Even if you’ve never made homemade bread or worked with yeast before, this homemade crusty artisan bread is for you. It’s the perfect beginner recipe because it only requires 4 ingredients without any special pans or mixer, there’s no kneading or complicated shaping involved, and 95% of the work is hands-off. Bread masters will appreciate this recipe too because it delivers with delicious flavor, a slightly crisp and mega chewy crust, and those signature soft holes inside like ciabatta or French bread.
Bread Beginners– Start Here
Have you ever wanted to master homemade bread? Real, crusty, chewy, delicious bakery-style loaves that taste incredible with dips, soups, sauces, and comforting dinners? This recipe is where you start. This artisan bread is for beginners, but even bread masters will appreciate its flavor and ease. It’s so fresh, so flavorful, and so surprisingly easy because it basically makes itself.
You only need 4 ingredients without any special pans or mixer, there’s no kneading, no poolish or dough starter required, and you can add herbs, cheeses, and spices to make a variety of bread flavors.
This base recipe will soon be on repeat in your kitchen. After you realize how easy it is to make real homemade bread, you’ll find any excuse to bake a loaf.
What is Homemade Artisan Bread?
When it comes to bread, the term “artisan” doesn’t mean 1 particular thing. But generally, artisan bread is homemade, fresh, crusty, and deliciously rustic looking. An artisan is a skilled worker, one who works with their hands. But ironically, there isn’t much “work” involved with this recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Bread
- Easier than you ever imagined
- Soft + flavorful
- Chewy, slightly crisp crust
- Shape however you want
- No special pans, poolish, or dough starter required
- Only 4 ingredients
- You decide the length of time it rests
Homemade Artisan Bread Video Tutorial
Like sandwich bread, focaccia, homemade English muffins, seeded oat bread, and homemade bagels— the process is surprisingly easy. If you’re new to yeast, reference my Baking with Yeast Guide for answers to common yeast FAQs.
Only 4 Ingredients
The crustier and chewier the bread, the less fat in the dough– also known as a “lean dough.” We’re using a lean dough for our artisan loaf today. (If you’re curious, a “rich dough” is a soft bread dough with the presence of fat, such as butter and eggs– the kind we need for overnight cinnamon rolls and honey butter rolls.) Without fat, we’re left with the basics.
- Bread Flour: While you can use all-purpose flour in this recipe, I strongly recommend using bread flour. Just like when we make olive bread, bread flour produces a stronger, chewier bread and that makes a big difference in recipe with only 3 other ingredients.
- Instant Yeast: Instant yeast is key in this recipe. While you can use active dry if that’s all you have, any quick rise or instant yeast will produce flavorful results in less time. I use more yeast in this recipe compared to my cranberry nut no-knead bread and no-knead jalapeño cheddar bread. Why? Those doughs rest and rise at room temperature. However, for more flavor and just as much rise, I use more yeast and let the this dough rest in the refrigerator. (Cool air slows the fermentation process.)
- Salt: You can’t make good bread without salt and for best flavor, I recommend a coarse salt, such as coarse sea salt. I find the bread’s flavor lacking with regular table salt.
- Water: I normally encourage you to use warm liquid with yeast because warm liquid helps the yeast work faster. However, use cool or room temperature water here. Not freezing cold, not super warm– cool to touch. 70°F (21°C) is great, but the exact temperature doesn’t matter as long as it’s not hot or warm. The cooler the water, the longer the dough takes to rise and, usually, the better the bread’s flavor. (This is important since there are so little ingredients to add substantial flavor!) We use the same cool water method for no knead honey oat bread.
- Optional Cornmeal: Dusting the pan with cornmeal adds a pop of flavor and a little crunch to the bottom crust. This is completely optional. If you have it, use it. If you don’t have it, don’t worry about it.
You can also add herbs and seasonings such as garlic, rosemary, dill, chopped onion, jalapeño, shredded cheese, chopped nuts, dried cranberries, etc. My no yeast bread is the quick bread alternative here– you can add flavors to that loaf, too!
Baker’s Tip: Avoid adding too much flour to the dough as you work with it. The stickier it is– and the longer it sits in the refrigerator– the more likely you’ll have those big airy pockets of air in the crumb.
How to Make Homemade Artisan Bread in 5 Steps
- Mix the dough ingredients together. At first the dough will seem very dry and shaggy and you’ll question if it will even come together. But it will. Use a spatula at first, then switch to your hands to ensure all of the flour is moistened. The dough is actually a little sticky after it’s thoroughly mixed.
- Let it rise at room temperature for 2-3 hours. Cover the dough and let it rise at room temperature for about 2-3 hours until doubled in size.
- Use right away or refrigerate. After 2-3 hours, you can immediately continue with the next step. However, for ideal flavor and texture, I strongly recommend letting the dough sit in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours and up to 3 days. Yes, 3 full days! I usually only let it rest for about 18 hours. During this crucial step, the cold air slows the fermentation process and adds so much flavor and texture. So, you can bake bread in 2-3 hours or in 3 days. The longer it sits, the better it tastes. 🙂
- Shape into 2 loaves or 1 boule. Rest as oven preheats. You can shape the bread into a round loaf (boule) or two longer loaves. I usually make 2 longer loaves side-by-side on a flat baking sheet, about 9×3 inches each. Score with a sharp knife or bread lame. Preheat the oven to a very hot 475°F (246°C). The extremely hot air will immediately set the crust so the bread rises up instead of spreading all over. To help ensure a crispier crust, after the oven pre-heats– pour boiling water into a metal or cast iron baking pan/dish on the bottom oven rack. Immediately place the dough inside and shut the oven door to trap the steam. The steam will help create that coveted crisp crust. If you have a dutch oven, shape the dough into 1 round loaf, and bake it inside the dutch oven with the lid on.
- Bake until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Gently tap the loaves because if they sound hollow, they’re done.
Look at those deliciously soft holes inside! Reminds me of ciabatta or a French baguette, both of which can be a little more complicated to make.
Serve Artisan Bread With
- Slather with homemade honey butter
- Slice and dunk in crab dip, beer cheese dip, or roasted garlic bacon spinach dip
- Serve alongside slow cooker chicken chili or pumpkin chili
- As a dunker for minestrone soup or creamy chicken noodle soup
- With a big bowl of mac & cheese
- Use for my goat cheese & honey crostini
- It’s the perfect starch in breakfast casserole
- With anything because homemade bread is everything’s best friend
See Your Homemade Artisan Bread!
Many readers tried this recipe as part of a baking challenge! Feel free to email or share your recipe photos with us on social media. 🙂
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Homemade Artisan Bread Recipe
- Prep Time: 4 hours
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours, 25 minutes
- Yield: 2 8-inch loaves
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Even if you’ve never made homemade bread or worked with yeast before, this homemade artisan bread is for you. Watch the video tutorial below and review the recipe instructions and recipe notes prior to beginning. If you’re new to working with yeast, reference my Baking with Yeast Guide for answers to common yeast FAQs.
Ingredients
- 3 and 1/4 cups (about 430g) bread flour (spoon & leveled), plus more for hands and pan
- 2 teaspoons (about 6g) instant yeast
- 2 teaspoons coarse salt (see note)
- 1 and 1/2 cups (360ml) water, close to room temperature at about 70°F (21°C)
- optional: cornmeal for dusting pan
Instructions
- In a large un-greased mixing bowl, whisk the flour, yeast, and salt together. Pour in the water and gently mix together with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. The dough will seem dry and shaggy, but keep working it until all the flour is moistened. If needed, use your hands (as I do in the video tutorial below) to work the dough ingredients together. The dough will be sticky. Shape into a ball in the bowl as best you can.
- Keeping the dough in the bowl, cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and set on the counter at room temperature (honestly any normal room temperature is fine!). Allow to rise for 2-3 hours. The dough will just about double in size, stick to the sides of the bowl, and have a lot of air bubbles.
- You can continue with step 4 immediately, but for absolute best flavor and texture, I strongly recommend letting this risen dough rest in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours and up to 3 days. Place covered dough in the refrigerator for 12 hours – 3 days. I usually let it rest in the refrigerator for about 18 hours. The dough will puff up during this time, but may begin to deflate after 2 days. That’s fine and normal– nothing to worry about.
- Lightly dust a large nonstick baking sheet (with or without rims and make sure it’s nonstick) with flour and/or cornmeal. Turn the cold dough out onto a floured work surface. Using a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut dough in half. Some air bubbles will deflate as you work with it. Place dough halves on prepared baking sheet. Using floured hands, shape into 2 long loaves about 9×3 inches each (doesn’t have to be exact) about 3 inches apart. Loosely cover and allow to rest for 45 minutes. You will bake the dough on this prepared baking sheet.
- During this 45 minutes, preheat the oven to 475°F (246°C).
- When ready to bake, using a very sharp knife or bread lame (some even use kitchen shears), score the bread loaves with 3 slashes, about 1/2 inch deep. (“Score” = shallow cut.) If the shaped loaves flattened out during the 45 minutes, use floured hands to narrow them out along the sides again.
- Optional for a slightly crispier crust: After the oven is preheated and bread is scored, place a shallow metal or cast iron baking pan or skillet (I usually use a metal 9×13 baking pan) on the bottom oven rack. Carefully and quickly pour 3-4 cups of boiling water into it. Place the scored dough/baking pan on a higher rack and quickly shut the oven, trapping the steam inside. The steam helps create a crispier crust.
- Place the shaped and scored dough (on the flour/cornmeal dusted pan) in the preheated oven on the center rack. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Gently tap the loaves– if they sound hollow, the bread is done. For a more accurate test of doneness, the bread is done when an instant read thermometer inserted in the center reads 195°F (90°C).
- Remove the bread from the oven and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Store leftovers loosely covered at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: The dough can sit in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, so this is a wonderful recipe to begin ahead of time. You can also bake the bread, allow it to cool, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature before serving. You can also freeze the dough. Complete the recipe through step 3. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-friendly container. To bake, allow dough to thaw overnight in the refrigerator, or for 2-3 hours at room temperature. Continue with step 4 and the rest of the recipe instructions.
- Flour: For absolute best flavor and chewy texture, I strongly recommend using bread flour. You can use a 1:1 substitution of all-purpose flour in a pinch with no other changes to the recipe. I recommend avoiding whole wheat flour in this dough. If necessary, use half bread flour and half whole wheat flour. The bread will taste a bit dense.
- Yeast: You can use instant or active dry yeast, but I highly recommend an instant (aka “rapid rise” or “quick rise” yeast). The bread will rise faster. I usually use Platinum yeast by Red Star, which is an instant yeast. 2 teaspoons is a little less than 1 standard packet. If using active dry yeast, there are no changes needed to the recipe. The rise time in step 2 may take longer.
- Salt: Use a coarse salt, such as coarse sea salt, in this bread. I find the flavor slightly lacking when using regular table fine salt. If you only have fine salt, reduce to 1 and 1/2 teaspoons.
- Water: Use cool water. 70°F (21°C) is great, but the exact temperature doesn’t matter as long as it’s not hot or warm.
- Round Loaf: If you want to shape the dough into a boule (round loaf) simply shape into a round ball instead of 2 loaves in step 4. Baking instructions are the same, but the loaf will take a few extra minutes in the oven. If you want to bake the boule in a dutch oven, see next note.
- Using a Dutch Oven: Follow this dough recipe through step 3, then follow the simple shaping/baking instructions (steps 2-5) in my Cranberry Nut No Knead Bread recipe including using the parchment paper. If your parchment paper can’t withstand heat this high, you can either lower the oven temperature and bake the bread for longer or grease the dutch oven instead.
- Using a pizza stone: If you want to bake your bread loaves on a pizza stone, place pizza stone in the preheating oven. In step 8, place the shaped and scored dough on your preheated pizza stone. If the bottom of the shaped dough is pretty sticky, dust the hot pizza stone with some extra cornmeal. Bake as directed.
- No Nonstick Pan: If you don’t have a nonstick baking sheet, line it with parchment paper instead. Coat with a dusting of flour and/or cornmeal before placing the dough on top. Parchment paper can burn, so it’s best to check the box to see how much heat yours can tolerate. Lower your oven heat if necessary and bake the bread for longer until golden brown and when gently tapped, sound hollow.
- Flavor ideas: Before pouring in the water in step 1, add any of the following ingredients/combination of ingredients to the dry ingredients in the bowl: 4 cloves minced garlic + 3 Tablespoons chopped rosemary, 3 Tablespoons your favorite fresh herb (chopped), 1 cup your favorite shredded cheese, a diced jalapeño, 3/4 – 1 cup dried cranberries and/or chopped nuts, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, etc.
- Reference my Baking with Yeast Guide for answers to common yeast FAQs.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Glass Mixing Bowls | Baking Sheets | 2-cup Measuring Cup | Bread Lame | Instant Read Thermometer
- Recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour & Red Star Yeast, similar method originally from Jim Lahey.
Keywords: bread, loaf
Any suggestions on making rye bread with chia seeds
We haven’t tested one but would love to hear what you try!
I love how easy this recipe is and my bread turns out good. But I still can’t get that golden brown like you have in your pictures 🙁 I did just find out I handle my dough a little too much. Today I tried to not do that, and I actually got more air pockets. So that made me happy. Now if I can get that golden brown crust!
Hi all, Mike here. I tried the artisan bread and have to say I will be making this again. I could not believe there was no kneading. I had to double check the recipe to make sure. I made a round shape and added rosemary and Italian seasonings to the proofed dough ( Having not read the instructions to add them to the water ) . I will try the loaf size the next time as this took a while to get done. It was so tall I thought I’d ruined it but as my wife and I tried the first slices ( with dipping oil ) we were amazed at how good it was and just basically had it for dinner. The crust is wonderful and the loaf itself is delightfully chewy, and no more $7.00 loaves of artisan bread for us YEA !
LOVE THIS BREAD! So easy and so delicious and satisfying!
Question: I want my loaves to be round like your photos, so I bought an Italian loaf pan. But, the temp limit is 450F. The pan maker suggested I preheat to 475, but bake at 450. How long should I bake? Thanks!
★★★★★
Hi Kathy! We’re unsure of the exact bake time at that temperature, but it should be just a few minutes longer—not much more. Gently tap the loaves– if they sound hollow, the bread is done. For a more accurate test of doneness, the bread is done when an instant read thermometer inserted in the center reads 195°F (90°C). So glad you love this recipe!
i actually made a punpkin spice artisins bread and it came out soooo delicious (follow recipe as directed) but flatten dough evenly (about 2/3 inch thick) and add pumpkin puree with cinnamon , brown sugar , and nutmeg coat evenly and roll it up like a cinnamon roll (make sure you close off sides using the top layer let it proof again ut three slits and bake it
★★★★★
My loaves turned out delicious, but I am wondering why they didn’t turn golden brown on top?
I have a newer oven and when temp’d it read 475. Thank you for all your wonderful recipes!
Hi Bren, have you tried baking the loaves either in a Dutch oven or with a water/steam bath (optional step 7 in the recipe)? The steam helps create that crispier, golden brown crust.
Same problem with oven temp. Tried baking a round loaf at 425o, took about 40 minutes and I wondered if should have let the dough come to room temp more. I checked it with a thermometer to 195 and it was perfect. Good stuff !
I have a bread maker FOR SALE! This is my new go to recipe for bread. So simple. So delicious. Thank you!
I don’t buy loaves of bread anymore. This recipe and very few, simple ingredients is all I need.
★★★★★
I’ve tried this recipe a few times, but every time I turn it out of the bowl and shape it lightly (loafs or boule) it looses all the proof and doesn’t proof back up at all. I even tried with prrofing on the counter 3 hours, moved to fridge for 24 hours, shaped, left again and it just lost all the happy air bubbles it had before being turned out onto the baking sheet 🙁
Any tips for getting it to proof back up again after shaping?
Hi Sami! The bread won’t rise again much at all after shaping. Try to maintain the air bubbles by shaping as gently as possible.
This bread is amazing!! I’ve been trying to make bread (unsuccessfully) over the last several years and finally a success! So quick and easy. Thanks!
★★★★★
Hi Sally. If I’d like to freeze my dough, does it need to rise first before freezing? BTW, best bread EVER!!! I add freshly grated cheddar to mine & everything bagel seasoning on top
Hi Deb, correct, the dough will have its first rise before freezing. See recipe Notes for full freezing details. So glad this one is a favorite for you!
Can I add diced cooked pancetta?
Hi Kim, we haven’t tested it, but let us know if you give it a try!
I put this in a bowl doused with olive oil, seasoned generously with sea salt, garlic and rosemary. Once overflowing from the bowl I put in a preheated oven in a cold Dutch oven at 450° for about 50 minutes. Took the lid off and cooked another 5-10 minutes. It’s soooo good and fluffy. My husband and children approved.
Can this be frozen after baking? Want to save the second loaf but worried it will loose it’s crisp crust in the fridge
★★★★★
Hi Alessandra, yes, the baked bread can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature before serving.
HI, Great recipe, but can this be cooked in a smoker?
Hi Pam, we haven’t tested it, but let us know if you do!
Can you add a sourdough starter to this recipe? If so,how much?
We haven’t tested that, Patti. Let us know if you do!
Love this recipe! I’ve quit buying store bread and make this regularly! I recently tried using 1 C. whole wheat flour and the rest white bread flour, and it worked beautifully. Such a great recipe – thank you for sharing it!
★★★★★
I love how this turned out. The crust was super crispy and the middle lovely and soft. I love how cheap this is so make something that’s bakery quality
★★★★★
Made bread for the first time with this recipe and it turned out great ! i was concerned at first because it dough was so sticky and i got it EVERYWHERE but honestly 10/10
★★★★★
I have baked lots of different kneaded breads before but have never tried a simple, no knead recipe. I was pleasantly surprised at how well this turned out. The final product was a bit too salty though (I used 2 tsp of coarse sea salt), so I will reduce the salt to about 1 1/4 tsp next time. Also, I floured my baking sheet since I didn’t have cornmeal, but next time, I’ll use parchment since the flour didn’t work well. Twenty minutes was plenty of time baking; I checked the interior temps and they were about 197 degrees at that point.
★★★★
I make this recipe quite often. It is easy and foolproof. Best bread ever for those who love an Italian loaf with a bit of chew and a great crust. Leaving it 18 hours makes for a much better and tastier loaf. Amazing.
★★★★★
I live for this recipe! Always a hit at my house! Just a question, I recently got a new oven and I have convection bake mode, can this bread be baked on that setting? Will it make a difference?
Hi Jelena, so glad this bread is a favorite! We always recommend conventional settings for baking. The flow of air from convection heat can cause baked goods to rise and bake unevenly and it also pulls moisture out of the oven. If you do use convection settings for baking, lower your temperature by 25 degrees F and keep in mind that things may still take less time to bake.
Delicious! Both times I’ve made this the bread dough was WAY wetter and stickier than depicted in your recipe video – it was very difficult to shape the bread with floured hands, and I also couldn’t easily lift up the dough from the bowl (instead had to pour it out and use a spatula). I added even less water than the recipe (about 340ml) – would you recommend reducing the water even more? Would this still produce airy bread with holes?
Still rating 5* as the recipe, although a bit tricky, yielded perfect results!
★★★★★
Hi Maura! Is it particularly humid by you? You can add just a bit more flour if needed.
Rustic bread with biga is so easy and worth the extra time for the truly open crumb texture.
I found this too dense and on the heavier side.
★
Hi Janet, I agree that starting with a biga makes a wonderfully textured bread. This is a slightly simpler method for beginners. Thanks for trying it, and for your feedback!
I have been making this recipe for a couple years now and it’s always amazing! However I moved recently and am using a new oven, and my most recent batch turned out a little funky. When I tested the internal temp it was over 200F, but was pretty pale and seemed overly squishy once cut (waited about 10 mins first). Any recommendations? I can cook longer but I’m worried it will be very dried out, based on the internal temp I had. Also, would an egg wash work on this bread at all? I’d love to have a more shiny exterior. Thank you!
Hi Carley, sorry to hear you had trouble! Have you tried an oven thermometer to check to see what your new oven is baking at? Every oven is different, and it might be an easy fix. You can also test for doneness by tapping the loaves once they’re golden brown – they will sound hollow when done. You can certainly use an egg wash if you’d like a shinier crust.
I have never made bread before. I now make this bread about every 3 days. My husband commented: “Who says man cannot live by bread alone!” Perfect every time. Have tried it both plain and adding Tex Mex shredded cheese with jalapenos.
★★★★★
Help! What did I do wrong? Followed recipe exactly and took it out of refrigerator after 12 hours and baked it. Had hardly any holes in it and was pretty tough. sure could use a suggestion. Thanks
Hi Dixie, every loaf will turn out differently, some with more holes than others. Make sure to handle the dough very carefully to prevent compressing the air bubbles. Be sure to also spoon and level your flour (or use a kitchen scale) to ensure it’s not over measured, which can make the bread dry and a bit tough. Hope this helps for next time!
This was delicious and my first time ever making bread! Thank you for the easy recipe 🙂
★★★★★