Bake this irresistible Iz's Easy French Bread at home. Made with bread flour, salt, yeast and water. Easy step-by-step instructions included.
This Iz's Easy French Bread relies on simple, everyday ingredients such as bread flour, salt, yeast and water. It comes together quickly and makes 4 servings, at about 403 kcal each. The step-by-step instructions below are written to be easy to follow, even on a busy day.
It's versatile enough for an easy weeknight dinner yet satisfying enough for guests at the weekend. Serve it with your favorite sides, and keep any leftovers for a quick meal the next day.
Updated Jun 30, 2026
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All measurements are by weight.
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If you don't have a scale, here are alternative measurements:
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Bread flour - 3 cups
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Salt - 2 1/2 teaspoons
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Yeast - 1/4 oz package of Rapid Rise Yeast (If you use this type, you will NOT have to mix with warm water first.)
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Water - 1 1/2 cups
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Ok, now for the bread.
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Put the flour in a bowl.
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Add the salt and mix thoroughly.
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Add yeast and mix thoroughly.
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Add water and mix until incorporated.
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(Your hands will work fine for this.)
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Cover the bowl and let rise for for 20 minutes.
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Fold the dough:
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Scrape dough into floured surface.
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Pick up top edge and stretch/pull/fold the dough down about 2/3 and pat down.
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Pull the bottom edge up to the top of the fold and pat.
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Pull one side over 2/3 and pat.
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Pull other side to the edge of the fold and pat.
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Place back in bowl and cover.
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Allow to rise another 20 minutes.
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Fold dough again.
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Notice that the gluten is starting to develop nicely and the dough is smoothing out.
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Allow to rise another 20 minutes.
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Fold one last time.
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Notice the gluten has developed further.
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This is how we get away without a mixer or kneading the dough a lot.
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(Actually, kneading/mixing french too much makes for poorer bread.)
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Allow to rise for 2 hours.
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This is a good time for that nap you've been wanting.
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Divide the bread.
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This will make 28 ounces of dough.
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Which is about 10 rolls, 2 baguettes, 3 boules, or 1 sandwich loaf.
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Today I will be making some rolls, a boule, and and will figure some other shape for the rest, maybe a peasant/batard sort of thing.
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So that's three pieces of dough: 1/2, 2/3 of the other half, and the scrap.
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Ball or boule the pieces of dough, place on a floured surface, cover and allow to rise for 40 minute.
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Cut the rolls into 5 pieces, shape into balls, place on a cornmeal dusted cookie sheet.
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(DO NOT use cornmeal mix, it has baking powder, flour, and salt added and will burn.
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You can use rice flour if cornmeal is not available in your area.)
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Ball up the boule now and place on a heavily cornmealed surface.
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Shape the scrap too.
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Cover and allow to rise until doubled.
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This will depend on the temp in your kitchen, but will be around 1 hour for the boule, 40 minutes or so for the scrap, and 25 minutes for the rolls.
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The temperature today here is 87F, so I won't be waiting that long.
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Preheat oven to 450F.
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Preheat a baker's stone or cookie sheet as well.
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Just put it in and turn it on.
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If you use a cookie sheet, you will need to watch for burning with the boule and scrap.
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For those of you that didn't check out my profile, I live off grid.
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For now, my oven consists of a Coleman camp stove with a Coleman camp oven.
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I'm putting up pics so you can see that even with meager equipment, you can make good bread.
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Slice the top of the rolls with a knife or razor blade and bake until brown, or an internal temp of 180F - 200F
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Slice, or score, the tops of the boule and scrap, use a turner to transfer to the stone and bake until hollow sounding when thumped on the bottom, or 200F internal temp.
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Cool on a wire rack.
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If you can wait....
* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.
Tips for the best results
- Read through all the steps once before you start and measure out your ingredients first — it makes everything go more smoothly.
- Preheat the oven fully and bake on the middle rack for the most even results.
- Check for doneness a few minutes early — a toothpick in the center should come out with just a few moist crumbs.
- Let it cool before slicing so it sets properly and holds its shape.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy within a few days.
Variations & substitutions
- A good 1:1 gluten-free flour blend works well if you need a gluten-free version.
No specific allergen information. Please check the ingredient list for possible allergens.
My Personal Notes
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Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe makes 4 servings. You can adjust the portion size directly on this page.
You need 4 ingredients. The key ingredients include: 15 3/4 oz bread flour, 1/2 oz salt, 1/4 oz yeast, 11 3/4 oz water.
Yes, Iz's Easy French Bread falls under the General category and is a great choice for this type of meal.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3–5 days. For longer storage, freeze for up to 3 months — no need to refrigerate or reheat.