French Bread
Sometimes, it is always good to visit the classic recipes. French bread is one of my favorites. Plus this recipe is low in fat! :) This is a family recipe that comes from my grandma’s cookbook and is one my whole family enjoys! It makes a great side dish all toasted up or, my personal favorite, a dip bread for a balsamic vinegar/olive oil/Parmesan cheese mixture. Really you can’t go wrong with a classic recipe! I hope you enjoy my family’s recipe as much as we do!
French Bread
Servings 3 loaves
Calories 1159kcal
Ingredients
- 7 cups flour divided
- 3 cups warm water
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 3 1/2 teaspoons yeast
Instructions
- Mix 3 and 1/2 cups flour with all ingredients. Let sit one hour.
- Add remaining 3 and 1/2 cups flour (one at a time) and knead till dough forms a ball (dough sticky).
- Cover with a damp cloth for 30 minutes.
- Divide and shape into 2-3 oblong loaves (long and narrow). Place on greased cookie sheet. Slit top with scissors 1/2 down diagonally.
- Paint top with slightly beaten egg whites. Let sit for 8-10 minutes.
- Bake at 375 degrees F for about 30 minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 1159kcal | Carbohydrates: 246g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Sodium: 1570mg | Potassium: 348mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 14mg
Tried this recipe?Tag @nikki_chefintraining in your picture on Instagram so we can see what you have been up to in your kitchen!
Enjoy!
Leigh Ann
I'm not seeing the recipe...
Chef in Training
It was supposed to post but the wordpress recipe plugin has been giving me issues. Sorry about that. It should be up now :)
Ashton
Hey Nikki-- I feel like I'm missing something. This is the second recipe you've posted that I can't find the actual recipe for-- which tells me it's ME and not you. Where's the recipe? I'm not seeing it...
Chef in Training
No, its me. It was supposed to post but the wordpress recipe plugin has been giving me issues. Sorry about that. It should be up now :)
Jennifer @ Peanut Butter and Pepper
French Bread loks wonderful. Will you be posting a recipe for it?
Chef in Training
yes sorry. It was supposed to post but the wordpress recipe plugin has been giving me issues. Sorry about that. It should be up now :)
WeLoveChicken
I love French bread. And fresh, home made...it's simply yummy. It's perfect to eat, warm, right away from the oven with the butter melting on it. OMG!!!
Crystal
This looks wonderful! I am making this today!
Rachel
I have a batch in the mixer right now. Looks yummy!
Katie
I just made this bread with your recipe.. This is the best recipe I've made so far! It tastes SO AMAZING! Thank you for sharing!!!
Winnie
These are beautiful loafs!
kristen duke photography
you make it sound so easy!
-h (@taste-buds)
I just started making my own bread (albeit the lazy kneedless version), but this looks like its worth the effort of kneeding.
-h
Lisa
Made this today. Super easy! Smelled amazing baking! Tasted even more amazing!! Really could divide into more than two loaves. Thanks for sharing, Nikki!!
Brooke Brown
Thank you so much! Been looking for an easy-peasy recipe for French Bread!
Cindy A
Hi Nikki
Thanks for posting this. Are you using all purpose flour or bread flour and what kind of yeast - quick or regular thanks so much
Chef in Training
I use all purpose flour and dry active yeast. Let me know if you have any more questions. I'm happy to help in any way I can :)
tijuana (po' man meals)
french bread is so good! i am not great at making breads, especially like my mom was. she always had fresh bread coming out of the oven. we would slather it with butter and have at it! thanks for the recipe. i would love to try my hand at making it again. pray for me! :)
Laura Dembowski
I love easy to make bread recipes! This looks so wonderful :)
Deb
I have to tell you..I've tried lots of bread recipes and this is by FAR the best one I've ever tried. The recipe is simple and quick to make..yet came out so airy, fluffy and soft. I will always make this whenever I can, my family gobbled it up! What a great family recipe..thanks for sharing!
alana
can i bake these beaties on a pizza stone?
alana
nikki, oh my this bread was just amazing! so easy as well. ill def be making this all the time! thanks:)
Joelene
Nikki, I love your blog (my mum sent me to it, since I'm a fairly new stay at home mum too). :)
Just wondering - when you say a "package of yeast" how much are you referring to? I buy my yeast in a jar. Can't wait to try this recipe!
Thanks!
Heather R.
A package of yeast is 2.25 teaspoons
Heather R.
I made this today and it was delicious!! So easy to make, too. The only issue I had is I'd like the loaf to be narrower and a little taller. Mine ended up about 2" tall and 8" wide and 14" or so long. Maybe I'm wishing for something that this dough can't do, but I'd welcome any suggestions.
Deb
Heather, are you proofing your yeast beforehand? Proofing makes a big difference...when I make this recipe, I let the warm water sit with the sugar/yeast/salt mixture for around 15 minutes, until it gets really foamy and high in the bowl.
Another thing I might suggest is using a bit more yeast and extending your rising time. Although if you roll it out really long, it won't be as high. I did the braid the picture and it came out around 12" long, 4 or 5" high and around 6" high. Let it rise a good hour and half, in a slightly warm oven. All my best of luck!
zellie
ok i'm trying it now... i'm on step one. :)
viv
I see the recipe. And I can't wait to I try it. ;)
Clay
Thanks for the recipe. The bread came out great. Do you think I can freeze a loaf if I need to?
simone
Can this be done by hand ?
Mary Palmer
I like that this recipe doesn't require a bread machine. Exactly what type of flour do I use?
Michelle B
What kind of flour did you use? Is AP ok for this recipe?
Jen
Made this bread today for my kids at youth group and they DEVOURED it! Sadly, my husband and I only had a tiny taste - we're both gluten intolerant (eggs too, so glad they're not in there!). Do you have any reason to know whether this recipe would work with an all purpose gf flour?
Michelle Spencer
Nikki,
I've tried several recipes, but none have been given the thumbs up by my very picky mother, until this one.
The dough was so sticky that I thought I had done something wrong. The finished loaves, however, were a beautiful and very delicious surprise.
Thank you for sharing this. I'm making another batch right now.
Leanne
How much yeast is 1 1/2 packages, please? (grams, teaspoons...) Thanks :-)
Beverly
according to an earlier post, 1 packet of yeast = 2 1/4 teaspoons. Hope this helps.
Dina Sarhan
How much is package of yeast pls? In ounces or grams pls & thanks
susan
Trying this today to go with the pot roast cooking...can't wait to see how it turns out!
walter zijl
What is one and half package weihg..yeast...i made bread with to much...pls in Thailand is nothing really...have my oven love to try again.
Brooke
Bread flour or all purpose flour, preheated oven y/n? (I'm assuming all purpose, since you don't specify otherwise and don't add any other ingredients, and yes preheated oven, but just want to make sure.)
rjo
The French have an actual law, with specific ingredients for bread. No oils, no sugar are allowed in their bread. For the bread to develop proper air pockets and hearty crust, the rise times require nearly all day to make bread.
Meg
Have you ever Frozen the dough? At what stage would you suggest freezing? Would I thaw it first?
Wendy
Does this work without the salt?
EVELYN THORPE
I made this recipe last night...did not use my mixer, mixed by hand. The dough was extremely sticky and hard to work with. How do you braid a dough this sticky? I could barely shape it...did I do something wrong? The finished loves were pretty...tasted great. Just was wondering how to handle the dough. Thanks!
Mai
INever made bread before. This recipe was very simple. Made the whole house smell wonderful. Plus, it taste delicious! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Lyndi
I know you said in the recipe to use 1 and a half packages of yeast.. but could you possibly tell me how many grams or where is in the package as I don't have packages I just have a jar full.
Barbara
This recipe looks great.
8-10 minutes isn't very long for a second rise. Is that time correct?
Thx
Sue
Is that fast acting yeast?
Chef in Training
it is active dry yeast
CANDACE COVEY
This is the absolutely the BEST French bread I've ever tasted & or found a recipe for!! Thank You So Much Nikki for sharing your Grandmother's wonderful French bread recipe with all of us. In my own opinion this bread is PERFECT in every way!! I will never use another recipe for French bread again because I finally found the best one right here. I've made this several times now & every time I do it gets devoured in a matter of a day & this recipe makes two good sized loafs of bread. It tastes Spectacular!! I'm totally in Love!! Thanks again Nikki.
Kathy A Edens
Made this recipe last weekend.
BEST BREAD I'VE EVER MADE.
My family ate it in less than 4 days, which is uncommon for them.
Easy to make, delicious to eat.
Chef in Training is my go-to for great recipes.
Rachel
Absolutely love this recipe so easy and delicious !!!! I wanted to leave a picture but I don’t know how too