This simple Bread Bowl recipe is a seasonal favorite the kids ask for every fall as we settle into soup season. Homemade bread bowls are a fun, comforting way to serve soups, chilis, and stews — each person gets their own edible bowl, warm and ready for scooping.
These individual bread bowls bake up golden and crusty on the outside with a soft, tender center that’s perfect for ladling in hot soup. Best of all, the recipe uses just a few basic pantry ingredients and comes together easily from scratch.
The dough is straightforward to make, rises reliably, and bakes into sturdy little bowls that hold creamy soups and hearty stews without falling apart too quickly. Try them with favorites like Broccoli Cheddar Soup, Cheesy Potato Soup, or a rich Creamy Tomato Basil Soup.
Why you’ll love it + why it works
- Great for hosting: Individual bread bowls make serving soup simple and elegant when family or friends gather.
- Comforting and fun: Serving soup inside a warm, homemade bread bowl turns an ordinary dinner into something special.
- Quick-rise yeast: Rapid-rise yeast speeds up the process so you can enjoy fresh bread bowls without a long wait.
- Kid-friendly: Everyone gets a personal bowl to dig into — a hit with kids and adults alike.
Bread Bowl Recipe Ingredients
- Warm water — 1½ cups (110–115°F): activates the yeast and provides the moisture the dough needs. Keeping the water at the right temperature ensures reliable rise.
- Oil — 2 tablespoons: adds tenderness and moisture to the crumb.
- Sugar — 2 tablespoons: feeds the yeast and helps the crust brown.
- Salt — 1 teaspoon: balances flavor and moderates yeast activity.
- Rapid-rise yeast — ¾ tablespoon: yields a quick, consistent rise. Instant yeast may be used as a substitute.
- Bread flour — 4 cups, plus more as needed: gives structure for sturdy bread bowls while keeping a soft interior. The dough should remain slightly tacky; add flour gradually. If you don’t have bread flour, use all-purpose flour and add 1½ teaspoons vital wheat gluten per cup, or simply use all-purpose in a pinch.
How to Make Bread Bowls
DOUGH. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 1½ cups warm water, ¾ tablespoon rapid-rise yeast, 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 cups of flour. Stir until incorporated.
Add the remaining flour ½ cup at a time, mixing after each addition, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and is smooth but still slightly tacky.
Knead the dough until smooth and elastic (about 6–8 minutes by hand or 4–5 minutes in a stand mixer). Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let it rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
FORM. Gently punch down the dough and divide it into six equal pieces. Shape each piece into a tight ball and arrange them on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.
Use a sharp knife to score an X on the top of each ball. Cover lightly with a clean kitchen towel and let rise again until doubled, about 30–45 minutes.
BAKE. During the last 15 minutes of rising, preheat the oven to 400°F. Bake the rolls for 15 minutes, or until they are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely before cutting.
SERVE. To serve, use a serrated knife to cut a circle from the top of each bread bowl. Cut along the inside perimeter, leaving about ½ inch of bread at the sides so the bowl remains sturdy. Remove the center carefully without tearing the bottom. Ladle hot soup into the hollow and serve immediately.
Speed up the rise time
If you need the dough to rise faster, place it in a warmer environment such as a proofing drawer, near a sunny window, on top of a warm oven, or over a bowl of hot water to create gentle warmth and humidity.
Recipe tips
- Start with the listed flour amount and add more gradually so the dough stays soft and slightly tacky rather than dry.
- Score an X on top of each ball so the rolls rise and expand evenly upward.
- Divide the dough into six equal pieces so the bread bowls bake evenly and hold similar portions.
- Allow the bread bowls to cool before cutting into them so the interior sets and won’t collapse.
- Bread bowls pair best with creamier or chunkier soups rather than thin, broth-based bowls.
- Save the removed centers to make homemade croutons or use them for dipping into the soup.
Bread Bowl Recipe
Ingredients
- 1½ cups warm water (110–115°F)
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ tablespoon rapid-rise yeast
- 4 cups bread flour plus more as needed
Instructions
- In a large bowl or stand mixer bowl, combine warm water, oil, sugar, salt, yeast, and 2 cups of flour. Stir to combine.
- Add remaining flour ½ cup at a time until the dough pulls away from the bowl and is smooth but slightly tacky.
- Knead until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled, about 1 hour.
- Punch down the dough gently and divide into six equal pieces. Shape each into a tight ball and place on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Cut an X on top of each dough ball with a sharp knife. Cover lightly and let rise until doubled, 30–45 minutes. Preheat oven to 400°F during the last 15 minutes of rising.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.
- To serve, cut a circle from the top and scoop out the center, leaving about ½ inch on the sides. Ladle in hot soup and serve immediately.
Notes
Recipe tips.
- Add extra flour gradually so the dough remains soft and slightly tacky rather than dry.
- Scoring the dough helps the rolls rise evenly and keeps the tops from splitting unpredictably.
- Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot for best results.
- Divide dough evenly so all bread bowls bake at the same rate and hold similar portions.
- Allow the bowls to cool before cutting so the structure sets.
- Bread bowls are best paired with thicker, creamier soups and stews.
Store. Store cooled bread bowls in bread bags for 2–3 days or keep them in the refrigerator to extend shelf life a few more days. To freeze, wrap in plastic and foil and store up to 3 months. Thaw before cutting to serve.
Freeze the dough. After the first rise, punch down the dough and divide into six balls. Freeze the balls on a baking sheet until solid, then wrap each one with plastic and place in a freezer bag. To use, thaw covered at room temperature until doubled and bake as directed.
Nutrition
Calories: 359 kcal
Carbohydrates: 65 g
Protein: 10 g
Fat: 6 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Use the centers to make homemade croutons or dry them to make breadcrumbs. They’re also great for dipping in the soup or saving for stuffing recipes.
Store cooled bread bowls in bread bags at room temperature for 2–3 days, refrigerate to extend life a few more days, or freeze wrapped in plastic and foil for up to 3 months. Thaw before cutting and serving.
Yes. After the first rise, divide the dough into six balls, freeze them on a baking sheet until solid, then wrap and bag. Thaw covered at room temperature until doubled, then bake as directed.
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Chicken Corn Chowder — 25 mins
Broccoli Cheese Soup — 35 mins
Cheesy Potato Soup — 3 hrs 5 mins
Creamy Tomato Basil Soup — 55 mins
This recipe was first shared August 2020.