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Crusty Artisan Bread

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This crusty bread recipe is astonishingly easy — no kneading required — and makes three beautiful loaves, which you can bake as needed.

Partially-sliced loaf of crusty artisan bread.

This homemade artisan bread recipe is astonishingly easy, and it makes enough for three delicious 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 (the flavor becomes more complex the longer it sits). 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.

What You’ll Need To Make Crusty Artisan Bread

ingredients for homemade bread

This recipe has just four ingredients: all-purpose flour, instant yeast, kosher salt, and water. (The cornmeal is for dusting the pan.) As you can see, I use instant (or rapid-rise) yeast. Active dry yeast may be used instead of instant 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 proceed with the recipe.

How To Make Crusty Artisan Bread

flour, yeast and salt in mixing bowl

In a very large (6-quart) bowl, combine the flour, salt, and yeast. Mix to combine.

mixed dry ingredients

Add 3 cups of lukewarm water (no need to be exact but lukewarm is about 100°F).

Water in a bowl with dry ingredients.

Stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture is uniformly moist, without any patches of flour.

Glass bowl of bread dough.

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. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let it sit on the counter in a warm spot for 2 hours. As you can see below, it will rise a lot!

dough after the first rise

When you’re ready to bake a loaf, pull out one-third of the dough.

removing some of the bread dough from the bowl

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.

shaping the bread dough into a ball

Put the dough ball onto a cornmeal-dusted baking sheet and let 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.

letting the bread dough rest on a baking sheet

The dough will rise a bit.

bread dough after second rise

Generously dust the dough with flour. Using a sharp knife, make a few 1/2-inch-deep slashes in the dough — a scallop, cross, or tic tac toe pattern all look nice.

slashing the bread dough

Set a metal pan on the bottom rack of a preheated 450°F-oven. Slide the baking sheet with the dough into the oven, and carefully fill the metal cake pan with one cup of hot tap water. This creates steam in the oven. (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.

Baked bread on a baking sheet.
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.

How To Freeze

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. To thaw, take the bread out of the freezer and let it come to room temperature, about 3 hours. Reheat in a 350°F oven until warmed through, about 10 minutes.

Partially-sliced loaf of crusty artisan bread.

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Crusty Artisan Bread

This crusty bread recipe is astonishingly easy — no kneading required — and makes three beautiful loaves, which you can bake as needed.

Servings: 3 loaves (about 10 slices per loaf)
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 30 Minutes
Total Time: 40 Minutes, plus 2 hours and 40 minutes to rise

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)
  • Cornmeal, for dusting the pan

Instructions

  1. In a very large (6-quart) 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.)
  2. Dust a sturdy baking sheet with cornmeal.
  3. 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.
  4. Preheat the oven to 450°F. 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).
  5. Generously dust the dough with flour. Using a sharp knife, make a few ½-inch-deep slashes in the dough -- a scallop, cross, or tic tac toe pattern all look nice.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.)
  8. Freezer-Friendly Instructions 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 oven until warmed through, about 10 minutes.
  9. Note: 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.
  10. Note: 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.

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • Serving size: 1 slice
  • Calories: 100
  • Fat: 0 g
  • Saturated fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 21 g
  • Sugar: 0 g
  • Fiber: 1 g
  • Protein: 3 g
  • Sodium: 64 mg
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

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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Comments

  • perfect recipe. im a beginner and all my bread turned out perfect!

  • Really tasty and quite easy! Dough is quite loose and sticky as described. My loaves tended to be really flat. They rose more during baking, but still quite a lot flatter than photos. For the second loaf I made a “pan” of foil that contained it a bit from going out so far, and that worked. Will definitely make again.

    • Thank you so much for this inspirational recipe. I wanted a crusty bread that didnt require kneading because i had some injections that made my arm sore. This was the perfect base! I swapped out 2/3 of the water for buttermilk, and added 1 1/2 TB basil paste and had to balance with a bit more flour but it was awesome. Adding my version to my blog, madtastes.com thanks again. Delicious!!!

      • — Madeline Anderson-Balmer
      • Reply
  • This came out delicious, but stuck really bad to a baking sheet even though I generously dusted with cornmeal. How can I remedy this?

    • Hi Nate, Sorry you had a problem with the bread sticking! Next time you may want to try parchment paper or grease the baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

  • Can I make this in a bread pan? How much dough would I use?

    • — Kimberly Kurus
    • Reply
    • Hi Kimberly, what size pan are you referring to?

      • 12 x 4.5 x 3

        • — Kimberly Kurus
        • Reply
        • Hi Kimberly, I think you could definitely try it but I’m not sure how much dough you’ll need. I’d fill the bread pan about halfway and keep a close eye on it while it’s in the oven. Hope that helps!

  • Hi, just wondering would it be ok to add a sachet of fast action dried yeast ( 7 g in a sachet ) straight into the mix ? Thanks.

    • Hi Diane, that doesn’t sound like enough yeast — the recipe calls for 1-1/2 tablespoons which is more than 7 grams. Sorry!

  • Hello I made your Artisan bread recipe it turned out perfect. Thank you so much. I am a fan of yours love watching new recipes

    Chef Cindy L Jones

  • Hi Jenn,

    We just got a new convection oven and can’t wait to try this, but we do have one question. Would convection method (with its tendency to brown) work well or would we be better off sticking to conventional baking for this?

    • Hi Robert, I always develop and publish my recipes using the regular setting on my oven (because many people don’t have convection settings on their ovens), so I’d go with the regular/non-fan setting. If you really want to use the convection setting, I’d reduce the baking temp by 25°F. Hope you enjoy!

  • Not sure where you live, but in a humid climate, I cut the recipe into thirds and had to add over a 1/2 cup of flour to make it even slightly workable, which , of course, ruined the bread because it was overworked. If you look at the original recipe by King Arthur Flour, they call for an additional cup of flour for the 3 cups of water you use. I would not try this in summer or a warmer climate without adding a solid C of flour to the original recipe.

    • We live in the Amazon and my dough no matter what I try is a giant sloppy mess and never looks like the pictures. However, my family loves it, despite the fact it is pretty flat, haha. The taste and texture is still really good after its baked!

  • hi jenn. Is it possible to divide this in smaller portions? I was thinking like ciabatta roll size?

  • Hi Jenn – I tried this recipe about three weeks ago and have made it three separate times since. We’ve had no problem polishing off a loaf before looking forward to the next. It’s absolutely delicious and something to be proud of. I’ve gifted a loaf or two to neighbors, and they’ve loved it, too. (What’s not to like!) I’m amazed at how so few ingredients deliver such a wonderful product. Many thanks for another superb recipe!

    BTW, may I ask a question about the cinnamon swirl bread from your cookbook? I made it last week and was so proud of my finished product. It’s beautiful, absolutely delicious. I will make it many times in the future and plan to give it as a gift over Christmas. My question is after baking for just 35 minutes, the top crust was a little dark and even though it was cooked perfectly, the absolute center was slightly under baked. It would have been much too dark if I left it in the oven longer. Looking forward to your thoughts.

    • Glad you’ve enjoyed the bread! For the cinnamon swirl bread, next time you bake it, add an extra 5 minutes to the baking time but once you see it getting golden brown on top, lay a piece of foil loosely over it to keep it from browning too much. Hope that helps!

      • Thank you for your speedy reply, Jenn. I will do exactly as you suggested. BTW, I appreciate your recipes as much as I enjoy the education you provide. I’m also enjoying your 5 Secrets emails. I’m not sure how you do it all, but here’s a heartfelt thank you for making me a better cook!

  • I love your recipes and how you’ve made them so foolproof. When I baked the refrigerated dough a few days later, the bread had a different taste. Hard to describe but maybe more fermented or yeasty? Didn’t favor it as much as the bread baked on the day the dough was made. Is this normal or am I missing something? Thank you for your help!

    • So glad you enjoy the recipes, Josephine! That yeasty flavor is completely normal; it becomes stronger the longer the dough sits.

      • So so good! I baked bread for the very first time and was almost certain that it would be somewhat of a disaster; I was proven wrong! It was delicious!!! Every recipe by you has been a hit! Thanks for sharing these recipes! Xo

  • This is the best and most successful bread recipe that I’ve ever tried. Can you bake two loaves at the same time? Do you need to double the water in a single pan, or put in water in two separate pans?

    • Hi Chinette, So glad you had success with the recipe! You can definitely bake two loaves at once; no need to double the water.

      • My brother is impossible to please, he never likes what I cook! When I made this though, he ate a full loaf and said this was the best bread he’s ever had. Will 10/10 be making this again.

        • — Nicole Lamotchkina
        • Reply
    • Hi Jenn,
      We enjoy this bread several times a week. Would it work to incorporate fresh herbs into the recipe? I’m growing oregano and rosemary, and am wondering if you think they would be a good addition.
      Thanks so much for this and all your other delicious recipes!
      Max

      • Hi Max, I think it’d work nicely!

      • I added some finely chopped fresh rosemary and oregano from my backyard to the mix. Delicious! May try some roasted garlic next time.

    • I’m not really a baker, and I’m horrible with recipes, but this bread turned out so wonderful, and it’s so simple! Even I didn’t mess it up! Thank you!

      • — Jessica Griffith
      • Reply
  • This recipe is amazing! My 12 year old found this recipe. She’s been very intersted in baking lately. Once I was able to find yeast, I let her take over the kitchen. She made this bread ALL BY HERSELF. She followed the directions as stated. The bread came out perfectly. Our family of 4 went through one loaf within hours of coming out of the oven. The other 2 loaves didn’t last more than a couple days. She made six more loaves to hand out to family. I even bought her artisan bread bags from amazon to gift in. Family and neighbors could not believe this was not store bought (it looks really beautiful) and that I did not help her. My daughter refuses to give out the recipe since she enjoys baking it. She also decided to get creative and add jalapenos and cheddar to the dough… SO GOOD! When it gets cooler out, I plan on asking her to make smaller loaves to use as bread bowls for soups. She also wants to collaborate with her great grandma to make Christmas baskets for the family. She will make the bread, then she will help her great grandma make garlic butter and jams to include.

    • — Mom to Young Baker
    • Reply
    • So glad this has been such a hit and that your 12 year old has been keeping busy in the kitchen! 🙂

  • This is a great recipe!! Curious as to why it needs to be stored unwrapped, cut side down.

    • Glad you like it. Keeping it stored like that helps to keep the crust a bit crispy (and the cut-side down is to keep that end piece from getting stale).

  • I halved the recipe as written to make a larger loaf. My dough was extremely sticky and I had trouble forming into a round loaf. I might of added another 1/4 cup of King Arthur’s. When it was ready to go in the oven it had spread considerably giving me doubts it would be good. After cooling down a bit, I cut a slice….the taste was good and the crust crispy. I should note, I’m in S.Carolina, the temp outside was 94 and inside 79 which could have contributed to not rising enough. It did make wonderful toast!

  • The best bread recipe I’ve come across… delicious! Just wondering if anyone has baked this in a traditional loaf tin (for a more sandwich-friendly shape)?

    • Addition… made first third into a round loaf – lasted a day. Remaining dough sat in the fridge for 3 days and shortly after I asked the above question, I cracked and baked it in my large loaf pan. It worked brilliantly… admittedly small but lovely square-ish slices.

    • I’m not entirely sure where the problem lies with this recipe but it has been nothing but a gooey, sticky mess on both occasions I have tried to bake it. It was still edible in the end but really frustrating. Instructions & measurements were followed precisely. If this recipe only works with King Arthur flour that would be wise to advise readers of.

      • I’m sorry you’ve struggled with this so much! While I always get great results with King Arthur flour, it’s not mandatory to use in this recipe. May I ask what brand of flour you used?

        • Hi Jenn,
          I made this recipe with KA flour and it came out perfectly- all three loaves were great. Sadly KA is not to be found at my local grocer so I bought the store brand. The bread was a gooey, sticky mess. I added more flour and put it in the fridge for a few days. Eventually I baked it and it was fine but not even close to the perfect loaves I got with KA flour. I think your recipe is a winner but store brand flour stinks!

          • Sorry you had a problem with the store’s flour! While some brands are better than others, I consistently have good luck with King Arthur!

            • — Jenn
  • Thank you for this recipe, Jenn. My 14 year old grandson has become interested in baking and said he wanted to try making bread… I had just made this and thought it was the perfect recipe to start him off on. We worked on it together, had a ball and he was proud to treat everyone with his delicious homemade bread. Thank you for being the catalyst for memory making! I hope he always remembers making his first loaf of bread with his Grandmother. (Next on his wish list: braided multicolor challah bread)

  • I have made this recipe several times, great!! Could you make a pizza from this recipe?

    • So glad you like it! While it may be possible, I have a recipe for pizza dough that I’d suggest you try instead. 🙂

  • So easy. Tastes great. Works well because I have enough dough for 3 mini loaves. I can keep in the fridge and can bake fresh and eat the loaf the same day.

  • Can’t believe how easy this was to make and how perfect it came out! My husband and daughter were waiting with butter in hand to slather onto this hot, crispy, pillowy, chewy ball of comfort! Soooo good! Hot bread and butter on a Saturday afternoon.

    I have your book and I have made so many recipes off of your site and I never alter anything! Unbelievable! You have a gift for cooking! Keep them coming!

  • Great!

  • Do I need to use a glass bowl? I only have plastic types. Thanks

    • Any bowl you have will work here; it doesn’t have to be glass. Hope you enjoy!

  • This was awesome! However, I have to tell you that I made a measurement mistake and used 1.5 TEAspoons not TABLEspoons of yeast and it turned out great! (Active dry).

    Just thought I’d let you all know since there are yeast shortages.

    • Not bad, but the hydration level is way too low – about 46% – for this to be considered artisan bread. Once I realized how off the water amount was, I adjusted and got much better results. The pictures do not show artisan bread results. The crumb is way too compact. I feel the recipe was mislabeled.

  • Hi! Is this definitely 1 and a half tablespoons of yeast? Not teaspoon?

    • That’s correct – hope you enjoy! 🙂

  • Excellent Foolproof recipe! I’ve never had much success with bread. I made the first batch per the recipe. For my second batch I added about 3 cups of raisins to the floor before adding ingredients. Best raisin bread ever! I made another batch last weekend and added herbs and cloves of roasted garlic. So good. Thanks for another great recipe Jen. Your site is the only one I use anymore.

  • I’ve made this sooooo many times and this is the only bread recipe I’ll use. Super easy and the finished product is outstanding. I usually bake one big loaf. Sometimes when I don’t bake the entire portion, the leftover dough that sits in the refrigerator gets a crusty top. Should I knead it before I let it sit again at room temp?

    • Glad you like it, Elaine! No, I don’t think you need to knead it again after removing from the fridge. Next time, I’d just wrap it a big more snugly in the plastic wrap.

  • I have never made bread before and have now made this recipe three times. It comes out perfectly every time! It is great fresh, or course, but I have also kept it on the counter in a bread bag for over a week and it’s still good for dipping or toast, because of its dense texture. Thank you, Jenn!

  • Outstanding! And so easy. I only made half a batch and divided in in two–we’re empty nesters–and we loved it. Great texture and crunch. I shouldn’t be surprised, everything that I’ve made from your site is wonderful. Thanks!

  • Along with most of the world, I’ve been baking a lot more these days, and have been looking around for the perfect crusty bread recipe. I had my doubts about this because it’s just so simple, but I can truthfully say this was wonderful! I never even brought out my mixer, it was just stir and sit. Four ingredients. I cut the recipe in half, and made two smaller loaves – it was perfect. The finished product freezes really well, I just took out the second loaf from the freezer, set it in the oven at 300 for around 15 minutes, and it tasted just as good as the first day it was baked. It’s so easy it feels like cheating! Thanks so much!

  • If I want to just make one loaf, can I just divide these ingredients by 3?

    • Definitely (if you’re able to figure out the math)! I’d love to hear how it turns out. 😊

  • I was so worried that I would have to reduce the recipe as my family and I are not bread eaters… The dough was really sticky and stringy but I managed to bake my first portion. The other portions are in the freezer! This is the best bread! Amazing texture and flavor! We ate the loaf in less than 2 days! Was just as moist on the morning after! Amazing to use to dip into olive oil and balsamic vinegar! Glad I finally tried this recipe!

  • Could oat flour be used?

    • Hi Ellen, I’ve only made this with all-purpose flour, so I can’t say confidently how it would work with oat flour (but I suspect it won’t translate well). I’m sorry I can’t be more helpful!

  • Jenn
    I have made this bread many times now and its the best. Your suggestion to use parchment paper was right on. No more sticking to the cookie sheet. Question: I have a Kitchen Aid stand mixer. Can I use the dough hook attachment and run it on low until dough cleans the bowl and then just leave it in that metal bowl until it rises? I have been doing it by hand as you have instructed.

    • — ron vaage Vancouver BC
    • Reply
    • HI Ron, So glad you like it! this is really easy to mix by hand, but you can use a mixer if you’d prefer (and just leave it in the bowl to rise).

  • I have lost count how many times i have made this bread. Last week we went to the kids’ cabin.
    I measured exact amounts i would need of all ingredients and took just enough of everything plus a little dusting flour. I was concerned their propane oven at the cabin would not get hot enough for bread so left it in the oven a few extra minutes. It came out of the oven looking better than at home, one side getting a little singed like it came out of an outdoor wood-burning pizza oven. We made two larger loaves (instead of three). They were the best. The grandkids (3.5 and 7) participated and devoured the finished product. I left my baking pan for them at the cabin. So cool to make fresh bread on an Island where there are no stores. There’s more. Before we went away i gave a loaf of this bread to a friend who is a chef, now retired, who does private dinners for folks just to keep active. He loved the bread and asked for the recipe. When I took to his house he had just made a loaf of rye bread. He gave me a slice and invited me to his kitchen to make rye bread, hopefully, this week. What goes around comes around!

    • — ron vaage Vancouver BC
    • Reply
  • When you mention leaving the shaped dough on the baking sheet for 40 mins, do you mean proofing or just room temp.?

    • Hi Mano, room temperature is fine. Hope you enjoy!

  • This bread is awesome! thank you!

  • I just made this recipe for the first time. I used a heritage all purpose flour from a small mill in town. I’ve baked bread for years, almost every other day and the photos of this bread looked so good, that I had to try it. I thought it was unrealistic that it would only require 6 and a half cups of flour for three cups of water, but I followed the directions, adding a few extra tablespoons at the first mixing so that it looked like the one in the picture. I ended up adding almost 2 more cups of flour and I then stopped hoping that it would be okay. After the 2 hour rise, there was no way that I could grab some and put it into a ball with floured hands. It was so sticky, stringy, and everything was a mess. I ended up adding almost three more cups of flour and it was still very wet but I spooned it into a bread pan, and added a couple more cups to what was left in the bowl figuring that all of this was going to be wasted..I might as well just bake all three loaves. Just took them out of the oven. The one in the bread pan looks okay, the other ones that I put on a cookie sheet are flat and wide, and are stuck to the pan. I can’t get them off. I’m letting them cool and maybe that will work. Prior to this recipe I have always greased my bread pan. I haven’t tasted the bread yet…I think it’s going to slice well and taste good, but it has been a pretty traumatic experience! 🙂 everyone else gave it 5 stars so it must be the flour that I used…but I just can’t believe how much flour it took.

    • I wanted to edit and change to 5 stars because the bread came out deliciously! Perfect texture and taste! Will definitely make again!

      • All’s well that ends well — so glad it turned out nicely! 🙂

  • Hi Jen,
    I’m trying this loaf for the first time….it’s in the oven as I type this. I’m worried, though, because after getting an amazing first rise after 2 hours, the second rise on the baking pan (same location as the initial rise) never really materialized….I left it for a little over an hour and still nothing much. Is this normal? Thanks in advance for any tips you might have.

    • Hi Angela, the dough should only rise a bit during that second rise, but it can also spread or flatten a bit; it doesn’t mean you did anything wrong. How did the loaf turn out?

      • Thank you so much for replying. It actually came out great! My hubby and I at the whole loaf in 2 days!!! I also think these loaves may just be a smaller recipe than others I have made, which is why is looked that way. I have the other two portions of dough in the freezer and looking forward to baking them off shortly!

        • Glad they came out well — thanks for the follow-up! 🙂

        • Two days??? It’s like 2 hours at my house. We LOVE this bread.

      • I made this twice. First time a gooey mess. Tried again but found that when the water evaporates in this oven, the pan burns and both times set off my smoke alarm. My first time trying to bake bread but not a great success😞

  • Wow. I have FINALLY found the easy artisan bread recipe I’ve been looking for! And even better that it makes several loaves that I can freeze and use later! I love that the loaves are a perfect size for 2 people plus a little extra for an awesome sandwich the next day. Seriously better than any bakery bread Ive ever had! I can’t thank you enough for this recipe Jenn!

  • Hi! I love this recipe so much! Perfect crust and crumb texture. I am trying not to buy any bread while we are SIP and this recipe makes it so easy! Quick question, if I shape it into baguettes would it yield 3 long baguettes or 2? Also, I have a baguette pan do I need to spray the baguette pan with cooking spray? It has the holes in the bottom so just not sure…maybe place baguette pan on a baking tray so it doesn’t get too hot at the bottom?

    • So glad you like it! I’d think that you’d get 2 baguettes out of the dough. And, yes, I would spray the baguette pan with cooking spray. Please LMK how they turn out!

  • 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.👍

    • — Marilyn Zarrabi
    • Reply
  • 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?

  • 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.

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