Bread Machine Crusty French Bread

Crusty French Bread
Photo and Recipe: Diana Rattray
  • 2 hrs 50 mins
  • Prep: 2 hrs 10 mins,
  • Cook: 40 mins
  • Yield: Makes 1 Loaf (serves 4)
Ratings (15)

By Diana Rattray

Updated 03/23/18

This bread machine French bread is mixed and kneaded in the machine on the dough cycle, then baked to crusty perfection. The key to the crust is the hot water on the lower oven rack, and baking it at a higher temperature for the first 15 minutes.

Slice the baguette at a slight angle, then season and oven-toast for delicious homemade croutons. This bread machine French bread recipe makes 1 loaf of wonderful, crusty bread.

Related Recipe
New Orleans French Bread​​

What You'll Need

  • 1 1/2 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (or olive oil)
  • 2 tablespoons dry milk
  • 2 cups flour (all-purpose)
  • 2 cups bread flour
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 1 egg white whisked with 1 tablespoon cold water

How to Make It

  1. Add first 8 ingredients to bread machine.
  2. Use the French Bread setting of your machine, but remove the dough before the baking cycle begins. Or, use the dough cycle, punch down to let air escape, let rise again (45 minutes to 1 hour), knead lightly, let rise again, form into loaves.
  3. Spray or lightly oil a large cookie sheet; sprinkle with cornmeal.
  4. To form loaves: Transfer dough (it will be soft) to a lightly floured board. Sprinkle with a little flour; cut dough into 2 portions. Roll each portion into a rectangle about 12 to 15 inches wide (add more flour as needed). Starting at long end, roll up; pinch seams well. Repeat with next roll.
  1. Place loaves on prepared cookie sheet; cover with clean dish towel and let rise another hour.
  2. Preheat oven to 400 F. Place a pie plate on the lower rack of the oven; add about 1 inch of boiling water to the pie plate. Bake bread for 15 minutes; lower heat to 350 F. Bake for another 25 minutes.
  3. About 5 minutes before loaves are done, brush with the egg white and water mixture.
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
Calories 453
Total Fat 10 g
Saturated Fat 2 g
Unsaturated Fat 6 g
Cholesterol 1 mg
Sodium 3,179 mg
Carbohydrates 64 g
Dietary Fiber 4 g
Protein 26 g
(The nutrition information on our recipes is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. Individual results may vary.)