Homemade Bread Bowls
There’s nothing quite like a hearty soup served in a warm, golden brown bread bowl, especially when it’s homemade. This Homemade Bread Bowls Recipe is so easy to make and creates delicious, edible bowls for your favorite soup or stew!

If it’s your first time baking bread bowls, don’t worry—this step-by-step guide will walk you through the process. With a little bit of patience and a few simple techniques, you’ll have sourdough bread bowls that rival your favorite bakery, all from the comfort of your own kitchen.
Ingredients Needed
- Active Dry Yeast: This is the key to making your bread bowls rise. Be sure to activate it in warm water for the best results.
- Warm Water: Ensures the yeast activates properly; aim for about 110 degrees, warm but not hot.
- Granulated Sugar: A little bit of sugar feeds the yeast, helping the dough rise.
- Salt: Enhances flavor and balances the sweetness from the sugar.
- Bread Flour: Provides the structure for your bread bowls, creating a chewy yet soft texture.
- Olive Oil: Adds moisture to the dough and helps create a smooth, elastic texture.
- Egg Wash: A mixture of egg and milk gives the bread bowls their signature golden brown crust.
While this recipe doesn’t use a sourdough starter, you can add a little sourdough starter for flavor. Just reduce the yeast slightly and adjust the flour to maintain the correct dough consistency.
Brush the insides with a little olive oil or egg wash and bake for an additional 5 minutes to create a moisture barrier.
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Room Temperature: Store cooled bread bowls in an airtight container or wrap them in plastic wrap for up to 2 days.
Freezer: Wrap bread bowls individually in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before reheating.
- Let the Dough Rise in a Warm Place: If your kitchen isn’t warm enough, preheat your oven to 200 degrees, turn it off, and let the dough rise inside with the door slightly ajar.
- Use a Lightly Floured Surface: When kneading or shaping your dough, dust your work area with just enough flour to prevent sticking.
- Score the Dough: Use a sharp knife to carve an X on each dough ball before baking. This helps release air and creates a neat, professional look.
- Cool Before Cutting: Allow the bread bowls to cool completely before cutting out the centers. This makes them easier to handle and reduces the risk of tearing.
How to Make Homemade Bread Bowls
- Place your two packets of active dry yeast into your warm water. Place a towel over the bowl and allow it to sit for 5-10 minutes till it bubbles and is frothy.
- Once your yeast is activated, whisk in your sugar and salt.
- In a large mixing bowl scoop in 3 cups of flour and pour in your yeast mixture. Mix well.
- Once that is good and incorporated, continue to add flour until your dough is no longer sticking to the sides of the bowl. Knead the dough for 6-8 minutes until a ball forms.
- Remove the dough from the mixing ball and spray the inside of the bowl. Rub olive oil over the dough and sit it in a warm environment to rise for about an hour and a half. A tip if you don’t feel like your room is warm enough, is to turn your oven on to 200 degrees and once it is preheated, turn it off and then place your dough in the oven with the door cracked. This allows for your dough to be nice and toasty without cooking it.
- Once your dough as risen you will want to get all the air bubbles out so knead it down and then roll it out into a long loaf shape on a floured surface.
- Now you will cut it into 6 pieces and roll into balls.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place the balls of dough onto a baking sheet, covered in parchment paper. Cover with a clean towel and allow to sit on the stove for 20 minutes while the oven preheats.
- Once they have risen you will do your egg wash over the dough and then carve an X on your balls of dough. This helps get any more air bubbles out and makes it easy to cut your top off when you are ready for your bread bowl.
- Bake in the oven for 30 minutes till golden brown. Allow to cool on a cooling rack. The longer it cools the easier it is to cut.
- Once your dough is cool, you can use a bread knife to cut around the X making a perfect circle. Once you have cut the top off you can start removing the bread from the center and sides of your dough.
- Fill with your favorite soup and enjoy!
Homemade Bread Bowls
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Ingredients
- 2 packets of Active Dry Yeast (about 2 Tablespoons)
- 2 ½ cups of warm water about 110 degrees, warm but not hot
- 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons of salt
- 6-7 cups of bread flour
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- Egg wash made from one egg and a splash of milk
Instructions
- Place your two packets of active dry yeast into your warm water. Place a towel over the bowl and allow it to sit for 5-10 minutes till it bubbles and is frothy.
- Once your yeast is activated, whisk in your sugar and salt.
- In a large mixing bowl scoop in 3 cups of flour and pour in your yeast mixture. Mix well.
- Once that is good and incorporated, continue to add flour until your dough is no longer sticking to the sides of the bowl. Knead the dough for 6-8 minutes until a ball forms.
- Remove the dough from the mixing ball and spray the inside of the bowl. Rub olive oil over the dough and sit it in a warm environment to rise for about an hour and a half. A tip if you don’t feel like your room is warm enough, is to turn your oven on to 200 degrees and once it is preheated, turn it off and then place your dough in the oven with the door cracked. This allows for your dough to be nice and toasty without cooking it.
- Once your dough as risen you will want to get all the air bubbles out so knead it down and then roll it out into a long loaf shape on a floured surface.
- Now you will cut it into 6 pieces and roll into balls.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place the balls of dough onto a baking sheet, covered in parchment paper. Cover with a clean towel and allow to sit on the stove for 20 minutes while the oven preheats.
- Once they have risen you will do your egg wash over the dough and then carve an X on your balls of dough. This helps get any more air bubbles out and makes it easy to cut your top off when you are ready for your bread bowl.
- Bake in the oven for 30 minutes till golden brown. Allow to cool on a cooling rack. The longer it cools the easier it is to cut.
- Once your dough is cool, you can use a bread knife to cut around the X making a perfect circle. Once you have cut the top off you can start removing the bread from the center and sides of your dough.
- Fill with your favorite soup and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer: Family Fresh Meals is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
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