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Classic Baguette Recipe

An easy time-tested classic baguette recipe, made with simple ingredients for homemade bread perfection. Use these baguettes for crostini, bruschetta, or sandwiches like French dip or pulled pork.

This recipe is brought to you by Kneady Girl, and she is a bread-baking, dough-kneading pro!

The classic baguette

A baguette is truly the easiest and most basic form of bread. It contains simple ingredients combined in the time tested method of kneading and baking bread for easy homemade perfection.

The key to making baguettes versus other breads is their shape and the addition of moisture during baking in order to make a crispy crust (more on that later!).

This basic baguette recipe is perfect for slicing and serving as crostini (such as my tomato pesto crostini), bruschetta (such as my tomato avocado bruschetta), and other appetizers (such as roasted grapes with whipped blue cheese spread or these red caviar toasts). Try spreading a few cloves of air fryer roasted garlic confit or spreading some garlic mustard pesto on a sliced baguette. Depending on the size of the baguettes, they can also be used for sandwiches, like for pulled chicken and more.

Baguettes are actually awesome for French toast as well, as you can see in my Hasselback Baguette French Toast!

And of course, a toasted baguette is amazing with a little homemade jam, such as blackberry jam or pineapple jam! Or serve it as a savory appetizer with pesto butter or by dipping into a jar of olive oil with a little homemade dukkah seasoning.

This is a very easy bread for anybody to make and impress families and guests that doesn't use any special kitchen techniques or equipment.

Let's get to it!

Pesto and Burst Tomato Crostini with a Balsamic Glaze - Babaganosh.org

More homemade bread recipes: Air Fryer Focaccia

Basic but Flavorful

A basic bread contains only a few ingredients, and baguettes are no different. The ingredients are simple: Flour, water, yeast, sugar, salt.

That's it.

When combined, they turn into something flavorful and comforting in a way that is almost magic.

Tearing off a piece of fresh baguette makes an amazing snack. Add a little homemade jam or nut butter for breakfast. Dip it into a soup for lunch. 

However, a baguette can make sturdy platform for so many other dishes and uses.

More from-scratch baking recipes: Butter Pie Crust

No Special Equipment Required

Baguettes are made without any special equipment, making them easy for even the most casual bread baker to pull together. (That's you! And me!)

Yes, you can buy special baguette pans for perfectly formed loaves. No, it is not even remotely necessary. A regular old cookie sheet works more than fine.

An electric stand mixer with a dough hook makes the dough come together quickly, however; it can be made with just a bowl, a wooden spoon, and your hands just like people did for thousands of years before electricity.

shaping baguette dough

Crispy Crust

The texture of baguettes is one of a crispy crust and spongy interior. When the loaf is squeezed, it’s obvious that the exterior is tough but the inside is soft.

This is bread heaven.

There is a trick to getting the crispy crust on a baguette:

Make that crispy crust while keeping the interior soft with the addition of steam and moisture during the baking process.

The easiest way to achieve that moisture is by filling a spray bottle with tap water. Spray down the sides of the oven with the water and close the door quickly. Place the baking sheet into the oven, then spray the oven again with water and leave the door closed.

baker scoring baguettes before baking

Shaping

The recipe makes four shorter loaves. Baguettes are traditionally quite long and this dough could be formed longer and make fewer loaves, if desired.

However, I recommend making shorter loaves because it is much easier to store shorter loaves in regular plastic bags most of us already have at home.

Like length, the width also can be adjusted. Make them skinnier or wider as desired and to match your planned use of them. For example, if you’re serving them with soup, you might want the loaves to be a little wider for dipping into broth.

If you’re serving them as crostini for a large party, skinnier loaves might make better coin shapes for the platter.

Baking Time

Time will vary greatly based on the shape and length of the loaves. Do start checking for doneness at about 20 minutes. The loaves will be a golden brown and sound hollow when tapped with your knuckle when done.

Find more homemade bread recipes for all your sweet and savory needs at Kneady Girl, where she believes that baking bread can be a quiet and comforting rebellion from the world. Thanks Kneady Girl for this recipe!

Are you temped to bake baguettes now?? I am! This is going on my "must make" list. If you end up baking these baguettes, please take a picture and tag me on Instagram or Facebook. You can find me at @babaganoshblog on both. We would love to see your baguette and what you do with them!

What to serve with baguettes

Baguettes are amazing for dipping into shakshuka (try this green shakshuka, or this shakshuka with feta). Or serve it as an appetizer (spread this seafood spread or this sun-dried tomato feta spread on a sliced baguette!

If you enjoyed this recipe, let me know with a comment and a star rating below. And don't forget to share it on Facebook and save it on Pinterest for later!

baguette pinterest graphic

baguettes sliced open to show texture
Print Recipe
4.34 from 15 votes

Classic Baguette Recipe

A classic easy baguette recipe - made with simple ingredients for homemade bread perfection. Use these baguettes for crostini, bruschetta, or sandwiches like French dip or pulled pork.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total rising time1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time1 hour 50 minutes
Course: Other Recipes
Cuisine: American
Diet: Kosher, Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 4 small baguettes
Author: Kate

Ingredients

  • 2 cups warm water - (110 to 155 degrees Fahrenheit)
  • 1 tablespoon dry active yeast - (1 packet)
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 5 cups all-purpose - (plus up to 1 cup extra)
  • extra flour for dusting

Special equipment

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, combine the water, yeast, and sugar. Give it a quick whisk and let sit aside until foamy, 5-10 minutes.
  • Add 2 cups of flour to the water mixture and stir well. Add the salt and another 2 cups of flour. Mix and continue adding flour until the dough is formed.
  • Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. Lightly grease a large bowl. Put the dough into the bowl and turn to coat with the oil. Cover with a towel and let the dough rise until doubled, about an hour.
  • Lightly grease a cookie sheet. Punch down the dough to deflate it. Turn out to a floured surface and knead just slightly. Divide the dough into fourths. For best results, weigh the dough on a kitchen scale so that each portion of the dough of the dough weighs the same.
  • On the floured surface, knead and roll the dough with your hands into a log shape about 8” long. Place the baguettes onto the prepared baking sheet leaving a few inches in between each loaf. Using a pastry brush, brush the loaves with cold tap water. With a razor blade or very sharp knife, cut slits diagonally into the tops of each loaf. Cover with a towel and let rise until doubled, about 30-45 minutes.
  • Meanwhile preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • After the 30-45 minute rise, spray the hot oven with water and close the door. Place the cookie sheet into the oven and again spray the oven walls with water, shutting the door quickly.
    Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Remove from the baking sheet immediately to cool completely on wire racks.
0.25

Nutrition

Serving: 0.25baguette | Calories: 149kcal (7%) | Carbohydrates: 31g (10%) | Protein: 4g (8%) | Fat: 0.4g (1%) | Saturated Fat: 0.1g (1%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.04g | Sodium: 437mg (18%) | Potassium: 44mg (1%) | Fiber: 1g (4%) | Sugar: 2g (2%) | Vitamin C: 0.001mg | Calcium: 6mg (1%) | Iron: 2mg (11%)

The nutritional information displayed is an estimate and not to be used as dietary or nutritional advice. Consult a nutritionist or dietician for nutritional info based on the exact ingredients you use.

Comments or questions about the recipe?
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Lorretta

Sunday 3rd of March 2024

I made this tonight. Oh my it’s so good! Crusty and chewy I love it. My loaves kinda spread and flattened out a bit. That doesn’t effect the flavor at all. This is a keeper 👍

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