Homemade French Rolls

Chewy inside with a thin, crackly crust like a baguette, these are beginner-friendly and fun to make. The recipe makes 8 largish sandwich rolls or 10 smaller dinner rolls.

What You’ll Need

For the Dough

• 4 cups bread flour. You CAN use all-purpose, but don’t expect an amazingly chewy roll. If you do swap it, reduce the water by 20% and add some back only if the dough is dry.
• 1 ½ cups water
• 2 teaspoons salt.
• 2 ½ teaspoons instant yeast. SAF instant is my favorite.

For Dusting

• Cornmeal and flour for dusting

You can absolutely double this, but 4 cups of flour is already the limit for most bread machines, so a double batch means kneading in a stand mixer, by hand, or running the dough cycle twice. You’ll also need to bake in batches, since the steam sheet takes up your second rack.

Equipment You’ll Need

• Bread machine (or stand mixer with a dough hook). You CAN knead by hand! It’s just not my favorite.
• Two rimmed baking sheets. One is for the rolls. The other is a spare: you pour a cup of water onto it in a hot oven to make steam.”

Instructions

Mix the dough

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. I like to do this step to make sure the balance of flour is right. Depending on your humidity levels and even your brand of flour, the flour might absorb water differently, and you might find your dough is a tiny bit too dry or wet.

You’re looking for a texture that’s slightly tacky but doesn’t leave a mess on your hands or counter. Tweak as needed, then knead.

Knead the Dough

My favorite way, by far, to knead dough is using the bread machine on the DOUGH cycle. If you choose to do that, your life is easy. You can also knead dough using a stand mixer, or even by hand. Just be sure to give it enough time, no matter what.

You aren’t done kneading until you see windows in the dough, meaning you can stretch out a piece and see light through it.

First Rise

Place the risen dough into a lightly greased bowl and cover it with plastic wrap or a clean, damp tea towel.

It needs a slightly warm and cozy place to rise (I like to turn on the oven briefly, turn it on, and tuck it in there.)

Shape the rolls

Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces with a sharp knife. Shape each one into a roll by pinching the bottom until the top is smooth and tight.

Don’t overthink this. You’re just forming a ball, and any lumpiness on the bottom disappears in the oven.

Prep Baking Sheet and Rolls for Baking

Spray your baking sheet or line it with parchment, then dust it with cornmeal.

Rub a little flour on top of each roll, set them on the sheet, and slash a diagonal line across each one with a sharp knife.

Yes, we’re slashing before the second rise.

Let them rise

Cover the rolls with greased plastic wrap and put them somewhere warm. This second rise takes roughly 45 minutes, but watch the dough, not the clock.

You’re waiting for them to look very puffy. When they do, pull off the plastic wrap.

Toward the end of the rise, arrange two oven racks: the lower one in the center and another a few notches below it.

Preheat the oven to 450°F and put a spare rimmed baking sheet on that lower rack while it heats. That empty sheet is your steam machine, and it needs to be screaming hot.

Steam and bake

When the oven is fully preheated, pour 1 cup of water onto the hot spare baking sheet and quickly get the rolls in on the rack above it. The sheet may buckle with a loud pop when the water hits it. I know It’s fine, and that burst of steam is exactly what gives these rolls a thin, crackly crust like a baguette.

Bake for 16 to 17 minutes. Done rolls have slightly browned bottoms and feel light for their size. They will be a bit pale in general, and that’s okay. Again, like a baguette!

Storage Instructions

Cool them and eat them the same day, or freeze them. They reheat beautifully, so I almost always make a batch just to stock the freezer.

Once completely cool, pack the rolls in a freezer bag and they’ll keep up to 3 months. To bring one back, thaw at room temperature and then pop it in a 350°F oven for 5-8 minutes. The crust crisps right back up and honestly, they’re nearly as good as fresh.

Variations

• Seeded tops: skip the flour dusting, brush the tops with water, and sprinkle on sesame or poppy seeds before slashing.
• Garlic-herb rolls: add 1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs and ½ teaspoon garlic powder to the dough.
• Baguettes: shape the dough into 2 long loaves instead of rolls and add a few minutes to the bake time — same slash, same steam.
• Sub rolls: divide into 6 pieces instead of 10 and shape into ovals for meatball or sausage subs.
• Partial whole wheat: swap 1 cup of the bread flour for whole wheat. They’ll be a little denser but still good.

Questions and Troubleshooting

Can I use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour?

You can, but don’t expect the same chew. That’s the bread flour’s job. If you do swap, reduce the water by about 20% and add some back only if the dough feels dry.

Can I skip the steam step?

Please don’t. The steam is what gives these rolls that thin, crackly, crust.

Why do you slash the rolls before the second rise instead of after?

It’s intentional. Slashing before the rise means the cuts open gently and evenly as the rolls puff, and you don’t risk deflating a fully-risen roll with a knife.

Why are my rolls dense and heavy?

Almost always under-kneading or rushing the rise. The dough needs to be smooth and elastic before the first rise, and the rolls should look very puffy before they go in the oven — watch the dough, not the clock.

More crusty rolls for sandwiches

• Crusty Italian Sourdough Rolls
• Bread Machine Italian Hoagie Rolls
• Soft Italian Sub Rolls (Beginner-Friendly)
• Easy Bread Machine Sandwich Rolls: A Step-by-Step Guide
• Easy Crusty Sourdough Rolls

Recipe