Easy Artisan Bread (No-Knead)
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This easy artisan bread recipe takes the fuss out of bread-making—no kneading, no special equipment, just three golden, crusty loaves with hardly any effort.
This crusty artisan bread recipe is astonishingly easy, and it makes enough for several loaves, which you can bake as needed. What’s more, the dough takes just five minutes to make, does not require kneading or any special equipment, and can rest in the fridge for up to two weeks—in fact, the longer it chills, the better it gets!
The recipe is modestly adapted from one of my favorite baking books, Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes A Day by Jeff Hertzberg M.D. and Zoë François.
“Absolutely one of our favorite bread recipes and so easy.”
What You’ll Need To Make Crusty Artisan Bread
- All-purpose flour: The backbone of the dough. I recommend a high-protein flour like King Arthur for best results—if you’re using flour with less protein, you might need to add an extra spoonful or two.
- Kosher salt: Brings out the flavor of the bread and also helps regulate the yeast so the dough doesn’t rise too fast.
- Instant or rapid-rise yeast: The leavening agent. If you’re using active dry yeast instead, just plan for a longer rise time.
- Lukewarm water: Brings the dough together and helps activate the yeast. Aim for about 100°F—warm to the touch but not hot.
- Cornmeal: Sprinkled on the baking sheet so the dough doesn’t stick and to give the bottom crust a little extra texture.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Combine the dry ingredients. In a very large bowl (at least 6 quarts), mix together the flour, salt, and yeast with a wooden spoon.
Step 2: Add the water. Pour in 3 cups of lukewarm water (about 100°F). Make sure the water is warm but not hot—if it’s too hot, it can kill the yeast.
Step 3: Stir the dough. Mix with a wooden spoon until the flour is fully incorporated and there are no dry spots. The dough should be soft and a bit sticky (this helps create an open, airy crumb). If it seems dry, add warm water a tablespoon at a time; if too wet, add a little flour.
Step 4: Let the dough rise. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let sit at room temp for about 2 hours, until risen and bubbly–it will rise a lot! (You can refrigerate the dough for up to 14 days or freeze for up to a month.)
Pro Tip: For a flavor boost, let the dough chill overnight—slow fermentation deepens the taste and makes it easier to handle.
Step 5: Portion the dough. Dust the dough and your hands with flour, then pull out one-third of the dough—it will be sticky, and that’s normal.
Step 6: Shape and rest the dough. Lightly flour the dough, shape it into a ball by tucking the edges under, and place it on a cornmeal-dusted baking sheet. Let rise uncovered for 40 minutes (or up to 90 minutes if chilled). The dough will rise slightly and may also spread out a bit.
Pro Tip: Resting uncovered helps the surface dry slightly, which encourages a better crust in the oven.
Step 7: Slash the dough. Lightly dust the loaf’s surface with flour and use a sharp knife to make a few ½-inch-deep slashes in any pattern you like (these let the bread expand as it bakes). Get creative! A scallop, a cross, or even a tic-tac-toe pattern will look great.
Step 8: Bake with steam. Preheat the oven to 450°F with a metal cake pan on the bottom rack. Slide in the baking sheet with the dough, pour 1 cup hot tap water into the cake pan, and bake for 30 minutes until golden-brown. (The steam generated by the water gives the loaf a crisp crust.)
Step 9: Cool before slicing. Let the bread cool completely on a wire rack. It’s best the day it’s made, but can be frozen for longer storage.
Pro Tip: Don’t be tempted to slice it while warm; slicing too soon traps steam inside and can make the interior gummy. Cooling fully helps the crumb set properly.
Other Bread You May Like
Homemade Artisan Bread
Ingredients
- 6½ cups all-purpose flour spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off (preferably King Arthur; see note)
- 4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1½ tablespoons instant/rapid-rise yeast (see note)
- 3 cups lukewarm water (no need to be exact, but lukewarm is about 100°F/38°C)
- Cornmeal, for dusting the pan
Instructions
- In a very large (6-qt/6-L) bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and yeast. Add the water and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture is uniformly moist, without any patches of flour. The dough should be sticky and conform to the shape of the bowl. If your dough is too dry, add a few tablespoons more warm water. If it's too wet, add a few tablespoons of flour. (See the step-by-step photos for guidance on what the dough should look like.) Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let it sit on the counter in a warm spot for 2 hours. If you plan to bake a loaf immediately, proceed to the next step. Otherwise, place the bowl of dough in the refrigerator to be used over the next 14 days. (Once refrigerated, the dough will shrink back a bit; that's okay. Do not punch down the dough at any point, and keep it loosely covered with plastic wrap.)
- Dust a sturdy baking sheet with cornmeal.
- Dust the surface of the dough and your hands lightly with flour. Pull out one-third of the dough and coat the outside lightly with flour (you don't want to incorporate more flour into the dough, you just want to be able to handle it). Gently work the dough into a smooth ball, stretching the surface and tucking the ends underneath, adding more flour as needed so it doesn't stick to your hands. (Don't overwork the dough; this process should only take about 30 seconds.) Put the dough ball onto the prepared baking sheet and let it rest at room temperature, uncovered, for about 40 minutes. (If the dough has been refrigerated, allow it to rise for 60 minutes, or up to 90 minutes if you want a more open and airy crumb structure.) The dough will rise a bit. It may also spread/flatten a bit; that's okay.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F (235°C). Set one rack in the lowest position of the oven and one rack in the middle position. Place a metal pan (any metal cake pan or broiler pan will work; just don't use glass) on the bottom rack. (You will fill this with water later to create steam in the oven).
- Generously dust the dough with flour. Using a sharp knife, make a few ½-in (13-mm)-deep slashes in the dough -- a scallop, cross, or tic tac toe pattern all look nice.
- Slide the baking sheet with the dough into the oven, and carefully fill the metal cake pan with one cup of hot tap water. (Try to do this quickly so as not to let heat out of the oven.) Bake until the loaf is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
- This bread is best enjoyed fresh on the day it is made. Once sliced, place the loaf cut-side down on a cutting board or plate and leave it uncovered. (If it lasts beyond a day, I suggest slicing and freezing.)
Notes
- I use King Arthur flour, which is higher in protein than some other all-purpose flours. If using a flour with a lower protein content, such as Gold Medal, you will likely need to add a few more tablespoons of flour.
- Active dry yeast may be used instead of instant/rapid-rise yeast, however, the dough will take longer to rise. To give active dry yeast a boost, you can dissolve it in the lukewarm water and let it sit until frothy, about 10 minutes. After that, add it to the flour and salt, and proceed with the recipe.
- Freezing Instructions: After the initial 2-hour rise, the dough can be portioned into thirds and frozen in airtight plastic containers for up to 1 month. Defrost the dough in the refrigerator overnight, then shape, rest and bake as usual. The baked loaves can also be frozen whole or sliced: Wrap in a zip-top freezer bag and freeze for up to 1 month. (If you plan to use slices one at a time, place pieces of parchment between them so they don't stick.) To thaw, take the bread out of the freezer and let it come to room temperature on the countertop. Reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven until warmed through, about 10 minutes.
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Oh WOW.
Thank you. Your recipe makes the most delicious bread.
If I make one big loaf, how long would I need to bake it for?
Glad you liked it! I’m not sure exactly how long one large loaf will take to bake, but I’d start checking at about 35 minutes. I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Don’t know if this would be helpful, but when I make this recipe I do 2 loaves. I use my Dutch oven with the lid on for 30 minutes (so you don’t need the pan of water) then take the lid off for 10 minutes. Comes out perfect!
First time making bread and it turned out perfectly
I love your recipes and have made so many I’ve lost count. I’ve made the cinnamon swirl bread from your cookbook. So happy to see an internal temperature as I have trouble knowing when bread is done. I baked the bread longer than your recommended bake time and the temperature on my digital instant read thermometer was still only at 170. The perimeter of the bread was a little dry and the cinnamon filling a little dusty. Made another loaf and baked it for 35 minutes. The internal temperature was 130. It was baked through, but moist and delicious. I’d love to rely on a temperature, but this is so far off, am I doing something wrong?
Hi Wendy, It doesn’t sound like you’re doing anything wrong. I’m wondering if maybe your thermometer isn’t accurate?
I’ve made this several times and shared the loaves with the grandkids. The eldest granddaughter(8)has to bring a favourite recipe for her virtual girl guide meeting tomorrow and asked me for your recipe. She made it (with a bit of help) and as expected, it came out perfectly.
Thank you for helping introduce a new skill and sense of accomplishment!
This recipe is so easy . It’s the first bread I made perfect in my entire life.
I tried three recipes and this is the perfect bread recipe I baked using all purpose flour instead of bread flour. I will make this over and over. It’s crusty outside and moist inside. Best for breakfast with cream cheese and for lunch or dinner side with olive oil and Parmesan cheese. I love this recipe❤️
Thank you for sharing.👍
Hi Jenn,
I have a big heavy bread stone in my oven. I assume this would work the same if I slid the loaf onto the stone with some corn meal? Can you adapt the recipe to using with a dutch oven? How long can I keep the dough in the refrigerator? I’m assuming a week or two is fine, the longer cold proving time would probably result in an even better bread.
Thank you.
Hi, the bread stone that you described should work just fine. And yes, the dough will also work in a Dutch oven. The prepared dough can be kept in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Hope that helps and that you enjoy!
Hello Jen,
What if I wanted to make one big loaf at once rather than three small ones? I assume I could just adjust the cooking time with no other changes?
Thanks,
Megan
Yep – please LMK how it turns out!
Hi Jen,
Could you use bread flour for this recipe? And is there a reason it calls for all-purpose flour?
Thanks!
Megan
Hi Megan, Yes, you can use bread flour but you’ll need to increase the water by 1/3 cup to start and add more if needed. I adapted this slightly from a cookbook and they used all-purpose flour, so that’s why I went that route. Hope you enjoy!
My family is always asking me to make this bread. It is the best bread recipe I have tried. You explain the whole process and the video is an added bonus, which makes a very easy recipe to follow. Thank you for sharing this restaurant quality bread recipe. The hardest part about this recipe is finding yeast at the store during these times.
Can I put two loaves in the oven?
Sure!
My family is always asking me to make this bread. It is the best bread recipe I have tried. It is also a very easy recipe. The hardest part about this recipe is finding yeast at the store during these times.