Homemade Bread Bowl Recipe (2024)

Updated BySam 46 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.

Jump to RecipeJump to VideoPrint Recipe

Today I’ll be showing you how to make my homemade bread bowl recipe completely from scratch. This sturdy recipe is perfect for serving with your favorite soup or dip! I’ll walk you through all of the steps in my how-to video!

Homemade Bread Bowl Recipe (1)

Because why eat soup out of a regular bowl when you can eat it out of a bowl made of bread?

On Monday, when I shared my broccoli cheddar soup recipe, I promised that I’d soon be sharing a bread bowl recipe for you to put it in. Well here it is!

This recipe is perfect for the beginner bread baker. It’s simple with only a handful of ingredients, can easily be cut in half if you’re not trying to serve 6, can be made with or without a stand mixer, and yields a sturdy bowl-shaped loaf of bread that’s great for filling with your favorite soup or dip. Let’s get to it.

Homemade Bread Bowl Recipe (2)

Ingredients

There are only a few very basic ingredients you need for this bread bowl recipe:

  • Water. This needs to be warmed to 105-110F. Too cool and your yeast won’t activate. Too hot and you’ll kill your yeast. And what did that yeast ever do to you to deserve that?
  • Yeast.Active dry.
  • Sugar.Helps our yeast grow but also adds flavor to the bread bowls.
  • Butter. I went back and forth between using butter and olive oil for this recipe. Butter yielded a fluffier texture and better flavor.
  • Flour. I’ve tested this recipe using all-purpose and bread flour. Bread flour yields a higher/taller, rounder (more bowl-shaped) bread bowl with a chewier center and is what I recommend.
  • Salt. You will need 1 Tablespoon. That’s not a typo! Salt adds some much-needed flavor. Our bread bowls need to taste good and not just look good!
  • Cornmeal. Sprinkling a bit of cornmeal over your baking sheet or parchment paper helps to keep the bread bowls from sticking to the pan.

A Few Notes on the Method

The recipe itself is as straightforward as the ingredient list. I use my stand mixer to make the dough, but if you don’t have one you can do it by hand. You will have to use a little muscle to work the dough together until the proper consistency is reached and then knead by hand until the consistency indicated in the recipe is achieved.

Scoring the dough (cutting an “X” into the top of each loaf) is done to encourage the rolls to expand upwards in the oven. Use a sharp knife.

We brush the dough twice with egg wash, once before baking and then again halfway through. This encourages a deep golden brown crust, deeper than it would be if you were to only brush your bread bowls once.

Homemade Bread Bowl Recipe (3)

Tips

  • Brush your bread bowl dough with egg wash and score itbefore letting them rise. I did not do this in my video, and if you watch it you’ll see one of my bread bowls deflated pretty badly. As did my ego.
  • Let your bread bowl cool before slicing.
  • Use a serrated knife and a sawing motion to slice the top off of your bowl without squishing it.
  • Bread bowls are best served warm and fresh (isn’t all bread) but will keep for 2-3 days in an airtight container at room temperature.

What to Serve In Your Bread Bowl

Time to fill it up! Basically any soup will work well in this bread bowl recipe, but here are a few of my favorites:

  • Lasagna Soup
  • Potato Soup
  • Corn Chowder
  • Chicken noodle soup
  • Chili (OK, not a soup, but still great)

When it comes to soups, thicker soups (like my butternut squash soup) are ideal, while thinner ones (like French onion soup) don’t work quite as well. Dips are also great, reserve the bread you’ve torn out for dipping purposes! I love serving dill dip in a bread bowl.

Homemade Bread Bowl Recipe (4)

Enjoy!

More Bread Recipes You Might Like:

  • Dinner Rolls
  • Garlic Knots
  • Homemade Biscuits
  • Soft Pretzels

Are you more of a visual learner? Check out my YouTube channel where I show you how I make this recipe step-by-step in my own kitchen.

Homemade Bread Bowl Recipe (5)

Bread Bowl Recipe

Today I'll be showing you how to make homemade bread bowls completely from scratch. I recommend reading through the recipe and watching the video (below the recipe) before beginning.

5 from 15 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Bread

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Rising Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 bread bowls

Calories: 670kcal

Author: Sam Merritt

Ingredients

  • 2 ½ cup warm water heated to 105-110F (40-45C)
  • 5 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 4 Tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
  • 7 cups (870 g) bread flour plus additional as needed
  • 1 Tablespoon salt
  • Cornmeal for sprinkling baking pan

EGG WASH

  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon water

Recommended Equipment

Instructions

  • Combine warm water, yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook¹. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes or until foamy.

    2 ½ cup warm water, 5 teaspoons active dry yeast, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

  • Add melted butter and stir until combined,

    4 Tablespoons unsalted butter

  • In a separate bowl, stir together remaining 4 Tablespoons sugar, flour, and salt.

    4 Tablespoons granulated sugar, 7 cups (870 g) bread flour plus additional as needed, 1 Tablespoon salt

  • Turn mixer to low speed and gradually add flour mixture until combined. Dough should be soft and slightly tacky to the touch. If needed, add additional flour one Tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached. Continue to knead dough with dough hook (or transfer to a clean surface and knead by hand) until dough is elastic and smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

  • Transfer to a lightly oiled large bowl. Roll the surface of the dough through the oil, cover with a clean towel, and allow to rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size (about 1-2 hours).

  • Gently deflate the dough and divide into 6 even pieces and roll each into a ball.

  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle liberally with cornmeal.

    Cornmeal

  • Transfer dough balls to baking sheet, spacing several inches apart. Use a sharp knife to make an “X” on the top center of each dough ball. Prepare your egg wash by whisking together egg and 1 teaspoon water. Brush bread bowls generously with egg wash (don't discard this, you'll need it again a bit later on).

    1 large egg, 1 teaspoon water

  • Cover with a clean towel and allow to rise while you preheat your oven to 425F (220C).

  • Once oven is preheated, bread bowls should have almost doubled in size.

  • Transfer risen bread bowls to 425F (220C) oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and brush once more with egg wash. Return to oven and bake another 15 minutes or until golden brown and bread bowls sound hollow when tapped.

  • Allow to cool completely.

  • Once cooled, use a serrated knife to slice off the top of each bread bowl. Use a knife or just your fingers to hollow out the center of each bread bowl, then use as desired!

Notes

¹You can make this in a large bowl by hand, but it will be an arm workout to get all of the ingredients combined and you will need to knead the dough on a clean surface until the indicated consistency is reached.

You may make 8 smaller bread bowls, if desired. Keep in mind they will need to bake for less time.

Bread bowls are best served warm and fresh, but will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bread bowl | Calories: 670kcal | Carbohydrates: 119g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 1188mg | Potassium: 251mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 273IU | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.

Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!

Homemade Bread Bowl Recipe (6)

« Eclairs

Cookies and Cream Cookies »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Ruth

    Homemade Bread Bowl Recipe (7)
    Sam, can you leave out the sugar in the flour without consequence or compromise? The added sugar for a diabetic is added trouble as the bread itself is a carbo blast.
    Thanks.

    Reply

    • Sam

      Hi Ruth! You can leave it out, but the bread bowls won’t be as moist and flavorful. 🙁

      Reply

  2. Grace

    Homemade Bread Bowl Recipe (8)
    I made this for my family last weekend, and it was so much of a hit that they asked for it again this weekend. Is there a difference in using towel to cover when rising versus covering the bow with cling wrap? Won’t the towel stick to the dough when it rises?

    Reply

    • Sam

      Hi Grace! The dough shouldn’t rise enough to get to the towel. Cling wrap will work as well. 🙂

      Reply

    • Pam

      Homemade Bread Bowl Recipe (9)
      I use a plastic shower cap to cover my bowl. This reduces waste since it can be used many times.
      if you oil your bowl well enough and turn the dough to coat, the dough shouldn’t stick to anything.

      Reply

  3. Barbra-Anne

    Homemade Bread Bowl Recipe (10)
    I made bread bowls! How freaking cool! This recipe made it so simple! I can’t wait to make them again – I used some to make toast, French toast and grilled cheese also!

    Reply

    • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

      Yay! 👏 Sounds like this one was a big success for you, Barbra-Anne!

      Reply

  4. Taryn

    Hi Sam, is this recipe suitable for freezing?
    thanks, Taryn

    Reply

    • Sam

      Hi Taryn! I haven’t tried freezing it myself, but it should freeze as well as any other bread you would make at home. 🙂

      Reply

  5. Terri White

    Homemade Bread Bowl Recipe (11)
    This was my first ever attempt at using yeast. The instructions and video are so helpful. It was a huge success! There are only two of us at home but I still made 6 bowls because there’s no such thing as too much bread. I brushed 3 with egg and left 3 plain, just to see. The ones with egg wash were prettier and I won’t skip that step in the future. I knew my cookie sheets would be too small for 6 so I baked 3 at a time on two separate sheets. We used two for homemade New England clam chowder, gave 2 to my neighbor with some chowder and guess what? I sliced the last 2. I used the slices for grilled cheese, French toast and garlic bread. These bread bowls are really versatile! I will make them again.

    Reply

    • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

      We’re so happy they were a success for you, Terri! Baking with yeast can be daunting at first, but it sounds like your bread bowls turned out beautifully. Thanks so much for your review 🙂

      Reply

  6. Hoku

    Hi! I’m making this right now by hand. I’m noticing the dough is ripping while needing but it’s not quite at a super smooth (think pizza dough) consistency. Should I let it rest and then continue needing? Should I add more liquid? Thank you.

    Reply

    • Sam

      I’m so sorry this happened! It may have had a little bit too much flour in the dough. I wouldn’t try adding more ingredients at this point. 🙁 I hope they turned out for you!

      Reply

    • Kristin

      Can I use fast acting instant yeast?

      Reply

      • Sam

        Hi Kristin! I haven’t tried using instant yeast so I can’t say exactly how it would need to be done. Let me know how it goes if you try it. 🙂

  7. Bev

    Homemade Bread Bowl Recipe (12)
    I made these last weekend and they did not disappoint! So fresh and delicious! Highly recommend.

    Reply

    • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

      Wonderful! Thanks for letting us know how they turned out for you, Bev! 😊

      Reply

« Older Comments

Leave a Reply

Homemade Bread Bowl Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What type of bread is a bread bowl made of? ›

When is comes to making bread bowls, we prefer a round crusty loaf of artisanal or sourdough bread. This shape is sometimes referred to as a boule, which comes from the French word for ball. We use boules to create bread bowls for French Onion Soup.

How do bread bowls not get soggy? ›

An issue that a home cook may encounter is bread bowls becoming too soggy too quickly. To avoid this sad fate, toasting your bread bowl is an easy preventative measure. Above all, a bread bowl's main job is to hold its soupy contents.

What is the point of a bread bowl? ›

What is a Bread Bowl? You may have seen Bread Bowls at your local Panera Bread or Dominos. They are basically a large bread roll, hollowed out and filled with soup – and then you get to eat the bowl! Simply cut out the center of your bread bowl, fill with a delicious creamy soup, and enjoy.

What do you do with the inside of a bread bowl? ›

Bread bowls are wonderful for serving dips

You can even use the leftover bread from hollowing out the bowl to go with the dip — just insert toothpicks into the bread cubes and spread them out around the dip-filled bread bowl. Making the dip is just as easy.

What bread does Panera use for bread bowls? ›

Crafted from the same artisan Sourdough bread used in the classic Bread Bowl, the Double Bread Bowl features a crunchy crust and chewy center that pairs perfectly with all Panera soups, from sweet Creamy Tomato to the cheesy goodness of Broccoli Cheddar.

What is another name for a bread bowl? ›

Let's start by kicking any confusion… Bread Boule (ball) = Bowl. The season of hearty fare and soups is upon us, and so to is the need for us to come up with fun creative dishes to match the changing appetites of our guests. One such fun seasonal alternative is the bread boule.

Why do bakers not like bread bowls? ›

That's because when it's turned into a bowl, much of the dough is carved out and discarded, which is just a waste of food. Not only should bakers hate it, but we all should! There are enough people in the world with food insecurity that we shouldn't be throwing out perfectly good bread.

Why is my homemade bread soggy? ›

Let your dough rise enough before baking it

If the dough doesn't fill out with gas, perhaps because it hasn't had time to rise properly, the inside of the loaf will remain soggy and dense as the dough won't bake properly. You should therefore leave plenty of time for your dough to rise.

What does Panera do with the inside of bread bowls? ›

They usually keep the inside of the bread bowl on the inside of the lid part. I then rip off pieces and dip them into my soup.

What is Panera bread bowl made of? ›

Detailed Ingredients

Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Water, Contains less than 2% off: Cultured Wheat Flour, Vinegar, Ascorbic Acid, Enzymes, Malt (Malted Barley Flour, Wheat Flour, Tapioca Dextrin), Salt, Vital Wheat Gluten, Yeast.

What is the correct way to eat a bread bowl? ›

There's no wrong way to eat a bread bowl, but you might be wondering how to approach it. Treat the bread bowl like a regular bowl of soup and use a spoon to eat the actual soup, chili, or chowder. Then, have fun cutting or tearing apart the bread bowl itself.

How do you cut bread for a bread bowl? ›

To cut a bread bowl, start by removing the top of the loaf in a circular motion, similar to cutting a lid. Then, use your knife to carefully hollow out the inside, leaving a thick border around the edges. Finally, cut the removed bread into cubes or slices to serve alongside the filling.

What decor to put in bread bowl? ›

What do you put in a spring dough bowl?
  1. Bunny figure or statue.
  2. Faux eggs or egg gourds.
  3. Green moss.
  4. Old books (hit up the thrift store for these!)
  5. Fresh or faux plant.
  6. Fresh or faux greenery.
  7. Pretty planter.
  8. Brown Kraft paper. (I always keep a roll handy to use for so many things!)

How were antique bread bowls used? ›

Traditionally, this type of bowl was used for bread making. The ingredients were mixed and kneaded into dough in the bowl, then covered with a cloth and left to rise.

What bread is known as pocket bread? ›

Pita, also Pitta, breads, also called Arabic bread, balady, shamy, Syrian bread, and pocket bread, are circular, leavened double-layered flat breads that originated in the Middle East. It is prepared with flour, water, baker's yeast, and salt.

What kind of bread do they eat in New Orleans? ›

This thin-crusted variety of French Bread—more commonly known as the Baguette, Po' Boy Loaf or Sunday Cap Bread—is fundamental to the New Orleans gastronomy. Each version of the French bread is slightly different. The baguette is the traditional 18-inch loaf that is served in many New Orleans restaurants.

What are 4 types of bread? ›

So whether you're a bread lover or just curious about the varieties offered, read on and discover your new favourite bread.
  • White bread. White bread is the most common type of bread in many countries. ...
  • Wholewheat bread. ...
  • Rye bread. ...
  • Sourdough bread. ...
  • Multigrain bread. ...
  • Baguette. ...
  • Ciabatta. ...
  • Pumpernickel bread.
Feb 7, 2023

What are bread pans made of? ›

The bread pan is made from a conductive material such as metal which might be treated with a non-stick coating. It can also be made of heat-resistant glass, ceramic, or a special type of paper that sticks to the dough but is easily removed, once cooked.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Mr. See Jast

Last Updated:

Views: 6520

Rating: 4.4 / 5 (55 voted)

Reviews: 94% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Mr. See Jast

Birthday: 1999-07-30

Address: 8409 Megan Mountain, New Mathew, MT 44997-8193

Phone: +5023589614038

Job: Chief Executive

Hobby: Leather crafting, Flag Football, Candle making, Flying, Poi, Gunsmithing, Swimming

Introduction: My name is Mr. See Jast, I am a open, jolly, gorgeous, courageous, inexpensive, friendly, homely person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.