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, whole wheat 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, creamy chicken noodle soup, or crab 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. 🙂
PrintHomemade 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 (spooned & leveled), plus more for hands and pan
- 2 teaspoons (about 6g) instant yeast
- 2 teaspoons (about 9g) 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 silicone 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-inch 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.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Glass Mixing Bowls | Silicone Spatula or Wooden Spoon | Baking Sheets | 2-cup Measuring Cup | Bread Lame | Instant Read Thermometer
- 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.
- Recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour & Red Star Yeast, similar method originally from Jim Lahey.
I made” bread” 30 plus years ago, it was a lovely door stop. This was so easy and delicious, thank you , thank you, thank you. Love the website however, I saw a reference to the effect different ingredients, milk, sugar, have on the yeast but I can not find it. Can you please tell me where to find that information again.
Thank you, now back to working my way thru making everything on your site.
First attempt and everything came out super. House smells good, the bread looks good and the kids are happy.
This just came out of my oven and it is amazing!! I kept it simple, following the recipe exactly, and we loved it, can’t wait to make it again adding some herbs and seasoning! Definitely a winner, thank you!!
I just made this recipe and was pleasantly surprised! I am only starting to make bread and work with yeast and this was very easy to follow. I used active dry yeast (not instant) and the bread rose just fine – I was very tempted to use warm water to activate it but cold water did the trick. I also added in cheddar and jalapeno for extra flavour. I let the dough rise on the counter for about 4 hours, and then in the fridge for about 18 hours. I used the steam trick for crispy crust and it worked out really well.
Love this recipe!! I tried making a dinner roll recipe initially….not great. I grew up eating crusty bread and this is not only a lot easier but much tastier. A big hit with everyone and we cant wait to try different flavors. I will be baking my own bread regularly from now on. I also want to try the steam method just to see the difference.
Excellent recipe and excellent bread.
Sally: let me start by saying … your recipes rocks!!! This is my third time in one week making this bread. I made it first in my Dutch over then twice as loafs. On both occasions they came out great.
This recipe is perfect. I made 1 large loaf – I used fresh yeast, course salt, bread flour and did the steam trick as recommended – left in fridge for about 14hr – 475 with the convection feature of my oven turned on – baked for 30min. This is my third loaf of bread baked ever and it’s probably the best bread I have ever tasted. Hats off to you Sally!
I haven’t made bread since I was at school, many years ago. I tried this recipe and it was great, my 5 year old said it’s the best bread ever…
thanks for getting me back into baking
Hi there! I have never made bread before so this was a great recipe for me. Very easy. It turned out lovely but the inside was dense with no air bubbles. I made the 2 loaves with the pan of steamed water in my oven. What did I do wrong? It tasted great and looked wonderful.
Thank you for sharing such an easy and tasty recipe. Myself and my family use your recipe for bread making.
Hello, Thank You for this recipe! I have just finished it, and it turned out fantastic – my husband loved it:). I was a bit skeptic, as the recipe didn’t include some ingredients most recipes do, but it was lovely.
I didn’t refrigerate after the 3 hours, and used a mix of 200g 00 and 220g 55 flour at the beginning. Somehow the dough turned out a bit more wet then in the video, so i put in some more 00 as i mixed. Not much, but it turned out lovely in the end.
Also, I had only fresh yeast, used 20 g of it. Anyway, for me it is a success story, and I am thankful 🙂
Delicious and easy! I used fresh rosemary, garlic, thyme, and oregano.
I let it rise for 2 hours, punched it down, let it rise again and then left it in the fridge overnight. Also, added the boiling water in the oven on the bottom rack. Looks and tastes great.
I never baked bread until this new quarantine life began. It seems like the whole country is baking now! I am from Hungary initially and I grew up with amazing crusty breads. Our local grocery store offers some decent bread options, but nothing like your recipe. I am so glad that my daughter found your recipe. This is the best bread ever and we started to bake it regularly. It is so easy do to do. I suspect that we will continue to bake it even when we return to our busy lives. Thank you!
Easiest bread I’ve made yet. On our 8th loaf and still loving it.
I found measuring the water in cups was more accurate than in ml which left it too sticky (must be a dodgy jug).
We always make 1 loaf rather than 2 and it usually takes 35 minutes if anyone is wondering.
Haven’t let it sit in the fridge yet as I’m super impatient and still it tastes amazing.
We’ve made it using rosemary, garlic powder, thyme and olives.
Loving the variations and will keep experimenting until the end of time. Haven’t bought supermarket/ bakery bread since!
Made this today for my dad as he loves baggette. It was a hit! He loves it and my husband loves it too! Simple recipe yet great tasting!
I made your Homemade Artisan Bread today. Very, very good. I agree with you about the salt. I didn’t think it would make a difference, but it does. I used my long Sassafras baker and the crumb was not as open as yours. Would baking (as you did) on an inverted sheet pan make a difference? Thanks for the recipe!
Hey! have made this with standard grade flour and it was perfect!!! Just wandering, could I use buckwheat flour? I’ll probably give it a crack but just wandering if you’ve tried other flour?
Thank you !
Hi Rachel! I recommend finding a bread recipe formulated for buckwheat flour. It wouldn’t be ideal here.
Sally – I made your fabulous recipe for the first time last week using all-purpose flour and it came out well (I shard this recipe with friends and family it was so good). Today, I’m making it with a hearty wheat flour. Would you not recommend the same for this kind of flour? I did find that it was extra sticky so I added a touch more flour before letting it proof. Thanks!
This is the best bread I have ever had, absolutely outstanding! First time baking bread and the recipe so was easy to follow. I can’t believe how delicious this bread is. I am hooked!
I love this simple and tasty bread recipe. I made my first batch and let it rest in the refrigerator for 7 hours, I just couldn’t wait. I made my second batch and let it rest for 24 hours in the fridge, you are right, it’s better to let it sit longer in the fridge.
Thank you.
Sally – thank you so much for the recipe. I’m new to baking bread and this is the 3rd recipe I’ve tried. It’s prefect and so easy! I never knew I could enjoy baking bread like this. Your detailed instructions and video really helped foolproof it. Thanks again!
This bread blows NYTimes no knead bread out of the water! I’ve made that so many times without much luck, but I’ve made this recipe twice now and it’s unreal!! Love it. Thank you!! I did mine in a Dutch oven. Second batch I added Parmesan cheese.
First… my family LOVES this bread. We make it several times a week! So easy and delicious and your tip on leaving the dough in the fridge… amazing. Could I make this as rolls? Once everything else is done, I could I do small dollops and maybe just cook for less? We have an egg allergy in the family and would love to use this recipe in other ways.
Hi Allyson! So glad you and your family are enjoying this bread recipe. You can make smaller loaves/rolls, yes. Bake time will depend on the size you make them. Bake until the crust is golden brown and when you tap the loaves– they will sound hollow when done.
So easy! Came out great. Yes the dough was sticky. I used all purpose bleached flour since thats all I had.
I read some comments that the dough was too wet… this happened to me too. Maybe because I don’t have a scale to weigh ingredients or because I live in about 70% humidity… anyhow when I took my dough out of the fridge I realized that it was an unshapeable glob… and while I tried to score it… that wasn’t happening either, but I went with it and put it in the oven as directed and it miraculously… turned out fine! Very tasty! So if it’s really wet and unshapeable… I say do as she says and just go for it… it worked for me!
I did cook mine for about 30 minutes though to get the golden crust.
Yes, high humidity can have an effect in our kitchens! I’m so glad you kept going and that you enjoyed the bread, Kristina.
I’ve made this recipe a million times and it’s come out perfect every single time. It’s my go to recipe and I got my friends and family hooked!
Just a question though, I ran out of instant yeast and I only have traditional yeast left that needs to be activated with water.. will that still work with this recipe if I activate the yeast separately?
Hi JJ, if using active dry yeast, the process is the same. See recipe note.
I have been making 2 loaves a week (for weeks now), and each batch has been perfect. I live at sea level in CA. I want to share this recipe with my sister who lives in Montana at an altitude of ~ 8,000 ft. I don’t see any adjustment notes to the recipe for higher altitudes. Can you please advise?
I’m so happy that you have been enjoying this recipe so much, Randy! I wish I could help your sister, but I have no experience baking at high altitude. I know some readers have found this chart helpful: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html
This recipe is so simple and so good. I make bread 3-4 times a week and my daughters love it. It always turns out well whether I bake it at the end of the 3 hours or refrigerate it for 2 days. I have passed this along to friends and made containers of the dry ingredients with instructions for my neighbors. It’s a huge hit.
Made for the first time this week, awesome! Not had very good luck with bread in the past, so this recipe worked great and the taste and texture was amazing. Thanks for posting.
Added rosemary and garlic and it was DELISH! perfect crust and amazing flavor.
The bread was not as airy / pocket-y?? As I hoped! Any idea why?
My first time baking a bread loaf and very pleased with the result. The texture and taste are both a success!