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.
Omg the baguettes are amazing, they turned out incredibly good and with little effort. They have a thin but hella crisp crust and a soft and moist crumb. I will surely do these again.
Love it! Sounds like you did an incredible job Ari. Way to go!
Floured towel stuck to the loaves and they all flattened. Why is that an instruction??
The best since Paris!
Wow, so great to hear! Thank you so much Lucinda!
This was awesome, I have been interested in making more bread and thought I'd give this a try. So glad I did, if I can do this anyone can. Will make again!
That's so great to hear Alex! Thanks so much for the terrific feedback!
I just made these! Followed the recipe exactly except used all purpose flour. I also skipped the towel and proved my baguettes right on the pan. My first prove was great it doubled in size and was very fluffy after an hour. The second one didn’t rise as much I would have liked. I did not use a towel after reading some reviews of sticking so instead I put them right on the greased pan with a towel over. I baked them at 445 because my oven is hot and they took around 30 min. I left the second baguettes in for longer around 40 min. They taste really good just like real baguettes but they turned out a little thin and not quite dark enough on the top. My water in the pan in the oven gone by the second batch and I realized after the fact so make sure to check the water before you bake the last two. If I make these again I think I would just make two so they are a little thicker but other wise I’d say it was a successful bake! Thanks for the recipe ?
You're so welcome Emma! Thanks so much for sharing all your tips!
What if I don't have a bread towel? Is there something else I can use?
You don't need a special bread towel. I just used a regular towel from my kitchen, like what you'd use to dry your dishes.
Bad recipe. Too much water.
Please be sure to note step #4 of the recipe directions: Add the cool water, a little at a time, while stirring, just until a shaggy dough has formed (you may not need to use all of the water).
Great easy recipe. I used all-purpose flour - whole wheat 50/50, and the inside came more dense than a classic baguette. Next time I will try to get bread flour, but still they are very tasty!
I added 1/2 tsp of sugar to the yeast and I'm planning in adding a full one. Thanks for sharing your recipe!!
My pleasure! I'm so happy you liked it!
Graeme, I think using oil or butter in bread makes for more softer bread, whereas french bread should be crusty so it is not used.
Hi!
Do you think that this recipe would work with gluten free flour?
Hey there! I've never really tried so I can't say for sure. You may want to read through the comments section to see if anyone else has. I know there's a lot there from other readers who have made substitutions. Good luck!
I’m going to try these tomorrow as my son loves baguettes. I do only have fresh yeast (frozen) so I’m assuming I use about 15g yeast for that amount of flour? Can’t wait to report back 🙂
I am a bread lover, so I know I will be trying this recipe! Have you ever attempted a recipe with gluten-free flour? I have a family member who misses "real" bread! Thanks!
I have not, but there may have been other readers who have. You might want to read through the comments section. I'm sure I've seen a lot of info there from readers about substitutions. Good luck!
Hi from Barcelona!
We are currently in lockdown here due to the Coronavirus and not buying bread at bakeries even though my family, and especially my husband, are big bread fans. We have tried a couple of times to make a round loaf this week without much success, and I decided that we needed to try something different. So glad I found this recipe as it worked like a treat. The dough didn't really rise (looking at the comments, I think it was the wrong kind of yeast) but in the end it didn't matter too much. The outer crust was amazing and the inside just right! We will be making these a lot over the coming weeks, I imagine.
Many thanks!
I'm so glad it worked well for you Hanna!
I tried your recipe, made few changes and it was awesome! thanks
So glad to hear it! Thanks for the excellent feedback!
This was great and easy. I ran out of bread flour so I used half bread and half ap, and it was still great. The loaves were small, but that’s probably because we didn’t get as much rise. But so tasty. Will make again. Thank you!
You're welcome! I'm so glad you enjoyed! And thanks for the 5-star rating!
The dough was super easy to make with great instructions. Only thing is - my oven does not have a glass door and I put it in for 35 mins. Came out black and burnt to a crisp. A lot of work for nothing. It would be a great help to others I think if you don’t put a bake time or say something between 15- whatever minutes. For those not used to baking bread but used to cakes - the bake time is not expected to be so fluid.
I'm sorry you had trouble Nara, but I have to say, bake times should always be fluid. They are for cakes, cookies, pastries, breads, anything you are baking or cooking. When I write a recipe, I always give visual and tactile clues to look for most importantly, and then an approximate range of bake time follows, because ovens can vary so much from one kitchen to another. If you don't have a glass door on your oven, open the door slightly, just enough to peek in and see how things are looking, without allowing too much heat to escape. Do this about 5 minutes earlier than the approximate time given. If you keep this in mind going forward, I'm sure you'll have much better luck next time.
Made it twice and it turned out great. Followed the directions to the letter. Results in a nice crusty loaf that's perfect for dunking in soup if your son doesn't eat it all.
Lol that's great! So glad you and your son enjoyed. Thanks for the great feedback!
This recipe and method made a really nicely textured bread very easily. HOWEVER! Oh my God the salt. It was so salty. Next time I will cut the salt in at least half and it'll be perfect