Caffeine Free Classic French Baguettes
Few things beat the crackle of a freshly baked baguette pulled straight from your own oven, and this classic French version delivers that bakery-worthy crust and open, chewy crumb without a single trip to the café. The process starts with a poolish — a simple overnight starter made from just yeast, water, and bread flour — that builds deep, complex flavor before you even begin the main dough. A series of stretch-and-fold techniques replaces traditional kneading, developing gluten gently so the final loaves have that signature airy interior and satisfying chew. Steam injected into the oven during the first stage of baking is the secret behind the shatteringly thin, golden-mahogany crust that makes every slice feel like an occasion. The entire recipe relies on four pantry-simple ingredients, so there's nothing hidden, nothing processed, and absolutely nothing that would sneak caffeine into your day. Whether you're serving these alongside soup, loading them up for sandwiches, or just tearing into a warm loaf with good butter, the result is deeply satisfying and completely worth the patience the process asks of you.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the poolish
- ¼ tsp active dry yeast
- ½ cup cool water (about 70°f / 21°c)
- ½ cup bread flour
For the dough
- 1 ½ tsp active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm water (about 95°f / 35°c)
- 3 cups bread flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 ½ tsp fine sea salt
Instructions
- 1
Make the poolish: In a large mixing bowl, stir together 1/4 tsp yeast, 1/2 cup cool water, and 1/2 cup bread flour until no dry flour remains. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for 8–12 hours (overnight), until the poolish is bubbly, domed, and smells pleasantly yeasty.
- 2
Make the dough: Add 1 1/2 tsp yeast and 1 cup warm water to the poolish and stir to combine. Add 3 cups bread flour and 1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, then mix with a stiff spatula or your hand until a shaggy dough forms with no dry patches. Cover and rest for 20 minutes.
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