Easy Homemade No Knead Baguette

Get ready to bake an easy homemade no-knead baguette that is crusty on the outside with a light and chewy texture inside. This bread uses only five ingredients and requires no kneading or special equipment.

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Why you'll love this recipe

1. No Knead Baguette is a simple and quick French bread recipe. Even first-time bakers can easily make this bread.
2. Long fermentation gives it a nice flavor and texture.
3. French baguette is perfect for any occasion. It makes a great accompaniment with soups, salads, and roast dinners or can even be used to make toast.
4. Baguettes are rustic. Each loaf will look different. Don't worry about how the bread loaves look.

Ingredients

Active dry yeast: I have used ¼ teaspoon of active dry yeast. If you want to make the traditional french baguette method, you will have to use 2 ¼ teaspoon of yeast.

Sugar: To activate the yeast and for the dough to rise.

Warm water: Water should be warm but not too hot to touch. If it is too hot, then it will kill the yeast.

All-purpose flour: Just simple plain, regular flour. No fancy flour is needed. You will need flour to make the dough, dust the working surface, dust your hands, and shape it into loaves. So the total amount you need may vary depending on the brand of flour and weather conditions. 

Salt: For flavor.

See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

Step-by-step instructions

Activate yeast

In a bowl, add sugar and warm water. Sprinkle the yeast and leave it undisturbed for 10 minutes. Let the yeast activate.

Make the dough

• Add the all-purpose flour and salt and mix well until the dough becomes a ball. This dough will be sticky.
• Cover the dough with a warm towel and rest it in a warm place for about 12 to 15 hours or till it is more than double in size.

Shape dough into baguette loaves

• Dust the working surface with a generous amount of flour, as the dough will be sticky.
• Using a spatula, scrape the dough onto the working surface. Punch the dough to remove the air bubbles, and using a knife, cut them into two equal sizes for two long baguettes or four equal sizes for medium baguettes.
• Sprinkle flour on each piece of dough. Roll and stretch it outwards to form a long thin baguette.
• Sprinkle all-purpose flour onto the baking pan. Place the shaped baguettes. Cover this and keep it in a warm place for 1 to 1.5 hours or until it is doubled.

Bake crusty Baguette bread

• Preheat the oven to 525 degrees F. Place the bowl of water in an oven-safe bowl at the bottom rack. This creates the steam and the right amount of moisture in the oven and gives a nice crispy crust to the baguette.
• Make diagonal slits on top of the baguettes using a scissor/ blade or a knife.
• Sprinkle water on the baguettes and keep them for baking. Remove the baguettes from the oven and sprinkle the water at every five minute-intervals. 
• Bake for 20 minutes or until it is golden in color and you get a hollow sound when tapping.
• Allow it to cool down before you slice them.

No Knead Baguette is ready!

Tips

• You may have to increase the amount of flour in the recipe based on the weather conditions and brand of flour. 
• The dough is going to be sticky. For easier handling, dust your work surface and your hands or use a dough scraper. 
• Preheat the oven to 150 degrees F during winter and rest the dough to rise. 
• If the dough becomes too sticky while shaping the baguette, coat your palm with flour.
• Shape the baguettes to the length that fits your baking pan.
• The longer the dough rests, the better will be the taste and final texture of the bread. The dough may rise even before 12 hours if you stay in a warmer climate. In this case, you can bake it once it's doubled in size or keep it in the refrigerator till you are ready to bake. 

How to eat a baguette?

• My favorite way is to spread a warm slice of baguette with butter or cream cheese and enjoy it with coffee or soup or sometimes with salad to form a complete meal. 
• Slather it with raspberry jam, strawberry jam, or any of your favorite fruit-based jams. 
• Cheese Garlic Bread: Make the cheesy, garlicky bread with these baguette loaves. Cut the bread vertically, top it with crushed garlic cloves, olive oil or butter, and herbs or spices, and garnish it with cheese (Camembert, Brie, or Chaource, cheddar, Monterrey jack, Taleggio, Mozzarella) and bake until cheese melts. 
• Bruschetta: A classic Italian appetizer where the tomato, olive oil, basil, and garlic are served on top of a toasted baguette. 

Storage and Freezing Instructions

Baguette tastes the best when served warm or within 1 hour from when it is baked. I recommend you wrap any leftovers in aluminum foil, place them at room temperature, and use them within a day or 2.

Refrigerating the baguette may cause the bread to harden and make it chewy. I would recommend freezing it wrapped for up to three months.

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Recipe card