Easy Homemade White Baguettes
Easy Homemade White Baguettes are one of the easiest things you can make. Our simple, step-by-step process will give you warm and fluffy bread that is soft and delicious on the inside with a perfectly crisp crust.
Homemade bread is easily one of the best things to prepare in the kitchen, but it takes a lot of work and can be overly complicated. Our homemade white baguettes provide an easy alternative! This quick and easy French bread uses a handful of pantry staples you probably already have in your kitchen. The easy-to-follow steps will leave you and your family with fresh, delicious, soft baguettes that go well with so many dishes such as our Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup or our Instant Pot Beef Stew.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup warm water (The water must be between 95 and 105 degrees F which is the perfect temperature to activate the yeast)
- ½ tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ tablespoon active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (or any vegetable oil of your liking)
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (when mixing the dough you may need to add 2-3 tablespoons of flour. If the dough is tacky, which means when you press your index in the dough it is sticky but no dough residue on your fingers you are good, if it leaves some dough on your finger, which means it is sticky add flour)
EGGWASH (Optional)
- Egg
- Cold Water
What Equipment do I need to make Baguettes
For this simple baguette recipe, you will need a large mixing bowl. The accessory I use with my mixing bowl is a Danish Dough Hook. I find this provides me with the best results. Aside from that, you will only need some standard measuring spoons and cups, and a baking sheet. I personally like to line my baking sheets with a silicone mat but this is not required. If you do decide to use egg wash, you will want a silicone brush to assist with the application.
How to Make Easy Homemade White Baguettes
- Whisk together the water, sugar, and yeast. Set aside until foamy.
- Add the oil, salt, and flour. Whisk again until a shaggy dough forms.
- Knead the dough until it forms a smooth ball.
- Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl and let rest until it has doubled in size.
- Divide the dough into 8 rectangular loaves.
- Place the loaves on a baking sheet and let rest until doubled in size again.
- Score your loaves with a knife and bake until golden brown.
- Brush with the egg wash if desired.
- Let the bread cool slightly before removing the loaves from the pan.
- Serve and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you soften a week-old baguette?
It may seem odd but trust the process. Drench your baguette in cold water and then tightly wrap it in aluminum foil. Place your wrapped baguette in the oven, set the temperature to 300°F, and let it cook for 12 to 15 minutes. When you take your loaf out of the oven, you will have warm, crispy baguettes that taste brand new!
Why is my baguette crust so hard?
Check your oven temperature! If your bread is baking at too high of a temperature it can cause a hard outside crust. You may also want to double-check how much oil you are using. Without enough oil, your dough can easily dry out leaving you with a hard crust.
Is it possible to over-knead my dough?
Unfortunately, yes. If your dough seems dense and tough to handle, it may be over-kneaded. Try to only knead your dough for 10-12 minutes if kneading by hand, or 8-10 minutes if you’re using a mixer. This will help develop the gluten without leaving you with a tough, hard baguette loaf.
How to Store Leftover Baguettes
To store your baguettes, use an airtight bag or Rubbermaid container. You can store your bread on the counter or in the fridge for up to five days.
These baguettes are easy to freeze and last up to three months in the freezer. When storing these loaves in the freezer, make sure your bread is cool before transferring it to an airtight freezer bag. Remove any extra air and seal the bag. Simply let your bread thaw on the counter when you are ready to serve it.
Serving Ideas
There are so many great ways to serve these easy homemade baguettes. From topping a slice with butter or jam to whipping up toasted garlic bread to go with spaghetti, you can’t go wrong. This is such a versatile and timeless bread that goes great with almost anything.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- If you don’t have a warm, draft-free place in your kitchen, heat your oven and let the dough rise on the stove. The warm air from the oven will help the dough rise.
- If your dough seems too sticky try adding an additional tablespoon of flour. Repeat until your dough no longer sticks to/leaves residue on a clean finger.
More Recipes:
Easy Homemade White Baguettes
Easy Homemade White Baguettes are one of the easiest things you can make. Our simple, step-by-step process will give you warm and fluffy bread that is soft and delicious on the inside with a perfectly crisp crust.
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm water (The water must be between 95 and 105 degrees F which is the perfect temperature to activate the yeast)
- ½ tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ tablespoon active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (or any vegetable oil of your liking)
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (when mixing the dough you may need to add 2-3 tablespoons of flour. If the dough is tacky, which means when you press your index in the dough it is sticky but no dough residue on your fingers you are good, if it leaves some dough on your finger, which means it is sticky add flour)
- EGGWASH (Optional)
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon cold water
- Ingredient Notes
- Warm Water—Between 95°F and 105°F.
- Granulated Sugar—To feed the yeast
- Active Dry Yeast—To give the bread its rise.
- Olive oil—Or vegetable oil.
- Salt—Balances the sweetness of the sugar.
- Flour—Unbleached all-purpose.
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl mix the water, sugar, and yeast. Mix and let it stand for 4 to 5 minutes until the yeast is activated, and foamy.
- Once the yeast is activated, add the oil, salt, and flour. Mix, I used a Danish Dough Hook, until the ingredients are almost all combined. you will have some dry, loose flour. At this point pour the mixture into a working surface. I like using a baking mat.
- Knead the dough until it forms a ball and it is nice and smooth. About 3 to 4 minutes.
- Place the dough into an oiled bowl, and cover it with plastic wrap.
- Place the bowl into a warm, draft-free place and let it rise until it doubles approximately 60-75 minutes. The rising time will differ depending on how cold or hot your kitchen is.
- Once the dough has doubled, put the dough on a working surface and divide the dough into 8 parts.
- Flatten the dough into a rectangle 3 x 5 inches.
- Roll the dough thigh. Pinch the end and tuck them under.
- Place the rolled dough on a cookie sheet lined with a silicone mat, and seamed down.
- Once you have rolled all the dough, place a towel over the cookie sheet and let it rise for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- When you have 10 minutes left to the rise, using a sharp knife, make 2 to 3 cuts about ¼ inch deep in each piece of bread.
- If using an eggwash, brush the eggwash with a silicone brush. Let it rise for the remaining time, uncover.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20-23 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 190 degrees F.
- Let the bread cool off for a few minutes on the pan then transfer to a cooling rack.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
For this simple baguette recipe, you will need a large mixing bowl. The accessory I use with my mixing bowl is a Danish Dough Hook. I find this provides me with the best results. Aside from that, you will only need some standard measuring spoons and cups, and a baking sheet. I personally like to line my baking sheets with a silicone mat but this is not required. If you do decide to use egg wash, you will want a silicone brush to assist with the application.
Nutrition Information
Yield
8Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 200Total Fat 5gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 23mgSodium 429mgCarbohydrates 34gFiber 2gSugar 2gProtein 6g
