Bread Bowl Recipe

A close-up of golden-brown homemade dinner rolls stacked on top of each other, showing their fluffy texture and lightly crisped crusts—perfect inspiration for your next bread bowl recipe.

5 from 5 votes

These homemade Bread Bowls are soft and chewy on the inside with a golden crispy crust — just $0.79 each, made with simple pantry ingredients, and the copycat Panera bread bowl my family requests every fall soup season.

Prep Time2 45

Cook Time30

Cool15

Total Time3 30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Carrie Barnard

Cost: $4.71, $0.79 per Servings

Ingredients

For the Bread Bowls:

1 ½ Tablespoons Dry Active Yeast 2 packages
7 cups All Purpose Flour
2 ½ cups Warmed Water 105-110 Fahrenheit
4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter melted
2 Tablespoon Granulated Sugar and 1 teaspoon Granulated Sugar
2 teaspoons Salt

For the Egg Wash:

1 Large Egg
1 Tablespoon Milk

Instructions

Add the warm water, yeast, and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Let sit for 5 minutes, or until the yeast is foamy and activated.
Stir in the melted butter.
Gradually add the flour and salt. Mix on low speed until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
Knead the dough with the mixer for about 5 minutes. The dough should be tacky but not sticky. If needed, gradually add more flour until the desired consistency is reached.
Place the dough in an oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover with a towel and let rise for 1½–2 hours, or until doubled in size.
Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces and shape each piece into a ball.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet.
Use a sharp knife to cut a small “X” into the top of each dough ball.
Brush the tops of the dough balls with the egg wash.
Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 30–40 minutes, or until doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until golden brown.
Let cool for 15–20 minutes, or until cool enough to handle.
Using a serrated knife, cut a round from the top of each bread bowl. Gently scoop out the center, fill with your favorite soup, and serve.

Notes

You can store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days. But we love serving them fresh and warm right after they are baked!

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