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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

  • Love this bread! I made it several days ago and froze one of the loaves. I let it defrost on the counter and have reheated it in the 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. My question is what is the best way to keep/store it (besides eating it all at one time, lol!)?

    • — Mary on January 20, 2024
    • Reply
    • Glad you like it! It’s really best on the day it’s made, but once you’ve sliced into it, place the rest of the loaf cut-side down on a cutting board or plate and leave it uncovered. If it lasts beyond a day, I’d suggest slicing and freezing it (again).

      • — Jenn on January 22, 2024
      • Reply
  • I made this and it was oso good!! I wish I could share pics!!

    • — Deb on January 15, 2024
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  • Delicious! Thanks for this great recipe. Just made it today for our dinner tonight. I have a dough proofer because my kitchen is on the cool side so instead of resting on the counter, the bowl rested in my proofer set at 71 degrees for about 2 hours. I decided to divide and bake 2 larger loaves instead of the 3. They are beautiful and taste amazing. I think I could probably eat one all by myself but will definitely refrain and freeze the second one for later.

    • — Mary on January 15, 2024
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  • Can whole wheat flour be substituted for the white flour?

    • — Linda C. on January 14, 2024
    • Reply
    • Hi Linda, I’ve only made this with all-purpose flour so I can’t confidently say how it will turn out with different kinds of flour. King Arthur has a variety of bread recipes that call for whole-grain flours if you want to check them out. And if you have any interest in buying a cookbook, this recipe was adapted from cookbook authors Jeff Hertzberg M.D. and Zoë François and they also have a book that focuses on whole grain bread recipes.

      • — Jenn on January 15, 2024
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  • Hi Jenn, I’m a huge fan. I’d it possible to make this recipe with whole wheat four? If not can you recommend a recipe that uses wheat? Thanks so much!

    • — Jill on January 14, 2024
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    • Hi Jill, so glad you like the recipes! I’ve only made this with all-purpose flour so I can’t confidently say how it will turn out with different kinds of flour. King Arthur has a variety of bread recipes that call for whole-grain flours if you want to check them out. And if you have any interest in buying a cookbook, this recipe was adapted from cookbook authors Jeff Hertzberg M.D. and Zoë François and they also have a book that focuses on whole grain bread recipes.

      • — Jenn on January 15, 2024
      • Reply
  • If you’re not going to eat it the first day, do you rise it for 2 hours and then put into the refrigerator, or do you just put it right into the refrigerator?

    • — Lori on December 7, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Lori, you let it rise for two hours before putting it into the fridge. 🙂

      • — Jenn on December 7, 2023
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  • I just made your bread for the first time and portioned into 2 rounds and they came out perfect. The first one I used the bake feature of my oven and nice dark loaf, the 2nd on convection bake. Not as dark. Can I bake the whole recipe in 1 loaf -will the baking time be the same. As a 100%Italian it was just like we wanted. Would like 1 big loaf though. Your recommendations? Thank you
    Deborah

    • — Deborah Troio on November 25, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Deborah, 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!

      • — Jenn on November 27, 2023
      • Reply
  • My 2nd attempt at bread and I do NOT bake. My first was a knock off Macaroni Grill and it went in the trash. My 2nd was THIS and it’s WONDERFUL! Literally my entire family thinks I have been swapped out for an Invasion of the Body Snatchers double 🙂

    It was a BIT dense, but I know I didn’t add quite enough flour and will do that next time. Thank you so much!

    • — Tammy Kaylor on November 11, 2023
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  • Hi! Would you be able to have the dough rise in a oven that has a proofing function? If so do you know what conversions I would need to make?

    • — Samantha on November 2, 2023
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    • That’s fine and you don’t need to make any adjustments. Hope you enjoy the bread!

      • — Jenn on November 3, 2023
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  • This bread is over the top delicious!! I’ve used it for Thanksgiving stuffing, sandwiches, croutons, and bread crumbs. The only problem I have is with cutting it. I use a serrated knife but it’s still difficult to cut through the crust safely. Do you have any suggestions on a good knife to use for slicing? Thank you as always. You’re so generous with your recipes and such a nice person. 😊😊

    • — Lori on October 30, 2023
    • Reply
    • Thanks for your kind words — so glad you like the recipes, including this bread! This is the bread knife I use and I love it. 🙂

      • — Jenn on October 31, 2023
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      • I went ahead and got the knife. It worked beautifully! Thanks so much for your suggestion!! 😊

        • — Lori on November 7, 2023
        • Reply
        • 👍

          • — Jenn on November 8, 2023
          • Reply
    • Thank you Jenn. I went ahead and ordered it. Btw, your dogs in their Halloween costumes are adorable and hilarious!!😂

      • — Lori on October 31, 2023
      • Reply
      • I think you’ll like it! And the dogs look thrilled, don’t they!? 😊💜

        • — Jenn on November 1, 2023
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  • This was my first attempt making any bread,it was easy, smelled wonderful and tastes great.Served with soup & salad.Best part is we have two more!

    • — lowandslow on October 23, 2023
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  • Absolutely delicious. Great texture and crust but my loaf came out flat instead of rounded. What did I do wrong?

    • — Glenda Hartley on October 22, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Glenda, If the texture was good it’s likely that your yeast was fine, so you likely need to add a bit more flour next time.

      • — Jenn on October 25, 2023
      • Reply
  • Absolutely best bread ever
    Easiest recipe for bread I have ever made

    • — Debi on October 22, 2023
    • Reply
  • If I want to bake the bread in a regular bread pan, how many loafs will it make?

    • — Anneliese on October 11, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Anneliese, I’d probably do 1/3 of the dough in each loaf pan. The cook time may be just a bit longer, but keep an eye on it. Be sure the pan is nonstick and grease it well. Also, if you have smaller loaf pans (8.5×4.5-in), those would be better.

      • — Jenn on October 11, 2023
      • Reply
  • Great! Just made a batch last night! My husband loves it! Question — how long would you say a fresh loaf is good for? What is the shelf life if just leaving it out at room temperature? Thank you!!

    • — Andrea on September 15, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Andrea, Fresh bread is usually only good for a day or two, but it freezes beautifully if you need to hold onto it longer.

      • — Jenn on September 16, 2023
      • Reply
  • I’m a novice, but feel like a pro! I made this today on a whim. It was simple to do, and the outcome is rustic and delicious. The texture is crusty and chewy, without being too dense. It’s the perfect artisan bread recipe for beginners. Thank you!

    • — Cheryl on August 13, 2023
    • Reply
  • I made this recipe yesterday for a girl’s dinner to go with a main course chicken salad. Everyone loved this bread! As a professional break baker (I’ve developed many recipes for yeast bread and used to work for Pillsbury in their test kitchens), I found this recipe to be very easy and worked like a charm! I’m curious to experience this bread again after a few days to see how the flavor develops with time, since the flavor on the first day of making the dough was a bit bland without the addition of butter or oil. But still very pleasing, especially hot from the oven! Try it, you’ll like it.

    • — Marlene Oliphant on June 8, 2023
    • Reply
  • Just as others have said, this is a fantastic recipe! I have a good friend who has terminal cancer and he requested homemade bread. I don’t own a bread machine and have never attempted making bread, but I’ve made several other recipes from this site and they have been keepers. This one did not disappoint either! I used regular flour and made two loaves – baked them two days later and they look like they were baked by a professional. I had to taste test with real butter and it was sooooo good! Thank you again!!!

    • — Tracy on June 8, 2023
    • Reply
  • Wow! This is a GREAT recipe! I’ve made a lot of bread in my life, but this is the first time I’ve made a yeast bread without sugar. I really doubted that it would rise, but it did! The crust is amazing! My husband said this recipe is a keeper, and I wholeheartedly agree. I only made one third of the recipe because I wanted to ensure the two of us would like it, and it was terrific. Many thanks for sharing.

    • — Darlene M Inch on June 4, 2023
    • Reply
    • So is this called “Artisan Bread” or is there a more specific name?

      Additionally I’ve been halving the dough and putting it in bread pans so i can slice for sandwiches. This is a stellar recipe, I’ve done two batches today alone and proofing another (lol I won’t tell you how many I’ve done this week😬 )

      Thanks alot, this is definitely going in the family recipe book!

      • — Dumptruck on August 17, 2023
      • Reply
  • I could literally make bread every single day. My favourite part of the process is the kneading so when I read this recipe, I was thinking of giving it a miss because of the “no-knead” required. So glad I didn’t! I halved the recipe and used Roger’s brand unbleached flour (I am in Canada and it is a fairly popular brand, depending on where you are in our country). I made 2 small loaves and they are PERFECT. My husband, who loves fresh bread said he could have eaten the entire loaf that I sliced up at supper time. Simply delish and so easy to make. I think this will be my new go-to recipe!!

    • — Beverly on June 4, 2023
    • Reply
  • Wondering if I could use Bob’s WW pastry flour? I use it for all of my baking. Thanks!

    • — Jill on June 2, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Jill, I haven’t tried it with that, so I can’t say for sure. For the most predictable results, I’d stick with all-purpose flour. Sorry!

      • — Jenn on June 2, 2023
      • Reply
  • Hi Jenn – can I used KA 00 flour for this? If yes – do I need to adjust the measurement?

    • — Kelly Seanor on June 1, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Kelly, I wouldn’t recommend it – sorry!

      • — Jenn on June 1, 2023
      • Reply
  • I don’t have cornmeal – is it necessary? I make artisan bread but have never used it in the past.

    • — Sandra D on June 1, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Sandra, You can bake the bread on parchment paper (keep in mind the paper will brown from the high heat). Hope you enjoy!

      • — Jenn on June 1, 2023
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  • Sorry, I have made this bread recipe probably 20 times and still not left a review. Absolutely one of our favorite bread recipes and so easy. Thank you for this!

    • — Kyra on June 1, 2023
    • Reply
  • No ingredients measurements

    • — Tracy on June 1, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Tracy, It sounds like you are just looking at the portion of the page that has the pictures with some instructions underneath. If you scroll down a bit to under the pictures, you’ll find the full recipe. Alternatively, at the very top of the page, to the right of the recipe name, you’ll see an orange/red button that says Jump to Recipe – if you click on that, it will take you directly to the recipe. Hope that clarifies!

      • — Jenn on June 1, 2023
      • Reply
  • Hi Jenn, I am in the Uk but love trying your recipes- apple cake my favourite at present! I would love to make this bread but not sure which flour to use as all-purpose flour is called Plain flour in the UK. We usually use Strong plain flour (bread flour) in the UK for making bread. So could you tell me which to use. Do I need to use the strong bread flour and do I need cornmeal or will Polenta do the same job?

    • — Marje on June 1, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Marje, So glad you like the recipes! You’ll need plain flour for the bread and polenta will work fine. Hope you enjoy!

      • — Jenn on June 1, 2023
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  • If I use Diamond Crystal salt instead of Morton’s, would I need 7 teaspoons? Thanks – I can’t wait to bake this!

    • — Michael R on June 1, 2023
    • Reply
    • Yes, I’d use 6.5 to 7 teaspoons. Enjoy!

      • — Jenn on June 1, 2023
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    • epic fail. hard as a rock outside dough in middle. no idea what we did wrong :(***

      • — mi on August 13, 2023
      • Reply
  • Which fancy restaurants did you work in once upon a tme?

    • — D on May 21, 2023
    • Reply
    • L’Auberge Chez François, The Caucus Room, and Sam & Harry’s (which is now closed)

      • — Jenn on May 23, 2023
      • Reply
  • I love your recipes and your book! I have a question. So as not to lose heat of the oven when putting the bread in, could you have the pan with hot water already in the oven when you are pre-heating the oven?

    • — Altie on May 13, 2023
    • Reply
    • So glad you like the recipes/book! 🙂

      You can put the pan with the water in while the oven is pre-heating, but I’d double the amount of water to ensure it doesn’t all evaporate. Hope you enjoy the bread!

      • — Jenn on May 16, 2023
      • Reply
  • Hi Jenn,
    I am going make one of the loaves today and put the other 2 in the refrigerator to use later in the week. When I’m ready to make the other loaves do you you take them out of the refrigerator and let them sit on the counter before baking? If so, how long do you recommend?
    As always, thank you for the amazing recipes. You are hands down my favorite chef!

    • — Dana on April 29, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Dana, Thanks for the kind words — so glad you like the recipes! 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. 🙂

      • — Jenn on May 1, 2023
      • Reply
  • Can you bake two loaves at the same time, and if so, do you add twice the water in the pan? Or what are the instructions?

    • — Joanne L. on April 26, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Joanne, You can definitely bake two loaves at once; no need to double the water. They may take a few extra minutes in the oven. Just use the color as a visual cue–you’re looking for a golden brown. 🙂

      • — Jenn on April 27, 2023
      • Reply
  • I’d like to add shredded cheese, garlic and spices like Herbes de provence but don’t know how much. Please advise, Thank you

    • — Jerry on March 31, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Jerry, I’ve never tried adding anything to the dough so I can’t say for sure, but I’d start conservatively — maybe 1/2 cup of cheese and a tablespoon of minced garlic and herbes de Provence. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it with these additions!

      • — Jenn on April 3, 2023
      • Reply
      • For the three loaves I ground up a tablespoon of Herbes de Provence along with 1/8 tsp. garlic powder or more to your liking. I also added 1/8 tsp, of onion powder and you can add more. I added 2 cups total shredded cheese, cheddar and asiago and parmesan. Add Herbs and cheeses to the liquid and add flour last. Nice aroma as it was baking and it tastes delicious!

        • — Jerry Gillham on April 7, 2023
        • Reply
        • So glad it came out nicely — thanks for taking the time to report back!

          • — Jenn on April 7, 2023
          • Reply
    • I would like to make a tasty spice version of this delicious recipe.

      • — Hobbs Susan on April 7, 2023
      • Reply
  • Best crusty bread ever! Total of 4 ingredients plus cornmeal to dust the pan, makes 3 loaves! Great for a few days of fresh, delicious bread (except that it’s so good it’s hard to resist eating it!) So glad I found this recipe!

    • — Debby on March 9, 2023
    • Reply
  • If you are using a Dutch oven. How long do you bake it covered and then uncovered?

    • — Denise on March 6, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Denise, You can bake it in a Dutch oven just as the recipe indicates; I’d keep it covered for 20 minutes and then remove it for the last 10 minutes of baking. Hope you enjoy!

      • — Jenn on March 7, 2023
      • Reply
  • Hi Jenn!
    Quick question………Can I use KA bread flour instead of all purpose flour?
    Thank you! Love all of your recipes!

    • — Suzanne on January 29, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Suzanne, Yes bread flour will work and will give the bread a chewier texture.

      • — Jenn on January 30, 2023
      • Reply
      • Thanks for your quick response.

        • — Suzanne on February 4, 2023
        • Reply
  • I’ve been using this recipe for a couple of years now so thought I better leave a review. Easiest bread to make and is guaranteed to taste delicious!

    • — Katie on January 24, 2023
    • Reply
  • Perfect bread. I have made this 4 times. Each time I adjust something. It is so good. I learned to top the bread with foil if it was browning too quickly, I learned to not add flaked salt until right before baking, I learned to have safety space when pouring water to inspire a crisp top. Yum

    • — Colleen Bickers on January 21, 2023
    • Reply
  • Hi Jenn. Could I use a sourdough starter instead of yeast for this recipe? If yes, how much starter would you recommend I use? Thank you so much!

    • — Sam on January 18, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Sam, I’ve never used a sourdough starter for this so I’d be reluctant to recommend it without trying it — sorry!

      • — Jenn on January 19, 2023
      • Reply
  • Hi Jen. Love this bread, on our 6th loaf in 3 weeks! Turkey and Swiss sandwiches are so much more delicious!
    I’m having difficulty finding a 6 qt bowl that isn’t plastic. Where did you purchase yours? My largest Pyrex is 4 qt and what I’ve been using. The dough rises up over the top of the bowl and not certain how this affects the bread, texture etc?

    Kristy

    • — Kristy on January 11, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Kristy, I would recommend a bowl large enough that the dough doesn’t rise over the top. I see a few 6-quart bowls on Amazon that would work. See the first 2 rows on this page.

      • — Jenn on January 12, 2023
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      • Oh I thought the bowl needed to be metal or glass for best result?

        • — Kristy on January 12, 2023
        • Reply
        • Any material bowl will work (including plastic). Hope that clarifies!

          • — Jenn on January 13, 2023
          • Reply
      • This was my first time trying to make artisan bread and all three loaves came out perfect. I can’t wait to finish these and try to make a cinnamon raisin swirl and the cheese and herbs one mentioned above. Thank you so much for this recipe, it is soo good!!

        • — Haylie on May 27, 2023
        • Reply
  • I have been making your bread for three years now and it’s amazing. I use three cast iron loaf pans (with a tiny bit of olive oil to coat pans) to bake the bread and otherwise follow your recipe exactly. We can’t ever go back to any other kind of bread. Thank you!

    • — Verissima Cairns on January 11, 2023
    • Reply
  • Hello. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I use a grain mill and grind my own flour as needed. Im about to try this recipe with hard white wheat berries. Fingers crossed it is as good as yours. I’m still pretty new to my grain mill and experimenting.

    • — Cheryl on January 7, 2023
    • Reply
    • Cheryl I just noticed your review from last winter and would love to know how your bread turned out and if you made any adjustments. I’ve made this recipe countless times with packaged flour and it’s amazing, but am starting my journey into fresh milled flour and would love to try it for this!

      • — Emilie on October 23, 2023
      • Reply
  • Jen, I am obviously missing something here…how much flour and how much salt?

    • — Cindy Risher on December 24, 2022
    • Reply
    • It sounds like you are just looking at the portion of the page that has the pictures with some instructions underneath. If you scroll down a bit to under the pictures, you’ll find the full recipe. Alternatively, at the very top of the page, to the right of the recipe name, you’ll see an orange/red button that says Jump to Recipe – if you click on that, it will take you directly to the recipe. Hope that clarifies!

      • — Jenn on December 25, 2022
      • Reply
  • Hi Jenn, This bread is phenomenal. It tastes like some of the best bread we have ever had in a restaurant & it is hard not to devour it all by myself in one sitting. I was wondering if you would recommend making this in a loaf pan so that the slices would be more equal in size when cut to use for sandwiches. Would it come out as crusty if not exposed all around? If a loaf pan can be used, would I still need to use the pan of water since the dough will be enclosed in the pan and not open to the heat of the oven and steam from the water on all sides? Thanks so much for your answer.
    Looking forward to many more recipes in 2023…Happy New Year!
    Marsha

    • — Marsha on December 24, 2022
    • Reply
    • So glad you like it, Marsha! It can be baked in a nonstick, greased loaf pan, but you won’t get that crispy crust all around. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!

      • — Jenn on December 25, 2022
      • Reply
      • Hi Jenn, thanks so much for the feedback. I did make it in a loaf pan; just to be on the safe side I put a pan of water in the oven with it. The top was crusty, the sides were not as crusty but actually came out crustier than I thought it would although certainly not as crusty as when baking it on a sheet pan. Still, it was delicious; this is one great recipe. In the future, I guess I will alternate between a sheet pan and a loaf pan, depending upon how the loaf will be used. Either way, both my husband and I look forward to stuffing our faces with it!! I am going to make the part of the loaf that is left into croutons and bake a fresh loaf today.
        Thanks again for all of the great recipes.

        • — Marsha on December 30, 2022
        • Reply
        • So glad it came out well — thanks for taking the time to report back! 🙂

          • — Jenn on December 30, 2022
          • Reply
  • Hi,
    your artisan bread recipe looks interesting and I would like to bake it. But, being from Europe, where we use grams instead of cups, (which I find can be very inaccurate) it really puts me off having a go. Could you possibly consider putting a metric conversion in grams alongside cups in your recipes? I’m sure you would find more followers online if you did this. Me for one!

    Many thanks,
    James

    • — James Cairns on December 21, 2022
    • Reply
    • Hi James, The great majority of my recipes (including this one) include conversions to metric/weight measurements. To view them, scroll down to the recipe, and immediately under the recipe title on the right side, you’ll see a little toggle. If you move it from “cup measures” to metric, you’ll see measurements that will work for you. Hope that helps!

      • — Jenn on December 21, 2022
      • Reply
  • Hi Jenn,
    As the other 672 people have said, yes, the bread is amazing and remarkably easy to make. I am wondering if the recipe is adaptable to add-ins. I’d love to try cranberry walnut, rosemary, or something else along those lines. Can I just add them in with this as the base recipe? Or do you think I need to find different recipes? Also just want to say I think every single recipe I have ever made from your site is amazing. 🙂

    • — Pam on December 11, 2022
    • Reply
    • So glad you like the recipes including this bread! And while it may work to add nuts, etc, to the dough, I’ve never added any “extras”, so I’d be hesitant to suggest it.

      • — Jenn on December 13, 2022
      • Reply
  • What a delicious, easy recipe! We munched down the first two loaves and for the third batch of dough, I made it into monkey bread using a muffin pan. It was amazing and my family was moaning with delight. Also, made a few slices of French toast using eggnog—also very good. What a versatile recipe!

    • — Nancy on December 8, 2022
    • Reply
  • @onceuponachef This was sooo good! And easy too! We don’t keep our home very warm, so sat the bread on the open oven door (250F) to rise. Worked great! Then popped it back in the oven (now turned off) for the 2nd rise, with door open again. Froze 2 portions, so will see how they turn out as I use them. Will also try adding some rosemary and/or garlic the next time I make this. Thanks for the recipe Jenn!

    • — Tessie Wallace on December 4, 2022
    • Reply
  • I made this today, during my work breaks. It was so easy! I mostly followed the recipe, but I scooped the flour (I didn’t spoon it into the cup), used expired instant yeast, and it was rising for more than three hours in my not-very-warm kitchen. Due to this, the dough was probably drier and didn’t rise as much as it could have. Even so, it made a delicious, crusty, airy, soft and chewy loaf of tasty bread! Truly foolproof! Lol… So excited that I have two more balls of dough sitting in my fridge to make more fresh bread over the next couple of days!

    Also, I want to add that I asked Jenn via this site for advice on why my baguettes were not working out. She responded very soon, to my amazement, and helped me troubleshoot. Then she shared this amazing recipe and recommended it for baguettes as well. (That’s next week’s project.) If I could give six stars for being so helpful and kind to her site’s readers, I would. Thank you so much, Jenn!

    • — Heidi Genesis on December 1, 2022
    • Reply
    • 💗

      • — Jenn on December 2, 2022
      • Reply
    • Where’s the French bread recipe?

      • — Bonnie on June 1, 2023
      • Reply
      • Hi Bonnie, the recipe is the same. You can shape this dough into a French bread shape instead of a round loaf if you’d like. The bake time may be a bit different, so you’d need to keep a close eye on it. Hope you enjoy if you make it!

        • — Jenn on June 1, 2023
        • Reply
  • Hello! The best bread recipe.It’s sooo good ,crusty even on the second day.I made 2 out of the recipe ,almost ready to eat the second one.Thank you !!

    • — LIZA M,MCNEELY on November 30, 2022
    • Reply
  • Very pleasantly surprised at the simplicity of this bread recipe. Didn’t really expect it to be so good as well. Thank you for posting this recipe. Will be sharing it with my son who enjoys making bread.

    • — Rebecca on November 29, 2022
    • Reply

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