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Classic French Baguette Recipe {Perfectly Crusty}

Name: Classic French Baguette Recipe
Prep time: 15 h
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 15 h 25 min
Yield: 3 Loaves
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups + 2 tablespoons cool water (370 grams); 1 tablespoon honey (25 grams); 1 teaspoon instant yeast (3 grams); 3 1/2 cups all-purpose Bob's Red Mill or King Arthur Flour brand flour (500 grams); 2 teaspoon fine sea salt (10 grams)

Make authentic French baguettes at home with this easy Baguette Recipe. Just 5 ingredients and foolproof techniques for bakery-quality bread!

Prep15 hr
Cook25 min
Total15 hr 25 min
Serves3 Loaves

Published 15 Feb 2022

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Make authentic French baguettes at home with this easyBaguette Recipe. Just 5 simple ingredients and foolproof techniques for bakery-quality crusty bread every time. The steam method provides the crispy, golden crust, while the stretch-and-fold technique results in an airy, chewy inside—just like from a real French bakery!

Three golden-brown baguettes, made from a classic baguette recipe, with crisp, textured crusts rest side by side on a white surface, partially overlapping a white cloth.

Quick Recipe Overview

Three crusty French baguettes, made from a classic baguette recipe, are wrapped partially in a white cloth and rest on a white surface.

WHAT:A simple homemade baguette using instant yeast, honey, and all-purpose flour with minimal hands-on time.

WHY:No kneading required, flexible timing, and bakery-quality results with crispy crust and perfect texture.

HOW:Mix dough, stretch and fold several times, refrigerate overnight, shape into loaves, and bake until golden.

Why I Love Making Baguette

There’s something incredibly satisfying about pulling golden baguettes from your own oven. The crispy crust crackles as it cools, the aroma fills your kitchen, and you realize you’ve created bakery-quality bread at home.

The perfect baguette is crispy on the outside, perfectly chewy on the inside, has a complex flavor, and is one of those breads that feel like such a simple pleasure in life. The ingredient list is short, but the flavor is amazing.

This Classic French Baguette Recipe looks a bit time consuming, but it really is basic, I promise. If you’re new to bread baking, you might want to check out more info onhow to make homemade breador try out thiseasy French bread recipe.

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Even if you’re new to bread making, this recipe breaks down professional techniques into simple, manageable steps that anyone can do, I promise!

The stretch-and-fold method is easy to master and creates the gluten structure needed for perfect baguettes without traditional kneading.

The long fermentation process gives you incredible flexibility. You can adjust the timing to have fresh baguettes ready for lunch, dinner, or whenever you need them. The 12-18 hour cold fermentation window means you can easily fit bread-making into your routine.

Plus you only need five basic ingredients: flour, water, honey, yeast, and salt!

Ingredient Notes

Flour:Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur all-purpose flour work beautifully for this recipe. Bread flour can be substituted if you want a chewier texture.

Honey:Adds subtle sweetness and helps with browning. The yeast loves it too, which aids fermentation.

Instant Yeast:Sometimes called rapid-rise yeast, it can be mixed directly into dry ingredients without proofing first.

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

A six-step photo collage illustrates a baguette recipe: hands folding, stretching, and rolling dough into long baguette shapes, then placing three shaped dough logs onto a perforated baking tray.

Video: How to Make Baguettes

Four baguettes are arranged side by side on a white cloth; two are shown whole, and two are cut lengthwise to reveal their airy, textured interior crumb—a perfect showcase for any classic baguette recipe.

How To Stretch and Fold Your Dough

First, you’ll mix up your dough; it comes together really easily just by stirring it with a wooden spoon. Then, over the next 3 or so hours, you’ll “stretch and fold” your dough every 30 to 45 minutes or so for a total of 4 times.

Don’t overthink this part, the timing isn’t a huge deal, so don’t sweat it if you do it a little more or less and a little faster or slower than at the 30 to 45 minute mark. The idea is that you knead the dough just a bit, a few times, over the course of a couple of hours. It’s way flexible. This helps to make the inside of your baguette perfectly chewy.

When I say “stretch and fold,” here’s what you do:Put your hand between the dough and the bowl on one side and grab the dough, gently pull it up to give it a good stretch (if the dough starts to break, stop pulling, you are just stretching the dough as far as it wants to stretch without breaking it) and then fold it back down into the middle of the bowl.

Give the bowl a quarter turn and repeat the process, working your way around the bowl. I normally think of the bowl as a square and stretch and pull the dough 4 times, once on each side of my square. It’ll take 15 or so seconds to do this.

Do this a few times over the next few hours. Then, cover up the bowl well with a beeswax wrap or a piece of plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for the next 12-18 hours.

After your dough has chilled for 12-18 hours, remove it from the bowl and divide it into three even pieces.

Pat the pieces of dough out into rectangles (don’t worry too much about the shape, the cold dough is pretty stiff, just pat it out) and are about 1 inch thick. Cover with a towel and let rise for 1 hour.

Substitutions & Variations

For Whole Wheat Baguettes

Replace up to half the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour. The loaves will be denser but have wonderful nutty flavor.

For Herb Baguettes

Add 2 tablespoons of fresh rosemary, thyme, or herbs de Provence during the initial mixing stage.

Sugar Instead of Honey

Use 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar as a direct substitute.

Sourdough Variation

Replace the yeast with 1 cup of active sourdough starter and reduce the water to 1 cup. Extend the bulk fermentation time.

Special Equipment Needed

After much trial and error, I did decide that buying a baguette pan was worth it. The bread rises right in the pan, and the pan goes right in the oven. It doesn’t take up a lot of room to store and I’ve liked the results. The pans aren’t expensive either.

You’ll need a razor blade or a bread-slashing tool called a lame. You can use a very sharp serrated knife to cut the slits in your bread before baking, but I’ve found a razor blade or lame just to work so much better. It will cut deeply without tearing the bread or roughing it up too much (you can deflate the risen dough by using a knife that doesn’t cut well for scoring).

Three freshly baked baguettes, made from a classic baguette recipe, rest on a perforated baking tray atop a white cloth and light surface.

FAQs for Baguette Recipe

How are baguettes shaped?

Once the dough has rested at room temperature for an hour, pull it into a rectangle that is about 11 inches by 8 inches. Then, fold the dough into thirds, as shown in the pictures above. Once the dough has been folded, pinch the seem shut.Gently use your hands to roll the dough log out into a baguette that is 15 inches long. Use your hands and the rolling motion to taper the ends gently. Then, place the baguettes in a baguette pan. Repeat with the remaining dough. Let the dough rise for about an hour in the baguette pan, and then bake!

What’s the best way to store homemade baguettes?

Baguettes are best enjoyed fresh on the day they are baked. To store them, wrap them tightly in a kitchen towel or paper bag to prevent them from getting too soft. Avoid storing them in plastic bags, as this can make the crust lose its crispness.

How do I achieve the perfect baguette texture?

The outside texture is achieved by cooking the dough at a very high temperature AND by adding a pan of water to the oven so that it creates steam. The steamy cooking environment mixed with the high temperature are the things that make perfect baguettes.

How do I get the perfect baguette flavor?

By using a slow fermentation process for this dough, you develop the flavor of the dough. After the dough has been made and you’ve kneaded it a few times over a few hours, you’ll cover it well and pop it in the fridge for 12 to 18 hours (depending on your time schedule). This method of cold retarding the dough is where so much of the magic is made. This slow rise is also changing the texture of the dough! So it’s a double win.

My Best Tips for Making Baguette

☞Weight, Not Measure:I like using a scale to measure ingredients for this recipe, the more I use a scale for baking the more I love it. It’s a lot more consistent!

☞Make Extra:You can double this recipe, it works great. I always make a double batch for my family. I like to bake the pans separately though (they bake up better one pan at a time in my oven).

☞Baguette Pans:You can find lots ofbaguette pans online.I like the ones that are carbon steel and this is the one that I bought.

☞Scoring Tool:You’ll want to use a razor blade orlamefor slashing your bread before baking. A lame is just a razor blade on a stick but you might like the feel of it better. This tool is also used for scoringsourdough bread.

What to Serve With Baguette

These crusty loaves pair beautifully with almost anything! Serve alongside French onionsoup,hearty stews, orroasted chicken. They’re perfect for acheese board, dunking in olive oil andbalsamic, or making incrediblesandwiches. Try them withpasta dishes,salads, or simply with butter and jam for breakfast.

Storage & Reheating Tips

Room Temperature

Refrigerator Storage

Not recommended, as it dries out the bread quickly.

Freezer Storage

Wrap cooled baguettes in foil, then place in freezer-safe bags for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature when you’re ready to enjoy them.

Reheating

Wrap in foil and warm in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes to restore the crust’s crispness. It brings them back to life beautifully!

Make Ahead

The dough can stay in the fridge for up to 24 hours if needed, giving you even more flexibility with your baking schedule.

Similar Recipes to Try

More Yeasted Bread Recipes to Consider

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Classic French Baguette Recipe

Make authentic French baguettes at home with this easy Baguette Recipe. Just 5 simple ingredients and foolproof techniques for bakery-quality crusty bread every time. The steam method provides the crispy, golden crust, while the stretch-and-fold technique results in an airy, chewy inside—just like from a real French bakery!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups + 2 tablespoons cool water (370 grams)
1 tablespoon honey (25 grams)
1 teaspoon instant yeast (3 grams)
3 1/2 cups all-purpose Bob's Red Mill or King Arthur Flour brand flour (500 grams)
2 teaspoon fine sea salt (10 grams)

Instructions

In a medium mixing bowl, add the water and honey to the bowl and stir to combine.
Add the yeast, flour, and salt to the bowl and use a wooden spoon to mix well. The dough will be thick, just stir it as well as you can until the flour is incorporated. No need to mix a lot by hand at this point, just get it to come together.
Cover the bowl using use a lid, beeswax wrap, or some good cling wrap, and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
After 30 or so minutes, stretch and fold the dough. Here's what I mean by "stretch-and-fold:" Put your hand between the dough and the bowl on one side and grab the dough, gently pull it up to give it a good stretch. (If the dough starts to break, stop pulling. Your are just stretching the dough as far as it wants to stretch without breaking it.) Then fold it back down into the middle of the bowl. Give the bowl a quarter turn and repeat the process, working your way around the bowl. I normally think of the bowl as a square and stretch and pull the dough 4 times, once on each side of my square. It'll take about 15 seconds to do this.
Over the next 2-3 hours, every 30 to 45 minutes, do a stretch and fold with the dough. Be sure to cover the dough well after each session. Do around 4 stretch and fold sessions total, though doing more won't hurt anything.
See the baker's schedule in the post for more information on how and when I do this. I normally make my dough while I'm making dinner and stretch and fold throughout the evening.
After you have stretched and folded the dough, cover the dough well and place it in the fridge for the next 12-18 hours.
You have some flexibility about how long the dough is in the fridge, so feel free to make the baking schedule work with your schedule. I adjust the next day's baking depending on when we want to eat the baguettes. If they are for lunch, I'll get the dough out of the fridge 3 hours before we want to eat lunch. If I want them for dinner, I'll get the dough out 3 hours before dinner. If you don't have a set time for you want to eat them, you can just do these next steps when you have about a three-hour chunk of time to dedicate to it—it's not all hands-on time but you'll need to be able to do the steps as needed.
Remove the dough from the fridge after its 12 to 18 hour rest, and remove it from the bowl.
Divide the dough into three even pieces.
Gently press each piece of dough into a rectangular shape about 1-inch thick. If the dough is very sticky, feel free to lightly flour your surface. Cover the pressed out dough pieces with a clean dish towel and allow to rise for 1 hour.
After the dough has rested for an hour at room temperature, it's time to shape your loaves. Working with one piece of dough, stretch the dough gently so that it makes a rectangle that is roughly 11 inches by 8 inches. Fold one-third of the dough to the middle of the rectangle, fold the other side of the rectangle into the middle of the dough (like you are folding a letter), and then pinch the dough together along the seem to make a log. (See the step-by-step photos in the blog post.)
Use both of your hands to gently roll out the dough into a 15-inch long log, tapering the ends just a bit with your hands.
Place the prepared dough log into your baguette pan.
Repeat with the remaining dough.
Cover the dough in the pan with a clean dish towel and let rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the dough is light and puffy—it won't be quite doubled in size.
While the dough is rising, preheat your oven to 500°F. When you turn the oven on to preheat, add a small dish of water to the oven. I like to use a bread pan that has about 2 inches of water in it. I put it off to one side of the oven so that my baguette pan can fit next to it. I like to let the oven and water preheat for at least 30 minutes so that it has time to get good and hot.
When the bread has finished rising in the baguette pan, use a razor blade or lame to cut 3 diagonal slashes 1/2inch deep diagonally across each loaf OR cut one long 1/2-inch deep slash down the center of each loaf. (I like the center slit personally.)
Place the bread in the hot oven, being careful when you open the oven as it is hot and steamy!
Close the oven door and reduce the heat to 450°F immediately.
Let the baguettes cook until they are deep golden brown, 24-28 minutes. (I like to do 25 minutes on the dot.) They are going to be very golden!
Remove the baguettes from the oven and allow to cool 10-15 minutes before serving warm.

Notes

Nutritional Info: The nutritional information calculated is per loaf. The recipe makes 3 loaves. Baking EssentialsI Use: I like using a scale for this recipe and measuring that way, the more I use a scale for baking the more I love it. It's a lot more consistent! You can totally use your stand mixer for this. Sometimes I'll make my dough in the stand mixer and just let it hang out in there for the next few hours. I'll cover the whole things lightly with a towel and then for my stretch and fold sessions, I'll simple turn the mixer on for 15 seconds and let it do the kneading. It works great! If you don't want to buy the baguette pans, I thought the King Arthur Flour baguette recipe did a good job of explaining how to use the cloth, peel, and a baking stone! I bet you could look up some videos on YouTube too. Stretch and Fold Technique: The key to great baguettes without kneading is proper stretch and fold technique. Work gently but confidently – grab the dough from one side, stretch it up as far as it will go without tearing, then fold it over to the opposite side. The dough will tell you how far it wants to stretch. Create Steam for the Perfect Crust: Steam during the first part of baking is crucial for that signature crispy crust. Place a pan of water in the oven during preheating, and be careful when opening the oven door as the steam will be very hot. This steam allows the bread to expand fully before the crust sets.

Equipment

medium mixing bowl
wooden spoon
lame
kitchen towel
baguette pan
beeswax wrap

Nutrition

Calories565
Carbohydrates119
Fat2
Fiber5
Protein17
Saturated fat0.3
Sodium1561
Sugar6