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Homemade Bread Bowls
My goal with this recipe is to instill confidence in even the most amateur bread makers out there. Homemade bread is soo EASY and anyone can do it! I love that I usually always have the pantry ingredients I need to make it, and it tastes way better than anything you could buy at the store. Follow these simple steps and you'll feel like a professional baker!
I adapted this recipe from the Food Nanny, as I knew I wanted a great base for an Italian bread that was crusty on the outside and soft inside, but had a sturdy enough crumb to hold its own when hot soup was added. The end result is absolutely perfect and will take your soup-for-dinner experience to a new level!
6 Pantry Ingredients:
- Active dry Yeast
- Granulated sugar
- Salt
- Butter
- All-purpose flour
- Eggs
8 Simple Steps for Homemade Bread Bowls:
- Proof the yeast – Combine the water, yeast, and ½ teaspoon of the sugar in a small bowl. Stir just until the yeast is dissolved. Cover with a towel and let stand until the mixture is foamy, about 5 minutes.
- Mix the dough ingredients – In a large bowl, add the salt, remaining sugar, butter, yeast mixture, and 3 ½ cups of the flour, and mix.
- Knead the dough – Slowly keep adding more flour (about 1 cup at a time) until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Knead/mix the dough for about 5 minutes. Stop and touch the dough with a clean, dry finger. The dough shouldn't be “sticky”, but may barely stick to your finger. Add a little more flour, as needed, until you reach that consistency. Knead for 2-3 more minutes.
- Allow dough to Rise – Lightly spray another large bowl with nonstick spray and transfer the dough to that bowl. (Flip the dough over once so both sides are coated with spray). Cover the bowl with a dish towel and let it rise until doubled, about 30-45 minutes.
- Divide the dough. Punch down the risen rough, and divide it into 8 equal pieces. Pat them down well to remove any air bubbles and fold them into a tight ball. Make a very small “X” slit on the top of the dough rounds with a serrated knife.
- Brush with egg wash. Beat an egg with 1 tablespoon of milk to make an egg wash. Lightly Brush the tops of each dough ball with a very thin layer of egg wash.
- 2nd Rise – Cover the rolls really lightly with a piece of plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled, about 30-40 more minutes.
- Bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes.
Do I need any Special Equipment?
NO! The bread bowls bake on a regular baking sheet and can be mixed by hand or in a stand mixer. Anyone can make this easy recipe!
The BEST soups to serve in a bread bowl:
I think bread bowls are especially delicious served with cream based or thicker soups. These soups have a slightly thicker consistency that won't cause the bread to get soggy as quickly.
- Clam Chowder
- Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Classic Homemade Chili
- Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
- Chicken Enchilada Soup
Eat the Bread Bowl!
This bread bowl is more than just edible, it's absolutely delicious! So don't just scoop your soup out of it with a spoon; tear it, dip it and enjoy it!
Storing and Freezing Bread Bowls:
To freeze the dough, punch it down after the first rise and store in an airtight, freezer safe container or bag for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then continue with step 5, dividing the dough.
To freeze the baked bread bowls, store them in an airtight, freezer safe container or bag for up to 3 months. Allow them to thaw on the counter and then warm them in the oven before serving.
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Homemade Bread Bowls
Ingredients
- 3 cups warm water
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons active dry yeast, (2 packets)
- 2 Tablespoons +½ teaspoon granulated sugar, , divided
- 1 Tablespoon salt
- 4 Tablespoons butter, , melted
- 7 to 9 cups all-purpose flour, , divided
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 egg white
Instructions
- Combine the water, yeast, and ½ teaspoon of the sugar in a small bowl. Stir just until the yeast is dissolved. Cover with a towel and let stand until the mixture is foamy, about 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, add the salt, remaining sugar, butter, yeast mixture, and 3 ½ cups of the flour, and mix. Slowly keep adding more flour (about 1 cup at a time) until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
- Knead the dough (with your stand mixer, or using your hands) for about 5 minutes. Stop and touch the dough with a clean, dry finger. The dough shouldn't be "sticky", but may barely stick to your finger. Add a little more flour, as needed, until you reach that consistency. Knead for 2-3 more minutes.
- Lightly spray another large bowl with nonstick spray and transfer the dough to that bowl. (Flip the dough over once so both sides are coated with spray). Cover the bowl with a dish towel and let it rise until doubled, about 30-45 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 6 or 8 equal pieces (for large or small bowls). I like to use a scale to make sure they're all the same size. Pick up one section of the dough and pat it down with your hands to remove any air. Use your hands to gently fold the dough into a tight ball. Place the dough ball on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Make a very small "X" slit on the top of the dough rounds with a serrated knife.
- Beat an egg with 1 tablespoon of milk to make an egg wash. Lightly Brush the tops of each dough ball with a very thin layer of egg wash.
- Cover the rolls really lightly with a piece of plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled, about 30-40 more minutes.
- Bake at 400 degrees for about 25-30 minutes. Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting for bread bowls.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Have you tried this recipe?!
RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.
I originally shared this recipe December 2013, Updated August 2019.
These came out better than any I’ve ever bought
How many does this recipe make?
I made 6 bowls and 2 large rolls today, with this recipe.
I wonder if I can use bread flour instead of AP? We’re going to find out! I’ll let you all know tomorrow!!
How did they turn out with the bread flour? I was going to make the same substitution.
I’ve never made bread before but these came out so good!!!! Soft and tasty! I put chili in mine
I tried your recipe, but my dough didn’t seem to rise, any suggestions?
Maybe your yeast was not good? If your water isn’t hot enough, it won’t activate your yeast, which will have a hard time rising. So I make sure my water is about 110 degrees, I put that in with my yeast and if I see it getting foamy, I know the yeast is good. Just follow the directions as above, but this is what I do. Plus keep your yeast in a airtight container and in the fridge or the extra in the freezer to maintain its freshness.
If your water was too hot it could kill the yeast as well. It can be temperamental. I turn my water on hot and then let it run for a bit to actually get hot and then fill a small bowl, then gather all my ingredients, THEN mix my yeast with sugar and water since it’s had time to cool down. Make sure its foamy and let it sit a little more if not.
Also if you over or under knead it can happen too.
Also, also, you might have to wait longer for it to rise. Mine took longer than the recipe time suggested. My trick is to preheat the oven to its lowest temp. Once at temp, turn off. Then I put a dish of water on the top shelf and my bread bowl with a towel on, on the bottom. Then close the oven door, leaving open a crack. The additional heat/moisture really does wonders for it.
Hope one of these tricks help!
I tried this bread recipe and I also folded some cheddar cheese into it, great with cheddar broccoli soup
I made the soup, I’ve been making it for years. I also made the bread bowls. It was the first time in my life it turned out perfect. In the past it was always doughy in the center, but this bread was easy and perfect. I’ll continue to make it. My family loved it!
Perfect! I cut the recipe in half and made 3 bread bowls. Also I added rubbed sage and some granulated garlic for added flavor. They are wonderful and this recipe was so easy and yummy to make. Definitely a new go to recipe. Love it!
My family loves this bread and I want to make it as one whole bread instead of rolls.
Has anyone tried to make it in a Dutch oven. If so at what temperature? For how long? Does the recipe change any? Thanks so much!
Unfortunately I struggled with the bowl shape and my dough stuck to the plastic during the second rise. But the bread itself is delicious. I have been making it just about every weekend for a couple months now as loaves and buns. Now I lightly spray the plastic with oil and then brush the egg wash on after the second rise just before going into the oven, that has worked wonderfully for me. This was an easy recipe to dip my toe into yeast baking. Goodbye store-bought bread! Thanks so much for sharing(:
All went well until I followed your instructions and lightly put the plastic wrap on the bowls for the second rise. The fricking plastic stuck to the dough, and while trying to remove it, the bowl flattened on a couple of them. Why would you recommend this?!! A lot of work for nothing, I am so angry!! Next time I might cover with either parchment paper or nothing at all.
I’m so sorry Patricia, but did you brush the rolls with egg wash first? The plastic wrap wont stick to the dough if the egg wash is applied first.
I spray plastic wrap with cooking spray when I cover dough, it works great and never sticks!
I learned that if you apply oil to the plastic wrap it won’t stick. I use this for sourdough also.
Mine all look flat but I think because I didn’t use enough flour. My dough was not as firm as the video…. that’s what I get for not watching the video first lol
It’s always helpful when dealing with dough to spray canola oil on the plastic wrap and on the parchment paper.
I lightly spray my saran wrap with cooking spray then lightly put it on the bread, then it won’t stick.
You have to cover them or they won’t rise spray the plastic wrap with cooking spray and remember baking takes trial and error
For my daughter’s 18th birthday party, she wanted soup in bread bowls. These turned out perfect! I made them in advance and froze them, then reheated them straight from frozen at 325 for maybe 40 minutes.They were crusty on the outside and fluffy on the inside. The kids carved out the holes themselves. The bread bowls held up great to soup, one kid came back for at least 3 servings, refilling the same bowl! Thank you so much for the wonderful recipe, it helped make my daughter’s party really special.