to 40 minutes). The baguettes should give a hollow sound when tapped.
Simple but delicious! Video helped clear up what a "stiff, shaggy dough" was supposed to look like in step 4.
Recipe worked great! Bread came out delicious
This is my go-to. My husband is European and when I made him this bread, he almost cried. Yes, you can get decent bread these days. But not like this. This is amazing and it's so easy.
Can I use a dough hook instead of stirring with a spatula?
Just be careful not to overwork the dough!
If I put two loaves in the fridge overnight is there anything special I have to do before baking? I just didn’t want to cook all four loaves for one meal! I’ve followed all steps up until putting it in the oven! Thank you!
Nothing special really! Just cover lightly with greased plastic wrap. Good luck!
i'm a younger teen who's really into baking right now and i wanted a traditional french baguettte recipe, and i've already made so many of these! i've given them to some of my teachers in school, and they have raved on about it! i've also just made them for myself and will snack on one and finish it in one day! I"M IN LOVE! i highly recommend this easy and delicate, but amazing and DELICIOUS! YUMMMMM!
Best recipe EVER!! Have had to double the ingredients that’s how good it is ? can the dough be refrigerated overnight please?
Yay! So glad to hear this! Yes you can shape the loaves and refrigerate them for up to 48 hours or freeze them for up to 2 weeks.
good recipe, easy with great results!
My oven won’t fit the pan of water and two racks of loaves. Can I bake all 4 on one pan or bake them in batches and does that mess up the proofing/rise time?
I do all 4 loaves on the same sheet pan. You can see this at around the 1:30 mark of the video. Good luck!
It worked great, I dont know why I was thinking they wouldn't fit.
Fantastic recipe, and fairly easy. I just had trouble forming the loaves into even logs but they still tasted delicious and the texture was fantastic!
Yay! So happy it all worked out for you!
Made baguette for the first time and loved the result! Is it really 3.5 Tablespoons of water? It was kind of a paste of yeast mixture. Does that seem correct?
Yes, that's correct! 1.5 teaspoons of yeast in 3.5 tablespoons of water, just to bloom it. Then cool water is added to the dough as it's being mixed. Over 500 comments on this post and it's been up for 6 years so it's definitely tried and true! Good luck I hope you love it!
What does the pan of water while baking do for the bread?
It creates steam which enhances the crispness of the crust.
Uncomplicated and easy to follow recipe. My go to.
Made this today on a whim after buying bread flour at the grocery store and active dry yeast! I added two more ingredients, using 1 tsp of sugar before adding the yeast to bloom. Lastly, 1 egg and 1 tsp of milk as an egg wash on top of the loaves. Turned out beautiful crunchy and better than store bought!
This is the first "bread" I've ever made and it was honestly incredible.
Took me more than 4 hours total to make but incredibly easy!
I made it two days in a row because it was SO good and was all eaten in less than 30 minutes.
Highly recommend ?
I made this for this first time today with some pasta I was making for my family. It was super easy not at all !! I will be making this again. I had a question though. If I wanted bigger loaves of bread I could do them bigger ? I made decent sizes breads.
I bake this bread all the time. It's fantastic - never fails. Even had friends over for a "bread class" to show them how fun and easy and delicious it is.
So my question is now it's coming up to the busy season, I know you talk about baking the loaves and freezing them but do you think the dough could be frozen instead and if so after which rising - the first or the 2nd?
Hey Vicky! I love that you did that! I've been talking about doing something similar for a while now! To answer your question, yes the unbaked loaves will last for up to 2 weeks in the freezer. Thaw them at room temp and allow them their second rise before baking. Good luck, and TYSM for the 5-star review!