In today’s post: You won’t believe how easy it is to make this beautiful homemade artisan bread! Only 4 ingredients and about 5 minutes of hands-on time for a gorgeous loaf that looks like it came from a bakery. Perfect for beginners!
Ok, people, I know that baking bread can be intimidating. There’s mixing and kneading and rising and it seems like it’s going to take forever and have a high chance of failure. If you’ve ever thought: “I just can’t make bread” then this easy artisan bread recipe is for you! Seriously, I can’t overstate how simple this recipe is and how beautifully the loaf turns out. Four ingredients, five minutes of work, and no kneading and this is what you’re going to be serving with dinner:
You’ve probably seen loaves like this at your local bakery, often referred to as a “boule”. The outside is crusty and chewy, while the inside is soft and tender. It’s perfect for serving alongside soup, with a creamy dip, or for making hearty sandwiches.
The secret to this incredible artisan bread is a long rise time, so you do have to plan ahead. The nice part is that the dough can rise anywhere between 8 and 24 hours, so it’s very flexible. You can start it the night before you plan to serve, or in the morning before work, and either way it will still turn out great! There is very little hands-on time so I find it’s a lot easier to make on a busy weekday than a traditional loaf.
Plus it just looks fancy, which is fun.
How to make artisan bread
ETA: After lots of happy comments, and lots of questions as well, I decided to make a step-by-step video for you guys showing the entire process for making artisan bread. This should help because you can compare your bread as you make it to what you see in this video:
And if you don’t want to watch the video, here are instructions in text/photos:
You’ll start by mixing 3 cups white flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon yeast, and 1.5 cups of warm water in a bowl.
Use a wooden spoon and just mix until everything’s combined, probably less than a minute. No kneading, and no worries it if looks like a shaggy mess. It’s ok.
Cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for 8-24 hours. It will get all bubbly.
About 90 minutes before you’d like to serve it, turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface. Form it into a ball (as shown in the video), and let it rest for 30 minutes.
NOTE: Some readers tell me they form the ball on a piece of parchment paper, and then drop the whole thing (dough and paper) into the baking dish to cook. This makes the transfer even simpler!
In the meantime, turn on the oven to 450 degrees and put whatever dish you’ll cook it in inside the oven to preheat. You can use a dutch oven, or the crock from your slow-cooker, or a casserole dish with high sides, or an oven safe pot…pretty much anything that’s oven safe and has high sides will work. I just ordered this very pretty enameled dutch oven and it works beautifully (affiliate link)! NOTE: A couple of readers have let me know that their crock cracked from the heat in the oven. I have used mine multiple times and it has been fine, but I’d hate for anyone to ruin their crock on my advice! So use a crock at your own risk.
After dough has rested and oven has preheated 30 minutes, use a sharp knife to slash an X across the top of the dough. Spray your baking dish with nonstick spray, pick up the dough with floured hands, and plop it in. Cover the dish with a lid or aluminum foil, and put it in the oven.
Bake covered for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake 10-15 minutes more until top is nicely browned.
I like to let it cool for at least 15 minutes before I slice it so it doesn’t squish. If you have an electric knife you may be able to cut it sooner; and if you don’t have a sharp serrated knife you might want to wait even longer. It’ll be worth it, I promise!
Artisan Bread Recipe
Click here to download the printable recipe card.
Artisan Bread FAQ
*******YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED**********
Ok, I’ve gotten quite a few questions on this post, so I’ll answer them here. Watching the instructional video in the post above should be very helpful!
- Can I make this bread with all whole wheat flour? No. And yes. If you just substitute whole wheat flour for the white flour in this recipe, you’ll end up with a very dense loaf. However, I now have a post on how to adjust the recipe for a great 100% whole wheat version here.
- Is the first rise 8 hours? or 24? The first rise can be anywhere between 8 and 24 hours, at your convenience. That being said, I think the bread ends up a bit better if you go longer than 12.
- The dough just sits on the counter for that long? Yep.
- My dough rose for a while then fell before I shaped it. Will it still work? Yep.
- After the first rise my dough is so runny that it won’t hold it’s shape at all. What’s wrong? Well, the dough will be very soft, as you can see in the video, but you should be able to quickly pull up the edges and form it into a soft ball. If you can’t even do that, then maybe you didn’t have enough flour to begin with.
- Do I need bread flour? No. All purpose flour works great.
- Can I skip the yeast and use self-rising flour? No.
- Can I add other ingredients to this loaf, like cheese, garlic, or olives? Sure, although you’ll need to experiment and I cannot assure you it will work. Sometimes crushed garlic interferes with the yeast and the loaf doesn’t rise as high, and sometimes adding cheese makes the loaf a little moist. I don’t have a recipe for any add-ins, but you should check the comments because some people have left tips there.
- Can I make this with gluten free flour? I have no idea, since I’ve never cooked with gluten-free flour. However, check the comments because some readers have left tips there.
- Do I need to grease my baking dish? How do I do that if it’s already hot? Many baking dishes actually won’t need to be greased since they are already hot when you put the dough in. However, yours might, and the only way to find out is to try it. So I recommend shooting your baking dish with a quick shot of nonstick spray before adding the dough.
For more questions, please read through the comments because lots of readers have answered each other’s queries there – thanks!
If you want even more info and instructions about artisan bread, check out this book by Jeff Hertzberg M.D. and Zoë François.
Want more bread recipes? Visit these posts:
How to make perfect dinner rolls
The best buttery crescent rolls
Whole wheat artisan bread recipe
Beautiful braided bread recipe
How to make french bread at home
Easy sweet Jiffy cornbread recipe
This looks so goof! And I love how easy it is! I would love to eat broccoli cheddar soup out of this thing!
Me too!
Does your 1.5 cups of warm water for your easy Artisan Bread translate into 1 and 1/2 cup of warm water? The bread looks delish! Thanks for posting!
Yes! And you’re welcome 🙂
Thanks!
Hi Have just made up the dough to bake in the morning. I used measuring cups and found that 1 and 1/2 cups of water did not even bind the flour together I have had to add another half cup and its still very dry (3 cups flour!!!?)
From the site http://www.simplysogood.com/2012/08/crusty-no-knead-bread-forum.html . . . “Make sure your dough appears to be dry when you first mix it. It will have more moisture during the rising time.”
if you scoop the flour out with no sifting or fluffing when making bread you end up a bit heavy on flour. I use a whisk to loosen it a bit and then measure
I made this bread many times, but yesterday I whipped up the dough in the evening and it was a very rainy day. The dough was very juicy. I put a lot of flour on the board and my hands and never thought the bread would turn out. It did! If you have a juicy dough, just keep kneeding in more flour and it will turn out. Love this recipe!
Can this be made with wheat flour? Or can the flour be mixed 1/2 white flour and 1/2 wheat?
I followed this recipe to a T . When I combined it, it looked almost like a batter not on the dry side at all. Whats wrong?
Yes, you can use whole grain wheat flour. I recommend using as fresh whole grain as you can find. I mix mine half and half with white flour.
I have made this bread in Montana for a long time but now that I am in Florida, it is not raising right and the outside doesn’t crisp up. Do you have a modification to this recipe for sea level?
Following
1.5 cups IS 1 and 1/2 cups!
I just took it out of the oven, it looks great, and I also assumed your 1.5 cups was 1and 1/2 cups of water.
Could you add herbs and other kinds of flavoring to this? I feel like rosemary or basil could be a nice addition, but I feel like yeast breads can be kind of tricky (for me at least!) so I wouldn’t want to mess with it too much.
I added dried rosemary, just eyeballed the amount. It worked out great.
I added fresh rosemary, and it, too, worked great.
I’m late on this thread but I thought I would add to it. I make artisan bread all the time. When I want to add a little more flavour I add 1.5 tsp of rosemary, 1 tsp of marjoram and one clove of garlic that has gone through my garlic press. The aroma is so wonderful. I have double this recipe and it fits great in a 6 -7 quart enamel coated cast iron pot. I cook it for 35 min. then take the lid off for 10 min.
I would substitute three quarters of a cup of flax meal and that would be awesome.
I mixed in dehydrated Jalapenos and shredded parmesan cheese in the dry mixture and it was wonderful
I have tried Chedder cheese/ Galic salt and Italian herbs and it is yummy
How much for a loaf do you add of herbs?
Do you add the additional ingredients at the beginning before the first rise? I wasn’t sure if I could let cheese sit out that long.
I add all kinds of stuff to this recipe. I add to flour before water. There is one thing you cannot add thought until the end and that is garlic. Garlic will ruin the yeast and the bread won’t rise.
I add garlic all the time and have had no problem with my yeast.
Is dried, shredded garlic ok to add before it rises?
Is it hard to remove from the cooking dish without any butter, oil, etc.?
I added 2-3 tbsp of dried onion flakes. It’s delicious!
Take a risk and experiment. you won’t know if something works until you try different recipes. Then you can blog and let us know what you found. This is how the great cooks/chefs learned. By trial and error. Hope this helps. TAKE A RISK TO FIND WHAT WORKS.
This looks awesome! Am certainly going to experiment with it. Can this be bake in an airfryer?
Have you tried this with whole grain flour?
I haven’t tried it yet. I bet if you replaced part of the flour with whole wheat you’d be ok, but I’m not sure how it would work with all whole wheat flour. Whole wheat flour usually requires more kneading or added gluten, neither of which this recipe has, so I’d worry that all whole wheat flour would give you a heavier bread. But it never hurts to try – if you do try it, come back and let us know!
2 cups wheat flour and 1 cup regular all purpose works well for making wheat bread.
I’m trying this right now!
I just tried it with half unbleached flour and half whole wheat. It came out amazing! A beautiful loaf! I posted a pic on my Instagram (@rainbowplate). I’m excited to try different versions now. Thanks for inspiring me!
I tried a 50/50 mix of white and wheat flours. Bread was VERY dense and heavy.
I make this with white whole wheat flour. It’s dense but delicious. I only bake for 25 minutes though and don’t bake it uncovered at all.
EXACTLY the info I was looking for! Thanks! I’m a recent vegan convert, and also border diabetic, so I need a bread that’s dairy- and egg-free, and low GI. So trying this with whole grain flours is going to happen ASAP! I’m thinking of experimenting with whole grain wheat flour, oat flour, and some flax. Can’t wait!
What type of yeast?
Dry yeast – either instant or active dry is fine!
Do I follow instructions on yeast jar and dissolve yeast in water and sugar first then add to the dough?
Can you use cup for cup (gluten free blend) in place of white flour
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION TOO, PLEASE.
I don’t have any experience baking with gluten free blend so I don’t know. Let us know if you try it out!
I think you need to add some xanthan gum to at as a binder in place of the gluten. Exact proportions need research. Xanthum picks up moisture really easily so I think you would probably mix it into the dry ingredients first to ensure even distribution
The cf flour I use for my daughter has xanthum gum already in it. I got mine from Vitacost. It is called Vitacost gluten free multi blend flour. I made a home made angel food cake with that. Turned out good.
I was going to ask that also. There are specific “for baking” GF flours.
Did you happen to make this bread w/GF flour? If so, how did it come out? Thanks! 😀
I made this bread last nite with GF flour. It turned out pretty well. It looked exactly like the Artisan bread that you buy in the store and the crust was nice and chewy. The inside was a bit doughy though. I did have to add a little bit of extra water as the dough was a little dry and it didn’t do the ‘bubble thing’ At that point I thought what the heck I might as well bake it. I will definitely make it again, but I will bake it a little bit longer to see if that takes care of the doughy part. It tasted really good and my hubby was so excited. He is totally GF and has NEVER had Artisan bread and was thrilled!!!
Anita; did you use anything else different besides the Gf flour? Just extra water? And did you use a particular brand or blend of Gf flour? Can’t wait to try this!
I guess I should have either read the comments or just thrown it in the oven like you did, but when it didn’t bubble at all, I tossed it. Hm. Maybe I’ll try it again because I’ve definitely been consuming way too much gluten since I started making this bread!
Keen to try this recipe! For converting wheat recipes to gluten free the general rule of thumb is to replace 1 metric cup of wheat flour with 140g gluten free flour. GF flour weights differently to wheat flour and cakes can be stodgy if you don’t do this. I never have a problem with cakes and other baking when I use this ratio. I will do the same with this bread recipe.
For the people who’s pots cracked when pre-heating them, I wonder whether putting some water in the bottom of the pot would prevent this? Just tip the water out when it’s time to cook the bread.
p.s. I’m guessing this is an American website – the conversion for American measurements is 1 cup wheat flour to about 4.7 oz gluten free flour.
Lower the oven temp just a bit and increase cooking time with GF flour.
Usually yes but a tablespoon of vinegar should be added. It helps the gluten free flour bind
Did you bake this bread in a crock-pot insert? I’m so intrigued! Why not just a baking sheet? Thanks so much! 🙂
I did use a crockpot insert. You cover the bread for most of the baking so it will get steamy and develop a crusty crust, so you need to bake it in something with high sides. Most people use a dutch oven, but I don’t have one so I used a crockpot insert instead! You could use any oven safe dish with high sides.
MY CLAY POT WITH A LID SHOULD BE PERFECT FOR THIS. SHOULD I SOAK IT AS USUAL BEFORE PRE-HEATING IT?
The high heat cracked my pot, even though I preheated both the oven and the crock together. ‘( I would recommend using a high-sided *high* heat-proof pan. I used my anodized aluminum pan after that and it worked like a charm.
I have made this twice now using my crockpot insert. The first time I had no problem at all, but the second time my crockpot insert cracked as well. Don’t think I did anything different. I preheated both together both times, so not sure why it cracked. Anyway, not big deal, the bread was delicious!
Funny. I was using a Pyrex bowl, and when I took it out of the oven, I must have set it on a wet spot. It EXPLODED all over my kitchen. Going to try my cast iron Dutch oven next.
Have you tried this with dry onion soup mix instead of salt? I was thinking of trying it……..
I think that sounds delicious. You’d just need to compare sodium content to 1 teaspoon of salt so it doesn’t end up too salty, but I bet the onion flavor would be amazing!
Nevermind. I answered my own question. It’s fabulous with a packet of Lipton onion soup mix. I held the salt.
I seriously cannot wait to try it with onion soup mix now! Thanks for the great idea! Did you use an entire packet?
It sounds like you used a whole packet of onion soup. Did you or just the 1 teaspoon to replace the salt amount. Sounds wonderful though. I’m going to go mix some up tonight for supper tomorrow night.
Looks good
BREAD IS MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE. THERE’S SOMETHING SO GREAT ABOUT BEING ABLE TO MAKE YOUR OWN BREAD. THANKS FOR THE RECIPE
Do you place the dough in a WARM baking dish? I guess I don’t understand the step about putting the dish in the over while it’s heating.
Yep! You want the baking dish to be very hot, so warm it in the oven for 30 minutes (just let the dough rest for this time), and then drop the dough in, cover, and bake!
Watch the video
I love baking breads. This is a great recipe. Thankyou for posting.
Looking forward to these experiments! Especially GF for my relatives!
I see a lot of questions here but no comments about anyone trying this recipe.
I picked up some yeast and was going to start it tonight but would like to know if anyone has made it and how it turned out. Thanks.
I’ve been making this bread for years and it turns out great every time!
I just made it this morning (after letting the dough rise overnight) and I think it is DELICIOUS! It is definitely a keeper recipe for me. Can’t wait to try adding Kalamata olives and herbs to it for variety. The dough is sticky to work with, but the bread is as good as anything I have bought in a store.
I did and it didn’t rise
Try testing your yeast. It may have expired and no longer active.
The yeast you used is most likely expired and therefore inactive. Always be sure to keep yeast in the fridge once the jar is opened.
Forgot to say that you can test the yeast to see if it’s active or not. “dissolve 1 teaspoon sugar in 1/2 cup warm water (110°-115°). Sprinkle with 1 packet or 2-1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast. Stir and let stand for 10 minutes. In 3-4 minutes, the yeast will have absorbed enough liquid to activate and begin to rise to the surface. At the end of 10 minutes, the yeast should have produced a foamy layer on the surface and can be used immediately.” (copied from tasteofhome.com)
Thank you for the water temp. I was just going to ask. I have tried to make bread several times without success. The water may be too hot. I can’t wait to try this recipe. Thank you.
I mixed it up this morning and it turned out great. I used my Lodge cast iron dutch oven. You really need the 15 minutes baking with the cover off. I removed the cover and when the oven got back to 450 I shut it off. Worked great. The bread is crusty with a slightly chewy center. Really east to make. I can’t wait to try it with craisins and nuts, be sure to spray or carefully grease the HOT pan.
I baked a loaf yesterday and we liked it so much I’m making a 1/2 wheat loaf today (most of the first loaf is gone!) I have all kinds of ideas to try it with bread flour, 1/2 rye flour, and herbs. The only problem I ran into was when I sprayed the casserole. The spray immediately turned brown and looked like it was burning! I wiped out as much as I could and it baked just fine. I’m going to try a light wipe with Crisco today instead. I may need to buy some more baking dishes so I can make more than one loaf at a time. I’m using a Corning deep-dish casserole that’s 40 years old and the perfect size. Thank you for such a great, easy bread recipe!
I normally just sprinkle a handful of course semolina on the bottom just before dropping the ball of dough in. It acts like ball bearings and the bread just falls out. Otherwise lightly oil the dish (with a pastry brush, ) dust the dish with flour then drop in the dough.
This is the ONLY bread we eat….after reading about it on www. See Jim Lahey No Knead Bread. It works EVERY time. Nice with sun dried tomatoes and olives through also. I heat my glass Pyrex bowl without a lid, place a circle of baking paper in the bottom then drop in the dough and cover. Bake for 30 mins, remove the lid and paper then bake for another 20 minutes. PERFECT!!!
I am looking forward to trying this. I haven’t tried to make bread in about 40 years ago and what a flop it was!
I made it exactly as directed and placed it in an 8 inch cake tin to cook. It was delicious.
I sliced what my husband and I didn’t eat and froze it. Today I had some of the frozen bread (thawed!) at lunch. It was a little more chewy but very tasty. Reminded me of ciabatta bread.
Go ahead! Make it!
Thanks, Pat!
Just wondering, I have a large group of people I am making chili for and was going to buy buns, but I would like to make this instead looks great, and nothing is better than homemade bread. How does it hold up if I make 4 loaves on Friday, and it’s not being served /eaten until Saturday? If put the bread in a zip lock do you think it will stay fresh? thanks again for posting this 🙂
I make this a lot and overnight is fine. If you want it to be crusty, don’t put it in plastic. When I make four loaves I mix each in a separate container and bake two at a time, because that’s how many baking containers I have. It really is very easy and forgiving. This recipe was perfected by Jim Lahey and is in his book “My Bread.” It became very popular after Mark Bitman featured it in his New York Times column several years ago. Lahey’s book is great and contains several other breads using the same procedure.
How did you cover the cake tin for the first 30 minutes or did you bake it uncovered?
Making this soon.
One thing that’s always stumped me: how “warm” should the “warm water” be that you mix with the yeast? I’ve been taught never to use hot tap water to cook with, as the hot water heater has a lot of minerals and sediment, etc. from storing the water, that you don’t want to add to your food. Rather, start with cold water and heat, either on the stove or in the microwave. What do you recommend for reaching the right temperature to activate, but not kill, the yeast? Thanks very much in advance for any help you can give me. 🙂 <
I use 1 part boiling water to 2 parts cold water from the faucet.
So, 1/2 cup boiling water to 1 cup cold water.
The rule of thumb my mom always taught me is that the water should feel warm to the touch, but not too hot to comfortably put your finger in it. I’m sure there’s an actual temperature that’s best, but that’s what I’ve always done and I’ve never killed yeast yet!
I’ve always used the rule of the warm water being the temp of babies milk. I test it on the inside of my wrist, just like I used to do the babies bottles. Has worked great for me for 50 years,
105-110 degrees or warm to the touch on your wrist
In all the breads I’ve baked, sugar was an ingredient. I thought it had something to do with the chemical reaction for the yeast to rise. But there is none in this recipe, correct?
No sugar. I think because the rise time is so long here the yeast is actually able to feed on the gluten in the flour. It’s certainly different than other breads I’ve made, but it works!
My first bread didn’t rise and the yeast was fine. The second batch I proofed the yeast first in half cup warm water and 1/2 tsp sugar. The loaf came out beautiful. Then I made two loaves at the same time: one without sugar as per the recipe and one with, both were beautiful loaves but the one with sugar baked bigger and higher.
How big is the crockpot insert you are using?
I used both a large oval one and a round insert and both worked well!
I bake a lot of bread and love this recipe. For the warm water I use filtered water heated in the microwave to 105 degrees. I use my baking thermometer to check the temperature. Works great. Thanks for the recipe!
For instant yeast you need the water between 120 and 130 degrees in order to activate the yeast. Fot standard dry yeast 100-110 is about right
I have not baked bread in years. You got me thinking and wanting to try this recipe. What about adding some raisins and maybe some cinnamon sugar?
Why do you let it sit for so long? Also, is there ANY WAY to make this “Sour Dough” flavor???
Check out “no-knead” or “wet dough” recipes – after an initial room temperature rise, you pop the dough in the fridge for up to 7 days (although, to be honest, I’ve left it longer) before baking. The longer you leave it in the fridge, the more of a sourdough flavor you get.
can you use self raising flour and not the yeast?
Self-raising flour only refers to a mixture of flour, salt, and leavening (baking powder/baking soda) that gives baked products “fluffiness” (like biscuits, pancakes, etc.) , but you will still need yeast to ferment the dough. Otherwise, it won’t really rise, despite the name of the flour 😉
I haven’t tried using self-rising flour, but I have a yeast bread recipe I’ve used a lot…it uses yeast with self-rising flour.
You just leave out the salt,
It should work. Experiment !
Did you really use a crockpot to bake your artisan bread? It looked like it and didn’t see it go in the oven?
She used the removable crock in the oven, not in the crockpot base itself.
Absolutely amazing bread. Mixed two batches of dough before I went to work this morning. Second loaf is in the oven now and am going to run a couple pieces of the first loaf to my mom–love this recipe!!!!
I know my way around the kitchen….fridge….sink…oven. Typical male, I guess.
But I DO love bread and am going to try this recipe and amaze my friends and family.
I case it fails, I also know where the trash can is. Wish me luck 🙂
Just wondering if you knew how to make this with gluten free flour????
I tried using coconut and almond flours instead of any flours with gluten (wheat, spelt, white, etc). It is very difficult to get the same texture w/o using gluten. You have to get used to a much heavier bread (does not rise as much even tho’ you use yeast) and it takes longer to get the center done. If you really can’t have gluten, it’s better than no bread at all, but a far cry from what artisan bread tastes like when you use a flour with gluten, in my opinion.
I am a newbie at the bread baking thing, so can you tell me about the rising “at room temperature.” Our house is on the cool side (about 62 degrees) so will the bread still rise adequately, or should I put the dough in the furnace room?
It will still rise even in a cool house. When I make my pizza dough, I put it in the refrigerator and take it out a half hour before I use it. It rises in the refrigerator, and the dough is moist and pliable. When I am in a hurry, I put on the light in my electric oven, cover the dough and let it rise there for a half hour.
Thank you, Liz!
I’m getting the flour out now and am excited to try it!
We have the same issue–I just put ours closer to a heat return and it did just fine!!! See if you can find a “warm” spot in the house. I’m actually baking a batch right now!
Do you use plain flour or SR Flour ?
I live in SE Asia where it’s very hot and humid (usual temps are in the 90s and humidity is high!). Do you have any suggestions for how high temps and humidity will affect this recipe? I am so excited to try this recipe as there is NO bread like this available locally! I hope it turns out okay! Thank you!
I lived in Indonesia for three years and made delicious yeast bread. I just left it out on the counter to rise as the room was always warm. I made bread recipes that needed two separate risings, kneading in between, which makes a finer grain. If it rises too fast, just put it in the refrigerator to slow it down, or just let it rise in the fridge overnight. Good luck!
make sure jean gets this sent across the dining room to my desk we want to make this for our new restaurant thanks
If you cover this with a lid, such as a dutch oven lid, will it still be able to rise? That’s the only part I am a little confused about-the lid part.
Re: Covering with a lid.
During the resting time of 8-24 hours you want to cover with plastic wrap or something semi-permeable, so that some of the gas can escape. I found this out when I made it last night and used the plastic lid to my bowl to cover, it popped (blew) off a couple of times ! But the bread came out just fine.
During the cooking time I used a cast iron dutch oven with lid and it came out perfect !
So, yes if you use a lid ( instead of foil) it will still rise .
Hi, I read through all the notes and first, thank you! I have made peasant bread, which is very similar but I like the hints you gave for making it better, such as preheating the pan and covering with foil! My question is, can I make it the day before, It seems it is all about making it just before you want to eat it, but I wonder how it is the next day if made a day a head then taken to a potluck, etc… thank you so much!
You can put the ingredients together the night before, let it rise overnight (needs at least 8 hours) and bake it anytime the next day. I mix just before I go to bed and then bake it just before dinner so that we have warm bread with butter melting on it as a side dish! Yummmmm!
There were a couple others that asked this. Do you need self rising or all purpose flour?
NOPE self rising flour is for biscuits!
I got the recipe off of my timeline in FB. I have never made bread. I am trying to make spaghetti sauce and someone told me to add brown sugar. I did that and now it is TOO sweet. I don’t know how to do it right. I don’t want to throw it out but it is so sweet. I had a recipe for sauce with sweet peppers , garlic , tomato paste, puree and diced tomatoes. I added mushrooms also. Cooked it in the crockpot all night. It sure would be nice to eat this bread with it. But of course…………I am a horrible cook. Now, I made the bread but it looked like it needed a speck more water. I added a little more. Knowing my luck it won’t turn out. I am an older person and just have never cooked anything good. I am surprised my kids got through those years of me cooking. I have the bread in a bowl , now, with plastic wrap over it.
Sounds yummy – the sauce and the bread ! An elderly lady once told me that you can never mess up bread !
Everybody will eat it, and if it didn’t work well, try, try again.
🙂
Why would you use Lipton Onion Soup mix?! It’s all MSG?! Oh well…You’re killing yourself http://www.foodrenegade.com/msg-dangerous-science/ My question is can you substitute coconut flour? Has anyone tried this? I’m trying to stay low carb, and bread isn’t good for me.
Then make a salad!
HAHAHA! Awe Maryann! XOXO
Or you could use just onion powder. I use that with my homemade corn tortillas.
To answer the question as to if you could use coconut flour, google it as coconut flour absorbs liquids so can NOT be used in place of any kind of flour cup for cup, and if you find a recipe for using the coconut flour don’t try to substitute just any old flour to replace it. Kind of tricky. Good luck.
You could use homemade onion soup mix. I posted this recipe at http://www.food.com recipe #110331. Ingredients are available at any Bulk Barn store. Makes 1 packet which is equal to 1-1/4 ounces. I would only use 1 or 2 teaspoons of the mix for this recipe.
4 teaspoons beef bouillon granules
8 teaspoons dried onion flakes
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon seasoned pepper
1/4 teaspoon celery salt (optional)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
1. Cut a 6-inch square of heavy duty foil.
2. Place all ingredients in center of foil.
3. Fold foil to make an airtight package.
4. Label with date and contents.
5. Store in a cool, dry place.
6. Use within 6 months.
Can’t wait to try this recipe.
Just don’t know if you spray the baking dish before preheating, or after preheating just before adding the dough.
After heating, just before plopping the dough in.
Surely you can make onion soup without the murdered bodies of slain cows? Cows are lovely animals and don’t deserve the abuse and torture they endure in the killing complex of the agricultural industry, where they are treated like units of production in a machine. Their skins and limbs and other body parts are often removed while they are still alive and conscious. Soul-deadened slaughterhouse employees with PTSD (a huge problem in this industry because of the violent nature of the work) take out their latent feelings about the violence they commit directly upon these poor gentle animals by punching them, kicking them, hitting them with things and other violence. Such terrible abuse. I was shocked and dismayed to see this here on a bread recipe. : ( So unhappy to see it. They make wonderful vegetable bullion you can use to substitute for the dried up and processed bodies of these poor animals. Rapunzel is a good brand.
I am a PETA person ( people earing tasty anmals ) !
cows? we are making bread where do COWS come into this
Can I use wheat flour instead ?
Cant wait to make this
Yes, it will just be more dense.
I also have used sprouted whole wheat and it turns out great…just a bit more dense.
About self-rising flour: It is not a substitute for yeast! Use it for biscuits, leaving out some of the baking powder.
I’m not a bread maker for sure. But this can’t be much simpler. I’ve read a lot of the pots. The recipe you gave has got to be delicious on it’s own. Then I have a question. Could I add raisins and cinnamon possibly? Tanks for sharing this recipe.
Can you double this for a larger bread and would the cooking time be the same?
Just made this in our motor home this morning while on holiday in Portugal. Thanks for an amazingly easy and very clear recipe. I look forward to trying out the others!
This is very similar to a recipe I’ve been using from Simply So Good since 2010 (http://www.simplysogood.com/2010/03/crusty-bread.html) – it’s such a great recipe! For those who were asking about add-ins, she has a whole list of add-in combinations and how to use them on her site. She even has a FORUM specifically for this recipe! Here’s the link to the forum for anyone who has additional questions:
http://www.simplysogood.com/2012/08/crusty-no-knead-bread-forum.html
I was so excited to find this recipe to use with my High School Culinary class. Because of the 24 hour rise time, I’m able to have them prep it one day and bake the next! I made it a day ahead of them and it is WONDERFUL! I baked it in the large crock covered in tin foil. My students are excited, and their dough is currently in my FCS kitchen rising! The website directions were great for my beginner bakers. I hope for good results tomorrow for them! Thank you so much for sharing…as now I’ve had the ability to share with about 20+ young minds!
I just took this bread out of the oven and it looks and smells yummy!
Wondering if you can substtitue Gluten Free flour and this still work?
Although I used self rising flour, 1.5 cups of water did not make the dough wet enough.
You cannot use self rising flour for this recipe…you have to use the yeast and regular flour. There were comments in the posts regarding the use of self rising flour.
Autumn, do you or does anyone else know how to adapt this for high altitude (elevation)? I live at about 6500 feet. Looks delicious.
Did you ever get an answer? I live at 6200 ft and was wondering the same thing. Thanks?
I have made this bread many times and it turns out amazing!!! No one can believe it isn’t from the store. I live at 6800 feet and is perfect.
https://www.itsalwaysautumn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/how-to-make-artisan-bread-easy-recipe-easiest-five-5-minutes-4-ingredients-recipe-card.jpg
I copied this to save as a draft email so I may have it handy for relatives or friends…Is this OK with You?
Would 1 tsp. sugar help in reducing the rise time?
I was wondering the same thing. As I’m impatient, I put about 1/2 tbsp of honey in. It’s been on the counter for about 6 hours now and not really noticeable rise. So, I’ll see in the morning.
I live in Denver and my loaf looked more like ciabatta bread, a little flatter, but it was DELICIOUS. Everyone was very impressed.
Fantastic recipes.
I made this several times & we love it!! if I use high gluten bread flour – I add 3 tablespoons more water, sometimes I add powered buttermilk for a little tan. looking forward for more of your .
Got excited about this recipe. Followed it to a T. Complete failure. Didn’t rise and jar of Fleishman’s quick rise yeast was unopened and expires in Dec /16. I tested it and it’s fine. Solid and doughy in centre but the crusty sides were chewy and delicious. Trying again, this time used 1 tsp yeast with half tsp sugar dissolved in warm water(yeast tester) added to make 1.5 cups of warm water.
This looks like a lovely recipe and I will be making this soon. I wish that people would read all the comments before they make their comment because many times their question has been asked and answered.
You are genius! Made this and LOVE LOVE LOVE it! I totally amazed and inspired my friends!! Looking forward to glancing at your other recipes! <3
Can this be done in a bread machine for mixing the dough? Then bake it in the oven. I’m guessing this is for a 1lb loaf. Is that correct?
So the least amount of time is 8hours and the most is 24 hours right?Thanx for the recipe I love this bread but have never seen a recipe for it .I make bread all the time so I just wanted to make sure on the time
love this site!!
MY HUSBAND – WHOSE CULINARY TALENT BEGINS AND ENDS WITH REHEATING FOODS – MADE THIS TODAY ALL BY HIMSELF AND IT WAS VERY GOOD. HE SAID THAT HE BAKED IT TENTED WITH FOIL ON A COOKIE SHEET. I AM EXCITED TO EXPERIMENT WITH ADDING VARIOUS FLAVORS TO THIS EASY, EASY RECIPE.
MY CLAY POT WITH A LID SHOULD WORK GREAT FOR THIS. SHOULD I SOAK IT AS USUAL BEFORE PRE-HEATING IT?
Do you think it is possible to switch the white flour to gluten free flour and it would still turn out the same?
Seems like this recipe could do with a shout out to Jim Lahey of Sullivan Street Bakery, who created and popularized this at home artisan method (both in the New York Times and through his book). Glad you’re sharing it but good source sharing would be better, since tracing sources helps people get more info (you can find a lot of extra help, troubleshooting, and variations by searching for the Lahey bread method – leaving readers without this does not serve them best).
OK… I followed the directions completely. 24 hours later, all I had was stinky, yeasty “soup” that would have taken another cup of flour, at least, to fold it into a ball. It went down the garbage disposal. I was very disappointed. I’m a beginner, but have had luck with every other recipe I’ve tried so far. And idea what might have gone wrong?
Rats, mine flopped as well. It rose about an inch last night, but this morning it was all flat and more liquid than solid. Even rolling it in flour, lots of flour, it was still a wet mess. Okay, off to try again. Ugh.
SUCCESS!! I measured the water temp to 112 degrees, and this time the bread came out perfectly! I let it rise overnight (10 hrs), then baked it this morning. Try temping your water, because I know that the first time, my water was barely warm. Warm is subjective unless you have an actual temperature of “how warm.” I placed it in a big glass pyrex bowl, covered it with plastic wrap (not as tightly this time). After flour prep on the board, I washed and preheated the same bowl. At 30 minutes rest, I sprayed the bowl with nonstick spray, literally plopped it in the bowl, covered with foil, and baked 30 minutes. Took off the foil and it browned in 10 more minutes. For a gal who can botch the best of “never fail” recipes, I’m patting myself on the back.
I just finished my first batch. The dough was very wet but had lots of bubbles. I had to add a lot of flour to get it to form a ball and even then it was very sloppy.mi naked it anyway and it turned out great.
Not sure if it should be so crusty though.
Tried this and it was very wet when I put it on the board to rest. Didn’t rise much but still have to taste it yet; looks a bit heavy. Lots of bubbles when I tipped it onto the board. Not sure why it went wrong, been making bread for years and really wanted this to work for something different.
I had the same problem. Can’t form it into a ball, just spreads right out. Going to try to bake it anyway & see how it comes out. I was here looking to see if others had the same issue that I did. Hope Autumn will give us a hint as to what went wrong?
For anyone who has added cheese, jalapenos, etc. do you have any guidelines as to how much? Do you just add it in with the flour, water, yeast and salt before you let it rise? Thanks for the help!
Couple of questions – (1) Does it matter what type of bowl I make this in (glass vs plastic? (2) I had the film wrap on the bowl tight – should it be loose? (3) Can I cover with a dish towel instead (as my mom did way back in the day)?
Great questions! Would love to know the answer to those myself!
Can Bread Flour be used in place of all purpose, or is all purpose the way to go?
I used bread flour and it turned out great. I find that most recipes do just fine substituting bread and all purpose.
Thank you so much for this recipe! I have already made one loaf which turned out just as I have seen at my local grocery store and tasted just as good. The second loaf is waiting to be baked. My son is a bread lover and only likes fresh bread so this will be my go-to recipe from now on!!!
I was impressed by the simplicity of this recipe so I gave it a try. Found the recipe last night, quickly mixed everything together and baked it the next afternoon (so it sat on the counter about 16 hours). Turned out phenomenal and I am amazed at the cost for the ingredients versus what a bakery or grocery store charges for a product like this.
I am going to start experimenting with garlic, as one of my favorite artisan breads has multiple cloves baked in. I don’t see why it wouldn’t work! Will definitely update here. Thank you. This is a keeper. And I am not even a person who consumes much bread!
I want to say a big THANK YOU for the most amazing bread. Dough and I don’t get along very well, but this recipe looked so easy, I decided to give it a try. The worst I could lose was 3 cups of flour. It turned out perfect! It was so easy to make, but somehow I feel so accomplished to have made it. My boyfriend and I accidentally (not accidentally at all) ate the whole loaf. I have to double and triple the dose now to give all my friends. I don’t think I will ever buy bread again. Thank you!
Recipe calls for 1/2 teaspoon yeast. I have 1/4oz envelopes. The instructions on the back of envelop says “1 PKG instant yeast measures about 2 1/4 teaspoons”. Does anyone have a conversion for this? Also is there a high altitude adjustment?
As to the question how warm the water for resolving yeast should be this package says 105 to 110 F
Thanks
Just use a quarter of the yeast in the envelope and you’ll be fine!
Thanks, I tried just measuring out the yeast into 1/2 tsp. and went from there. The dough seemed dry and not sticking together so added more water. Let stand overnight and didn’t seem to rise though there was a slight condensation on the inside of the plastic wrap covering. I had the same experience trying to form a ball as described by others in the above posting. Baked for 10 min and wasn’t very brown so baked another 10 min. Still not overly brown and crust is very tough. Inside is moist, dense and not very bubbly. Maybe too much water and baked too long??? Will try again after I eat this one.
All comments/advice welcomed.
Thanks
If you do a search on high altitude baking you will find suggestions for general adjustments. Not sure whether they will work with this type of recipe. One thing I read was increasing the temperature by about 20 – 25 degrees but that seems like it might not work here. If you find a solution, please post it?
I’ve never made bread before and when I tried to form mine into a ball, it just kept spreading out and losing it’s shape, I was also unable to cut through it to slash the X, it just kind of stretched and went back together. I eventually plopped it into my pan and it cooked up nicely, but ugly – although I prefer to call it a bit more rustic. Just wondering if I had too much water? Or flour? Or how to get mine into a nice ball that stays in a ball?
Mine did exactly the same thing. I added lots more flour and it never did cut the c into it but it looks and tests fine.
This bread is DIVINE. I am in love. The hardest part is thinking ahead to start it. Loved your idea of using the crock from your slow cooker. That worked great. MMmmmmm
I was glad to see your post (145) as I was wondering what to use with high sides. Thought it looked like the crock from Crock Pot but was afraid to try it. Wasn’t sure it could take the 450 in the oven. So didn’t want to break my crock. So it should work for me. Thanks for posting. AND thanks for the gal who posted the recipe.!!! Can’t wait to try!!
I just made this bread…and OMG! It is DANGEROUS! I live alone and don’t think I will have a problem eating it all in just a few days! Some of the best bread I’ve eaten in a very long time!
I made this recipe and it turned out beautifully. The rise was great and the texture was perfect but it tasted terrible, kind of like a bad fermentation or something like that. I used good flour/ 2 cups unbleached white, 1 cup King Arthur whole wheat. The aftertaste was bitter . I prepared the dough the night before I cooked it and left it in a cool kitchen to rise about 13 hours total. Do you have any experience with something like this happening with this recipe. I’m so disappointed since it seemed so much easier than my sourdough artisan bread recipe.
You are so awsome!!!
And the bread is divine )))) The first bread in my life )))
2 comments, though… I’ve made 2 loaves by now, both were tasty. I measured the same ways (as far as I remember), but the first time dough was dry, the second time it was watery and after it risen I had to add some flour, because it was not forming into anything! ))) It was somewhat like the pancace batter… Very runny.
I have several questions^_^
1) Can you premix the dry ingredients and store in a jar, so you could just measure the right amount and add the water?
2) Is it crucial to use a saram wrap to cover? Or a lid will do too? Should the dough be like in aitight… container?
3) Could you double the ingredients to make a bigger loath?
4) My oven doesn’t go 450 degrees, so I bake about 45 minuts under the lid at as high temp as it will go, wich is about 400. So… if you can doudle the indredients, for how olng would you bake a big loath in my oven? :))))
5) I would like to try and make this bread in a multicoocker, but mine doesn’t go higher the 350, for how long would you bake a small/big loath in the multicoocker?
Here ))))
Thank you for this gourgeus recipe!!!
You are fantastic! Please, stay the way you are, and keep doing what you’re doing :)))))
Oh! And I’ve forgot another one!!! :)))
I have a cupboard that has heating pipes going through and in the winter, when the heating is on, it’s way warmer there then on the countertop. Is it better/worse to put the dough there?
I WOULD LOVE TO MAKE THE ARTISAN BREAd could i print just the recipe thgank you
Hi Freda. Right above the recipe card in the post there’s a link that says “click here for the printable recipe card.” Click that link, which will take you to the card, which you can then print. Thanks!
How high do sides of baking pan need to be?
Just made this today & it is delicious!!! Used 2 c AP flour & 1 c whole wheat flour & added flax seed meal. Should have waited a bit longer to cut but my hubby just couldn’t.
I didn’t read all the comments to see if others had noticed that the PRINTED RECIPE CARD does NOT include “Spray your baking dish with nonstick spray”. That could make a difference for someone using only the recipe card making the bread. On my way to check out more yumminess. Thanks.
I wonder what this recipe would be like if you used beer instead of water? Hmm….
Just made this and it’s awesome? Thank you for sharing this recipe. My question is how to store it and reheat it a few days later?
Oh.my. Gosh! I made bread! I have tried for 40plus years to make bread. My hubby LOVES homemade bread. His mom makes yummy bread. She tried so hard to teach me. I made hockey pucks. Flat and hard. THanks for this terrific recipe. I called my husband and he came home. 3 slices later he said it was awesome! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Your recipe is amazing. So easy. Plus my home smells delicious! Rah, I am doing the happy dance.
Just pulled my 2nd loaf out of the oven and it looks and smells delicious. This is actually easier than driving to the store and purchasing a loaf from the bakery. It tastes wonderful and cost less than 50cents. And it makes the best toast. I can see myself baking this every 3-4 days and skipping the store bought stuff altogether.
HI! Came across your recipe on Facebook and I’m so glad you shared it. I used it to make bread for communion at our church this weekend. Got lots of compliments. I was a little bit concerned initially because my dough looked really dry (almost like biscuit dough) when I first mixed it, but about 18 hours later when I went to bake it, it looked just like your video. Have you ever tried to increase the recipe? The loaf was a bit small for what I needed, and I’m thinking I might try making it 1.5x (rather than a full double).
I actually did increase it once, and it ended up a little too moist in the middle. If you do make a larger loaf, you’ll probably want to cook it until it’s a little more brown on the outside to make sure it’s done on the inside!
Good morning: I followed the recipe and cooked the bread in the crockpot insert as shown on the video. My crockpot cracked and I had to toss it. Just wondering if any one else had this happen.?
I’m so sorry about that! I’ve updated the post to let people know that’s a concern. Again – sorry!
I use cast iron, both a dutch oven and lodge 4 in 1.
“All Crock-Pot® Slow Cooker removable crockery inserts (without lid) may be used safely in the microwave and the oven set up to 400°F. If you own another slow cooker brand, please refer to your owner’s manual for specific crockery cooking medium tolerances.”
http://www.crock-pot.com/service-and-support/product-support/product-faqs/help-and-how-to-use/oven-and-microwave-safety/help-and-how-to-use-oven-and-microwave-safety-faq.html
I just recently found this recipe. I have been baking bread for 40 years and have never been able to get a good crusty bread like I desired. This recipe is the bomb! I have made it many times in the few weeks since I first tried it! I have told everybody who will listen.
Me too! This is what I Have been looking for all these years. And it’s not the ingredients at all…it’s the “techniques” !
I am wondering if anyone has tried making rolls with this dough? I see that someone used a baking sheet and tented aluminum foil over the loaf. Guess I’ll try something similar with rolls.
Made the rolls, and they were good, but I would have liked them to brown more. I shortened the baking time, but I also need to play around with the temperature.
I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong…both times I’ve made this, my dough is watery and won’t stay in a ball to rest….first one was dense, this one’s in the oven now…I REALLY want this to work right. Please help!! Thanks. 🙂
Everything looked good until this am when I was going to bake it, it was too watery, Couldn’t form a ball. It was too sticky
For those bakeware that got cracked: you should preheat it with the oven so it doesn’t get temperature shock and crack.
Dough doesn’t hold the shape: Right, it is very moist, just use a scraper and fold a few times then put in a bowl lined with parchment paper if your baking vessel is round. Even a large silicon spatula is great for fold the dough. You won’t have to touch it with your hands at all to shape.
For a longer loaf (I have an oblong clay baker) I just scoop the dough on tho the parchment paper then put a box on either side of the dough (with parchment paper against the boxes) and drape over loaf with a towel to prevent from drying.
I added rosemary and lemon zest to the flour before adding room temp. water.
For cheese and jalapeno I also added in the beginning but the cheese has more flavor when I folded in while shaping before leaving it to rest for 30 minutes.
This is the easiest bread recipe, ever!
Had the same experience and added lots of flour. Never did form the x when slashed but it baked and tasted fine.
I was wondering can you use whole wheat flour for this recipe ?
Hi there! I just found your recipe a little over a week ago and we’ve already made 5 loaves since then. It’s unbelievably simple and delicious. Love it! Actually, my family enjoys so much that I decided to share it on my blog. You can check it out here: https://gatherlovegrow.wordpress.com/2016/03/31/making-bread-for-beginners/
Have an awesome day and thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Just made this Artisan bread. May just eat the whole thing myself! So easy, so yummy! THANKS!
I made this recipe & the printable one doesn’t mention greasing the pan. Now I can’t get it out of the crockpot. I expected it to be higher/taller, but in the pictures here, it doesn’t look very tall.
This is THE best bread I’ve ever made! Thank you for this fantastic recipe! Would you mind if I shared it in French on my blog? With links to your recipe and video, of course! 🙂
Thanks! I had read that I shouldn’t, but because it’s the flour I keep on hand, I made this recipe entirely with “white whole wheat” flour, let it sit for 24 hours, and, although I had no white flour version for comparison, I’d have to say that it’s still a right nice loaf of bread with a great crust and lots of air holes. I’ll be making this a regular addition to our meals. Couldn’t be easier.
Also, I baked it in 2 qt. round glass baking dish.
Just wondered how long you preheat baking dish
For those of you that saw only a stinky yeasty soup, and then sent your dough down the disposal, I have a question and a comment. Question: You got that far, why wouldn’t you just try to bake it?
Comment: I’m a professional pastry chef but am sad to say that I haven’t worked with a lot of bread. I’ve made several varieties and types of bread, but do not consider myself an expert in this category. I do think there is an ideal proof time for bread and perhaps 24 hours is too long. I let my dough rise for 13 hours but not because I planned it that way. I think 8 is probably the ideal time if I had to guess, but you could still make a serviceably good bread at 24 hour proof time. My dough at 13 hours was pretty wet and not easy to shape. Putting it into the Dutch oven, I thought it would start drooping down around my fingers if I didn’t make the transfer quickly enough. I understand your apprehension, but from a pro to a novice the only advice I can give is you don’t know what it will be like till it’s baked. I had some doozies, and sometimes they work out in the bake. And sometimes not. But once you’ve come that far, your only spending a little bit of electricity and little more time. Take it all the way, and then determine if it’s a flop.
My first batch was all wet and unformable and thought this was going to be a flop, but the crockpot was already preheated and the oven hot so I thought why not continue on with the experiment. OMG! This flat glob of soft mass cooked up to look just like the best pictures of artisian bread! I let it cool and took it to a potluck where I sliced it up into thick small pieces so people could try it and not take too much and waste it. Everyone raved over the bread and asked me all about it. It was such a success. I made my batch 4:00pm then cooked it the next day at 1:00 pm. WOW I love this bread. Leftovers can be sliced up and used in the toaster and resembles english muffins to a tea! Thank you for the recipe!
I have sour dough starter. I’m thinking about adding some to the ingredients. Has anyone tried this?
Also, I love the bread, your instructions were perfect.
I forgot warm water and it turned out beautiful anyways.
Thanks.
Can you use bread flour instead of regular flour
I used whole wheat bread flour and it turned out delicious
I made this using 2 cups of whole wheat bread flour and 1 cup all-purpose flour and it came out very good. However I found 1.5 cups to be far too much water and ended up adding a whole other cup of whole wheat flour and still had a very wet and sticky dough which made it hard to form into a ball and get in the dutch oven. Nonetheless the whole loaf is gone after only a few hours… nothing like some freshly made bread with some jam and butter. Will definitely be making this again!
Just made this recipe and it is FABULOUS. I read all comments before starting and was a little leary of what to expect but here are my comments. I followed the recipe exactly. I let the dough set on my kitchen counter for almost 24 hours before baking. I used the crock from my Rival crockpot although was hesitant as some said their crock cracked. Mine didn’t. I put crock in oven while it was preheating to 450 and left it in there for 30 minutes. At the same time, I had dumped out dough onto well floured breadboard. I didn’t cover it. Right before baking, I pulled crock from oven and sprayed with PAM as someone had commented their bread wouldn’t come out of crock. I tried to slice an “X” into the dough but it wouldn’t stay; the dough filled in over it. When done, the bread fell right out of crock when I dumped it out. It made a beautiful loaf. After baking for 30 minutes covered, I only cooked it for 10 minutes uncovered; next time I will cook for 15 and let it get a little more brown on top. I took pics and e-mailed to my friends. I “staged” the bread with various items to try to make it look like a magazine photo. My friends couldn’t believe their eyes. That bread is so beautiful! And…it tastes delicious! I served to husband with real butter and orange marmalade and he said it was fabulous…and it was. I just broiled some cherry tomatoes sprayed with EVOO and a little balsamic vinegar with a shake of kosher salt and will eat those on a slice of this bread for dinner tonight…if there’s any bread left by then he he he! This is going to be my go-to recipe from now on when I want to give someone a gift. They will definitely be impressed. Love Love Love this recipe. Thanks for posting.
Love this recipe ,have given it to almost all my family .So easy and soooo good ,thanx for sharing
Sooo good thanx for sharing this recipe
I need to be gluten free I wonder if I did this with the gluten free all purpose flour if it would turn out or do you need the gluten to make it work.
I’m trying this recipe with one cup of white flour and 2 cups of bread flour…Hope it works? I also added a lil extra water…mine was so dry it would not bind.
My dough came out very wet after rising for 24 hours. Help!
All the comments here about using different amounts of water/yeast. Bread making is NOT DIFFICULT. I use 1/4tspn of yeast and 1 & 3/4 cups of water to 3 cups of PLAIN Hi protein flour. It is a wet dough. Left overnight for 18 hours it smooths out, rises, and has a slight smell of beer (fermentation) After pre heating my glass Pyrex without a lid, I sprinkle some course semolina on the base, pour the dough in, cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid, bake another 20-30 minutes then cool completely before slicing. Keep in a large paper grocery bag of freeze.
I have made this bread and it is fabulous! I make it with wholemeal flour. However – outside the USA a cup measures 250 ml unlike an American cup which is 225 ml. This makes a huge difference when measuring cups of flour! Took me a while to realis my bread was a bit heavy! Please let the rest of the world know when you print weights that it is different in other countries
Many thanks
It is gloopy but she said it would be. I scraped it onto my baking mat and pulled it up the way in the video with flour. It doesn’t make a hard, firm ball; it stayed round but spread out a bit. I used Ghee butter to coat my pan and plopped it in; came out absolutely delicious!
I made your artisan bread recipe multiple times. The first time as written and using my crockpot insert in the oven (which works great for me). The other times I’ve changed things up a bit with different flour types. And it’s worked great every time! Even when I thought it wouldn’t because the flour was too wet or too dry or the temperature too humid. It’s amazing. The latest bread I made I used half regular white flour and half rye flour. I used the same measurements as for the regular recipe and the mixture seemed drier than the others I made before. I let it sit for 18 hours and it still seemed too dry but I followed the rest of the directions and baked it as usual. It still turned out perfect! Crispy crust on the outside and moist springy bread on the inside. Perfect with a bit of butter and Brie or as a Reuben Sandwich. Thanks for sharing this great recipe.
With you pot or Dutch oven already hot you do not have to use the spray before you put the dough in. I’ve made this bread easily over 100 times and have never used the spray. Just let the bread cool for about 5-10 minutes in the pot and then invert. Comes out easily every time. You can also speed up the process by using warm water, and 1/4 TSP red wine vinegar. The rise time shortens to 8 hrs and then you cook it as you did before.
I even made this bread, but put in a little too much yeast, i live in london UK and we use LBS instead of CUPS so trying to find the correct measurements and Weights, but good all the same, will keep trying for that perfect loaf… one question….
how to store? how long will it keep?
Thanks
Anna
Problem I had was translating US cups to UK cups, I tend to prefer grams. I’m halfway through making this, also in the UK. Like others I have found that following the recipe results in a very sloppy batter-like dough after fermentation. I have added about 100g or more flour to bring it round. I wonder if this is due to not packing down the flour when measuring out 3 cups, or the soft water where I am (Yorkshire). General rule is the longer you ferment, the longer the bread should last. I would say about a few days if kept in a sealed bag in a bread bin.
Oh my gosh! This is the easiest bread I’ve ever made and it’s flat out delicious!
So just made my very first loaf following the directions just as they were and so far so good! May I add that this is the very first time EVER making bread by hand, I’ve always wanted to but was to lazy I always used my bread machine!! Thanks for sharing!! You’ve changed my life can’t wait to play around with adding some flavour to the dough!!
nice article..before my baking became a hobby, I dream to be a patissier..
I bake for my kids and doing the baking process is uneasy, Have to retain the consistency, putting the dough to oven
bread maker I found online makes my baking easily and less messy unlke doing it the oven.
Right now, i am running a small business where I bake bread to my neighbor and friends
they like the output same as conventional oven
First of all thank you for what looks like a recipe for lovely bread. I tried it following the instructions and video exactly but something went very wrong. When I tried to turn it out onto a floured surface it was just a goopy mess that ran from the counter down onto the floor. I used measuring cups so am sure that I used all the proper measurements. Was so looking forward to this bit had to admit defeat and oh boy, what a clean-up!
Any auggestions? Would love to try it again.
Is rising time less with instant yeast?
Artisan bread recipe is easy and so delicious!!!! I made 6 loaves in 2 days and gae to friends who are now making also……So and so ative…many thanks for sharing !!!!
Do you have any nutritional value as compared to store bought bread? (diabetic, carbs are not good for me)
How do you know how long the recipe needs to sit? You give the option of 8-24 hrs. How do you know when it’s ready?
I have Fast Rise Yeast. It says to use 1/2 tsp for every cup of flour (I use it for the bread machine). Should I ignore that and just follow the recipe, or do I have the wrong kind of yeast?
Has anyone ever tried the recipe using gluten-free flour?
Is there a chance that gluten free flour would work for this recipe?
What kind/brand of flour did you use.
I made this bread yesterday and baked it up today OMG so scrumptous.
I split the recipe in 2.. 1 herb/cheese/garlic …. I original
and then made a GF one for my husband
My favorite is the herb one 😎
Hey I have a question. If I wanted to split this recipe in half and make two loaves out of one recipe, how long would the bake time be? 15 mins? Unsure. Please reply! 🙂
Have made this recipe many times. Love it.
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https://goo.gl/ghaQ4ffor forms filling. It definitely makes my life easier!This bread recipe is the most amazing bread recipe I have ever made! It is foolproof and easily adaptable. I have added cinnamon and raisins; 1/3 whole wheat with some ground flax seed and feel you could add just about any herb combination or dried fruit, seeds, nuts. I have made this to share at work multiple times and have since printed off the recipe for many of my coworkers. I place the dough on parchment paper rather than greasing the baking dish for easy clean up and usually check the loaf for doneness during the uncovered cook time after 5 minutes.
Thank-you for a lovely recipe!
Two questions
1. Do you use Fast-Acting yeast or brewers yeast?
2. Can you substitute the 1.5 cups of warm water with 1.5 cups of warm buttermilk (sourdough) or 1 cup warm water + 0.5 cup of warm buttermilk?
Just made this this morning! So incredibly good and so simple! Thank yoU! My family loves it!
I love this Bread make it all the time especially now with fall and winter.I use a crock pot insert to bake it .Great recipe .
Could this bread be be changed up a bit by adding cinnamon sugar and raisins for a cinnamon loaf?
Will this bake well in a loaf pan?
My first batch was all wet and unformable and thought this was going to be a flop, but the crockpot was already preheated and the oven hot so I thought why not continue on with the experiment. OMG! This flat glob of soft mass cooked up to look just like the best pictures of artisian bread! I let it cool and took it to a potluck where I sliced it up into thick small pieces so people could try it and not take too much and waste it. Everyone raved over the bread and asked me all about it. It was such a success. I made my batch 4:00pm then cooked it the next day at 1:00 pm. WOW I love this bread. Leftovers can be sliced up and used in the toaster and resembles english muffins to a tea! Thank you for the recipe!
I accidentally used hot water and it is quite sticky… Will it still work
I made this yesterday and also had to add a little more water. It rose brilliantly and I baked it today. For some bizarre reason, I left the lid off during the first 30 minute bake, and then realised .. covered it for the last 10 minutes of baking and it still worked. I haven’t baked bread in years but this is going to be a staple recipe for a long time! Awesome!
HI! I have made this a few times and every time it turned out great! Everyone in my family loves it. However, I have a huge family and I wanted to know what the cooking time would be if I double the ingredients. Thank you!!!
Looks so easy but mine didn’t rise after 24 hours. It was crumbly too so I added more water. Do you know of it was true yeast? Thanks.
Thanks for your writeup and photos, it called me to try this recipe. Not only was it easy but it turned out wonderful. I’ll make this some more. I weighed the flour (125g /cup) and the mix was the perfect wetness. I only had dry active yeast so I proofed it for 10 min in 3 Tbl of the warm water before I combined everything together. I also increased the yeast to 3/4 tsp. I used King Arthur unbleached AP flour.
I got to mixing it up late last night. I’m glad it was so quick and easy. If it took 5 minutes, I would be surprised. I heated the oven about 3pm today and I put it in the Lodge Dutch Oven using a parchment sling and it baked 30 min @ 450 covered and 10 min uncovered. Perfection! Thanks again.
Yesterday I made beautiful and yummy bread for the first time in my life! And today, I made my second bread, with Parmesan and rosemary. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe ❤️
Has anyone ever tried to add cloves of roasted garlic to the dough?
Love this recipe. Don’t use your crockpot bowl! It cracked mine and isn’t usable now. I changed the recipe to be 2 cups whole wheat (soft white freshly ground) and 1 cup white. I then folded in some fresh crushed garlic right before I baked it. It is delicious!
Wonderful recipe! After make this several times, I’ve discovered that kitchen temperature makes a huge difference in the consistency of the dough after rising (as does rising time). A warm kitchen makes the dough turn out practically like a batter. The cooler the kitchen is, the more “normal” the dough is. But the first time I made this, even though it was almost pourable, certainly did not make a ball, it still turned out amazing after baking. The last couple of times, I’ve stirred in a pat of soft butter, and that makes it even better. Love this recipe! Thank you.
Glad to see this comment as I also had pourable dough. And I had tried to keep the stove top where the dough was sitting warm thinking it would help it rise. Next time, I will keep the kitchen at normal temp. Thanks for the tip.
I started this recipe yesterday evening and baked it to go with dinner tonight. This was my second time. So yummy! I made two loaves this go-’round because my family inhaled the loaf I made the first time in minutes. It is easy to make, beautiful in all its bread-y wonder, and delightful to eat.
To avoid the crock cracking, place it into a cold oven and allow it to preheat along with the oven.
I made this bread for the first time tonight and it turned out wonderfully though I added more flour than called for because I am not used to such a sticky bread dough. I plan on doing it again soon but leaving it more sticky and letting the dough sit longer (I only had about 8 hours). I used my camping dutch oven to make the bread and it was perfect. Thanks Autumn! I love how easy it was.
I have made this recipe quite a few times now, and never really twice the same way. The bread turns out perfect every time, it’s so forgiving and delicious!! It has become a family favorite already! Thank you so much for sharing!! I have created a link to your site for others to find it. Thanks again!!
I’ve made this three times now and it’s awesome. So easy! Just follow directions to a T and it will be great. I wish I could add a picture here.
Instead of using a floured counter-top i lightly flour parchment paper that is good in the oven to 500 F ..i do this because the heated dutch oven is easy to burn yourself while placing the ball in it … but on parchm,ent just lift from alternate corners and lift straight in … saves u spraying pot too and easy to remove once it is cooked … just make sure its good parchment or it wont take the heat or lift out without tearing
I have never made bread because it seemed time consuming and ultimately a waste of time if it didn’t work. This was my first attempt ever at making bread and the recipe is simple and tastes great! I made it once using the minimum 8 hours specified but I also made it a couple times after that and only let it sit for about three hours. Only difference was that it didn’t rise as high while cooking. Still tasted great! Thank you for posting this recipe!
Just made this bread, amazing!! Thank you so much for sharing!! I will try adding flavors and gluten free flours next!
Just made this bread, amazing!! Thank you so much for sharing! I did read through the comments and got some good information and tips. I will try adding flavors and gluten free flours next! Yay!
Are you sure half teaspoon yeast is correct
Are the degress in celsius or fahrenheit?
Also what brand of yeast do you use?
This recipe is so perfect! I’ve never made bread before but this was so easy and so yummy! I made it to go with beef barley soup and it was so good that I couldn’t stop eating it! Thanks so much for posting this! I will make it again and again!
It was great and just as easy as you said! Will def make it again.
Be careful using the enameled cast iron. The first attempt making this we used a Lodge enameled cast iron dutch oven. During the pre-heating stage, all of the enamel on the inside spider cracked. After a little research, found out that it is never supposed to be heated empty. No longer usable for cooking, but my wife has a very unique red planter on the patio now.
Can you reduce the salt in this recipe?
I think you probably could – I don’t believe the salt does much other than accent the taste. I haven’t tried it so I’m not sure, but I think it would be worth a try.
Thanks so much for this recipe! We loved it! I’ve been wanting to make artisan bread for awhile and I just hadn’t gotten around to it. I’m so glad I finally decided to look at recipes. I can’t believe how simple it is to make. My kids thought the bread came from the store. I’m actually going to make it again this weekend. My kids loved it with a little almond butter. So tasty!
Wow!! Not only is this bread super easy to make, it is absolutely DELICIOUS!! Everyone in the family loved it! I will definitely be making this on a regular basis. Thank you so much for the recipe!
I’ve never made bread and didn’t have a Dutch oven but your tips were great. I used a casserole dish and foil and it turned out perfect.
Has anybody ever made this recipe with a homemade starter?
I think people are traumatized by early bread epic fails and they tend to overthink this recipe because of it. I am a simple home baker–going on twenty five years worth now and I make baked goods for both the ‘typicals’ and ‘GF’s’ in my home. The best way not to ‘fail’ with this is to make it at night before you go to bed–you will fuss over it less if you let it rise while you sleep. If you followed the recipe exactly and did not substitute any flours and your dough looks dry after mixing–try ignoring it. Just cover it and go to bed. When you get up, you will probably find it is just fine. If it seems a bit too loose or gloopy come morning and seems as though it won’t hold together–I suggest ignoring that too. Use parchment paper to transfer the gloopy blob into your baking dish and bake as directed. You will probably be happy with the results.
***GF*** Okay for all you poor souls, my daughter included who are GF…yes you can make a version of this with GF flour. I suggest either Namaste or Bob’s cup for cup baking flours available online and at Whole Foods, among other places. That being said–several gluten free mums and I found that you will use 1/2 up to 1 cup LESS flour depending on your flour mix. Whatever you do, use a gf baking flour that INCLUDES the gum. Don’t add any to this recipe. Also, when you first start making it, put very warm water in bowl, add 2 TBLSP honey, stir. Add yeast and let sit 10 minutes. Then proceed as recipe directs–just watch that flour–it will be a bit of an experiment for you…try it with 1/2 cup less flour the first time, and if that doesn’t work, try 1 cup less on the next batch. The GF version WILL be more dense, but not so bad if you lower the flour. Personally i found the Namaste flour worked best and gave a pebbly slightly chewy crust and a soft spongy inside with some small bubbles. Also, it’s not going to rise as high as the typical version, but that is a small price to pay for something close to rustic bread. Some of us found that brushing the top of the bread LIGHTLY with oil can help with tender/chewiness of crust–but some didn’t like it. Also most of us lowered the temperature to 425F and kept the baking time the same or just a bit more depending–again, it will come down to the gf baking flour you used–its unfortunately trial and error. (We didn’t try adding other things like baking powder or yougurt, etc…because we wanted to keep this the simple bread it was intended to be) When you slice the GF bread, I would wait until it is good and cool…once sliced you can toast or heat it back up in the microwave–though toasted was voted best with us. Good Luck.
Thank you so much for your fabulous tips and information!
I follow this recipe exactly as written. It turns out perfect every time. I can’t tell you how many times I have served it for company and get compliments every single time. People don’t believe me when I say how easy it is to make. Thanks so much!!!
This is DELICIOUS! I made it exactly as the recipe indicated. The initial dough is pretty dry, but I didn’t get tempted to add more liquid. It perked up beautifully overnight – I let mine sit for about 21 hours. I am keeping this in my “staple recipe” file…thank you, Autumn!
You mean you let it siit for 21 hours prior to baking?
I never rate anything or comment on others posts BUT THIS! OMG! So, I took the bread out of the oven 30 minutes ago & the house smells incredible! The bread was popping while on the cooling rack providing a beautiful crunchy outside crust and looks a heavenly golden brown. Slicing, the aroma was literally making my stomach alert and anxious. Lol. The center as promised is so light and airy. This is perfection! Simple. Easy. Delicious. YES!
I used a tall cast iron skillet. The high temp started to melt the handle of my cooking pot lid so I replaced with foil. It came out great. Crust is a little hard on bottom but the bread is super-tender inside. Maybe I will cook a little less time as I did 15-18 minutes uncovered.
I’m already mixed up the batter for the next loaf with lots of dill.
Awesome recipe and so easy!! Thanks for sharing it!
Ok second time making… this time I don’t have plastic wrap, so I’m covering with a baby towel…. I hope it works out just as well!!! Also I’m tempted to make the switch to beeswax paper anyways, has anyone tried this instead? TIA (first batch I rigged a gallon size plastic bag and packing tape, I’m out of those too now lol)
Thank you so much Autumn for this recipe.
Recent Illness has rather knocked me back recently and made me rethink my gift giving as I’ve not been
well enough to make gifts as normal.
I wanted to try something different for Christmas, so using the basic recipe quartered I made this using mincemeat (as in mince pies) with chopped basil.
second trial, 1/4 basic recipe, sultanas and chopped apricot soaked overnight in apple juice then drained, chopped dates, toasted almond slivers, pistachio nuts
third trial also using quarter of basic recipe was smoked salmon trimmings, lemon zest and sugar snap peas. Brushed egg wash over when lid came off and ground pink Himalayan rock salt and black pepper over
Fourth trial, 1/4 basic recipe smoked salmon trimmings, lemon zest, finely chopped fennel. Egg wash and salt/pepper as previously.
All were gorgeous and will make lovely gifts into the bargain.
Many years ago before disabling illness made it impossible I used to make “allday breakfast rolls” I tried these with the basic recipe and add ins of mushrooms, tomatoes, sausage, bacon lardons and egg all coarsely chopped. With the addition of unsalted butter while still warm and a mug of herbal tea.
They were gorgeous and had appreciative comments from all who tried them.
Sounds amazing!
Love this bread. So easy to make. However, I have hard time getting the “X” to stay open when I slice it. Any suggestions?
Following
I’ve made this bread many times and it always turns out amazing. I started adding roasted garlic (smashed with a little truffle oil) and fresh rosemary. It still turns out wonderful. I live in a high altitude state and have played around with lowering the temp and baking it longer. Today I’m trying it at 440 for 40 mins and then baking it for 10 mins with the lid off. Thanks for sharing this recipe. I now feel confident enough to try baking other things. 🙂
Twenty- two years ago I was diagnosed with MS and forced to leave my job. I always said when I retired I would make bread. I had to use a bread machine for the kneading. The last step was done in the oven. There is no way to get that taste without baking. Yesterday I watched a wonderful video by itsalwaysautumn. I watched her make artisan bread so effortlessly that I got the courage to try again. It went just as the video showed. This afternoon I baked this bread and am so proud it is shameful. At 72 I made my first bread from scratch. I would never have been brave enough without your video Autumn! Thank you so very much. You truly inspire others. Tomorrow I am making your rolls. Lookout world a monster is loose. Again thank you for the awesome video. Barb
If I’m not able to bake until about 31-32 hours of sitting (6-7 hours past the 24 hours given), is that still safe or should I scrap it and start again? I hate to waste but want to bake safe. Thanks!
Love this bread
Sooo good 🙂
Although every time I make it by 30 min the bread is so dark… and then I don’t do the uncovered part and then the crust is not that crusty… what am I doing wrong?!?!
I used 1c cup4 cup (brand) wholesome gluten free flour 1c Pamala’s gf all purp flour 1c cup4cup gf all purp flour. I only used the combo cause I didn’t have enough of one. Followed the rest of the intructions & HOLY COW I had a beautifully yummy bread tastes like “real” bread, brought one to work, fresh out of the oven & it was gone in 15 mins & no one could believe it was gf. I win when the “regulars” can’t tell.
This bread is amazing, so easy, the crust comes out just right and the inside is light.
Has anyone doubled this recipe and if so did it work?… how long did you have to bake it? (longer than the 30 + 15 min?) I know we can just make 2 loves, but would like a LARGE loaf! Hope someone can help, thank you!
It works!… my daughter tried doubling the loaf… she made 2 separate single loaf recipes and combined them for baking! (combined before folding up the edges) It worked great and the bread was totally done inside and out. It’s so beautiful! Very large loaf… she said she left it in the oven about 5 min. longer than suggested for single loaf. Thank you Autumn for this awesome recipe! We love it 🙂
Would this work in a loaf pan as well?
tried this artisan bread recipe. yes it’s easy! yes the bread is great! yes it did damage the enamel on the outside of my dutch oven! it didn’t harm the inside though so it’s stil usable. i am going to try baking it next time on a pizza stone just to see how it comes out.
hi brian ….
when you bake it on a pizza stone, the dough will not rise as high, as there is nothing to contain the sides … it’s not the same …
I made this earlier today for the first time. I started yesterday afternoon and let it do its thing all night and all day. It turned out AMAZING! My husband and I devoured it over dinner and I set aside some more so I can bake this again tomorrow. Im going to try adding garlic cloves before I put it in the oven to bake and am hopeful it will turn out just as amazing.
Its a great recipe to play with and customize it with different flavors/herbs/etc.
Thanks Autumn!
I would like to use my kitchen Aid artisan stand mixer for this recipe. Because it does have a stir function . Please let me know by
e-mailing me at [email protected]
i love trying the slow cooker..the convenience it brings..less messier and more organize..