No-Knead Crusty Artisan Bread - Recipe Diaries (2024)

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Are you stuck at home and learning how to make bread? This recipe for no knead crusty artisan bread is a good starter recipe for those who have never made bread before and it's pretty legit. Trust me, I've made it a lot of times now.

It makes pretty awesome toast as well. You can spread just about anything on it like peanut butter, Nutella, jam, and avocado. Also, make sure to read the tips below to help you out during the whole process!

Jump to:
  • Why You Will Love This Recipe
  • Ingredients Needed
  • How to Make No Knead Bread
  • Variations for No Knead Bread
  • Tips for No-Knead Bread
  • Other Recipes You Might Like
  • No Knead Crusty Artisan Bread

Why You Will Love This Recipe

If you are a fan of bread, then you know there is nothing quite like a freshly baked, crusty artisan loaf. However, creating this type of bread can seem daunting, particularly if you are not an experienced baker. With the no-knead crusty artisan bread recipe, however, anyone can create a delicious, homemade loaf that is sure to impress.

The beauty of this recipe is that it requires very little effort. In fact, the dough comes together in just a few minutes, and then it is left to rise overnight. This extended fermentation time is what gives the bread its complex flavor and airy texture. The result is a loaf that is crusty on the outside, yet soft and chewy on the inside.

Ingredients Needed

No-Knead Crusty Artisan Bread - Recipe Diaries (2)
  • All Purpose Flour - is a type of wheat flour that is commonly used in cooking and baking. It is versatile and can be used for a variety of recipes, including bread, cakes, cookies, and pastries.
  • Salt - bread without any salt is pretty boring and bland, gotta add some flavor to it!
  • Active dry yeast- this helps the dough rise, make sure that the yeast is still good and that it's not expired before using.
  • Luke-warm water - if the water isn't warm the bread will not rise. I've made this mistake plenty of times before trust me!
  • See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

How to Make No Knead Bread

Step 1: Combine the three dry ingredients in a large bowl, then pour in the luke-warm water.Stir until completely combined. The dough will look messy and not smooth and that is completely okay.Once combined, cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or set a towel over the bowl; let sit on the counter overnight.

No-Knead Crusty Artisan Bread - Recipe Diaries (3)

Step 2: When the dough is done rising and ready to bake, preheat oven to 450 degrees F.Stick a 6-quart enamel-coated cast iron Lodge Dutch Oven (or similar) in the oven for about 30 minutes to heat.

No-Knead Crusty Artisan Bread - Recipe Diaries (4)

Step 3: Heavily flour clean countertop or surface. Remember this is no-knead! Dump the dough onto a floured surface and shape into a round ball.

Step 4: After dutch oven has preheated, take the dutch oven outCAREFULLY with some oven mits or hot pads. Note handles will beextremely HOT!Place the ball of dough in the dutch oven and cover with lid.

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Recipe Tip: Brush the top of the bread with egg wash to get the top a golden brown color.

Step 5: Bake at 450 degrees F for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove lid and bake for an additional 15 minutes until done. Bread will be golden in color.

Variations for No Knead Bread

Once you've mastered this whole process of baking bread you can change up the flavors a bit with this exact same method. Think cinnamon raisin bread, love cinnamon raisin bread, no knead focaccia bread, cranberry walnut bread, cheddar and garlic, the list goes on and on and you are going to be a happy camper when you eat this. 🙂

The dough can be customized with different types of flour, seeds, or other add-ins to create a variety of different flavors. For example, you could try using whole wheat flour, rye flour, or spelt flour instead of all-purpose flour. You could also add in some chopped herbs, sun-dried tomatoes, or olives for a savory twist.

Tips for No-Knead Bread

When you are ready to bake the bread, you will need to heat your dutch oven first for 30 minutes. I've tested this step before without preheating the oven and the bread didn't turn the golden brown color like the pictures show. Do NOT skip this step.

Make sure to use oven mitts or hot pads for safety, when transferring the heated dutch oven.

No Dutch Oven:Use anoven-safepot or pan with a lid on it. The dutch oven creates steam inside since it is covered.

The last ten minutes you take the cover off of the dutch oven and bake the bread uncovered so it gets those crusty brown edges.

Oh yah and if you love avocado toast try it with homemade fresh bread. You'll be amazed at how good it is. 🙂

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  • Weight Watchers Spaghetti Pie

If you tried this No Knead Crusty Artisan Breadorany other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you! Follow along on Tiktok @jennarecipediaries

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No-Knead Crusty Artisan Bread - Recipe Diaries (12)

No Knead Crusty Artisan Bread

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4.5 from 11 reviews

  • Author: Jenna
  • Total Time: 1hr
  • Yield: 12 1x
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Description

Are you stuck at home and learning how to make bread? This is a good starter recipe for those who have never made bread before and it's pretty legit. Trust me, I've made it a lot of times now.

Ingredients

Scale

  • 3 cups All Purpose Flour
  • 1½ tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. active dry yeast
  • 1½ cups luke-warm water

Instructions

  1. Combine the three dry ingredients in a large bowl, then pour in the luke-warm water.
  2. Stir until completely combined. The dough will look messy and not smooth and that is completely okay.Once combined, cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or set a towel over the bowl; let sit on the counter overnight.
  3. When the dough is done rising and ready to bake, preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
  4. Stick a 6-quart enamel coated cast iron Lodge Dutch Oven (or similar) in the oven for about 30 minutes to heat.
  5. Heavily flour clean countertop or surface. Remember this is no-knead! Dump the dough onto a floured surface and shape into a round ball.
  6. After dutch oven has preheated, take the dutch oven out CAREFULLY with some oven mits or hot pads. Note handles will be extremely HOT!
  7. Place the ball of dough in the dutch oven and cover with lid.
  8. Bake at 450 degrees F for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove lid and bake for an additional 15 minutes until done. Bread will be golden in color.

Notes

If using Instant Yeast, the dough does not need to sit overnight, only a couple of hours.

No Dutch Oven: Use an oven-safe pot or pan with a lid on it. The dutch oven creates steam inside since it is covered.

  • Prep Time: 15 min
  • Cook Time: 45min
  • Category: Easy
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 slice
  • Calories: 111
  • Sugar: 3
  • Fat: 1
  • Saturated Fat: 0
  • Unsaturated Fat: 0
  • Carbohydrates: 22
  • Fiber: 1
  • Protein: 3
No-Knead Crusty Artisan Bread - Recipe Diaries (2024)

FAQs

Why is my no knead bread so dense? ›

Why is my bread dense: Usually bread will be too dense when there is too much flour. Keep in mind this dough will be pretty sticky, do not add more flour than specified. Other factors that come into play are humidity and age of flour. Little yeast, long rise, sticky dough are keys to a good, light loaf.

Why is no knead bread so good? ›

It slows yeast activity, giving enzymes time to break down starches that contribute sweet notes to the bread's flavor and improve browning.

What ingredient browns crust adds flavor and improves textures of breads? ›

Sugar adds sweetness and flavor but also aids in browning, tenderizing, keeping the final quick bread moist, and acting as a preservative to increase the shelf life.

What is the secret of crusty bread? ›

How to make crusty bread
  1. To make crusty bread, choose the right recipe. ...
  2. Shape the dough with more rather than less surface area. ...
  3. To make crusty bread, create steam in the oven. ...
  4. Bake on a pizza stone or steel. ...
  5. To keep bread crusty, cool baked loaves in the oven.
Aug 9, 2015

What makes homemade bread crust hard? ›

Baking quick breads at too high temperatures can cause a hard outside crust. Most quick breads bake in a moderate oven (350°F to 375°F). Double check your recipe to see the temperature they recommend. Oven thermostats can vary over time, requiring adjustments by the baker or calibration by a professional.

How to make artisan bread less dense? ›

Simply put, you have to control the temperature of the bread. Allowing ample time for your bread dough to rise and the yeast to form will create the holes in the bread that give it a lighter texture. Letting your dough get puffy and grow before it goes into the oven is critical.

Why is my artisan bread gummy? ›

Try less water with your flour. Uneven heat in your oven can be the culprit – if you loaf is nicely golden on the outside but gummy or moist in the inside, it's baking too quickly on the outside. Trying reducing the temperature you're baking at and bake for a bit longer.

Why don't you knead artisan bread? ›

No-knead doughs use time to develop gluten instead of kneading the dough to speed up the process. Long slow fermentation also produces better flavor in breads. Bread doughs ferment in the presence of water, certain grains, and yeast. Salt also plays a role in the rate of fermentation.

How to make better no knead bread? ›

No-knead bread gets its power from a long, slow rise at room temperature. Mix up the dough in the morning and let it sit for at least six hours before shaping and rising for one hour more. The bread bakes for 30 minutes covered and 15 minutes uncovered in the Dutch oven.

How to make bread crust crunchy? ›

One of the most crucial steps in making bread. is incorporating steam while baking. Baking a loaf on a sheet pan without steam. will give a crust that is dull, thick, and chewy. To bake with steam at home, try using a Dutch oven or combo cooker. They trap both the water that evaporates from the dough.

Which spices inhibit yeast? ›

Knowing that garlic powder and ground clove inhibits the production of yeast could be beneficial in controlling the process of fermentation in many places.

What 2 ingredients help brown the crust off of a baked good? ›

Egg plus milk or cream

"Using cream or milk is a very old-school egg wash method, but popular," says Haysmith. By brushing an egg beaten with milk or cream, you will get a baked good with a light golden brown color and a nice amount of shine.

How do you keep homemade bread crusty? ›

Large crusty loaves can be stored unwrapped (to preserve their crispy crust) at room temperature for a day or so, cut side down on the counter. For optimum long-term storage (longer than a couple of days), wrap bread in single-day portions and freeze.

How to get a golden crust on bread? ›

Slash the bread: Before baking, make sure to slash or score the top of the bread to release some of the steam, which will help the crust become crispy. 5. Brush with egg wash: Brushing the top of the bread with an egg wash (beaten egg and water) before baking can also promote browning and create a shiny golden crust.

Why has my crusty bread gone soft? ›

As the loaf cools, any moisture which is left in the loaf escapes through the crust as steam and this is what causes the softening. You can help to prevent this from happening by reducing the water content of the loaf.

Can you make bread crusty again? ›

Crisp it.

If the bread is in a paper bag, remove it from the bag before putting it back into the oven. This step draws excess moisture out of the crust and makes it pleasingly crisp again. Plus, your kitchen will smell like warm, fresh bread.

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