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.
love this recipe. just did it and the bread is just wonderful. will share the recipe with family and friends.
thank you for sharing your recipe.
My pleasure Martine! Thank you so much for sharing with your family and friends!
Hi Martine
I recognize the name as a Moroccan Jew as I am. Am I correct?
Perfect!!! Love this recipe!
I'm so glad! Thanks for the good feedback!
Hi Allie
thanks so much for this recipe , I tried it for the first time the other day and the bread worked perfectly and tasted delicious...... I am baking some more today for the weekend lol. Thought all your instructions were easy to follow plus video. One question can wholemeal flour be substituted for the white ?
Hey Patricia! So glad the recipe worked well for you. I have not tried the recipe with wholemeal flour, but I think it could work. You may just need a little more water. I've found that whole grain flour can be a little drier than all-purpose. Good luck!
Thanks for a great, no-fuss, guaranteed not to fail recipe Allie 🙂 A few hours ago I pulled a couple of wholemeal baguettes out of the oven and we had one with dinner. They were perfect! I used ratio of 2/5 strong white bread flour, 2/5 wholemeal flour, and 1/5 rye flour. Used exactly the same method and, once again, got a perfect result
So glad to hear that! Thanks so much for sharing your ratios!
I can't wait to try this recipe out. The baguettes look beautiful. One question I have is can this made in an electric oven?(as opposed to a gas oven) Sorry, newbie baker here?
Yes that should not be a problem! Good luck!
It would be nice to have the volume amounts next to the weights, eg. ? Cups of flour. Everything else is in volume or is the water weighed too. Sure wish I had used a different recipe! Oven temp 480 F? Wow!
I recommend measuring this recipe by weight because it's more accurate. Most recipes on this site will have volume and metric measurements, except for those that are trickier and fussier. This is one of those such recipes. You'll have better and more consistent results with this method.
I've wanted to try making baguettes for ages but was always put off by the complexity of the process and thought it wouldn't be possible to get really good results at home. This recipe with its positive approach and detailed advice finally persuaded me to give it a try, and the results were so much better than I had expected - probably the best baguettes I've tasted outside France! I baked them at 230 degrees Celsius for about 20 minutes and then turned them over and baked for another ten minutes till they were nicely browned all over.
Great recipe, and easy. I've made is a couple of times now. I had to reduce the temp to 450 F and divided the dough in 1/2 instead of 4...came out absolutely perfect.
So glad to know it's working well for you. Thanks for the positive review!
Could I freeze the dough?
I haven't tried that, but I think it could probably work!
When using perforated baquette pans,, do I place it on a baking sheet? Or do I place the perforated baguette pan right above the steamy water? Thanks
Hey there Eg! I'm not really familiar with that type of product. I just baked my baguettes right on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Did the pan come with any kind of instructions? Sorry I can't be more helpful there!
Hi EG, I used a perforated pan and just popped it straight on the baking rack in the oven.
What type of plastic wrap are you using in your video? Is it something reusable? Mine is more like cling film and very ... clingy. Great recipe -- the bread is terrific. Thank you!
So happy you like it Karo! I like to use Glad Press n Seal wrap. Nothing else ever sticks for me lol! And some of them have a funny odor. Press n seal is my go-to!
Thanks for a great recipe and instructions. For me this was a bit too salty so next time I will reduce the amount. Though not sure if that had anything to do with the fact that I used stone ground whole wheat flour (all that's left on grocery store shelf).
I did not used floured towel, instead I used parchment paper.
Great recipe esp about steam to make the crust very crispy.
Thanks for the great feedback!
How long do you let the dough rest before folding it? Thanks!
Please refer to step #5 in the recipe card.
You Rock
Thank you!
As delicious as it is easy! Why can't all baking be this simple and good?
So glad you were happy with the results Donald! Thank you for the positive feedback!
No sugar for the yeast?
The bread still rose for me without sugar even with using active dry yeast. I stirred the yeast a little bit in the water but for the most part left it alone.
These came out really really well.
I only needed 30 mins in the oven, that might even have been too long and I had to turn down to 220 after 15 minutes as it was starting to catch.
I have quite salty taste but would have to say 2tsp might be too much. (Though I used standard sea salt rather than kosher) - I might try 1.5tsp next time.
Overall, worked really really well and very low effort. Will definitely make again
Very happy you liked it! Thanks for the feedback!
Hey! This recipe looks great! Just one question... I’m super confused about the whole ‘1.75 ounces’ and ‘10 ounces’ how many tablespoons is it? Thank you for the recipe, I’m going to try it tomorrow for my mom who loves French bread.
Sorry for the confusion! For this recipe, I would recommend weighing those ingredients. It's a little more accurate.
Hi, can you please tell me what you mean when you say 'floured kitchen towel'? I'm in Australia and think I misunderstood - so I used a floured kitchen tea towel, which made no sense when it came to moving over to the baking sheets (and do you mean baking trays, and not baking paper?). After attempting to move across my floured green tea towel full of beautiful risen loaves, I realised that perhaps you might mean something else by 'towel' (like paper towel?), and realised that I may end up setting fire to my green tea towel, IF I didn't kill the beautifully risen loaves (which of course I did in the process of moving them to the greased baking trays that were too short for the loaves anyway haha). So......I ended up starting again and reshaping the 4 terribly floppy pathetic lumps of dough, waiting a lot longer than 45 minutes in the hope that they would rise again. Which they sort of did. Sort of. But I would like to say that what did eventually come out of the oven are smaller than originally planned, but absolutely delicious and still light and fluffy inside and perfect outside. So I really look forward to hearing from you about kitchen towels and baking sheets so I can do the right thing next time 🙂
Hey Trish- so sorry for the misunderstanding. When I said "floured kitchen towel" I did indeed mean a kitchen towel that had been sprinkled with flour. Perhaps it would be helpful for you to watch the video so you can see exactly how this is all done.
Hi Allie,
Is the video no longer available? I can't seem to find it anywhere.
It should appear twice, once just a little ways down from the top of the article, then as you scroll down it will shrink and move to the lower right-hand corner of your screen. It's embedded a second time in the recipe card, just below the recipe directions. If you're using an ad blocker, you won't see it.
For the bake....I found 30 to 45 minutes way too long. Was beautiful and cooked and perfect after 18 minutes of cooking.
Loved the bread, great recipe! Ovens just differ, so keep an eye on your bread! Thank you so much for posting this recipe!!!
So glad to hear that Kim! And I totally agree with you about different ovens; that's great advice!
Turned out great. Used my baguette pan and baked for 24 minutes. Yummo!
Terrific! Thanks so much for letting me know Marie!