This recipe requires only four ingredients (flour, yeast, salt, and water - how pure is that?), a little handling of the dough and with minimal effort, the result is fresh bread - you baked yourself!

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

No-Knead Bread

Hi Everyone, bread can be simple and easy to make and it's amazing that most people do not realize this - I certainly did not!

Freshly baked bread is a far superior experience compared to commercially produced bread with all those additives and preservatives.

This recipe post was originally published on 4/9/2015 and updated and republished with new photos on 3/30/2021

How I Started Baking This Bread

Baking bread always intimidated me - perhaps it is the idea of working with yeast that seemed unpredictable and the rising time involved.

It seems like more work than it really is.

Yes, there is rising time, a minimum of 3 hours, plus 30 mins or so for the second rise but one can do other things during that time and just plan around it.

This bread recipe is very forgiving because I have left out it for several hours more than the minimum for the first rise and it still came out great.

I found with every loaf, I became more practiced and confident in my bread baking abilities.

I decided several months ago, to bake our own bread instead of buying it from the grocery store but we still buy some bread from local bakeries and grocery store-bought.

Reasons for baking our bread versus Store-bought 

• to reduce and cut out the amount of processed food we eat by making our food from scratch
• to save some money on the grocery bill
• to learn, enjoy and feel comfortable baking bread

How Often to Bake This Bread

Depending on the season, I bake this bread a couple of days a week and bake 1-2 loaves and I also enjoy baking other types now but this particular recipe is so simple and easy that it has become our staple bread for many meals.

A "Gateway" Bread Recipe

This super-simple no-knead bread recipe was my "gateway bread" recipe to baking bread and I hope it will become your staple bread too or at least a fun activity to try!

Ingredients

• 3 cups of flour, with extra for the board, I love Hodgson Mill, Non-GMO Project Verified Flour or King Arthur Organic Unbleached All-Purpose flour
• About ¼ teaspoon dry active yeast, (check the date, make sure it's fresh), I use Hodgson Mill Fast-Rise Yeast
• About 1 teaspoon of kosher salt or preferred type of salt, (for taste), I use Morton Kosher Salt
• 1-½ cups of hot water, 130° F, I use water hot out of the tap, make sure you do not boil or it will kill the yeast.

Kitchen Tools

• measuring spoons and cups
• 2-cup wet measure
• digital kitchen thermometer
• 2 large mixing bowls
• parchment paper
• dough scraper (flexible and stiff)
• pastry board surface (to work the dough on)
• Dutch oven
• bread knife
• cutting board
• bread keeper or large, airtight container for storage

What Kind of Dutch Oven To Use

Please note that you will need a Dutch Oven for this recipe or an oven-safe pot (up to 450° F) with a lid, make sure the handle on the lid is oven safe!

I have had great results with my Calphalon Unison Dutch Oven or Lodge Dutch Oven but there are many others out there as well.

I recommend also using a pastry mat and bench or dough scraper.

I link to all the helpful kitchen tools in the recipe card at the end of the post.

Recipe Notes, Alternatives, and Thoughts

• You can try a different type of flour, I have used wheat on many occasions with success. I find that wheat flour seems drier and add a few tablespoons of water extra.
• Room temperature butter or extra virgin olive oil with salt, pepper, and other desired spices are nice accompaniments for this bread.
• If you have the taste for something sweet try some Nutella and fruit or use it for making French toast.
• This bread works well when making strata.

Recipe Attribution

Jenny Jones inspired me to attempt making bread on a regular basis with her faster no-knead recipe.

She also has a great video and shows you how to make the bread.

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Let Us Know How Your Bread Comes Out

If you make “No-Knead Bread” and post a picture on social media, be sure to #lifeslittlesweets and link back to the post, thank you in advance!

If you make this recipe, and like it, please give it a rating in the recipe card below and let us know in the comments at the end of the post.

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