Soft Braided French Bread
This soft braided French bread is tender, golden, and made with simple pantry staple ingredients. The braided shape gives these loaves a beautiful artisan-style look while still being easy enough for everyday baking. Perfect served warm with butter alongside soups, pasta dinners, or cozy family meals at home.
Servings: 24 servings, 2 braided loaves.
Calories: 138kcal
Cost: $7
Ingredients
For The Dough
- 2 cups whole warm milk (80-100F)
- 1½ Tablespoons active dry yeast
- 1 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 5 to 5¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 large egg
For Brushing
- 1 whole egg
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm milk (100F), yeast, and sugar. Allow the mixture to sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy.
- Add the remaining milk, salt, olive oil, egg, and 3 cups of flour. Stir until combined.
- Gradually add the remaining flour until a soft dough forms. The dough should feel soft and workable.
- Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. You can also knead the dough in a stand mixer with a dough hook for about 6–7 minutes.
- Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover, and allow it to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Punch down the dough and divide it into 2 equal portions. Divide each portion again into 3 equal pieces, giving you 6 total dough ropes.
- Roll each piece into a long rope. Create 2 separate braids by pinching 3 ropes together at the top and braiding gently. Tuck the ends underneath.
- Place the braided loaves onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Cover loosely and allow the loaves to rise again for 30–45 minutes until puffy.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Whisk together the egg and milk and gently brush over the loaves. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes or until the loaves are deeply golden brown and sound hollow when tapped.
- Allow the bread to cool slightly before slicing and serving warm.
Video
Notes
Start with 5 cups of flour and add additional flour only if needed.
The milk should feel warm, not hot, before adding the yeast.
Bread flour can be substituted for a slightly chewier texture.
Brush warm loaves with melted butter after baking for an extra soft crust.
The milk should feel warm, not hot, before adding the yeast.
Bread flour can be substituted for a slightly chewier texture.
Brush warm loaves with melted butter after baking for an extra soft crust.
Nutrition
Calories: 138kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 205mg | Potassium: 65mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 43IU | Vitamin C: 0.001mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1mg
