This Dutch Oven No Knead Bread is the perfect way to make a delicious, crusty artisan loaf in the comfort of your own home! Best of all? It takes only FIVE MINUTES of prep, and you don’t have to ever touch the sticky dough with your hands! With a short, two-hour total rise time, you can make this for dinner tonight.
I’m a good cook. I mean, I’m allowed to brag about that… I’ve built a career out of it with this website. But until now, I’ve had the HARDEST time making a good homemade bread.
Am I alone in this? Homemade bread has always eluded me and been a real challenge. My homemade breads have always been too flat, too dry, too hard, too annoying and sticky to work with, etc.
UNTIL NOW.
YOU GUYS. I finally cracked the code for homemade bread that isn’t a hassle and is so amazingly delicious, moist, with fluffy holes, and with the perfect crusty crust!
You can use all-purpose flour – no need for fancy bread flour!
This is the only no knead bread recipe you’ll need, and it’s great for beginner bread bakers. The Dutch oven is key for developing a perfect crusty crust and keeping the inside perfectly moist, and best of all, you don’t EVER have to touch the super sticky dough with your hands!
You can let this dough rise for only 2 hours and bake it right away, OR you can keep the dough in your fridge for up to 7 days and use when you want to. Unlike other no-knead bread recipes that require 12 hours minimum rise time.
Here are all the details.
First of all, what is no knead bread?
No knead bread is, as the name suggests, bread that can be made without kneading the dough. No need to knead. Hah!
The dough is notoriously very loose and sticky, which can make it a little frustrating to work with (which is why I developed this method to not touch it at all- it takes a lot of that frustration away!).
No knead bread loafs do not need a second rise time, like a traditional loaf. The bread doesn’t have enough structure to rise “up,” and instead will flatten out and fill the shape of whatever you are making (Note: you CAN do a second rise time with no knead focaccia, which is a flatter bread type.)
The lack of a second rise results in two things: first, a faster overall time to make. And the second: it won’t have as many holes as a kneaded bread dough.
While I love a good fluffy artisan bread with holes for days, I think the pros here outweigh the cons. The bread DOES have some good holes, it’s got a great texture, and the fact that it’s so easy and hassle free is enough to make me never want to make a kneaded artisan loaf again!
How to make no knead dough
You only need water, yeast, flour, and salt for this no knead bread dough.
- First, warm the water (1.5 cups) to about 100 degrees F. A little more or less is fine. I usually measure it in my pyrex measuring cup and put it in the microwave for about 40 seconds, then take the temperature with a meat thermometer to make sure it’s the right temp. Don’t go any hotter than 110 degrees F – it might kill the yeast.
- Then, add the warm water to a large bowl, along with a packet of yeast, or 2.25 teaspoons (instant or active dry is fine) and 1/2 tablespoon of table salt (or 2 teaspoons kosher salt). Whisk together until the yeast and salt are dissolved.
- Finally, add the flour – 3.25 cups – all at once, and stir with a wooden spoon until everything is uniformly wet.
I like to use a silicone spatula to scrape the dough off the wooden spoon, as it will be quite sticky and loose.
Letting the dough rise
Once the dough is mixed, just cover it with a kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm-ish spot for two or three hours. It should double in size at least.
If your house is cold, I recommend turning your oven on for a few seconds, turning it off, and placing the bowl in the warm oven with the door closed to trap the heat in.
If you’re using your oven to cook something (or in the next step when you need to preheat your Dutch oven), you can leave the bowl on top of the stove- the vented heat at the top will help it rise well.
You can also get some really hot water in a mug or glass measuring cup, stick it in the microwave, and place the bowl next to it. Shut the door to the microwave- this will trap the warmth and steam inside.
If your house is warm, you can just leave it out.
If it’s warm outside, you can leave the bowl outside.
Storing the dough in your fridge
After the dough has risen for 2 hours, you can bake it immediately. But if you like, you can stick it in your refrigerator for up to 7 days until you’re ready to bake it!
Cold dough is a little easier to handle, so that’s a pro for this.
I recommend using plastic wrap or something more airtight to cover the bowl when you put it in the fridge. If you know you are making this dough days in advance, you can mix it up in a container, keep the lid on ajar while it’s rising and then seal the lid when you put it in the fridge.
The taste will get funkier as time goes on- by the 7th day, the bread will taste more like sourdough. And the dough will collapse over time- don’t worry about this.
Preheating the Dutch Oven
You want your Dutch oven to be good and hot for baking the bread so it gets a chance to crisp up properly on the outside.
About 30 minutes to an hour before you want to bake the bread, place the Dutch Oven, with the lid on, on the center rack of your oven and turn your oven on to 450 degrees F. Once it reaches 450, keep preheating the Dutch Oven for about 20 minutes.
Be very careful when handling the hot Dutch oven, as it’s very heavy and gets searing hot.
Forming the loaf
Here’s my favorite part! This is how to make the sticky mess of a dough into a loaf without having to touch it with your hands.
- First, lay a piece of parchment paper on your counter and sprinkle some flour on the bottom part closest to you.
- Then, use a silicone spatula to scrape the dough in a pile onto the floured part. Try to be gentle. The more you handle the dough, the more gasses escape, and the fewer fluffy holes there will be in the loaf.
- Use the silicone spatula to form it into a “loaf” shape, scooping up the dough from the bottom of the pile and placing it on top. You don’t need to do much of this- you just want it to be less of a “pile” and more of a “loaf.” You may also want to make it circular or oval shaped, depending on what shape your Dutch oven is.
- Finally, grab the corners of the parchment paper closest to you and use them to gently flip the loaf onto the center of the sheet of parchment. It may be a little misshapen, which is fine. If it bothers you, you can use the spatula to try to shape it some more but keep in mind, the more you handle it, the less fluffy the loaf will be.
At this point, before putting it in the Dutch oven, you can use a very sharp knife or clean razor blade to make a few cuts about 1/2″ deep in the top of the loaf. I did this with mine in a cross shape from end to end in both directions. This will help it rise up a little more in the oven and get some browner crustier bits. But it’s totally optional.
Baking the bread
Once you have the loaf shape in the center of your parchment, open your oven door and take the lid off the Dutch oven (USING POTHOLDERS of course).
Then, grab the sides of the parchment paper and transfer the loaf to the Dutch oven. Place the cover BACK ON (USING POTHOLDERS FOR THE LOVE OF GOD), and bake at 450 degrees for about 35 minutes.
I know I keep yelling about potholders but too often I’ve reached absentmindedly for the lid of a Dutch oven thinking it’s going to be cool but it’s searing hot. It’s easy to make that mistake!
Once the 35 minutes are up, take the lid OFF, and bake for another 5-10 minutes, until it’s golden brown.
Stop for a moment, and inhale deeply. The smell of fresh-baked bread is one of the best things in the world.
Finally, remove the bread by holding the parchment paper, and place on a wire rack or a cutting board to cool. You want it to cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
AND YOU’RE DONE! Congrats on your gorgeous artisan Dutch oven bread!
Why does the lid to the Dutch Oven need to be on while it bakes?
The key to moist bread with a perfectly crusty crust is that it needs to be baked in a humid environment. I know it seams counter-intuitive, but it really works.
The lid to the Dutch oven traps the steam from the sticky dough inside, making it a perfect bread baking environment.
Then, taking the lid off for the last bit of cooking helps really brown the top of the loaf without it over-drying.
It’s truly a miracle to behold. And it’s why we can call it “artisan bread!”
But what if I don’t have a Dutch Oven?
Glad you asked.
This bread is possible to make without a Dutch oven, but you won’t get the same amazingly crusty results. Don’t let that stop you- just temper your expectations a bit.
You can bake the bread, on parchment paper since the dough is so sticky, on a baking sheet or, preferably, in a preheated cast iron skillet.
Here’s what you can do to help make it extra tasty with a crusty crust.
Create a humid environment in your oven by placing a rimmed baking sheet on the bottom rack while the oven preheats. When you add the bread to the oven, pour about 4 cups of water onto the preheated baking sheet. This will create steam as the cold water hits the hot metal. Close the oven door as fast as you can to trap the steam inside.
Can I use another kind of flour?
I used all-purpose for this crusty artisan bread, but you can use bread flour if you like.
You can also use part whole wheat flour– I recommend substituting 1 cup of the AP flour with whole wheat. A 100% whole wheat loaf has not been tested, but it might work.
I haven’t tried using a gluten-free flour mix for this and therefore cannot recommend it. Here’s a gluten-free artisan bread that might be helpful for you!
And finally, you should never substitute a non-flour flour, such as almond flour or chickpea flour, for AP flour. Those won’t work with this bread.
Wait- don’t I need sugar to make bread?
Nope! Some people thing you MUST use sugar in bread or dough recipes so the yeast have something to eat. While yeast do love sugar, and adding sugar to dough can cause a more rapid rise time, it’s not necessary. Yeast love to eat flour too (which is a carbohydrate just like sugar, so acts in a similar way). So you don’t need sugar in this no knead bread recipe at all!
Can I freeze it?
Yes!
The bread stays good at room temperature in a plastic bag or airtight container for about 2 days, and it will get staler as time goes on. Any longer than 1-2 days, and you should freeze it.
You can freeze the loaf whole if you like- you’ll just need to leave it out for about 12 hours before you can slice into it.
Or, you can slice it before freezing, which enables you to take out one slice at a time for toast or sandwiches.
Here are some tips for freezing:
- Store the whole loaf or sliced loaf in an airtight bag, squeezing out as much air as possible. This will help prevent freezer burn.
- Wait until it’s COMPLETELY cool before storing, especially if you’re slicing it before, as the slices may stick together if you don’t.
It should stay good for 2-3 months in the freezer if stored properly.
Why didn’t my dough rise?
If your dough doesn’t rise, it is likely an issue with the yeast itself. Yeast is a living organism and needs to be able to eat food and multiply in order to cause a rise. As they multiply, they release gasses, which causes the airy pockets in the dough. Here are three reasons why your dough may not be rising:
- The yeast is dead to start out with. This can happen if the yeast is old, or sometimes even if you get a dud pack of it. A new pack of yeast from the store can sometimes make all the difference!
- The conditions don’t allow for the yeast to multiply. This usually happens if the temperature is too cold. At cooler temperatures, yeast may multiply much slower, or not at all.
- If the yeast is killed by accident. This can happen if the water temperature is too hot when added to the yeast, which can kill the yeast and subsequently cause no rise. (Note: it is a MYTH that salt kills yeast in this way! If you were to use tons of salt, it may kill the yeast, but the amount of salt used in this recipe won’t kill the yeast – at worst, it may just slow the multiplication process a little bit.
If your dough won’t rise, my advice is to start anew with brand new yeast and make sure to measure the temperature of your water with a thermometer – I love the Thermoworks Thermapen for a super fast, accurate read! Alternatively, you can stick your finger in the water and it should be about body temperature, so if it feels neutral or slightly warm you should be good!
How to serve an artisan bread loaf
I’m a big fan of eating the bread smeared with salted butter and drizzled with honey, as pictured above. But this homemade bread would be delicious…
- Served with a hearty soup, like split pea soup or lentil soup.
- Used for a fancy grilled cheese, like this leek and gruyere grilled cheese.
- To make cold sandwiches, like this fresh mozzarella, tomato, and basil sandwich with balsamic glaze.
- Served sliced with a basic olive oil and balsamic bread dip, as a side to your favorite Italian pasta recipe (like this five-ingredient pasta with Bolognese sauce).
- Used to sop up the sauce from classic shrimp scampi.
What to make with the stale bread
If you forget about the bread and leave it out at room temperature for more than a couple days, it may go stale. I hardly ever have this happen, as my family and I inhale the entire loaf in one sitting usually. But there are a few things you can do with the leftover stale bread!
Here are my favorites:
- Make homemade croutons with it
- Use it in Panzanella salad
- Make a Tuscan Tomato and Bread soup
Do I HAVE to preheat the Dutch Oven?
No. I’ve made this plenty of times putting the loaf into a cold Dutch Oven and then baking for an extra 5-10 minutes with it covered. Preheating the Dutch Oven before baking the no knead bread can help get it a taller rise while baking, since it will start baking faster and more rapidly. But if you are concerned about preheating your Dutch Oven while it’s empty, as some manufacturers recommend not to do, or if you want it to just be a little easier/safer, feel free to skip this step!
How can I add other ingredients to the dough?
Once of the most common questions I get for this recipe is “Can I add herbs and cheese?” or “Can I add jalapenos and cheddar?” YES! It’s SO easy to add other ingredients to no knead bread.
Just add whatever other ingredients you want when you mix the dough together. Let it rise with all those ingredients, and then shape and bake as directed. You may even want to sprinkle the top with some extra ingredients. For example, sprinkle with grated parmesan or cheddar cheese, or brush with olive oil and sprinkle with rosemary and sea salt.
One thing to keep in mind: if you add ingredients with moisture, such as rehydrated dried fruit, olives, or pickled jalapeños, you will need to drain them very well and/or add less water to the mix. It’s not a huge deal, as this recipe doesn’t require a super exact ratio of liquid to flour, but keep in mind that extra moisture may affect outcome a little bit.
Here are some suggestions for no knead bread flavors:
- Jalapeño and Cheddar – add drained pickled jalapeños and grated or cubed cheddar cheese. Grated cheese will melt into the dough and flavor the whole thing, while cubed will maintain its shape and create melty pockets of cheese.
- Rosemary and Sea Salt – add chopped fresh rosemary to the dough, and before baking brush the top with olive oil and sprinkle with extra rosemary and a sprinkle of sea salt.
- Herb and Parmesan – add a medley of fresh or dried herbs to the dough, as well as grated parmesan. Sprinkle the top with extra herbs and parmesan after brushing with olive oil, if you want.
- Olive – add well-drained olives to the loaf. Whole or chopped, depending on how big you want them in the final thing. This is also great paired with the rosemary and sea salt or herb and parmesan combo above.
- Cinnamon raisin – let some raisins soak in warm water for a few minutes to plump up, drain well, and add them, along with some cinnamon, to the dough. You may want to add a little sugar to the dough as well here – this may cause a faster rise time, since yeast love sugar, so keep that in mind. Here’s a more detailed post on how to make cinnamon raisin no knead bread!
There are so many other ways to play around with other flavor combos- I’d love to hear about them in the comments!
Other easy yeast bread recipes
- Quick and Easy Dinner Rolls
- Vasilopita (Sweet Greek New Year’s Bread)
- Whole Wheat No-Knead Focaccia with Rosemary and Sea Salt
- Honey Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
- White Sandwich Bread (from The Brown Eyed Baker)
Check out all my homemade basic essential recipes here.
I also LOVE using my Dutch oven to roast a whole chicken.
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Dutch Oven No Knead Crusty Bread
Equipment
- Silicone Spatula
- Meat Thermometer for taking accurate temperature of the water
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups warm water (about 100 degrees F)
- 1 packet yeast (active dry, instant, or quick rise- 2.25 teaspoons)
- 1/2 tablespoon fine grain salt (preferably NOT iodized, see notes)
- 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour, more if needed to get correct consistency, plus more for dusting (I use King Arthur AP flour – other flours may yield different results)
Instructions
- In a large bowl (or container), mix together the warm water (1.5 cups), yeast (1 packet/2.25 teaspoons), and table salt (1/2 tablespoon), until yeast and salt are fully or almost dissolved (I like using a whisk for this).
- Add the flour (3.25 cups) to the bowl all at once and stir together until a sticky dough forms. Don't worry about mixing it too much, just make sure everything is uniformly wet. It WILL be messy and sticky. You can scrape what's left on the spoon with a silicone spatula. (photo below provided for what the texture should look like – if it seems too wet, add 1-2 tablespoons more flour at a time until it is more like the photo. If it seems too dry, do the same thing with more water).
- Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel (or place the container to the lid on ajar). Leave it for 2-3 hours to rise in a somewhat warm place until it's doubled in volume, like photo in previous step (If it's cold out, I like to preheat my oven for a few minutes, then turn it off, then place the bowl in the oven, trapping the heat inside. If your house is warm just leave it out, or if it's warm outside you can place it there).
- After the two-three hour rise time when the dough has about doubled, you have two options: bake, or store in the fridge. See notes for how to store.
- 30 minutes to an hour before you are ready to bake, preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. Place your Dutch oven in the oven, with the lid ON, while the oven is preheating. Once the oven reaches 450, keep it preheating for another 20 minutes, so the Dutch oven gets good and hot.
- Scrape the dough into the edge of a piece of parchment paper dusted with flour. Make it into as much of a "loaf" shape as you can by folding the edges up on top of it (a silicone spatula works well for this).
- Then, use the edges of the parchment paper to flip the loaf over so the floured side is on top and the loaf is in the center of the parchment paper. Don't worry about it looking beautiful or smooth on top. My Dutch oven is an oval, so I made an oval shape. You can do a circle if yours is round.
- Optional: use a very sharp knife or clean razor blade to cut a few slits across the top of the loaf about 1/2" deep, across the entire top. I did this in a cross shape for mine.
- Take out the preheated Dutch oven and take off the lid, carefully! Grab the parchment from the sides and place the loaf in your Dutch oven.
- Place the cover back on the Dutch oven and place in the preheated oven on the center rack. Bake for 35 minutes at 450 degrees F (40 minutes if dough was cold from the fridge). Remove the lid and bake for another 5-10 minutes, until a golden brown color forms- longer if necessary. Remove the loaf from the dutch oven (grabbing the sides of the parchment paper works well here) and place it on a wire rack or cutting board to cool for at least 10 minutes (preferably 30 minutes – an hour, if you have time) before slicing.
Notes
- Dough too wet/dry: some readers have commented that the dough is too wet. This can happen based on a few variables, including type/brand of flour and accurate measurements. See photo in post and recipe instructions – if texture doesn’t seem similar, add 1-2 more tablespoons flour or water as needed.
- Make two small loaves instead: You can make two smaller by using only half the dough at a time, saving some in the fridge for later. Once the dough has risen, you can take out half of it to divide it in half. Using a serrated knife to cut the dough in half directly in the bowl is a great way to do this, as it won’t deflate the dough as much. I recommend cutting the cooking time to 20-25 minutes covered if you do this. Alternatively, you can double the recipe to make two large or four small loaves, leaving the extra dough in your fridge for fresh bread every few days! Use a serrated knife to cut the dough into pieces, trying your best not to squish it down as you handle it, and make sure you use a very large container or bowl for this.
- Fine grain salt can be fine sea salt, Himalayan salt, or any other salt you prefer.
- Iodized salt is not recommended, but can be used if that’s all you have. The iodine in the salt may impart a bitter taste in the bread and it also may inhibit the growth of yeast, leading to a longer rise time.
- Kosher salt may be used instead of table salt- I recommend 2 teaspoons since it’s a larger grain. Same goes with coarse sea salt.
- Avoid “gummy” bread by allowing it to cool for a longer time. I often can’t resist and just tear into the thing after 10 minutes, but often the inside seems gummy, and almost raw, because it’s too steamy to cut into. Waiting a whole hour, if you can manage, is ideal.
- Super hard, tough bottom crust? Next time, try putting a baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven. It will help divert some of that high heat away from the bottom of the Dutch Oven as it bakes.
- Some Dutch Oven manufacturers recommend NOT preheating an enameled cast iron Dutch Oven empty. It may result in the enamel cracking. I’ve never had a problem with my Lodge Dutch Oven, but if you’re nervous about it, you don’t have to preheat the Dutch Oven. Just put the dough in the cold Dutch Oven and bake for 5-10 minutes longer covered, and you should be good to go!
- How to store dough in fridge: If storing in the fridge, leave the lid ajar or use loose plastic wrap covering the bowl so gasses can escape. Storing it in the fridge makes the sticky dough a bit easier to handle, and it also enhances the flavor, so I recommend refrigerating it for at least 12 hours. It can stay in the fridge for up to 7 days! After two days, you can seal the lid to the container or cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. The taste of the bread will get funkier the longer it stays in your fridge. By the 7th day, it will taste more like sourdough.
- Since cold dough is easier to handle, you can place the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes or so after the two hour rise time, just before baking, so it’s easier to scrape out and form.
- If using cold dough from the fridge, I recommend baking for 5-10 minutes longer with the lid on (40-45 minutes instead of 35 minutes).
- Dutch Oven Alternatives: The Dutch oven does a really good job of trapping the steam, ensuring a crusty, golden brown loaf. If you don’t have a dutch oven, you can bake this bread on a baking sheet or in a cast iron skillet. I recommend adding some water to a rimmed baking sheet, or other oven-safe dish, and placing it in the oven on the lower rack, to add steam to the oven and help develop a crusty crust.
- Freeze the baked bread by slicing it first, then storing it in a zip-top bag, squeezing out as much air as possible. The bread should be completely cool before freezing. You can also freeze a whole or half loaf without slicing, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, but you’ll need to wait to defrost the whole thing before slicing into it.
- Dutch Oven Size: I use my oval 5.5 qt. Dutch Oven or my 6 qt. round Dutch Oven for this recipe. There is some wiggle room, so you can go a little smaller if you like, especially if the parchment paper comes up the sides to prevent sticking. And you can definitely go bigger if you want.
- Parchment paper trick: crumple up the parchment before using it, to help it mold to the shape of the Dutch oven better.
- Sticking to the parchment paper: A few readers have noted that their bread sticks to the parchment after baking. This usually does NOT happen, as parchment paper is non-stick. However, after doing some research, I found that sometimes using a very cheap brand of parchment paper can result in the bread sticking. I recommend using a “nicer” brand of parchment paper, or brushing or spraying it with a little bit of oil or nonstick spray before placing the shaped loaf on the paper and baking it.
- Parchment paper at high temperatures: Some readers have expressed concern over the high temperature used for parchment paper. I’ve used parchment rated to 420 degrees for this recipe with no issue, but you can buy a parchment paper rated to 450 degrees if you are concerned. Here’s a great article about using parchment paper at high temperatures. As a general rule, keep an eye on what you are cooking, for any recipe!
- Avoid too much flour on the outside of the bread: You can use a pastry brush to brush away any thick layers of flour – before baking is best but after works too! You can also spritz the outside of the loaf with some water from a spray bottle, which also can add some lovely blisters to the crust.
- For a hard, too crusty bottom of the loaf: try putting a baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven while baking. It helps deflect some of that direct intense heat away from the bottom of the Dutch Oven, resulting in a softer bottom to the loaf.
- Dry dough? Some readers have commented that their dough is dry, not wet and sticky. If this happens, it may have something to do with the brand or type of flour, or measuring discrepancies. Jut add a little more water until it’s a little looser and you should be good to go!
- High Altitude? A reader did this at a high altitude and she said she just added a little more water to the dough (about 1 tablespoon) and kept the towel damp during the rise time.
- Adding other ingredients: Feel free to mix in other ingredients, like herbs, roasted garlic, parmesan cheese, etc. with the rest of the ingredients! Then let it rise, shape, and bake according to instructions. See more about this in the body of the post with flavor suggestions.
Nutrition
Nutrition Information Disclaimer
The provided nutrition information is my best estimate and does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. I use an automatic API to calculate this information. Feel free to calculate it yourself using one of these tools:
Melanie
I can’t wait to try this! I am curious, do I need to grease the Dutch oven or does that take care of itself?
Elizabeth Lindemann
Nope, no greasing required! The parchment paper is nonstick so that’s why it’s used for this.
Bruce Armstrong
Very easy and delicious. We are the first one so I had to make another!!! I wish I could add a photo…
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it! Unfortunately there isn’t a way to add photos to the comments here on my website but if you’re on social media, feel free to share them and tag @bowlofdelicious! :-)
Rick Tinsley
I have made this bread many times, I use a cast iron Dutch oven and it has always turned out delicious. I have served it at home as well as taken it to church for meals. I am making a loaf today to serve with homemade chicken and dumplings. I added some garlic and rosemary to the dough to try something a bit different. Have never added to the recipe before.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it! Have fun adding other ingredients to it – garlic and rosemary sounds delicious!
Marie
This is the first artisan bread I’ve ever made and it came out exceeding all my expectations. In fact, it looked just like yours! I’m so happy I tried this recipe, and it is a keeper. I’ve always thought making bread would be too hard and time consuming, so I never made it until today. Served it with Hungarian goulash. Thanks for your easy recipe. The bread is quite delicious too. I’m a proud first time bread baker! :-)
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Pam
Love this recipe! Is there a way to add sourdough starter to it and still be as easy?
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it! That’s a great question. With the short rise time, adding starter wouldn’t be used as a substitute or supplement to the yeast (you would probably need to let it rise overnight for that to work). But as far as using up starter discard? I don’t see why not! My starter is 1:1 ratio of water to flour by weight, which is most common. If yours is also 1:1, I recommend going by the metric measurements for this recipe and taking down the flour and water by 50g each and adding 100g of starter to the dough. See how that works! I’d love to know how it turns out for you if you try it!
Julie Hodges
I love this recipe but I made the dough last night and it rose up beautifully. I put it in the fridge with a towel over it as directed. Took it out this morning to bake and it was flat and dried out. So I had to start over.
Elizabeth Lindemann
Hm! I think it may have over-proofed. The refrigerator slows down proofing but doesn’t completely get rid of it. Plus there was the time it took to cool down in the fridge. My suggestion would be to put it in the fridge a little sooner next time. And also, cover with plastic wrap instead of a towel so it doesn’t dry out (I’m going to add this to the post now). Hope that helps!
Julie Hodges
Thanks for the tips! I’ll give it another try.
Curt
Hello :)
Do you have to do the flip of the dough after the rise or can you just let it just rise and then place inside the dutch oven ? I ask because both time i made this i will do the flip part and then bread comes out pretty dense and heavy.. It seems like that flip flattens all the air that would make it fluffy ..
Elizabeth Lindemann
Good question! Flipping it ensures that the top is relatively smooth and the loaf has some shape to it. You could look into using a banneton to form your loaf for next time. I use it for sourdough but I’ve never tired for this no knead recipe. It might be worth a shot. Other than that, I’d say it just takes some practice to form and shape the loaf without letting too much air out! Something else you can try is use your hands (I like to wet them a bit) instead of a spatula to pull the sides up on the loaf and form it. Then maybe fold the parchment over the loaf and gently flip it over while giving it support. Hope that makes sense!
Linda
I am SO disappointed. My husband has been so excited getting a Dutch Oven (his hobby is cooking), and doublely so when he found out he could bake bread in it. Two days ago he used this receipe, and believe me he was critical following every direction exactly and under my critical eye. Imagine my disappointment seeing him so deflated when the “bread” came out so flat and dense. So, OK it wasn’t raised enough when we baked it… or who knows what. We did follow the instructions. WELL, same thing happened today. The “bread” was raised much more today, yet the result was the same. Now I’m truly despaired to see him so sad and disappointed at what started out to be so much fun. I think we need to find another, more successful recipe.
Elizabeth Lindemann
I’m sure this was super frustrating for you! I’ve always had success with this recipe and so have the hundreds of other people who have made it and commented here on this post.
You say you followed every direction exactly but there will always be some variety with how different people execute each step, the ingredients used, temperature of the house, etc. And bread making takes a lot of practice – it took me a long time to nail down, even though I was a great cook in other ways. I hope you give Dutch Oven no knead bread another try – whether with this recipe or another (there are plenty out there!).
One thing to keep in mind that I think may help your specific situation is the handling of the dough after it’s risen in the bowl. Shaping no knead dough is tricky- it’s super sticky, and you want to handle the dough as little as possible so the gas bubbles don’t deflate (which can result in a flat or dense loaf). This may take some practice to nail down. I find the parchment paper flip method great for this but other people will shape it with their hands. One reader actually just commented that they scoop the dough directly into the Dutch Oven without shaping at all with great success – I’ve never tried that method but it might be worth a shot! You may also want to look into using a banneton to shape the loaves (I use this for sourdough but I imagine it would work well with this as well). Hope that helps and I wish you and your husband better luck next time!
Rob
This was really amazing for a first time bread maker and dutch oven user. Your directions were detailed and spot on. It came out amazing, What is your favorite add on for flavors? Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it! I’m simple, I don’t often do add-ins, but I really love adding dried fruit and cinnamon to homemade bread! I soak the dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, apricots, whatever) in warm water to plump them up then drain and add to the mix along with about a teaspoon of cinnamon.
Connie
Tastes and looks great everytime!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Isa
Love this bread!! Can the recipe be doubled? The loaf is on the small side.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it! I haven’t tried doubling it as one loaf, and my instincts tell me this would be challenging to get a good rise while baking. I will often bake two at once however – I have two Dutch ovens and they both fit in my oven. Hope that helps!
Alicia
This recipe is so good! I like to chop up two jalapeños and add it in with some shredded cheddar cheese. Makes for delicious avocado toast!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it! Love that flavor combo especially for avocado toast!
CJ
I love this bread- first one that I’ve been able to make and have it turn out wonderful! It’s now a staple. Only thing i seem to be struggling with is the bottom crust- it is pretty crunchy and I can’t seem to make it any less so. It’s not burned as I keep a baking sheet under my dutch oven, but i wonder if there’s a way to make it any less crunchy and thick on the bottom?
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it! The baking sheet should help, and for an extra protection you can layer up a few pieces of parchment paper to put as the bottom layer under the loaf in the dutch oven. Another method I’ve tried is to remove the loaf from the DO after the initial bake and place it directly on the oven rack for the final cover-off bake. That also helps brown it up on all sides (though it can be a little difficult to remove from the DO, so be careful!). Give those a try and see if they help :-)
Becks
Mine keep going flat in the oven. It rose beautifully, I tried to only shape it, and it just fell. Again! What am I doing wrong.
Becks
And maybe I’m expecting too much of a rise, like a boule.
BTW though, it is delicious!
Elizabeth Lindemann
I think you may just need to keep trying! Honestly I’ve made this bread so many times and half the time it comes out on the flatter side. I got lucky for the photos for this post :-) Maybe try a bit less of a rising time so the dough is a little sturdier when you shape it. You can also look into using a banneton to shape the loaf. There is so much to bread baking and a lot of it is just trial and error.
Linda T
I have this in the oven right now and it smells divine. Can’t wait to enjoy tonight with dinner. Second time making this in a week.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Susan Sims
Hi, Elizabeth! What is your opinion of bleached vs unbleached AP flour? Which is best? Just did a little search of my own but I think I need your expert advice. I have been using bleached. Should I switch up on my next order? Thanks!
Elizabeth Lindemann
I always use unbleached, and from what I understand, it’s better for bread baking, BUT bleached can also work if that’s what you have! Unbleached can add a better flavor, and since it’s less processed, it retains more nutrition. Hope that helps!
Lauren
I absolutely loved this bread – it’s so simple and I almost always have everything on hand. My boyfriend loved it too – we finished it in less than 48 hours 😅.
I want to try making two smaller loaves this time. What would you recommend for cooking time?
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it! For two smaller loaves I’d try 20 minutes covered, 5-10 uncovered. Hope that helps!
Lynn
This bread was amazing! Crusty on the outside, soft and airy on the inside. It went perfectly with soup I made. It will make people think you went to a fancy bakery because of the taste, texture and look of this bread. I was a little worried about the wetness and stickiness of the bread, but the result was absolutely perfect!!!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Betty
My bread looks like a picture in a magazine!! My first successful attempt!!! I love your step by step process. I have had 2 unsuccessful attempts at sourdough bread. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it! Sourdough bread is such a challenge – it took me forever to figure out! I love this no knead bread as a much easier alternative.
Cassie
Almost perfect on the first try! Next time – and there will definitely be a next time very soon – I will do the final bake for a few more minutes to get a crustier crust. I was nervous and should have given it another 5 minutes with the lid off. Even so, it was perfectly cooked inside and was absolutely delicious! Thanks for the recipe and the clear instructions!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Staggo
Fantastic. Delicious taste. Too easy to make. One additional step I took was to insert my hand between the dough and bowl, lift up some dough and fold it over. Turn and repeat. No punching nor pressing. Just some lift, fold, and rotate. It put in lots of beautiful holes akin to a kneaded artisanal loaf. Oh, I did use bread flour. Great recipe. Thanks.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it! Thanks for your suggestion! I do stretch and folds with sourdough bread and I’ve never tried it with this no knead bread. I’ll give it a try next time! For anyone wondering about this: stretch and folds can help develop gluten strength in the dough, which can result in a higher rise and more holes. Something that might help with handling the sticky dough to do this, for anyone who is interested, is to get your hands wet first (I find water often makes sticky dough easier to handle, rather than floured hands, which can just add to the stickiness).
Linda
My first Dutch oven loaf turned out beautiful!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!