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Baked loaf of fluffy french bread on wood table with towel, butter, and knife.
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4.87 from 69 votes

Soft Fluffy French Bread

This recipe for Fluffy French Bread is my go-to bread recipe. It makes one loaf and is easily doubled to make for a crowd. 
Prep Time1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time2 hours
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12
Calories: 88kcal
Author: Sara Smith
Cost: $2

Ingredients

  • 1 cup warm water approx 90-110 degrees F.
  • 2 teaspoon active dry yeast
  • 1 Tablespoon white granulated sugar or honey
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 Tablespoon oil
  • 2½ to 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 egg, beaten for top of bread

Instructions

  • In bowl of stand mixer (or large bowl if mixing by hand), combine warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let sit 5-7 minutes or until foamy.
  • Mix in salt, oil, and 2 cups flour on low speed until combined. Add half cup flour at a time until dough pulls away from sides of bowl and is only slightly sticky. Mix on low to medium speed for 3-5 minutes, or hand knead 5-7 min.
  • Place dough in greased bowl and let rise for 45 minutes at room temperature, it should be almost double in size. Roll out into a 9X13 inch rectangle and then roll tightly up into a long roll, about 2-3 inches high and 13 inches long.
  • Preheat oven to 375 F. Prepare a baking sheet with silicone baking mat or parchment paper. 
  •  Place the roll of dough on baking sheet and slice slits in top of bread 2-3 inches apart, and about ¼ inch deep. Let rise one hour, or until about doubled in size.
  • Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes, top should be golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Brush egg onto top of loaf and bake for another 2-3 minutes. This gives the outside of the loaf a nice shine and a little crunch.

Notes

 Placing dough in the oven and preheating it to 200 F and then shutting the oven off and propping the door open with a wooden spoon can decrease rising time by 15-20 minutes on either rise. 

Nutrition

Calories: 88kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 224mg | Potassium: 58mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 109IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg