Jamie, I made this bread tonight and I loved the taste, but the texture seemed off- it seemed really dense, more like rolls than french bread. Did I do something wrong?
Hi Poky, You may not have let it cook long enough. It can be a little bit heavy in the center if it doesn't get cookied all the way through. Hope this helps! ~Jamie
I would like to make this French Bread this afternoon, but I'm afraid that if I add the yeast to boiling water–the yeast will be killed? Has anyone else had any problems with this?
Hi Juliver, I understand your concern! However, if you read the instructions a little closer you will see that the cold water is poured over the top of the boiling water before the yeast is added. It will work out, no worries! Good luck. Hope you love it! ~Jamie
Juliver, I have tried using half wheat flour in this recipe. I'm sorry to report that it doesn't turn out well. Wish I could say otherwise, but it doesn't hold a candle to the all white flour version. Good Luck! ~Jamie
I'm excited to try this recipe. I plan on freezing some loaves to take on vacation for french toast one morning. Thanks for providing great directions and pictures.
I just want to say that I ABSOLUTELY LOVE your blog!! Your recipes are so AMAZING that every single one I've tried has made me famous. Plus, the way you write is just so positive and upbeat, I can't just NOT read your posts! My favorite are your baking recipes, they are so delicious! I just have a few questions on this recipe in particular:
So when you say put the boiling water into the bowl, are you referring to the boiling water that you had already mixed with yeast?
And when would you start the mixer? Right before adding the 1st cup of flour? And would you mix on low?
Thank you so much! I lugged my mom's stand mixer through a 2 hr drive just so that I could make this recipe!
Jamie, I have made this french bread quite a few times now. Every time it is delicious and I have never had problems. I am making it tonight and I accidentally bought self-rising flour instead of all-purpose. Should I alter the recipe at all?
Hi Andrea… Self Rising flour is going to be a problem. I'm not sure how to alter the French Bread recipe to incorporate it! From what I understand it has a great deal of baking powder in it, which as you know is not an ingredient for the french bread. I would head back to the store for all purpose flour. Sorry! Good luck! ~Jamie
Thanks! My dinner guests have to reschedule anyway. I have tried several recipes from your site and I am looking forward to trying even more. I love your comments as you are giving the directions. Keep up the good (and yummy) work!
I make all our bread, usually 100% whole wheat but love making french and sourdough breads a few times a month also. I will have to try your recipe, it looks wonderful! Thank you for sharing.
Hi Rachel, Nice to hear from you. I hope you and your family are doing well. This dough doesn't freeze well at all. It keeps rising for a while in the freezer and makes a big mess. However, once the loaves are baked and have cooled, they freeze VERY well. I generally triple the batch (using a Bosch Mixer) and then freeze the leftover loaves to use throughout the week. Good luck! ~Jamie
I just started reading your blog a couple of weeks ago and I just adore it! I am not much of a baker but I do love to cook. We are having a family cookie day here in a couple of weeks and I've begged my sister to bring her kitchen-aid mixer just so I can make this delicious looking bread. I am so excited about this bread, ok and the cookies. 🙂
I've been making this bread for a while now and my family loves it. Today I'm hoping to do a triple batch. How do you bake all those loaves at once? Or – do you let some rise on the counter while the others are baking? I skimmed through past comments but couldn't find anything about that.
Hi Holly, I have a convection oven, so I can cook two sheets at the same time. If I have more than two sheets then I just let them rise on the counter, as you suspected. Good luck! ~Jamie PS…I'm totally in the middle of making this bread today too. Great minds must think alike, right! 🙂
Yum! Thanks so much for this recipe–I've been conquering my fear of baking with yeast (without maternal supervision) and so I thought I'd give this a try. Success! Mine weren't very pretty, but that will come with more practice. Thanks so much for the pictures and step-by-step instructions; they were so helpful. I don't have a stand mixer, but my hand-held mixer has dough hook attachments so I used those. I had a sore hand after @ 20 minutes of mixing, but it worked! It'll do until someone (cough*husband*cough) gets me a stand mixer for my birthday. 🙂
Hi Jamie. I just made this recipe for the first time today and I LOVED IT!!! However, I'm not sure I'd call my results complete success… Mine didn't raise as much as I expected it to… I too am just venturing out in the yeast bread world so I'm a bit nervous when it comes to all of it. How cold is the water you put in? My fear is that mine may not have been cold enough so the overall mixture may have been TOO HOT and didn't allow the yeast to work properly? It did rise somewhat… but the texture seemed denser than I had imagined. Also you directions said to mix on high with the dough hook… I have the smaller Kitchen Aid and I couldn't get it much past Medium speed before the mixer started jumping all over the counter. I guess maybe it's possible it didn't kneed long enough? Any advice you have would be greatly appreciated!!! Thanks!
Hi Inger, I'm so glad the recipe tasted good! You will get better and better at it, the more you make it. Trust me. It just takes a bit of practice. The cold water that I add is just from my sink (not refrigerated water) but I do let the tap run for a bit to be sure it's as cold as it can be. If you are using a Kitchen Aid, just let mix at medium speed. The Bosch Mixer can be run on high for yeast breads, but you are correct. The Kitchen Aid gets a bit frantic doesn't it. Good luck to you, Inger. ~Jamie
Wow, I actually made French bread today for the first time in my life and it turned out great! Your directions were perfect and I couldn't be more pleased. Thank you so much for teaching me a new skill!
Jamie, I have made this bread a few times and it's become my favorite! Our family has been going thru some serious food changes lately though and we've switched to only whole wheat and no sugar. I decided to try it with butter for the shortening, honey instead of sugar and 100% white whole wheat flour(Gold brand is my favorite). It still turned out amazing! My husband and kids still inhaled it and it was soft and flavorful. I'm so thankful that your recipe is this versatile and still works for our family. Thanks so much! Sarah
This looks amazing and was hoping to try soon. I was wondering if you new the nutritional facts? We LOVE French bread however, we are trying to change to a healthier meal plan. Thank you so much.
I’m sorry I never saw this. With the white whole wheat I don’t change the amounts. It’s a light spring wheat and not heavy like a dark summer wheat. I’m making some today and the white whole wheat still makes a delicious bread soft bread.
I made this french bread tonight and it was great, but the bottoms of my loaves got really done and I was hoping you would have some suggestions for next time.
[…] Pie ,Green Salad and Quick and Easy Breadsticks Italian Tortelini Soup and Fabulous French Bread Roasted Tomato and Asparagus Tortelini, Asian Lettuce Wraps ,Brown Rice and Healthy Egg Drop Soup […]
[…] by Jamie on December 14, 2012 I have a wonderful classic recipe for Clam Chowder for you all today. This recipe comes from my dear Aunt Suzie and is actually the only clam chowder recipe I have ever made. Why experiment when this fabulous group of ingredients delivers each and every time, right! This chowder is creamy, nice and thick, hearty, flavorful and oh so comforting. It’s also very easy to prepare and can be made in 30 minutes or less. Serve it with saltine crackers, or with a thick, crusty slice of this Fabulous French Bread. […]
[…] Sesame Green Beans Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry with Ham Fried Rice White Chicken Chili with Fabulous French Bread and Green Salad Kneaders Turkey Cranberry and Sunflower Salad (can’t get enough of this […]
[…] Italian Lasagna, Grilled Garlic Bread and Olive Garden Salad Bean and Ham Soup and Fabulous French Bread and Fruit Salad Creamy Chicken Enchilada Casserole with Cilantro Lime Rice Hearty Spaghetti with […]
My family would love me to make this recipe!! But, unfortunately I don’t have a Kitchen Aid mixer or a Bosch for that matter. Any helpful hints on making this the “old fashioned” way??
Hi Sue, I would advise that you knead it by hand for at least 7-10 minutes. Then place the dough in a bowl and cover it lightly with plastic wrap you have sprayed with cooking spray. Let the dough rise for an hour, punch it down and then let it rise for another hour. This should make up for the time it would bet mixed in a Kitchen Aid or Bosch. Then shape the loaves and bake as the recipe suggests. Good luck! Hope it turns out well for you! ~Jamie
I tried your recipe without the egg wash and it was yummy! Today I made it with 50/50 white and whole wheat flour. It just came out of the oven and it looks wonderful! I sliced off a little piece and it tasted fantastic! This time I also put it into a baking soda bath to get a nice color and it turned out beautifully! Love your recipe!
Can you please repost instructions ow to make hamburger buns, the site you get redirected to only tells how to make the french bread, I need kow how to shape them and how long to bake??
[…] breads are simple by nature, but until I found this recipe on a blog called Jamie Cooks It Up I had been looking for the perfect french bread recipe. Everything was off in one way or another […]
104 comments
Jamie,
I made this bread tonight and I loved the taste, but the texture seemed off- it seemed really dense, more like rolls than french bread. Did I do something wrong?
Hi Poky,
You may not have let it cook long enough. It can be a little bit heavy in the center if it doesn't get cookied all the way through. Hope this helps!
~Jamie
Wonderful recipe! Tried it today and came out like your pictures! It has great flavor, lovely crust and nice crumb! Thank you.
Exletmery helpful article, please write more.
I would like to make this French Bread this afternoon, but I'm afraid that if I add the yeast to boiling water–the yeast will be killed? Has anyone else had any problems with this?
Thanks!
yes, boiling water will kill the yeast. Use warm water no higher than 120 degrees F
Hi Juliver,
I understand your concern! However, if you read the instructions a little closer you will see that the cold water is poured over the top of the boiling water before the yeast is added. It will work out, no worries! Good luck. Hope you love it!
~Jamie
Would I be able to substitute 1/2 the all purpose flour with whole wheat flour?
Juliver,
I have tried using half wheat flour in this recipe. I'm sorry to report that it doesn't turn out well. Wish I could say otherwise, but it doesn't hold a candle to the all white flour version.
Good Luck!
~Jamie
I'm excited to try this recipe. I plan on freezing some loaves to take on vacation for french toast one morning. Thanks for providing great directions and pictures.
I just want to say that I ABSOLUTELY LOVE your blog!! Your recipes are so AMAZING that every single one I've tried has made me famous. Plus, the way you write is just so positive and upbeat, I can't just NOT read your posts! My favorite are your baking recipes, they are so delicious! I just have a few questions on this recipe in particular:
So when you say put the boiling water into the bowl, are you referring to the boiling water that you had already mixed with yeast?
And when would you start the mixer? Right before adding the 1st cup of flour? And would you mix on low?
Thank you so much! I lugged my mom's stand mixer through a 2 hr drive just so that I could make this recipe!
zombie sammich apologizes for misreading your recipe. You can ignore my first question. I think I've just had a long day….=( sorry!
Jamie, I have made this french bread quite a few times now. Every time it is delicious and I have never had problems. I am making it tonight and I accidentally bought self-rising flour instead of all-purpose. Should I alter the recipe at all?
Hi Andrea…
Self Rising flour is going to be a problem. I'm not sure how to alter the French Bread recipe to incorporate it! From what I understand it has a great deal of baking powder in it, which as you know is not an ingredient for the french bread. I would head back to the store for all purpose flour. Sorry! Good luck!
~Jamie
Thanks! My dinner guests have to reschedule anyway. I have tried several recipes from your site and I am looking forward to trying even more. I love your comments as you are giving the directions. Keep up the good (and yummy) work!
I make all our bread, usually 100% whole wheat but love making french and sourdough breads a few times a month also. I will have to try your recipe, it looks wonderful! Thank you for sharing.
Hey Jamie! Can I freeze the dough and use it later? If so, what point in the recipe do I do that? Hope all is well in the old neighborhood! 😉
Thanks!
Rachael Firmage
Hi Rachel,
Nice to hear from you. I hope you and your family are doing well.
This dough doesn't freeze well at all. It keeps rising for a while in the freezer and makes a big mess. However, once the loaves are baked and have cooled, they freeze VERY well. I generally triple the batch (using a Bosch Mixer) and then freeze the leftover loaves to use throughout the week.
Good luck!
~Jamie
I just started reading your blog a couple of weeks ago and I just adore it! I am not much of a baker but I do love to cook. We are having a family cookie day here in a couple of weeks and I've begged my sister to bring her kitchen-aid mixer just so I can make this delicious looking bread. I am so excited about this bread, ok and the cookies. 🙂
I've been making this bread for a while now and my family loves it. Today I'm hoping to do a triple batch. How do you bake all those loaves at once? Or – do you let some rise on the counter while the others are baking? I skimmed through past comments but couldn't find anything about that.
Hi Holly,
I have a convection oven, so I can cook two sheets at the same time. If I have more than two sheets then I just let them rise on the counter, as you suspected. Good luck!
~Jamie
PS…I'm totally in the middle of making this bread today too. Great minds must think alike, right! 🙂
Wow! I just made this for the first time. Incredible recipe, incredibly easy! Thanks for sharing!
Yum! Thanks so much for this recipe–I've been conquering my fear of baking with yeast (without maternal supervision) and so I thought I'd give this a try. Success! Mine weren't very pretty, but that will come with more practice. Thanks so much for the pictures and step-by-step instructions; they were so helpful. I don't have a stand mixer, but my hand-held mixer has dough hook attachments so I used those. I had a sore hand after @ 20 minutes of mixing, but it worked! It'll do until someone (cough*husband*cough) gets me a stand mixer for my birthday. 🙂
Hi Jamie. I just made this recipe for the first time today and I LOVED IT!!! However, I'm not sure I'd call my results complete success… Mine didn't raise as much as I expected it to… I too am just venturing out in the yeast bread world so I'm a bit nervous when it comes to all of it. How cold is the water you put in? My fear is that mine may not have been cold enough so the overall mixture may have been TOO HOT and didn't allow the yeast to work properly? It did rise somewhat… but the texture seemed denser than I had imagined. Also you directions said to mix on high with the dough hook… I have the smaller Kitchen Aid and I couldn't get it much past Medium speed before the mixer started jumping all over the counter. I guess maybe it's possible it didn't kneed long enough? Any advice you have would be greatly appreciated!!! Thanks!
Hi Inger,
I'm so glad the recipe tasted good! You will get better and better at it, the more you make it. Trust me. It just takes a bit of practice.
The cold water that I add is just from my sink (not refrigerated water) but I do let the tap run for a bit to be sure it's as cold as it can be.
If you are using a Kitchen Aid, just let mix at medium speed. The Bosch Mixer can be run on high for yeast breads, but you are correct. The Kitchen Aid gets a bit frantic doesn't it. Good luck to you, Inger.
~Jamie
Wow, I actually made French bread today for the first time in my life and it turned out great! Your directions were perfect and I couldn't be more pleased. Thank you so much for teaching me a new skill!
Jamie, I have made this bread a few times and it's become my favorite! Our family has been going thru some serious food changes lately though and we've switched to only whole wheat and no sugar. I decided to try it with butter for the shortening, honey instead of sugar and 100% white whole wheat flour(Gold brand is my favorite). It still turned out amazing! My husband and kids still inhaled it and it was soft and flavorful. I'm so thankful that your recipe is this versatile and still works for our family. Thanks so much! Sarah
How do I pin this recipe, it looks so good, and what size do you pinch off to make hamburger rolls?
This looks amazing and was hoping to try soon. I was wondering if you new the nutritional facts? We LOVE French bread however, we are trying to change to a healthier meal plan. Thank you so much.
@Sarah would you please share the amounts you used to substitute? I was hoping to make this a little healthier too. Thank you
I’m sorry I never saw this. With the white whole wheat I don’t change the amounts. It’s a light spring wheat and not heavy like a dark summer wheat. I’m making some today and the white whole wheat still makes a delicious bread soft bread.
[…] Bean with Bacon Soup is absolutly divine with Fabulous French Bread […]
I made this french bread tonight and it was great, but the bottoms of my loaves got really done and I was hoping you would have some suggestions for next time.
Roxanne,
I would suggest moving your oven rack up a bit, and maybe cooking it a bit less. Good luck!
~Jamie
The accident of finding this post has briehtgned my day
Have you tried making this with butter instead of shortening?
[…] Pie ,Green Salad and Quick and Easy Breadsticks Italian Tortelini Soup and Fabulous French Bread Roasted Tomato and Asparagus Tortelini, Asian Lettuce Wraps ,Brown Rice and Healthy Egg Drop Soup […]
[…] by Jamie on December 14, 2012 I have a wonderful classic recipe for Clam Chowder for you all today. This recipe comes from my dear Aunt Suzie and is actually the only clam chowder recipe I have ever made. Why experiment when this fabulous group of ingredients delivers each and every time, right! This chowder is creamy, nice and thick, hearty, flavorful and oh so comforting. It’s also very easy to prepare and can be made in 30 minutes or less. Serve it with saltine crackers, or with a thick, crusty slice of this Fabulous French Bread. […]
[…] Sesame Green Beans Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry with Ham Fried Rice White Chicken Chili with Fabulous French Bread and Green Salad Kneaders Turkey Cranberry and Sunflower Salad (can’t get enough of this […]
[…] Italian Lasagna, Grilled Garlic Bread and Olive Garden Salad Bean and Ham Soup and Fabulous French Bread and Fruit Salad Creamy Chicken Enchilada Casserole with Cilantro Lime Rice Hearty Spaghetti with […]
My family would love me to make this recipe!! But, unfortunately I don’t have a Kitchen Aid mixer or a Bosch for that matter. Any helpful hints on making this the “old fashioned” way??
Hi Sue,
I would advise that you knead it by hand for at least 7-10 minutes. Then place the dough in a bowl and cover it lightly with plastic wrap you have sprayed with cooking spray. Let the dough rise for an hour, punch it down and then let it rise for another hour. This should make up for the time it would bet mixed in a Kitchen Aid or Bosch. Then shape the loaves and bake as the recipe suggests. Good luck! Hope it turns out well for you!
~Jamie
Thank you so much for getting back to me! 🙂 I will definitely do that!
I’m baking this right now and my house smells amazing! Can’t wait to eat them!
I tried your recipe without the egg wash and it was yummy! Today I made it with 50/50 white and whole wheat flour. It just came out of the oven and it looks wonderful! I sliced off a little piece and it tasted fantastic! This time I also put it into a baking soda bath to get a nice color and it turned out beautifully! Love your recipe!
At last some raitinaloty in our little debate.
Can you please repost instructions ow to make hamburger buns, the site you get redirected to only tells how to make the french bread, I need kow how to shape them and how long to bake??
P.S. Im new to baking but great cook all else
[…] https://jamiecooksitup.net/2009/10/fabulous-french-bread/ and […]
[…] breads are simple by nature, but until I found this recipe on a blog called Jamie Cooks It Up I had been looking for the perfect french bread recipe. Everything was off in one way or another […]