This Mini Baguettes recipe guides you to bake crisp, artisan-style baguettes with a soft, open crumb. The method uses a high-hydration, no-knead dough and slow, cold fermentation to develop flavor and create the characteristic holes and tender interior.
What you will love about this Mini Baguettes Recipe
- Simple method to make artisan-style baguettes with a crispy crust and soft, open crumb.
- Only four basic ingredients are required.
- Mix the dough in under three minutes—no kneading needed.
- No stand mixer required.
- Flexible schedule: the dough can be refrigerated immediately after mixing and used anytime from 3 hours up to 4 days later.
Ingredients for Crusty French Bread
- Flour: 400 g (about 3 cups loosely packed + 1 1/2 tbsp)
- Cold water: 320 ml (about 1 cup + 1/3 cup)
- Instant yeast: 4 g (1 tsp) — or 1 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
- Salt: 8 g (1 tsp)
This recipe uses 80% hydration: for every 100 g flour use 80 ml water.
How to make Crusty French Bread
The process breaks down into six straightforward stages: prepare the dough, cold ferment, stretch and fold, divide and preshape, shape, final rise and bake.
1. Prepare the dough
Pour cold water (around 65°F / 18°C) into a bowl. Cold water slows yeast activity and supports long, slow fermentation that develops flavor and open crumb. Add salt and yeast, stir to dissolve, then add the flour. Mix with the back of a spoon until no dry spots remain. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic and place it in the refrigerator.
Why refrigerate the dough?
Cold fermentation slows yeast activity, giving the dough time to develop flavor and texture. Leave the dough in the fridge until it feels completely cold—typically about 3 hours—or use it any time within 4 days. Preparing the dough ahead and refrigerating it makes the schedule flexible and improves taste.
2. Stretch and fold
Remove the dough from the fridge. Perform a series of stretch-and-folds to strengthen the gluten and build structure without intensive kneading. Wet your fingers lightly to prevent sticking. Pull up one side of the dough and fold it over itself, rotate the bowl 90°, and repeat for all four sides. Cover and rest 30 minutes, then repeat once more. After the second set, flip the dough and tuck the edges under to create a smooth, slightly tense surface. Cover and rest another 30 minutes.
Handling sticky dough
This is a high-hydration dough (80%), so it will feel wet and sticky. Use wet hands for stretch-and-folds, dust surfaces with flour when shaping, and keep a bench scraper handy to help move and divide the dough.
3. Divide and preshape
Thirty minutes after the final stretch-and-fold, turn the dough onto a well-floured surface, taking care not to deflate the bubbles. Dust the top with more flour if needed and divide into four equal portions for mini baguettes (divide into two portions for longer baguettes). For each portion, pull the dough toward the center, flip it over, and form a small round ball. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes to relax the gluten before final shaping.
4. Shape mini baguettes
Place each rested ball smooth-side down, brush off excess flour, and roll the piece into a small baguette shape. Use the heel of your hand to seal the seam and create surface tension. Transfer shaped baguettes to a baguette pan or baking tray lined for support.
5. Final rising
Cover the shaped baguettes with a kitchen towel and let them rise at room temperature for about 45 minutes.
6. Bake the crusty French bread
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). After the final rise, score each baguette with a sharp blade to control the oven spring. Place the baguette tray in the hot oven and immediately introduce steam—either spray water into the oven or place a tray of hot water on the oven floor. Close the door and bake for about 30 minutes, until the loaves are deeply golden and crackly.
Tips for best results
- Steam the oven for the first few minutes of baking to develop a thin, crisp crust. Use a spray bottle or a hot water tray.
- Work with wet hands when handling the dough, dust generously with flour when shaping, and use a bench scraper to manage sticky pieces.
- Bake in a thoroughly preheated oven at high heat (425°F / 220°C) to encourage good oven spring and a crisp crust.
- Cold fermentation enhances crumb structure and flavor—prepare the dough in advance and refrigerate.
Recipe notes
Vegan: Yes—this recipe uses only flour, water, yeast and salt.
Storage: At room temperature, properly cooled and wrapped, baguettes keep well for 2–3 days. Avoid refrigerating, which accelerates staling. To freeze, wrap tightly in foil or a freezer bag and use within a month.
Doubling: You can double the ingredient quantities; use slightly less yeast when scaling (for example, 1.5 tsp if doubling).
Mini Baguettes Recipe
Ingredients
- 400 g Flour (about 3 cups + 1 1/2 tbsp)
- 320 ml Cold Water (about 1 cup + 1/3 cup)
- 8 g Salt (1 tsp)
- 4 g Instant Yeast (1 tsp)
Times
Prep: 8 mins • Bake: 30 mins • Resting: ~5 hrs • Total: ~5 hrs 38 mins
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine cold water, salt and yeast. Stir until dissolved. Add flour and mix with the back of a spoon until there are no dry spots. Cover and refrigerate.
- After chilling, perform stretch-and-folds twice at 30-minute intervals (wet your fingers to prevent sticking). After the second set, shape the dough surface and rest 30 minutes.
- Turn dough onto a floured surface, divide into four portions, preshape by pulling sides to the center, flip and form into balls. Rest 10 minutes.
- Roll each ball into a small baguette, seal seams with the heel of your hand, and place on a baguette pan.
- Cover and proof at room temperature 45 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Score the loaves, introduce steam, and bake about 30 minutes until golden and crisp.
Notes
- Use steam and a hot oven for the best crust.
- Handle sticky dough with wet hands and a bench scraper.
- Cold fermentation improves flavor and crumb.