The number 1 food that people request from my mother Renée, is her soft french bread.
Now most of her 10 children receive the exact same request from their families and friends! You are now fortunate enough to be receiving Renée’s famous recipe. Click on the icon below for a printable recipe:
Recommended French Bread Equipment:
Click each photo to find my favorite bread-making tools on Amazon:
French Bread Ingredients:
- 2 ½ Cups of warm water
- 1 Tbsp. of rapid rising yeast
- ½ Cup of sugar
- 2 tsp. of salt
- 5-6 Cups of all purpose flour
French Bread Directions:
First use a wooden spoon to mix the warm water, yeast, and sugar together in a large mixing bowl, until nearly dissolved. Then mix in the salt, and then 5 of the 6 cups of flour. If the dough is still sticky, add the remaining cup of flour. If it is still too sticky, add another ½ cup of flour. See my above video to see the proper consistency.
Knead the dough on a floured counter top, until it forms a fairly smooth ball.
Lightly flour your large mixing bowl, and then carefully drop the dough back into the bowl. Cover the bowl with a cloth or plastic wrap
Let the dough ball rise in the bowl until it doubles in size (1-2 hours, depending on your room’s temperature & humidity). By the way, this Polder timer was recommended by America’s Test Kitchen, so I ordered it and love ! You can find it clicking this picture:
Doesn’t that look nice and fluffy?
Divide the risen dough in half. I really like to use a chef’s knife, which has been sprayed with non-stick spray:
Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray, or optionally use parchment paper. Roll out each ball into a large rectangle (the length of your baking sheet). Then starting at a long edge, roll each rectangle, until your dough is shaped like a jelly roll:
Place both loaves on the baking sheet, with spacing on each side. Be sure to place the loaves seam side down, and tuck the end under itself.
Cover the loaves and let them rise for 1-2 hours, until they become as large as you prefer.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and bake for about 20 minutes, until it just starts to turn golden.
Depending on where you live & what oven you have, the bread can be a little doughy at 20 minutes, so if it is, just put it back in the oven for another 2 minutes.
Immediately rub the top of the hot bread with butter, to give it a shine & a yummy taste.
***Amazing Tip: This bread is unbelievably good toasted, with salted butter melted over the top!
Please comment below with questions, suggestions, or even to say hi!
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I made this yesterday. It was very good warm. It is even better today toasted. It also makes very good sandwiches. Those who complained about the soft crust clearly were not looking for a soft French. This is a great soft French loaf.
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Hopefully it’ll become a family favorite, like in our home!
I”ve already made 4 loaves and can’t get enough…so good…thanks for sharing!!!!
Mellody, thanks for your comment, and I’m happy that the bread turned out so great for you!
Thanks so much for making a easy and clear to understand video the bread came out so good we took a pic and i posted it on my facebook page thanks again:)
Fantastic Denise! I’m glad that you enjoyed it. How did you find JoshLovesIt.com?
Hi Josh
I went to you tube first and punched in french bread how to make and i watched one other video just before yours his video looked easy too but when he sliced and took a bite when the bread was done it sounded way too crunchy probably the 35 min cook time he asked for what i did use from his video was i used a ceramic bowl i washed it with hot water first then dried it out so the bowl was warm before adding the ingredients and on the 1st rise i used a emty plastic grocery bag tied a knot so it was tight around the bowl. if you want to see the picture go to facebook under Denise Bodge you’ll see i was so proud breadbefore never ever worked out so bad we had went out and bought a fancy bread machine even that is not as good as your recipe!
Great Denise! I can’t seem to find you on Facebook, so if you could please “like” JoshLovesIt.com on Facebook, I can see your bread. Thanks!
i posted the pic on your facebook chk it out
Wow – awesome easy recipe made 2x now and today a double batch with my grandaughter 9yrs old she said so easy and took one home for mom and dad thx Josh for sharing. God Bless you
Thanks Linda! I’m glad this was helpful, and I hope it becomes a tradition in your family as it has in ours! How did you find JoshLovesIt.com?
I just started making homemade bread because I found this recipe via your video and it looked so easy and tasty. Now, maybe it’s because I’m a newbie at bread making, but I printed your instructions and unfortunately it wasn’t detailed enough for me to remember from your video that I was supposed to knead the dough before letting it rise the first time. Then I didnt remember to let it rise again after I had shaped it on the sheet;. Not remembering the first part wasn’t a big deal because not too much time passed before I realized I was supposed to knead it before letting it rise, but it may have made a slight difference when I had put the bread in the oven before letting it rise again. It was in the oven 5 minutes before I realized my mistake. I took it out and tried to see if it would rise. It looked like it rose a little. Then I baked it 20 minutes as instructed. The other problem I encountered was I had a packet of the yeast, not a container of it. So when I measured it out, it was a little less than a tablespoon. I dont know if missing that little bit makes a difference or not. I tried to adjust the rest of the recipe. In any case, regardless of the mistakes, the bread still came out pretty good. I would say a bit denser than it looked when you made it because I didn’t let it rise properly. I will have to try this again following your exact instructions.
Thanks for enjoying my bread! I’ll clarify the recipe when I get some time. Thanks for the feedback, and please have your friends subscribe here at JoshLovesIt.com!
Was wondering if you wanted to make the french bread with wheat flour what would the recipe changes be?
I am trying to not use white flour as often and would love to try making this recipe later in the week.
Can’t wait to try it out!
Liked watching your video on YOUTube.
You make making bread look real easy.
Thanks,
Evelyn A.
Hi Evelyn,
I completely understand your desire to make this recipe a bit healthier. It doesn’t work well with all whole wheat, but try substituting half of the white flour with whole wheat flour. Please let me know what you think! But at the end of the day, I eat whole wheat bread 6 days per week and eat this 1 day per week. I’m still way ahead in terms of health!
Josh
One more thing. My brother-in-law Vince makes this almost every weekend, so this is what he says to tell you:
“Use up to fifty percent whole wheat flour, and let it raise longer. More than half whole wheat makes it too heavy. You can also add rolled oats or rolled wheat instead of some of the flour. Just don’t let the dough get too stiff or heavy.”
Does this help?
Josh
It is definitely one the world’s BEST french bread I’ve ever tried. I saw the video and for what it looked like I decided to try it, you can guess the texture for how it looks. So, I immediately went to the kitchen and cooked this heavenly delicious bread for dinner. My wife and I adored it. We will cook this bread from now on. It is true, believe me, we are NOT buying brands anymore. We will cook Josh’s french bread. If you don’t let the dough to rise too much and put it inside a Pullman Loaf Pan, you can cook it in shape of delicious English bread and make sandwiches. I’ve got many ideas for this recipe. I really thank Josh for sharing this, I’ve been looking for a recipe like this for centuries. Cheers!
This recipe is excellent and good not only for french bread but for hamburger buns and hotdog buns as well… i have a recipe i use for crusty french baguettes and for torpedo loaves like for french dip sandwiches but for all other bread needs this has turned out far superior and adaptive… oregano and sun-dried tomato and even olive work well with this bread as well as some of the hard cheese like Parmesan. Thanks again Josh for sharing.
Joy from NC
Baker of all breads
Josh very good, I just made some and they turned out so good and soft..this was my second time making french bread and I nailed it thanks to your family recipe!
Marisol, thank you so much for trying out my bread, and I’m so glad it worked out for you. We made it for some friends tonight, and it was a hit. Please send your friends to subscribe on my blog!!
Josh,
I made both your soft french bread and your cinnamon rolls today. I really enjoyed both. I plan on using some of the leftover bread for making sandwiches tomorrow. I will definitely make both again. By the way, I made the dough for both in my bread machines. I made the French bread dough in my zojirushi which has two paddles, and it did a great job. My zo has a fast dough cycle which takes about 36 minutes. I let it sit and rest for about 30 minutes in the bread machine after the cycle completed, and then rolled it out as you described. I then let it rise in a slightly warm oven for about an hour before baking it. I did cut back on the water slightly as I frequently have to do for most recipes and still had to add a bit more flour.
I have made some pretty good cinnamon rolls before, but I think that the cream cheese icing is an improvement over the confectioner sugar icing that I have been using.
I was searching for bread blogs and bread recipes when I ran across your site.
Wendy
Wendy, you’re amazing! I’m so glad that you experimented and gave feedback. Have you subscribed yet?
I subscribed a little earlier tonight but I haven’t yet received the verification email, but I will be on the lookout for it.
Wendy
Looking for primarily a good sandwich bread like for cold cuts, cheeses, etc. Does this bread fill that need?
Is this bread good only the day it is baked or will it keep a couple of days at a good quality level?
Thank you
Hi Gary,
Yes, this is amazing for sandwiches, especially if you want to turn one loaf into a large submarine sandwich for multiple people. This bread is good for multiple days. We actually freeze what we don’t eat the first day, and at still tastes great later. Try slicing the bread before you freeze it, and then toast however many slices you prefer. It is the best toasting bread, especially with butter! Let me know what you think!
Josh,
I think that I am addicted to this bread now. I have made it three times in 3 weeks. Of course, we having been eating the bread when I first make it and then sandwiches the next day or two. I even used some for making bread crumbs for Parmesan chicken. I just chopped it pretty fine in a food processor and then toasted the bread crumbs. Thanks for sharing a great recipe.
I am still making the dough in my bread machine, so 2 cups of water and @ 5 1/2 cups of flour is what is working best for me.
Wendy
Wendy, I’m so happy that you’ve enjoyed this family recipe!
Excellent video Josh. I’m headed to the kitchen after hitting the send button… All the while listening I kept saying I wish I had free time- I’d remove you floor noise from the video so you’d not have the ever-present background hiss.
Down load “Audacity” (free program) follow 3 steps and you could remove it yourself. Just isolate the noise floor and then let the program do it for you after you define what the noise is. Many YouTube videos can show you the simple 3 steps. You’ll be elated. Then you’ll have just your voice. It will be easier to listen to. But hey, right now, we’re talking bread. And in this realm- you are king!
Thanks for your video.
Hey Tom,
Thanks for the advice! I’ve got Audacity, so I’ll have to figure that out. Let me know how the bread turns out!
I absolutely LOVE this bread! I made some and shared it with my next door neighbor and for her next party she had me make 8 loaves… 8! Everyone adored it and begged for the recipe… soooo I steered them all to your web site. It has never failed me and I have probably made it 30 times in the last 4 months. Thank you so much for sharing.
Excellent Val! Thanks for your comment. And thanks for sharing my blog with others…that’s very appreciated. If you could please get others to subscribe on my homepage, and “like” my facebook box, that would also be awesome!
I made this recipe yesterday and it tastes delicious! My mother and father in law, husband and even my picky brother in law loved it! since i love spicy foods i added jalapenos to some of the bread before baking and it still tasted delicious. i will definitely be keeping this recipe. thank you!
Excellent! I have also tried jalapenos, but added mozzarella cheese too! Just spread the peppers and cheese out on the rolled out rectangle, and then roll it up. It is sooo good!
I made this a few days ago and already the family is asking me to make more! Thanks for posting it!
Hi Zedz, I’m glad you like the recipe for the bread! How did you find it?
Hi Josh,
Do you have any ideas of how to adjust this recipe for convection ovens? I haven’t made it yet, I just came across you while looking for bread recipes on Youtube.
Whoa, great question Pamela! I don’t have a convection oven, but I suspect the baking time would be reduced. I’d pull it out around 15 minutes & cut it open to see if there is any doughiness. Will you please let me know what you find? I’d like to include that in my video and article. Thanks!
Hi Josh, My husband is French and we live in France, so I am excited about trying this recipe.
When I make it, we’ll see how it stands up beside the bread we buy at the bakery in Paris!
Before I start, I would like to know if it is possible to let the dough rise for more than 2 hours and finish it later. For example, can I let it rise overnight and finish it in the morning? I don’t know about everyone else, but I don’t always have exactly 2 hours to go away and come back. And I would ask the same question for the 2 hours on the baking sheet, can it be longer?
Also, I wanted to ask about freezing the dough. Ideally, this is a recipe for fresh bread, but can the dough be frozen and pulled out on a rainy day? If so, at what point would you advise freezing it?
Lastly, I would like to know if it this recipe can be done with whole wheat flour. I’m just curious.
Thanks for sharing!
-Amber
Hi Amber,
Thanks for your questions! Wow, I love Paris! And yes, bread in Paris is amazing. Yikes, I’m not sure how this bread will sand up next to genuine French Bread…it’s more of an American take on French bread, but it sure is popular. I’ll try to answer your questions:
1. “…can I let it rise overnight and finish it in the morning?”
I have never let bread dough rise overnight, but I have done it with Pizza dough. With pizza dough, I stop the rising process by placing it in the fridge. The rising can then resume once out of the fridge. Just experiment, and be sure to let me know what you discover, as I’d love to update my article.
2. “…can the dough be frozen and pulled out on a rainy day?”
Another great question. Although this bread freezes incredibly well after it’s baked, I haven’t tried freezing the dough. I do know that you can freeze dough (you need to change the yeast quantity and type), but for this particular bread recipe I haven’t tried it (but you got me curious, so I will now). Below I’m sharing a link for a good tutorial on freezing dough. Please let me know how it turns out!
http://breadbaking.about.com/od/beginnerbasics/ht/freezedough.htm
P.S. I’ve got a great pizza recipe coming, so be sure to subscribe!
Hey Josh, Thanks for your reply. My mother and brothers in the U.S. are now making your bread also! I still haven’t tried it, but they will tell me how it comes out. We were wondering when you freeze it after baking it, how do you do it? Plastic wrap and foil? Looking forward to your reply. Best, Amber
Hi Amber, you can either put the whole loaf in plastic wrap or a large storage container, or cut it in slices then put it in a freezer bag. That way you can toast 1 piece at a time! Make sure you put some soft real butter on the toast!
Hi, this recipe contains too much sugar for a french bread. French breads are not so sweet, just their desserts are:)
Thanks for your comment! Certainly this is not a traditional French bread…just a spin off, but it certainly is tasty, and very popular with a lot of people. (P.S. Sorry for the late reply to your comment..for some reason, these comments haven’t been emailed to me lately).
Hi Josh, I am from India and I’ve always (badly) wanted to be able to bake my own bread. I have traveled a bit (both US and Europe) and after tasting the breads there, have never liked the bread I pick from the stores here in India – they just don’t taste the way they do in Europe. The last few days, I have been browsing and watching videos in youtube to find a very simple yet good recipe to bake – I’ve never baked bread before! Last night, I saw your video and today, I decided I would try it out. My biggest worry was, I have a microwave oven that can be used as convection too, and it has maximum temperature setting upto 250 C only – I still went ahead and tried!
UNBELIEVABLE is the word. I never thought it would come out exactly the way I saw in your video. I am still wearing a big smile (4 hours after) out of excitement as I type this. This bread is right among the top ones I’ve tasted.
While I kept one loaf the way you made, the second one, while rolling, I sprinkled bits of garlic, rosemary and oregano and I just loved both the loaves!!
Thank you (& your mom) so much for sharing this recipe.
Justin, thanks for trying out my bread recipe! I’m so happy that it worked so well for you also. (P.S. Sorry about my detailed response..for some reason, my comments aren’t being delivered to my email inbox).
my daughter is a bread lover so I came across this site and recipe, on youtube, will make today, and sure enough it will be gone today! thanks for the recipe!
Ness, thanks for your comment..did the bread turn out as well as you hoped? (P.S. Sorry about my detailed response..for some reason, my comments aren’t being delivered to my email inbox).
I have been looking for a soft french bread recipe and I stumbled across this one after searching forever. It is rising nicely at the moment I can’t wait to see how it turns out
Kat, thanks for your comment. How did the bread turn out? (P.S. Sorry about my extremely detailed response..for some reason, my comments aren’t being delivered to my email inbox).
Hi Josh
i made the bread today and had a problem with it rising, it formed a hard skin on top and took a really long time to rise. Don’t know what i did wrong or what you could suggest??
Thanks
Kerryn
Kerryn, thanks for your question. Sorry about my extremely detailed response..for some reason, my comments aren’t being delivered to my email inbox. As for your rising problem, it could be a result of several things. Did you use the yeast that I recommended? Did you cover the dough? Did you place the dough in a warm area?
Thank you for sharing. Terrific recipe and thanks to the others for their contributions as well!
You’re welcome Jolene! Sorry for my delay in responding!
This is great! Just wondering, what is the difference between your mom’s recipe and a regular crusty french bread recipe? Thanks!
Hi Abe, thanks for your question…sorry for the delayed response. My mother’s recipe is not a traditional french bread recipe, but a modified version. It’s more light, soft, and fluffy, whereas traditional french bread has a hard crust and a soft center.
Hi Josh, just viewed your video on the French bread and it looks amazing. I’ll definitely make it sometime this weekend. However, I do have a question for you…I have Active yeast, not the quick acting , how much do I use of the Active? I made bread yesterday for Thanksgiving for the 1st time using an Artisan recipe I found on Youtube and it came out great. But I would love to make your’s too. Thank you for your recipe and answer to my question.
Hi Debra, sorry for the delay in answering your question..I’m having some problems with the commenting service. Active yeast will just take longer, but you can probably use the same amount…just watch the size of the bread.
Hi Josh
I am very anxious to try out your recipe for the french bread.
It looks amazingly “do able!”
Question: Can I substitute the white flour with brown?
Hi Sukaina, sorry for the delay. Yes, you can use whole wheat flour, but only up to half. All whole wheat tastes too “grainy”. Does that help?
I am going to try and make this tomorrow….wish me luck! You did a great job on the video!!!
Thanks Mellody! How did your bread turn out?
First time to view your wonderful French bread recipe. Going to try it this weekend. I have a question about “yeast” I have a jar of “active dry yeast’ how does rapid rise differ from active dry? Thank you!
Hi Geri, great question. Active dry yeast is normal yeast, and rapid yeast speeds up the fermentation process, and makes your wait time shorter. Does that answer your question?
Hi Josh, Have you reset your clock for spring? Must rise and shine Sunday and get the bread in the oven on time.
Thanks so much for your reply. Now I’m ready to bake.
You should knead the dough more. Let it rise longer. Cook it hotter. Also pay attention to the humidity of the dough, which usually requires you make measurements by weight. 60%-80%. Higher water content would result in a better texture for french bread. However, your kneading technique will have to change at the higher humidities.
Thanks for your suggestions Jake!
This bread was good. The family loved it. I put vegan butter on top when it was done. I also turned some of it into garlic bread. I will definitely make this again.
I’m glad you liked it Amber! I’ll have to try the vegan butter…which brand is best? And thanks for your comment! (P.S. Sorry for the late reply to your comment..for some reason, these comments haven’t been emailed to me lately).
Man ! I tried this for my very first attempt at any bread making and it came out fabulous! Just delicious. I love cooking New Orleans food and I wanted to learn how to make my own French Bread to serve on the side. This recipe Killed It !! Gonna serve it to my friends Super Bowl Sunday with some Shrimp Jambalaya ……Thanks Josh !
You’re welcome…I’m glad you liked it! (P.S. Sorry for the late reply to your comment..for some reason, these comments haven’t been emailed to me lately).
Hi Josh. My favorite is Earth Balance-Organic Buttery Spread (Whipped). I have also tried the original and that is fine too. I use the tub, but Earth Balance also has Vegan Buttery Sticks, which I am sure would make it a litte easier to butter the loaves. Thank you for sharing this recipe. Can’t wait to make it again. Next time I want to mix whole wheat pastry flour and unbleached white flour. I am not sure how that will change the amount of flour I have to use though.
I’ll have to try that Amber!
Josh, can I use raw sugar instead of regular sugar? Also does it make a difference if I use Sea salt or Kosher Salt? I can’t wait to make this it looks wonderful.
Hi Dale,
I actually haven’t tested this recipe with raw sugar or Sea Salt. Perhaps you can experiment, and come back and update this comment with your results?
Hi Dale:
I used sea salt and I used raw sugar when I made this bread and it came out just fine.
I loved this bread recipe! I am excited to make your other ones! Thank you so much for sharing this, I am not a good cook at all. But I can make the best bread now! Thank you again.
Lisa, thanks for your comment, and I’m glad that you liked the bread!
Hi Josh,
I tried your recipe today. It was delicious! Very soft and every body at my house loved it.
I adjusted the recipe a little bit. I live in Indonesia and this is rainy season…., so I knew 2.5 cups of water was too much. I’ve tried a pizza crust recipe last month with the water measurement as written in the recipe…..I learned my lesson
I used only 2 cups and it was enough for the full 6 cups of flour.
I did used only 1/3 cups of sugar, because I didn’t want it to sweet for dinner rolls. But I guess for breakfast or afternoon tea, the full 1/2 cup would be perfect.
Thank you for the recipe.
Hi Feby! I’m happy to hear that someone from Indonesia is reading my website!
Hi there Josh,
Well this was fantastic bread, My bread machine died over the weekend (overworked) and so I searched the web and found this recipe, I made it in my Kenwood (it will do all the work)
I made 2 yesterday and took 1 loaf over to our son and his family as we were going there for Dinner, we made half the loaf into garlic parsley and cheese bread to eat with out Dinner yum it was very delish, our Grandson is lactos intollerant so this bread was perfect for him to eat with his special butter and cheese, thank you so much I am making another as I am writing this.
Hi Fiona, I’m glad that you liked the bread! Where are you writing from?
I live in Auckland New Zealand.
Great! I’m glad that my website has traveled to Kiwi Land!
Thank you Rene! I was looking for this for years… God bless you.
Valerie, I’m glad that you found what you’re looking for! I’ll tell my mother that you were grateful for this recipe.
Hi there,
Ran out of bread (we get it for free usually) and thought I’d try making some myself this time and happened across your vid on youtube. You made it look so simple I tried it pretty much right away. Came out brilliantly, kids were thrilled, I couldn’t stop eating it. Will be making more. Maybe rolled up with cheese and bacon and maybe some with cinnamon and sultanas. Very grateful to you for sharing and to your mum for teaching you.
God bless from Australia,
AMF
Hi AMF from Australia! Thanks for the compliment, and I’m so happy that you enjoyed the bread! I really enjoy putting mozzarella cheese and jalapeno peppers inside before I roll the dough up. We’ve also successfully tried cheese, pizza sauce, and pepperoni.
Just one word for this bread…YUMMM
This was a easy recipe to follow, and taste so good.
Thanks Becky! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
When you make this dish you must have Patience & Time I had just got off work at 5:15 and arrived at home 6:00pm I really wanted to try the recipe so despite the hour I did it. I used my kitchen aid and did not use as much water according to your recipe. I must say I got inpatient and after the 2nd rise I only waited 45 minutes I ended up baking for about 25 minutes. The aroma throughout my home was like, I was living in a BAKERY… the texture, taste of the bread was delicious. Next time I make this FRIDAY (will use my breadman this time) I will be able to let my bread rise according to your post. Oh and by the way my husband said it was the BEST bread I had ever made. WOW! Thanks to you and MOM
Thanks Angelia! Yes, bread can be time consuming, but well worth it!
Hi Josh
In your Youtube video you say to add 1 and 1/2 cup of sugar, but here in the recipe you say add 1/2 cup. So which is correct 1 1/2 cup or only 1/2 cup?
I’m sorry Edward…I didn’t speak very clearly. I said 1/2 Cup of sugar.
Hi Josh,
Can’t wait to try out your recipe. I have some leftover bread flour. I wonder can I use that to replace all purpose flour?
Flyn from Singapore
Hi Flyn,
Thanks for your question! I’m sure you can use bread flour…give it a try, and please let me know how it works!