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A homemade baguette is a true treat! Better yet, this recipe requires only four simple ingredients and absolutely no kneading.
Baguette is perfect for every occasion. From soups to salads to hearty roast dinners, fresh baked bread is always welcome on our table.
Baguette making can be an extremely time consuming process, but with this no-knead recipe you will cut corners without compromising taste. We are obsessed with the chewy inside and crispy exterior. It’s just like the baguette we had on our last family trip to Paris!
What is Baguette?
If you have eaten at a French restaurant, it’s likely you have tried this iconic bread. Simply put, a baguette is a long, thin loaf of French bread that is characterized by a crisp crust and chewy center. The ingredients are pure and simple, consisting of water, flour, salt and yeast.
How Do You Make Baguettes From Scratch?
This method is the easiest way to make baguette and happens to also be my personal favorite. Follow these simple steps to nail the loaf each time:
- Mix the dry ingredients together and add water. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit overnight (up to 20 hours) on the countertop in a well oiled bowl.
- Generously flour your hands and your baking sheet.
- Form dough into baguette shape (about 12 inches long) and let it rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours. Follow this video tutorial for tips on shaping the dough.
- Bake in the oven for ten minutes with a pan of boiled water resting on the bottom rack. Remove the water and bake until golden brown.
DON’T PANIC! The dough will be really sticky and that’s perfectly OK. To make handling it easier, make sure the work surface is really well-floured or wet your hands periodically throughout the shaping process. I also love using a dough scraper for easier handling.
Tips for the Best Baguette
- Use the right flour. Try using flour with higher protein content to get the best texture. A couple of my favorites include King Arthur or Bobs’ Red Mill. Any Canadian brand will typically fit the bill.
- Score the top with a very sharp knife. Scoring, or slicing, the top of your baguettes isn’t just for decoration. When you initially shape your bread, you are creating a very taut surface. When you pop your baguette into the oven without scoring the top, the heat causes a burst of gas called an “oven spring” that can rupture the top of the bread and destroy its shape.
- Freeze and reheat your baguette. I like to bake a couple loaves of bread at once and freeze a couple for later. Reheat them in the oven and they will be just as good as freshly baked bread!
- Make sure your yeast is fresh. This common mistake happens to the best of us. Over time, active yeast deactivates and loses its ability to make your bread rise and fluff. Always check the label to make sure it’s not expired!
- Don’t skip the steam bath. The steam bath is crucial to making the outside of your bread crusty. It’s well worth the extra step!
How to Shape The Baguette
Serving Baguette
I probably don’t have to tell you too much about how to enjoy baguette, but here are some of my favorite ways to serve it.
- European-style butter or high-quality olive oil. Pulgra and Kerrygold are delicious options you can find at most grocery stores.
- Smoked Salmon Dip. This 15-minute recipe is super easy and features an instructional video with yours truly and my husband, Tim! 😉
- Slathered with Raspberry Jam. Our recipe only requires 3 simple ingredients and our boys are hooked on it.
- Alongside a steaming bowl of borscht. It’s sorrel season! Pair a toasty piece of baguette with our schavel borscht.
- Make a steak sandwich. C’mon, you deserve one!
- Serve up some bruschetta. Nothing says summer quite like bruschetta made with farmer’s market tomatoes.
FAQ
Why are my baguettes flat?
When shaping the baguettes you will need to use ample flour to successfully shape the baguettes- have a well floured surface and hands, and keep folding the dough until you get a tight, skinny log/baton shape. Watch this tutorial on shaping the dough.
Why is the dough sticky or wet?
Rest assured it is normal for the dough to be very sticky and wet as this is a high hydration dough. More flour is added when shaping the dough-you will need to have well floured hands and surface when shaping the baguettes.
What if my dough is rising faster than 12-20 hours?
This dough needs ample time to rise because not a lot of yeast is called for. The longer it sits, the better the final texture and taste. You may find that the dough rises much faster if you live in a warmer, humid climate. In this case, the rising time may be closer to 12 hours- you can place the dough into the fridge for the remainder of the rising time, if desired.
Why is the crust so hard?
Baguettes are known for their crispy, golden exterior. If you’d like to soften the crust, wrap your baguettes in a clean kitchen towel after baking.
How many baguettes does this recipe make?
This recipe will easily yield 2-6 baguettes, depending on the size of baguette you prefer!
Recipe
No Knead Bread-Baguette
Print Pin
Servings
12 servings
Prep Time 25 minutes mins
Cook Time 40 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins
Recipe contributed by: Natalya Drozhzhin
Homemade baguette is a true treat! Better yet, this recipe requires only four simple ingredients and absolutely no kneading.
Ingredients
- 6 cups all-purpose flour (depending on a brand, you may need to add more flour)
- 3 cups lukewarm water
- 2 tsp yeast
- 2 tsp salt
US Units – Metric
Instructions
The night before, combine all ingredients together. First mix the dry ingredients together and then add water. Mix the ingredients until the dough comes together. Cover it with a plastic wrap and let it sit for 12-20 hours on the countertop.
The following day, the dough should be wet, sticky and bubbly. Generously flour your hands and the baking sheet.
Take the dough (if it sticks, apply more flour to your hands) and form a baguette shape. You will easily get atleast 2-3 baguettes. For tips on shaping the dough, watch this tutorial. Place it on a baking sheet and sprinkle a generous amount of flour on it. Score the top with a sharp knife and cover it with a towel. Let the dough rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 450 °F. You will need to have 2 shelves in an oven. Fill a deep baking pan with 2 cups of hot boiled water, and place it on the lower rack, inside your oven. This will make the bread crispy on the outside. Place the bread on the middle rack. Remove water from the oven after 10 minutes. Keep on baking the bread for another 30 minutes or until golden crispy brown.
Nutrition Facts
No Knead Bread-Baguette
Amount Per Serving
Calories 230 Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Fat 1g2%
Saturated Fat 1g5%
Sodium 392mg16%
Potassium 73mg2%
Carbohydrates 48g16%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 7g14%
Calcium 11mg1%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Posted August 11, 2020
About Author
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SaraAug 8, 2024 This recipe is awful. Don’t follow it. My dough was so watery and slimey no matter how much flour I added to try to fix it. I shouldve read the comments instead of wasting my time.
Natalya DrozhzhinAug 9, 2024 I'm sorry to hear that your experience with this recipe didn't turn out as expected. Baguette dough is meant to be more wet and sticky in comparison to other bread dough. I'm curious what flour you used, typically adding more flour makes the dough much more manageable to work with. Let me know if I can help troubleshoot in any other way!
CindyAug 8, 2024 Baking the baguettes now 😋 will let you know
Natalya DrozhzhinAug 9, 2024 Can't wait to hear back from you!
LondonerAug 8, 2024 Hi, I enjoyed making this recipe frequently last year with excellent results. This year I’ve come back to it and like other posters have found the dough, after the first prove, can be poured out of the bowl it’s so wet.
I’m wondering, have you changed the ratio of flour to water in the last year?
I don’t remember it being as basic as 2 parts flour to 1 water.
Can you let me know what it used to be, as that worked better with my ingredients and set up etc.The dough I’ve just worked has had an extra half cup in each baguette while shaping, and they are still flat and couldnt be worked into a tight shape.
Thank you
Natalya DrozhzhinAug 8, 2024 Hi Londoner, I didnt think we changed the recipe. Looked back all the way to 2018 and the recipe has been exactly the same. I wonder if in the summer the its just warmer and it changes the texture. If you used metric measurement, we had a typo in the grams conversion. It was 870grams but it should have been 750grams. I use Bobs Redmill bread flour and the recipes comes out great. Hope this helps to narrow down the situation. Thanks
JanAug 8, 2024 Hi Natalya
I'm looking forward to making your for the marinara sauce, zucchini boats and the baguette. I'm wondering if I can use whole wheat flour in the baguette recipe instead of the AP flour?Natalya DrozhzhinAug 8, 2024 That all sounds delicious Jan! I hope you enjoy your meal! In regards to a whole wheat baguette, we have a recipe for that on our blog that I would recommend following in place of this one. Here it is: https://momsdish.com/recipe/2…
ShelbyAug 7, 2024 Hello! I only have instant yeast on hand. Does this change the rise time? Thanks!
Natalya DrozhzhinAug 7, 2024 Hey Shelby, It shouldn't make much difference in this recipe, since there's a small amount of yeast. But happy baking! I hope you enjoy that delicious bread soon!
Emma EvansAug 6, 2024 Hi! This looks amazing! Would I be able to make this in a Dutch oven?
Natalya DrozhzhinAug 6, 2024 Hi Emma, Do you mean like a large loaf vs. baguette shape?
MashaAug 3, 2024 Is it ok to use bread flour instead?
Also the recipe says to leave it for 12 - 20 hours. What am I looking for? How do I know if its done at 12 or should let it sit for longer? Thank uNatalya DrozhzhinAug 5, 2024 Hey Masha, Yes, you can totally use bread flour instead of all-purpose flour. Regarding the fermentation time, the main thing to look for is the dough has doubled in size. This recipe doesn't use much yeast, so a longer rise time is required for ideal flavor and texture. If your kitchen is warm, the dough might be ready closer to the 12-hour mark. In cooler environments, it might need the full 20 hours. I hope this helps, and happy baking!
ToniJul 29, 2024 My baguettes are flat 🙁 as a novice bread maker, I found this recipe to kind of vague when it came to how much flour to use and the consistency of dough I need.
It says to use 750g of flour but “could be more depending on the flour I use”? Not sure what to do with that information. I also used generous amounts of flour when forming the dough but it was still very much a glob so maybe I needed to add more flour at the beginning next time. I’d also like to know how much flour is a generous amount ://
I’ve followed other recipes for other types of bread and they came out fine. I will keep trying though and hopefully we can make better baguettes :)))
Natalya DrozhzhinJul 29, 2024 Hey Toni, I'm sorry to hear your baguettes turned out flat, but I appreciate your honest feedback. I personally use Bob's Red Mill flour and have great success with this recipe, along with many others, but I understand that's not the case for everyone. Factors like flour type, humidity, and even how you measure ingredients can affect dough consistency. I’ve noted that more flour might be needed, as it varies with each situation. The dough is higher hydration and can be sticky, so using a generous amount of flour while shaping helps. The exact amount needed can differ based on your working surface and how you handle the dough.
We aim to provide as much detail and helpful tips as possible on the blog, but sometimes it’s challenging to give a precise amount of extra flour that might be needed depending on the situation. I hope this kind of helps clarify some things, and feel free to reach out with any more questions or suggestions!
Alina YousifJul 24, 2024 Thanks for the delicious and easy baguette recipe!
Not sure why a handful of people are complaining about slime (you add more flour while shaping the loaves) and before the dough rests you can always add a little more flour as needed ….
Anyways mine did not come out flat. They were perfect and tasty! My new go to french loaf recipe.Natalya DrozhzhinJul 24, 2024 Thanks for the feedback! I’m so glad to hear your baguettes turned out perfect and this recipe is your go-to! Enjoy!
DeS RispoliJul 23, 2024 Just made it. So simple. Great directions. The only thing I did was to broil for 8 min to get extra brown. Also it’s rather tasteless alone. I wonder what I can add to make the bread taste yummy without butter?
Natalya DrozhzhinJul 23, 2024 I'm glad to hear that you found the directions simple and that broiling worked well for you! I could eat bread plain, - I love it! However, if you'd like to enhance the flavor of the bread without using butter, you can experiment with herbs and spices, seeds, cheese, etc. Enjoy!
IanJul 21, 2024 Why do you give ingredients by volume, cups, when weight is the bakers way to measure and is far more precise?
Natalya DrozhzhinJul 22, 2024 That's a great question! I use mostly use volume measurements in my recipes because they are more familiar and accessible for many home cooks, especially in the U.S. However, our recipes do have a metric conversion option.
AaronJul 19, 2024 So, I do everything by weight. I find I'm far more consistent when I do that. The reference I used said 1 cup of water was = to 240g. Also 1 cup of AP flour was (on average) 125g. 720g water to 750g AP flour. That's a 96% hydration. Apparently baguettes usually have a Hydration of 65%-75%. Trying to salvage my dough now, but I'll definitely aim to keep the water in that % range next time I try this.
DavidAug 4, 2024 I always much prefer to use weigh things for baking. It's so much easier and more accurate to just weigh thinks in grams than to try and measure them out. thanks for the info, exactly what I was looking for.
Natalya DrozhzhinJul 19, 2024 Thanks for giving me more info, and you're right this is a high hydration dough. It's easier to work with if it's less hydration. You could try incorporating more flour gradually until it reaches a workable consistency. But I hope you give it another try and let me know if I can help in any other way!
AaronJul 19, 2024 Is there a video that shows how to shape the slime? Looks like the dough in the video is way less wet.
Natalya DrozhzhinJul 19, 2024 Hey Aaron, Slime, no lol but baguette dough yes. :). I'm assuming you're having some issues with the dough? Can I get some more specific into, so I can help troubleshoot?
STEVE CARL PHOENIXJul 19, 2024 Looks fandabidozy!! 🙂
If frozen, at what temp, and for how long do you reheat them in the oven, please?Natalya DrozhzhinJul 19, 2024 Thank you! I'm glad you think it looks fandabidozy! 😊 To reheat frozen baguettes, preheat your oven to 400°F. Place the frozen baguettes directly on the oven rack or a baking sheet and bake for about 15-25 minutes, or until they are heated through and crispy on the outside. Enjoy!
LourensJul 17, 2024 My dough came out sloppy and the baguettes are flat.... and I did use lots of flour like you advised when rolling them... yet... still flat. I'm going to bake them in the next 10 minutes..... next time I'll reduce the water....
Natalya DrozhzhinJul 17, 2024 It sounds like your dough may have been too hydrated, causing the baguettes to spread out and become flat. Reducing the water next time, or adding more flour should help achieve a better texture and shape. I recommend a high-quality flour such as Bob’s Red Mill Bread Flour or King Arthur's. Also, make sure your dough is properly proofed and handled gently to maintain its structure. Good luck with your bake, and let me know how it turns out!
Shawn ShriverJul 15, 2024 Turned out perfectly!
Natalya DrozhzhinJul 16, 2024 I'm so thrilled to hear that your dish turned out perfectly! Thank you for trying it out and sharing your success! 😊
SidneyJul 15, 2024 Curiosity- my baguettes came out super flat- did I not put enough flour into the recipe you think?
Natalya DrozhzhinJul 15, 2024 Hey Sidney, I'm sorry to hear they came out flat! When shaping the baguettes, use ample flour -have a well floured surface and hands, and keep folding the dough until you get a tight, skinny log/baton shape. This will help hold it's shape. Let me know if I can help in any other way!
gJul 14, 2024 the metric version of this recipe is stupid. so it’s 6 cups flour to 3 cups water but somehow 750g flour to 700ml water? this hydration is drastically different. DO NOT make this recipe if you are using metric
Natalya DrozhzhinJul 14, 2024 Hi dear, I have researched and measured both ingredients. It should be correct. What is wrong with the metric measurements?
kip howardJul 12, 2024 Can I use yeast from envelope, like Fleischmans? Same 2 tsp as active dry?
Natalya DrozhzhinJul 14, 2024 Hi Kip, yes, thats the brand that I have used very often, it works great. Hope you love it and return back with review 🙂
GrandmaJul 11, 2024 Can I half the recipe?
Natalya DrozhzhinJul 12, 2024 Of course! I hope you enjoy the baguettes!
acemumJul 11, 2024 can this recipe be used with freshly ground wheat ? what adjustments would I need to make
Natalya DrozhzhinJul 11, 2024 Hey! 🙂 You can definitely use freshly ground wheat for this baguette recipe! Since freshly ground wheat might absorb moisture differently than store-bought flour, you may need to adjust the hydration slightly. Start by adding a little less water than the recipe calls for and gradually add more if needed until the dough reaches the right consistency. Enjoy! And please report back how it worked out.
LariJul 10, 2024 Is the calorie content for each baguette? 🥖
Thank you!Natalya DrozhzhinJul 11, 2024 Hi Lari, the recipe makes 2-3 baguettes, depending on how large or small you want to make them. Recipe has total of 12 servings, so you make two of them, each baguette will have 6 servings. Hope this helps 🙂
Juliet WilkinsonJul 8, 2024 Perfect every time, I now make these twice a week! Thank you!
Natalya DrozhzhinJul 8, 2024 That's fantastic to hear Juliet! I'm so glad the recipe has become a regular part of your cooking routine. Keep enjoying those delicious baguettes!
Alaina LazarinJun 26, 2024 My daughters first time making baguettes and she’s really picky at which recipes she will use cuz she gets easily frustrated, this was really easy for her though and it tasted good too!
Natalya DrozhzhinJun 26, 2024 That's wonderful to hear! Making baguettes for the first time can be a bit daunting, so it's fantastic that your daughter found our recipe really easy! There's nothing quite like the aroma of freshly baked bread, so kudos to your daughter for her delicious success! If she ever wants to try more baking adventures, our blog has plenty of easy and tasty recipes. Happy baking!
cathleen labateJun 26, 2024 Every time I make this recipe, it comes out perfect! I use 5 cups of king Arthur bread flour, 1 tablespoon of gluten and then one cup of Integrale flour I bought in Rome....just wonderful! THANK YOU for this! I make these once a month now!
Natalya DrozhzhinJun 26, 2024 Cathleen, thank you for sharing how you adopted the recipe. Also, this flour you got in Rome, I need to look into it. Never ehard about it and what does it do? I will be doing some research!
DallasJun 21, 2024 I’ve been trying lots of baguette recipes lately to find the perfect one. I was skeptical of this one based on the hydration ratio (6 C flour/750g : 3 C water) and my gut was right. I see why many are getting flat baguettes or adding much more flour. I like the long proof and in theory the flavor that will create but as is, it’s so over hydrated it’s nearly slime and even adding 2C flour at shaping it was still unmanageable. I’ll try again with a more typical 750g flour : 2.25 C water to see if that makes a dough that can properly rise.
Natalya DrozhzhinJun 24, 2024 Hey Dallas, Thank you for sharing your experience with the recipe! The hydration ratio I used is definitely on the higher side, aiming for a more open crumb and a chewy texture, but it can be different to manage, especially if you're used to lower hydration doughs. I'm curious what type of flour did you use?
DallasJun 25, 2024 I used King Arthur AP flour
Natalya DrozhzhinJun 25, 2024 King Arthur's flour is good! I hope your next baguette works out much better! And I'd love to hear back from you what ratios worked best for you.
TristanJun 20, 2024 Hello! My baguettes turned out a little overcooked and less golden than I'd like, presumably because of too high of temperature. I was wondering, if I do lower the temperature how much should I do so? Thank you so much, love it otherwise!
Natalya DrozhzhinJun 20, 2024 Hi Tristan, I'm glad you enjoyed the baguette recipe overall! If your baguettes turned out a bit overcooked and less golden, lowering the temperature can definitely help. I would suggest reducing the oven temperature by about 25 degrees Fahrenheit and keeping a close eye on them towards the end of baking. This adjustment should help achieve that perfect golden crust without overcooking. Happy baking!
Sharon MartinJun 18, 2024 So so easy and absolutely delicious! Better than any baguette you can buy at the grocery store. I do add a little extra bread flour to make it a little easier to handle.
Natalya DrozhzhinJun 18, 2024 I appreciate your feedback Sharon. And I totally agree - homemade bread is soo much better! 🙂
SamJun 11, 2024 Easy recipe and good flavour/texture. Thanks. However, my baguette's always come up flat versus round. Is there any suggestion on how to improve the shape?
Natalya DrozhzhinJun 11, 2024 Hey Sam, I'm so happy you love the texture and flavor. To improve the shape I recommend using plenty of flour on your surface and hands. Fold the dough until it forms a tight, skinny log. You could also try using a baguette form to bake them in. Let me know if the shape doesn't improve next time!
NancyJun 5, 2024 I love this baguette recipe. It went well with my onion soup.thank you.
Natalya DrozhzhinJun 5, 2024 Nothing beats fresh bread with soup! Thanks for sharing Nancy.
