Learn how to make your own homemade bread. This recipe only uses 4 ingredients and is great for beginners!
There’s nothing like a loaf of fresh, homemade bread. The smell of this floating through your house will have everyone running for the kitchen and just waiting to dig in.
I jokingly call this “ugly bread”, because when you are making this simple bread, it looks like you are making a great big ugly mess. But this bread is ridiculously easy to make and perfect for beginning bread bakers since there is no kneading involved.
If you are looking for traditional loaf bread, check out my recipe for Basic Homemade Bread.
I also have a great recipe for many other yeast breads here at Cosmopolitan Cornbread, including Bacon Cheddar Bread and Swiss Onion Bread.
Watch Me Make This Recipe:
No-Knead Bread without a Dutch Oven
I have had several people asking me if they could make this bread if they do not have a Dutch oven. Using a Dutch oven is going to give you the best results, however, you can make a loaf of no-knead bread using a baking sheet.
Go through the recipe steps as shown up to the point of dropping the ball of dough into the Dutch oven, then do the following:
Shape the dough into the ball and place it on a baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper. Rather than baking it right away, you will cover it with a tea towel and allow it to rest for about 30-35 minutes. (Dust the loaf with flour so it doesn’t stick to the towel.)
Heat your oven to 450 degrees.
When the dough has rested for a half hour, remove the tea towel.
The Dutch oven creates a humid environment for your loaf to bake in, making a lovely, moist bread. To replicate this environment as much as possible, you will fill a pie plate or muffin tin with a cup of hot water.
Place the pan of water on the lower shelf in your oven and gently slide the baking sheet with the dough into the upper rack in the middle of your oven.
Bake for 35 minutes, then carefully slide the loaf on the parchment paper, directly onto the oven rack. Remove the baking sheet and bake for another 5-10 minutes.
In my opinion, a good oven-safe Dutch oven is a must have for every kitchen. I would strongly suggest getting one if you don’t have one. But until then, this method will replicate the results as closely as possible without the use of a Dutch oven.
Have issues with your yeast bread? Check out What’s Wrong with my Bread!? | A Yeast Bread Troubleshooting Guide
Did you Make this Recipe? I’d love for you to give me a 5 star rating in the recipe card below. If you share it on Instagram, please tag me!
Easy (No-Knead) Homemade Bread
Ingredients
- 3 c all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon yeast
- 1 1/2 c lukewarm water
Instructions
- To begin, combine the flour, salt, and yeast in a mixing bowl. Stir those together and add the lukewarm water. Stir this all together with a rubber spatula.
- With the spatula, push it into a round ball-like shape and cover it with plastic wrap. Set it on your counter and walk away.
- The next day (12-18 hours later) you will preheat your oven to 450 degrees. At the same time, you will also preheat an oven-safe cast iron Dutch oven with lid.
- NOTE: This bread can also be made "same day" if you start the dough early in the morning and let it rest for a minimum of 6 hours. It will not develop the same flavor, but will still be a wonderful loaf of artisan bread.
- While it is heating, spread a good dusting of flour onto a work surface. Remove the plastic from the bowl plop the sticky blob of dough out onto your floured surface.
- With floured hands, pull out any dough that remains in the bowl. Shape the dough into a ball and cover it with the plastic until the oven is finished heating.
- When it is ready, take the hot Dutch oven out of the oven and carefully drop your dough in.
- Bake it with the lid on for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake for 15 more minutes. Remove it from the oven and let it cool on a rack.
- This is a soft, tender bread with an “artisan” crunchy crust.
- Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- You can make any number of variations of this. You can add some shredded cheese, some herbs, citrus zest…how about cranberries and lemon zest? Or raisins? Mozzarella & some dried oregano? Experiment and have fun…what combinations might you come up with?
Nutrition
If nutritional values are provided for this recipe, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands of ingredients you use. The values do not include optional ingredients or when ingredients are added to taste or for serving. If nutritional values are very important to you, I suggest using your favorite nutritional calculating tool with the brands you use.
I add 7 grain cereal when adding the flour so it integrates in the whole loaf. I had to add water. Midland is at sea level and virtually no humidity.
The dough is very sticky and very difficult to handle, even when I dust hands with flour. Any suggestions?
You’ll need to work in more flour. The amount of flour needed for breads like this almost always varies. Add a little at a time until it gets to the right consistency. The dough should be soft, but not sticky.
Hi, Love your videos! Can I use SAF Instant Yeast with this recipe? Thanks!
Thank you! Yes, I use that often!
I just made this dough twice. I have a big family and we love homemade bread. It was so easy. I laugh watching your video, “too easy to mess up”, I almost messed up. While mixing the flour and salt my friend called and talking to her distracted me and I couldn’t remember if I added the yeast. Also why I made two. I added the yeast to the first loaf and then made the second without being distracted. Both turned out Amazingly. Thank you.
Wonderful! I can’t cook when I am on the phone! LOL
Do you oil or spray the bottom of the dutch oven before you put the doughball in?
No, you just drop it into the hot Dutch oven.
Just made my dough. So it’s ok for it to just sit on my counter overnight? From 7:00pm until 6:00am with no issues? Thanks so much.
Yes!
I can’t wait to try this. Coming from Southern Plate. I do have a question and I probably can google it if you don’t know but I have a dutch oven but no lid, can I use foil or ???. Thank you, can’t wait to try this!
That would probably work! You just need to be able to seal it closed and hold in the steam.
I would love to try this but don have a big dutch oven, any other isdea?
Hi Marylou! I have had several people ask me this, so I just updated the post with alternate instructions using a baking sheet. I hope that helps!
looking forward to making this bread I am a beginner baker can you please tell me what kind of yeast you used in this.
Thank you and stay safe
Nanci
I simply used active dry yeast.
Thank you. Look forward to following and making some of your recipes.
This sounds delicious and I want to make it. What size Dutch Oven since I will have to purchase one? Or, is there anything else that would work as well? I have Corning Ware.
I’ve made this in a 5, 6 and 7 quart one. Cast iron is best (I used enameled, but plain is fine too) because it is nice and heavy – it helps develop the fantastic crunchy crust. Just make sure if you get an enameled one, that the handle is rated for 450 degrees in the oven. Some companies put a heat-safe plastic handle on theirs, but it is only oven safe to 350 degrees. Generally if the handle is metal, it is usually good to go for the higher temps.
Thank you! Love your blog and your recipes. I made this bread yesterday and it was everything and more that you said it was. i did purchase an enameled cast iron Dutch oven just for this purpose because I know I will be making it often. I was born and raised in Hartselle and it is the BEST place to have grown up.
I’m so glad you liked it! I just my enameled cast iron Dutch oven multiple times a week. I’m sure you’ll get lots of use out of yours as well!
We adore Hartselle and are so glad to call it “home.”