Soft, crusty, perfect French Bread- in under an hour. If you’ve been afraid of making bread, this bread is exactly what you need to boost your confidence and become a Homemade Bread Boss. A Yeast Queen. Scratch that one; that sounds like something you’d better see a doctor about. Moving on.
It’s no secret that I love my carbs. Bread is my love language. Most of my bread recipes require multiple rise times, lengthy kneading, bread flour, and other more complicated steps. And they have their place at my table and in my kitchen.
But sometimes, I want some crusty, tender, warm homemade bread, and I want it now. And I don’t want to babysit it or think about it. This recipe has none of the complication of most bread recipes, without sacrificing any of the taste.
If you can dump things into a mixer and shape dough into the vague approximation of a loaf, you can make this bread.
Last time I made this, I impatiently pat my dough into a roughly oval shape, slit a few quick slashes across the top, and threw it in the oven. The bread was a strange shape and looked a little lumpy going in, and it came out looking rustic, golden, and beautiful. And it was heaven.
If there is no warm bread in heaven, I shall not go.
Feeling like trying some more yeast bread recipes? Try another one of my easy bread recipes- like these Weeknight Breadsticks and the amazing Homemade Pretzel Nuggets!
Easiest, Fastest, Foolproof, French Bread
Ingredients
- 1½ cups warm water
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoons Active Dry Yeast
- 3½ – 4½ cups flour
Instructions
- Combine the water, honey, salt and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer, or a large glass bowl. Let sit for 5-10 mins. until it is foamy.
- Add flour, starting with 3 cups. Knead in the mixer and add flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until the dough cleans the bowl and does not stick to your finger. Knead in stand mixer (with mixer on low speefor 3 minutes. If kneading by hand, tip dough onto a flour counter after adding 3 cups of flour, and knead and add more flour until the dough doesn’t stick to your fingers. Knead for 5 minutes.
- Form the dough into a loaf shape. Cover with a towel and place above or near your oven. Preheat oven to 400. Let rise for about 20 minutes.
- After dough has risen, use a very sharp knife to cut 4-5 slits into the top of the dough. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until golden brown. Rub crust with butter immediately upon removal.
I cannot thank you enough for sharing a recipe that dummies like me can follow so quickly and easily! I had come to accept the fact that I just wasn’t capable of making bread after MANY failed attempts. Saving this recipe immediately! 💕
I accidentally used twice as much yeast as it called for, and it made a giant loaf of delicious bread! Gargantuan, and so quick! This is my new go-to recipe! Thank you for posting this – you’ve made my family very happy!
I see your name and am wondering – could we be distantly related??
I made this tonight along with the corn chowder (because it’s SUPPOSED to be the first day of fall…so soup and fresh bread despite the 93 degrees out!) I don’t think I added enough flour because it spread out on the pan and looked like a hybrid between a French bread loaf and focaccia bread. Leave it to me to mess up foolproof bread haha! For the record though, it still tasted great slathered in some butter and everyone asked for more!
Oh no! Sorry it spread! Let me know if you try it with more flour and it holds it shape better! Mine is always pretty sturdy! But like you said- any warm bread is heavenly straight out of the oven and slathered in butter!