Easiest French Baguette Recipe

5 from 8 votes

Easiest French Baguette Recipe

Baguette and bread recipes in general are usually synonymous with “difficult to make.” This French baguette recipe is the easiest on the internet, while remaining fantastically delicious.

Prep Time30

Cook Time20

Rise Time1 30

Total Time2 20

Course: Appetizer, Bread, Breakfast, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: French

Servings: baguettes

Author: Grace Vallo

Equipment

Stand mixer
Large baking sheet
Thermometer
Parchment paper

Ingredients

3 cups bread flour plus more for your working surface
1 ¼ cups water
2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast (1 packet)
1 ¼ teaspoons salt

Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine flour, yeast (make sure no yeast gets stuck in the little packet), and salt using the whisk attachment.
Microwave water until it reaches 120-130℉. Use a thermometer to stir and then test water every 15 seconds or so until temperature is reached.
Switch to the dough hook attachment, and add the warm water in a steady stream on low speed (speed 2). Knead dough on this low speed for 5 minutes. Not to worry; dough will be very wet and sticky!
Lightly grease a bowl with flavorless oil. Flour your hands and place the sticky ball of dough in the greased bowl. It’s okay; dough will stick to floured hands!
Seal bowl shut with plastic wrap and lay a clean kitchen towel over the top of the bowl. Place in a 75-80℉, dark space for 1 hour to rise. If space is not warm or dark, your dough will have trouble rising. See notes below for ideas on where to rise.
Flip a large baking sheet upside down, lay a piece parchment paper on it, and lightly flour the parchment.
Remove plastic wrap and towel after the hour (dough should have risen to about double its size), and deflate dough with your fist. Flour your hands and divide dough into 2 even balls. Stretch balls into long baguette shapes, letting gravity help the dough stretch to shape. Both baguettes should be slightly thinner than you’d like them to be when they’re baked. Place baguettes on the upside down, lined baking sheet, as far apart as possible.
Lay kitchen towel over the baguettes and let rise in a 75-80℉, dark space for 30 more minutes. Dough will rise more!
Preheat oven fully, to 450 degrees. Make a few long, shallow, diagonal slashes at about 45 degree angles on each baguette using a sharp knife.
Bake baguettes on the upside down, parchment lined baking sheet at 450℉ for 16-20 minutes, or until crust is golden and the baguettes are hollow sounding when tapped. Place on a wire rack to cool, or enjoy!

Video

Notes

To properly measure flour, spoon flour into a dry measuring cup and level off the excess with a straight edge.
Bread flour has higher protein content than all-purpose flour, making it ideal for yeast-based bread recipes as it supports more gluten formation and results in a chewier, more structured baguette.
Look for INSTANT yeast (NOT dry active yeast). Instant yeast doesn’t require proofing and requires a shorter rise time.
Baguette dough is very hydrated, meaning it is wet and sticky. The high hydration of baguette dough helps create the characteristic open crumb structure and chewy texture. Flouring your hands well when handling dough can help work with it!
The ideal baguette rising temperature is between 75 to 80°F. Tightly seal shut your bowl to maintain a moist environment, cover with a clean kitchen towel to help create a dark environment, and place outside if it’s warm, or in a warm room (like a laundry room with the dryer on or a small room with a space heater). If the space is not warm enough, the baguettes won’t rise properly, or will take longer to rise!
You can use a bowl, whisk and your own hands to mix and knead dough, however the dough is very sticky, so a stand mixer is highly recommended.
Storage: If you plan to consume the baguette within a day, keep it at room temperature, preferably in a paper bag or loosely wrapped in a clean kitchen towel to preserve its crust while preventing excessive moisture buildup. If you want to store the baguette for a few days, wrap it tightly in aluminum foil and keep it at room temperature. However, be aware that the crust may lose its crispness over time.

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