There’s something incredibly satisfying about pulling a batch of homemade French baguettes from the oven. The crust should be crisp and golden, while the inside is light, chewy, and full of those irregular air pockets that make a good French baguette so special. And while making bread from scratch takes a little patience, the process is much more approachable than it might seem.
This French baguette recipe is a great project when you want to make bakery-style bread at home. The dough needs time to rise and develop its flavor, but most of that time is hands-off. Once the dough has risen, it’s shaped into long, slender loaves and given another rise before baking.
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A French bread pan, or baguette pan, is a particularly useful tool if you’re making these regularly. The perforated shape helps support the long, delicate loaves while they rise and bake, making it easier to maintain their classic baguette shape. It’s a worthwhile addition to your kitchen if homemade bread has become one of your favorite baking projects.
The final step is creating the crust. A hot oven and plenty of steam help give homemade French baguettes their characteristic crisp exterior while allowing the dough to expand properly. Once baked, let the baguettes cool slightly before slicing—or tear off a piece while they’re still warm if you simply can’t wait.
Fresh baguettes are incredibly versatile. Serve them alongside soup or pasta, slice them for sandwiches, toast them for bruschetta, or simply tear off a piece and dip it in good olive oil.
If you’ve always wanted to make French baguettes at home, this recipe is a rewarding place to start. With a little patience and practice, you can enjoy that wonderful combination of crisp crust and chewy bread without making a trip to the bakery.
Not what you are looking for? Try these other bread recipes: French Bread, Rustic French Bread or homemade Ciabatta Bread.
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Homemade French Baguettes
Homemade French Baguettes are easier to make than you think. Nothing better than having fresh day bread for all your meals. These crunchy baguettes feature a chewy interior riddled with holes, and a crisp, deep-gold crust. While it’s a challenge to make “real” baguettes at home, this version is probably as close to an artisan bakery version as you’re going to find.
- Total Time: 1:30
- Yield: 8 1x
Ingredients
- 2 envelopes dry active yeast (1 1/2 tablespoons)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 2 teaspoons salt
- Canola oil, for greasing bowl
- Cornmeal, for dusting pan
- 3 to 4 ice cubes
Instructions
- Combine the honey, yeast and 1/2 cup warm water. Stir to combine and let the mixture stand until the yeast is activated and begins to foam, 5 minutes.
- Mix the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl with a dough hook and slowly add in the yeast mixture. Gradually add 1 cup warm water and mix until the dough comes together into a ball that is not too wet (you may not need all of the water). If the dough is sticky, add a little bit more flour. Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, 2 to 6 minutes. You can do the thumbprint test: press in the dough with your thumb and it should bounce back when it’s ready.
- Form the dough into a ball, place it in a lightly-oiled bowl and cover with a dishcloth, so it doesn’t dry out. Let rest in a warm environment until doubled in size, 25 to 30 minutes.
- Punch down the dough and divide it in half. Shape into 2 baguettes by making a flat rectangle out of your dough, then folding the top and bottom towards the middle, like an envelope, and sealing the seam with your fingers. Keep repeating the folding and sealing, stretching the rectangle lengthwise as you go, until it’s about 12 to 14 inches long and 2 inches wide. Fold and seal either end to round. Flip seam-side down and place on a sheet pan or baguette pan that has been dusted with cornmeal. Score the tops of the loaves, making deep diagonal slits 1/2-inch deep, cover with a dishcloth and let rise in a warm environment until they have doubled in size, 25 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F and position your oven racks with one on the bottom and the other in the middle. Place an oven-safe (non-glass) bowl or pan on the bottom rack.
- When your bread has doubled for the second time, remove the towel and quickly and simultaneously, slide the sheet tray with the baguettes onto the middle rack while carefully throwing the ice cubes into the bowl on the bottom rack. The ice will create a burst of steam that will give you a nice crispy crust. Quickly shut the oven door so no steam escapes. Bake the baguettes until golden brown, 15 minutes.
- Cook’s Note: If you have a glass window on your oven, place a towel over it when throwing the ice in, hot glass can shatter if ice touches it.
- Prep Time: :35
- Rise: :40
- Cook Time: :15
- Category: Side
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: French