Quick And Easy Baguette Bread Recipe

I’m excited to share my Homemade Baguette Recipe, a simple approach with clear steps that makes baking an impressive loaf at home totally achievable.

I love that this Quick And Easy Baguette Bread Recipe manages to fool guests into thinking I spent hours in the kitchen. With just all purpose flour and instant yeast it somehow produces that addictive contrast crusty on the outside and soft inside, the kind that begs to be torn, dipped, or stacked with toppings.

I swear I botched a few loaves before figuring out what worked, so yeah it’s messy but worth it. This isn’t just another Quick Baguette Recipe fluff, it’s a real Crusty Baguette Recipe that makes you want to slice it immediately and taste.

Ingredients

• All purpose flour: Provides carbs and protein, gives structure and chew, not whole grain, less fiber, daily staple.
• Warm water: Hydrates dough, activates yeast for rise, temp affects speed, neutral flavor, no calories, aids mixing.
• Instant yeast: Makes dough rise fast, adds yeasty aroma, creates airy crumb, small health impact.
• Fine sea salt: Enhances flavor, controls fermentation rate, strengthens gluten, important despite sodium concerns, balances taste.
• Granulated sugar: Feeds yeast for quicker rise, gives mild sweetness, extra calories but little else.
• Olive oil: Softens crumb, adds richness and subtle fruity notes, keeps bread moist longer, healthy fat.
• Extra flour for dusting: Prevents sticking, helps shaping, adds no nutrition but keeps loaf neat and clean.

Ingredient Quantities

• 360 g (about 3 cups) all purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
• 260 ml warm water (about 1 cup + 2 tbsp, around 105 to 110 F)
• 7 g (1 packet or 2 1/4 tsp) instant yeast
• 8 g (about 1 1/4 tsp) fine sea salt
• 15 g (1 tbsp) granulated sugar, optional but helps the rise
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil, optional for a softer crumb

How to Make this

1. Pour 260 ml warm water (about 105 to 110 F) into a bowl, stir in 7 g instant yeast and 15 g sugar if using, let sit 1 to 2 minutes until just a little foamy, it’s optional but helps.

2. In a large bowl combine 360 g all purpose flour and 8 g fine sea salt, mix briefly so salt is evenly distributed.

3. Add the yeast water to the flour along with 15 ml olive oil if using, stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms, dust a little extra flour only if it is sticking too much.

4. Knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 8 to 10 minutes or in a stand mixer 5 to 7 minutes until the dough is smooth elastic and slightly tacky, it’s ok if it’s a bit sticky.

5. Lightly oil a clean bowl, place dough inside, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rise at room temperature about 1 to 1 and a half hours until roughly doubled.

6. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, gently press out the gas then divide into two or three equal pieces depending how big you want your baguettes, shape each into a loose cylinder and let rest 10 to 15 minutes covered.

7. To shape roll each rested piece into a baguette: flatten slightly, fold the long edges into the center, seam together and roll outward to lengthen to about 12 to 16 inches, place on a well floured couche, parchment or a baking sheet dusted with flour.

8. Cover and final proof 30 to 50 minutes until puffy but not overproofed, meanwhile preheat oven to 475 F (about 245 C) with a baking stone or heavy sheet and a shallow pan on the bottom rack for steam, let the oven get fully hot 20 to 30 minutes.

9. Just before baking slash each loaf 3 to 5 diagonal cuts about 1 quarter inch deep with a lame or very sharp knife, spray or brush lightly with water, slide onto the hot stone or sheet, pour a cup of hot water into the shallow pan to create steam and close the oven quickly.

10. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until deep golden and crusty, tap the bottom it should sound hollow, cool on a rack at least 20 minutes before slicing so the crumb sets, enjoy with soup or as an appetizer.

Equipment Needed

1. Digital kitchen scale (grams matter here, trust me)
2. Small bowl (to bloom the yeast)
3. Large mixing bowl (for the dough)
4. Wooden spoon or sturdy spatula (to stir the shaggy dough)
5. Bench scraper / dough scraper (for dividing and shaping)
6. Plastic wrap or a damp towel (to cover the dough while it proofs)
7. Baking stone or a heavy baking sheet (preheat it so the crust gets great)
8. Shallow ovenproof pan (for pouring hot water to make steam)
9. Lame or a very sharp knife / razor blade (for scoring the loaves)
10. Cooling rack (let the baguettes rest so the crumb sets)

FAQ

Quick And Easy Baguette Bread Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• All purpose flour → Bread flour or part whole wheat. Use bread flour 1:1 by weight (360 g) for a chewier, taller baguette; you may need ~10-15 ml extra water because it soaks up more. Or swap up to 30% (by weight) with whole wheat for nuttiness, but add a bit more water and dont go higher or it gets heavy.
• Warm water → Milk or half-milk. Replace up to half the water with warm milk (same temp) to get a softer crumb and browner crust. If you use milk, watch dough feel since it makes the mix slightly richer and stickier.
• Instant yeast → Active dry yeast. Use the same weight (7 g) but proof it first in a bit of the warm water for 5-10 minutes until foamy before mixing. Tip: if your kitchen is cold, let the dough rise in an oven with just the light on to help it double.
• Olive oil → Melted butter or neutral oil. Swap 1 tbsp olive oil for 1 tbsp melted butter for richer flavor, or use a neutral oil like canola if you dont want the olive taste. Skip the fat entirely for a crisper crust, just dont forget to lower oven temp or bake a bit longer if needed.

Pro Tips

– Don’t keep dusting with flour while you knead, you’ll end up with a tight heavy crumb. If it’s sticky, oil your hands or use a bench scraper to fold the dough instead of adding cups of extra flour, it helps the bread stay light and airy.

– For much more flavor and easier cold morning baking, do a slow fridge ferment for 24 to 48 hours after the first rise, then bring the dough back to room temp before shaping. It adds a nuttier taste and you get better oven spring, promise.

– Build real surface tension when you shape, roll the seam tight and finish with the seam down so the top is smooth and taut. A taut skin equals a better crust and those nice ears when you score, and do not let the loaves overproof or they’ll just spread.

– Be aggressive with steam right at the start and score with a very sharp blade at about a 30 degrees angle to get a clean ear. Bake until the inside reaches about 200 to 210 F and the bottom sounds hollow, that’s the real test for done not just the clock.