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Perfect & Easy Crusty, Soft French Bread

March 27, 2020 by thedomesticrebel | 16 Comments

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crusty french bread on brown fabric with butterIf you’re new to breadmaking or want a classic recipe in your arsenal, this Perfect & Easy French Bread is going to be your new go-to! This recipe yields two loaves of delicious French bread with a crusty exterior and a soft and fluffy interior.

Lucky you, I’m posting three recipes this week! Why?

Because with the current state of the world and the fact that more and more people are working and staying at home, I figured you’re looking out for awesome recipes to have on hand using pantry staples. Since this whole situation came about, certain products on the grocery shelves are very hard to find, including prepared bread. I figured I’d better get my booty into gear and make some easy bread recipes for you to make at home so you can feed your family and stress bake at the same time!

Also, because carbs are LIFE. Who doesn’t need some serious mood therapy with carbs? I know I do.

If nothing else, just the aroma of fresh baked yeast bread is enough to uplift one’s spirits.

This bread is super easy, as promised, and only has a handful of pantry ingredients you probably have on hand, including: active dry yeast, sugar, salt, melted butter and all-purpose flour. I like this recipe because most of us have AP flour on hand already and it saves us a trip to the store (or multiple in this day and age) for bread flour specifically. With specific measurements, these simple pantry staples combine to make an addictive and relatively quick Perfect Crusty French Bread that you’re going to LOVE.

closeup of slice of french breadA lot of artisan bread recipes require the bread to proof and rise for up to 24 hours, but I know most of us don’t have the forethought to plan that far ahead, so thankfully this recipe was designed to be ready in about two and a half hours which is a significant decrease in time compared to similar recipes. You need about one hour for the dough to rise, then about 45 minutes for it to proof once it has been shaped in the loaf shape. A final 30 minutes of baking creates this perfect French bread with an addictive crackly and crispy crust and a soft and fluffy interior.

french bread sliced on brown fabricOh, and did I neglect to mention earlier that this is practically a no-knead recipe? There’s very little kneading you need to do, and none if you use your stand mixer. In fact, another beautiful thing about this recipe is the fact that you don’t need a stand mixer – everything can be done with very little elbow grease in a regular ol’ bowl with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.

a loaf of french bread on brown fabricFor successful bread baking each time, take care to follow these steps and tips:

  • Yeast: I used Rapid Rise yeast for this recipe, but you can use active dry or instant yeast in a pinch. You’ll need just one package which equals 1/4 ounces.
  • Flour: AP (all-purpose) flour is used for this recipe since it is readily available and easiest to find. Be sure when measuring the flour that you do so properly and precisely. To do this, stir your flour lightly to aerate and sift it, then spoon it into your measuring cups. Use a knife to level off the measuring cup.
  • Time: Under perfect conditions, this recipe should take about 2 hours and 30 minutes to make from start to finish. However, different variations in your ingredients and environment can possibly alter how long your bread takes to rise and proof. For instance, if your kitchen is draftier, your bread dough may take longer to rise. For best results, make sure your bread dough is rising in a warm, draft-free area. Some people find this is on top of the refrigerator or on a back burner. Likewise, if your oven has a bread proof setting, you can try using that.

Crusty, soft, fluffy and ultra addicting French Bread. You’re welcome!

sliced french bread arranged on brown fabric with butter

french bread slice with pat of butter

This Perfect & Easy Crusty French Bread is out of this world! Recipe yields two loaves of a buttery, crispy crusted bread with a super soft and fluffy interior. So easy, comes together quickly and tastes amazing using pantry staple ingredients!
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5 from 8 votes

Perfect & Easy Crusty, Soft French Bread

This Perfect Crusty French Bread is made start to finish in about 2 hours and 30 minutes and yields two loaves of perfectly crusty French bread with ultra soft and fluffy interiors. Serve with salted butter for the best tasting results!
Prep Time1 hr 50 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Total Time2 hrs 20 mins
Course: Breakfast
Servings: 2 loaves
Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Ingredients

  • One package 1/4 ounce or 2 & 1/4 teaspoons rapid rise yeast (may also use active dry or instant yeast)
  • 1 & 1/2 cups warm water divided (heated to around 110 to 115 degrees F)
  • 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 & 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 Tablespoon butter melted
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled

Instructions

  • In a large mixing bowl, add 1/2 cup of the warm water and sprinkle the yeast on top. Let set for about 5 minutes or until yeast has dissolved. Add in the sugar, salt, melted butter and remaining water and stir until blended. Lastly, add in the flour until mixture is relatively smooth. The dough will look very shaggy at first and you may want to knead by hand to bring everything together which should only take about a minute or so. Once the dough is mostly smooth (still okay to have some shaggy bits as you do not want to overwork it), place the dough ball back into the bowl and cover with a dish towel. Let rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
  • Punch down the dough and turn it onto a floured work surface. Using a bench scraper or sharp knife, cut dough in half. Cover and let rest for about 10 minutes.
  • Roll each dough portion one at a time into an approximate 10x8 inch rectangle shape. Roll the dough up jelly-roll style (almost like you're making cinnamon rolls) starting with the long side closest to you, pinching the seam to seal. Place the loaves on a parchment lined baking sheet, seam side down. Cover and let proof/rise until almost doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. With a sharp serrated knife, make three or four diagonal cuts in the top of the loaf. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on wire racks until warm to the touch or room temperature. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature. Can also be frozen for up to 1 month; thaw before serving.

torn french bread slice with butterCrusty, crispy, soft and fluffy perfect French bread! This is carb HEAVEN, y’all! Don’t forget the salted butter!

Craving more yeast recipes? Check these out!

incredible cinnamon rolls on white plate with forkIncredible Cinnamon Rolls

best soft pretzels on parchmentPerfect & Easy Soft Pretzels

copycat liege waffles on blue and white plateCopycat Lieges (Belgian Waffles)

crusty french bread collage

Have a great weekend!

xo, Hayley

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Comments

  1. Renee says

    March 27, 2020 at 8:49 am

    Just looking at this is making me hungry. I can get through a whole loaf of fresh bread with salted butter in no time. Thanks for sharing this recipe.

    Reply
    • thedomesticrebel says

      March 27, 2020 at 1:12 pm

      Of course Renee! I know, I pretty much plowed through the bread with lots of salted butter!

      Reply
  2. Kimberly Chaffi says

    April 1, 2020 at 11:37 am

    I’ve been looking for a good bread that doesn’t require bread flour. I made spaghetti last night as part of a food delivery for a friend’s mom. I saved some for my husband and I, so finding this recipe (not even on purpose! Pinterest thought I’d like it) was right on time. It looks fabulous! Will report on my success later!

    Reply
  3. Ashley says

    April 9, 2020 at 10:54 am

    5 stars
    I’ve never made bread before, but the picture I came across looked so perfectly crunchy and fluffy that I had to try it! I love bread. This recipe was surprisingly easy to make and wasn’t as messy or involved as I expected. The end product was soft on the inside and just the right amount of crunchy on the outside. Definitely happy with the flavor, though I do wish there was a tinge of sweetness in it. I would recommend this recipe to others and will be making again!

    Reply
  4. Angela says

    April 18, 2020 at 3:33 pm

    This looks amazing! I love that it makes 2 loaves but is there a way to save the one loaf to bake later? I rather not cut the recipe in half since it took so much time to rise and proof but wondering if there was a way to bake one loaf and eat it fresh before making the 2nd.

    Reply
    • thedomesticrebel says

      April 19, 2020 at 9:44 am

      Hi Angela, I actually have not tried saving the other loaf. I don’t have experience freezing the bread dough but it should work! Just form it into the loaf shape and try freezing to see if that works.

      Reply
  5. Kristin says

    July 25, 2020 at 10:27 am

    5 stars
    This is our favourite bread recipe! I use (vegan) garlic butter and some garlic powder and it’s instantly transformed into crazy good garlic bread!

    Reply
  6. Liz says

    November 14, 2020 at 1:00 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe is excellent and fool proof! I can’t believe I can make delicious crusty bread. Sometimes I cut the recipe in half and just make one loaf. I’m going to try to make a round version today. Thank you for a great recipe.

    Reply
    • thedomesticrebel says

      November 14, 2020 at 7:17 pm

      Liz, I am so glad you enjoyed!

      Reply
  7. Liz says

    May 14, 2021 at 10:49 am

    I tried this recipe last night, and I don’t know what I did wrong. The crust was nice and crunchy and the inside was soft and fluffy when the bread was just out of the oven, but the second it started to cool off, the crust was soft and the inside got really dense. Does anyone know what might have happened?

    Reply
    • Wendy says

      December 31, 2022 at 5:58 pm

      Same thing here. I used this recipe because I misplaced my favorite one. I threw it out, awful and I have been making bread for awhile.

      Reply
  8. Pam says

    December 27, 2021 at 5:03 pm

    5 stars
    Some of the best bread I’ve ever baked. Perfect crusty outside, inside just right – not too dense. Will bake again and again !

    Reply
  9. Laura says

    January 10, 2022 at 11:09 am

    5 stars
    Delicious bread and such an easy recipe. Definitely a keeper!

    Reply
  10. Mary says

    May 26, 2022 at 11:56 am

    5 stars
    This was my first attempt making French bread. I may have to tweak the recipe a little to get a crunchy outside crust, but the smells coming out my kitchen were beautiful. The taste was fabulous. Will definitely make again. Thanks for sharing this recipe.

    Reply
  11. Dee says

    September 30, 2022 at 4:08 pm

    5 stars
    I made this today and it turned out great!! Thank you for the delicious yet easy bread recipe.

    Reply
  12. Kaitlyn Z says

    January 27, 2023 at 8:13 pm

    5 stars
    Just incredible! My go to bread recipe honestly!

    Reply

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About me

Welcome to The Domestic Rebel! My name is Hayley and I am the 31-year old writer, photographer, recipe developer, taste-tester and creator of this blog. I’m so glad you’ve stopped by my little slice of sprinkly, butter-laden heaven on the interwebs. If it wasn’t apparent, I like to bake… a lot. Read More…

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