no-knead bread is one of the best baking hacks ever. It makes a crispy-crusted, chewy, bakery-style loaf with minimal effort. 😍🍞
Here’s the classic easy no-knead bread recipe that’s foolproof.
🍞 Classic No-Knead Bread (1 loaf)
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (or bread flour)
- 1½ tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp instant yeast
- 1⅝ cups warm water (about 105–110°F / 40–43°C)
Instructions
1️⃣ Mix the dough
In a large bowl, combine:
- flour
- salt
- yeast
Add warm water and stir until a shaggy, sticky dough forms.
No kneading needed.
2️⃣ First rise (long ferment)
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a towel and let it rise 12–18 hours at room temperature.
The dough should double and be bubbly.
3️⃣ Shape
Turn dough onto a floured surface.
Shape it gently into a ball (don’t overwork it).
4️⃣ Second rise
Place dough on a piece of parchment paper, cover, and let rise 1–2 hours.
5️⃣ Preheat the oven
Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C).
Place a Dutch oven (with lid) inside to heat up for 30 minutes.
6️⃣ Bake
Carefully transfer dough (on parchment) into the hot Dutch oven.
Bake:
- 30 minutes with lid on
- 10–15 minutes with lid off (to brown the crust)
7️⃣ Cool
Let the loaf cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
🔥 Tips for Perfect No-Knead Bread
- Use a Dutch oven for the best crust
- Do not over-flour the dough—keep it sticky
- The longer the rise, the better the flavor
- For a chewier crust, bake 5 minutes longer
Variations
🧄 Garlic Herb No-Knead
Add 1 tbsp minced garlic + 1 tbsp herbs into the dough.
🧀 Cheddar Jalapeño
Fold in 1 cup shredded cheddar + 1–2 jalapeños.
🍞 Whole Wheat
Replace 1 cup flour with whole wheat flour.