Homemade Bread Bowls
Imagine the aroma of freshly baked homemade bread bowls, crispy outside and soft inside, ready to hold your favorite soups or pasta.
Bread Bowls Fresh From The Oven!
When I first started my cooking journey, I had this grand idea of replacing all the store-bought goodies with homemade treasures. Bread was one of my first conquests. And not just any bread – bread bowls. Because, you know, go big or go home, right?
Up until then, bread bowls felt like something you’d only find in a fancy restaurant, crafted by experts. I mean, if you screw them up they will ruin a meal. But I decided to give it a shot. My first attempt? Great on the outside, dense as a brick on the inside. Not exactly the fluffy, dreamy texture I was aiming for.
So, I made some tweaks – a little milk here, a bit less flour there – and voilà ! I ended up with the perfect bread bowl: firm enough to hold hearty fillings, but soft and tender inside.
Why You’ll Love These Bread Bowls
- Sturdy enough to handle Sloppy Joes or thick, creamy soups without falling apart.
- Bakes up beautifully golden brown thanks to the egg wash.
- Leftovers make amazing croutons or breadcrumbs. Waste not, want not!
Now that you’ve mastered Italian bread bowls, the possibilities are endless. Fill them with Vegetable Beef Soup, Kid-friendly No-bean Chili, or some smoky Barbeque Pulled Pork. Or get creative with creamy pasta.
These bread bowls aren’t just holding your meal – they’re enhancing it. Happy baking!
Visual Process for Making Homemade Bread Bowls
Step 1
Bloom Yeast
Its so much fun to watch the yeast come alive.
Yeast before Blooming 
Yeast After Blooming
Step 2
Make Bread Bowl Dough
Mix in the rest of the ingredients, knead and then let it rest in a warm place until it doubles in size, called bulk fermentation or first proof.
Note: I don’t oil my bowl at this step because in my experience it makes it harder to shape the dough later.
Unproofed -
Proofed
Step 3
Shape Bread Bowls
Divide the dough into 6-8 pieces. Then shape each into a bread bowl shape (round and tall). Then let the bread bowls proof for 30 minutes or so until nearly doubled in size.
-
Divide -
Shape -
Proof
Step 4
Bake
Egg wash goes all over the bread bowls before they bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Let them cool completely before filling them.
Other Homemade Bread Recipes
- Multigrain Bread – Kinda like Dave’s Killer Bread
- Challah Bread – A traditional Jewish bread
- Homemade Brioche Bread – aka French Toast Bread
- Multigrain Maple Cinnamon Yeast Bread
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Homemade Bread Bowls
Equipment
- Dough Scraper
- Parchment Paper
Ingredients
- ¾ cup warm water
- 2¼ teaspoon active dry yeast
- 2 teaspoons honey
- ½ cup milk
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 large egg (for egg wash)
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- To the bowl of a stand mixer, add ¾ cup warm water and 2 teaspoons honey. Stir to combine. Then add 2¼ teaspoon active dry yeast to the top. Let this sit for 3-5 minutes or until it comes to life and gets frothy.
- Add ½ cup milk, 3 tablespoons melted butter, 1 large eggg, 4 cups all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon salt. Knead the dough for 5-6 minutes or until it appears smooth and the dough bounces back when you press a finger into it.
- Shape using the Dough Drag Method: To shape the perfect dough ball, start by placing your dough on a lightly floured surface. Begin folding the edges into the center to create tension. Flip the dough over so the smooth side is facing up. Using both hands, gently pull the dough ball towards you, creating tension on the surface. The friction between the dough and the counter will help tighten the ball and create a smooth, round shape. Rotate the dough slightly and repeat the pulling motion a few times until the dough feels firm and holds its shape. This technique helps build structure in the dough, allowing it to rise higher and hold its shape during baking — essential for a sturdy, leak-proof bread bowl.
- Allow dough it to rise until doubled in size.
- Divide the dough into 6-8 pieces using a dough scraper.
- Shape each piece into a bread bowl shape.
- Place bread bowls on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and allow them to rise until roughly doubled in size.
- Preheat your oven to 400℉.In a small bowl whick together 1 egg and 1 tablespoon water. Brush the mixture on each bowl using a pastry brush so it will have a nice golden color when done.Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the bread bowls from oven and let them cool on a wire rack.
- Make the bread bowl by gently cutting out the center of the bowl and using your fingers to pick out the remaining dough, leaving 3/4 inch of bread around all edges. Save the inside for dipping if desired.
Notes
- I do not oil my proofing bowl on purpose. When you add oil it makes the dough not want to come together and my bread loaves never end up looking like I want them to. I never have issues with it sticking or being too dry so I don’t do it.Â
- Some recipes call for cornmeal for the bottom of the bread bowl. I don’t use it. If you want to use it, sprinkle it on the cookie sheet before you put your bread bowls on to rise the second time.
- Here’s a little tip: invest in a real pastry brush for that egg wash. I used a silicone basting brush, and it was a challenge to get an even coat, which is why mine looked a bit streaky. After these beauties came out of the oven, I ordered a proper pastry brush from Amazon!