Easy Baguette Recipe That Rises While You Sleep
Few things in the kitchen are as satisfying as pulling a fresh, golden baguette from your oven. This easy baguette recipe is the kind of bread magic that makes you feel like you’ve been transported to a Parisian bakery, linen apron and all. With just four pantry staples, no kneading, and an overnight rise, you’ll wake up to ready made dough. This French baguette recipe is all about simplicity. We’re using flour, salt, water, and instant yeast. These are simple ingredients that come together beautifully. It’s a no-fuss, no-knead recipe that creates that signature baguette shape, crunchy crust, and chewy interior that’ll make your morning coffee feel très French.
Ingredients:
- 6 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp instant yeast
- 3 cups water
Instructions:
- In a large bowl mix together flour, salt, instant yeast, water. Using a spoon or your hands mix together until you form a shaggy dough. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and allow to rest over night or for at least 8 hours.
- Pre heat oven to 460F and grab a cooling rack and line it with parchment paper. If you don't have a cooling rack you can use a baking sheet,
- After resting, the dough should have doubled in size. Carefully pour dough onto floured surface and also give the dough a light dusting of flour. Using a knife or bench scrapper cut the dough into 4 equal pieces. Using your hand gently form into a baguette shape being careful not to form air out of the loafs. Turn the loafs upside down and place onto the parchment lined cooling rack. If you have a sharp knife, slit the top of the loaf. Let the formed loaves rest on rack for 20 minutes while oven pre heats.
- Place the rack into the oven and bake the baguettes for 30-35 minutes. Once baking is complete allow the baguettes to fully cool and enjoy!
Why This Easy Baguette Recipe Works
You can skip the kneading—this dough knows what to do on its own. Just mix it up, cover it, and let it hang out overnight. While it rests, gluten develops naturally, building the structure your baguette needs without any heavy lifting. That long rest also deepens the flavour in a way no mixer can replicate.
There’s no need for fancy gear here. No stand mixer. No dough hook. Just a bowl, a fork, and a bit of counter space.
With only about 20 minutes of hands-on time, this easy baguette recipe delivers four golden loaves that look like they came straight from a bakery.
Ingredient Breakdown For This Easy Baguette Recipe
This is one of those bread recipes that’s almost too simple, but that’s the beauty of it. Each ingredient plays an essential role:
- Flour – Regular all-purpose flour works just fine here. If you’ve got bread flour on hand, even better—it’ll give a bit more chew.
- Instant Yeast – Make sure it’s not expired! You want that dough to rise nice and fluffy.
- Salt – Don’t skip this. It brings balance and rounds out the flavour of your baguette.
- Water – Just warm tap water will do the trick. You don’t need to overthink it.
This easy homemade baguette recipe is a perfect base. Once you’ve nailed it, try customizing. Mix in some shredded cheddar for tasty cheese bread. Or, serve it with a slice of lemon blueberry bread for brunch.
How to Make a Baguette at Home (That Feels Bakery-Worthy)
Making your own Paris baguette might sound intimidating, but this method is wildly forgiving. The overnight rise does the heavy lifting, and a few simple tips will help you nail that crusty, chewy finish. Here’s how to make this easy baguette recipe, even easier.
1. Let the Dough Rest Overnight
This is the most important step. Don’t rush it. Let the yeast work its magic while you sleep. You’ll wake up to a beautifully risen shaggy dough full of air pockets.
2. Handle With Care
When pouring the dough onto your floured surface, go easy—don’t deflate it. Preserve those air bubbles. They’re your friends.That’s the beauty of an easy baguette recipe done right.
3. Don’t Skimp on the Flour
Be generous when flouring your surface. This dough is wet and sticky, so a well-floured counter makes it easier to work with.
4. Shape Without Stress
Use your hands to gently form the baguette shape. Don’t overthink it. Rustic is good!
5. Use a Wire Rack
After baking the loaves on a baking sheet, transfer them to a wire rack. This keeps the crust crisp as they cool.
6. Cool Down Completely
This is huge—don’t slice into the bread right away. Letting it cool fully helps set the crumb and makes for cleaner slices.
Easy Baguette Recipe: Tips, Tricks, and Substitutions
- Add-ins: Want to switch it up? Add chopped olives, sun-dried tomatoes, or roasted garlic for a Mediterranean twist.
- Flour swaps: Bread flour gives a chewier texture, but all-purpose works beautifully too. You can substitute whole wheat flour for 25–30% of the flour if you want a bit more nuttiness.
- Can’t wait overnight? Let the dough rest for 4–6 hours at room temp, or pop it in a warm spot to speed things up. It won’t be quite as flavourful, but still tasty.
An Easy Baguette Recipe That’ll Make You Proud
This is one of those baguette recipes that sneaks its way into your weekly routine. It’s easy to make and gives great results. The loaves are perfect for dipping in soups, spreading with butter, or making amazing sandwiches.
Learning how to make a baguette from scratch can feel like an accomplishment, and this method makes it as easy as possible. Whether you’re using it for a French-style brunch spread or just tearing off pieces straight from the oven (no judgment), this recipe is one of those kitchen rituals that pays off every time.
So tie up your apron, channel your inner French baker, and get ready to create a little crusty magic. Your breakfast table (and your tastebuds) will thank you.
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Can I freeze the loaves before baking?
Great question, Elanine! Yes, you can freeze the baguette dough before baking. Here’s how:
– After shaping the loaves, place them on a parchment-lined tray and freeze until firm.
– Once frozen, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag for up to 2 months.
– When ready to bake, let them thaw and rise at room temperature (this may take a few hours) before baking.
Let me know if you give it a try!
Please give the weight of ingredients especially the flour. And also is this plain all purpose flour or bread flour.
I used all-purpose flour in this recipe. Thanks for the suggestion on providing weight for ingredients, Meeta!
Andy, thanks for the great recipe! Does the bread sit overnight in the refrigerator or on the counter?
Hi Diane, I keep the bread on the counter overnight! Let me know how it turns out.