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Easy Homemade Bread Bowls: Soft Inside, Crusty Outside

A freshly baked, round artisan bread bowl with a golden, cracked crust and visible airy interior.
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Learn how to make bakery-style homemade bread bowls from scratch. This easy recipe yields soft, chewy interiors and perfectly crusty exteriors, making them ideal for serving your favorite soups, chili, or dips.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups warm water (105°F to 115°F)
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 3 ½ to 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 large egg, beaten (for egg wash)
  • 1 tablespoon water (for egg wash)

Instructions

  1. Activate the yeast: In a large bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let this stand for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy.
  2. Mix the dough: Add 3 ½ cups of flour and the salt to the yeast mixture. Mix with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
  3. Knead the dough: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes, adding small amounts of the remaining flour only if the dough is too sticky. The dough should be smooth and elastic.
  4. First rise: Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 to 1 ½ hours, or until doubled in size.
  5. Shape the bowls: Gently punch down the risen dough. Divide it into 4 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a tight, round ball. Place the dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving space between them.
  6. Second rise: Cover the shaped dough balls loosely and let them rest for 30 minutes.
  7. Preheat and prepare: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Mix the beaten egg with 1 tablespoon of water to create an egg wash.
  8. Bake the bread bowls: Brush the tops of the dough balls evenly with the egg wash. This helps create a golden, crusty bread bowl exterior. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tops are deep golden brown and the bottoms sound hollow when tapped.
  9. Cool and hollow: Let the bread bowls cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before serving. To serve, use a sharp knife to cut a circle in the top of each loaf. Gently pull out the soft interior bread, leaving a sturdy wall about ¾ inch thick to hold your soup or chili.

Notes

  • For a Panera style bread bowl, brush the tops with melted butter mixed with a pinch of salt immediately after they come out of the oven.
  • Use the removed soft bread for dipping into the soup or making croutons.
  • These edible soup bowls are perfect for serving hearty beef stew or creamy clam chowder.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookingbycarla.com/easy-homemade-bread-bowls-recipe/