Crusty Round Bread in a Dutch Oven (No Kneading)
Homemade bread is a tradition in my house. I bake at least two loaves a week. Nothing compares to the taste of a freshly baked, golden-brown loaf with a crispy crust. The moment it comes out of the oven, the warm, comforting aroma fills the entire house, making it impossible to resist.
While many people think baking bread is difficult or requires expert skills, I’m here to tell you that it’s easier than you think. This recipe makes the simplest, most delicious crusty round bread—no kneading required. I promise, if you can stir, you can make this bread. The hardest part is the waiting for the dough to rise and then for the bread to bake to perfection. All you need to do is mix a few ingredients into a wet dough using a wooden spoon. That’s it—no kneading, just the magic of time and heat.
Before you start Read this
1. Choosing the Right Yeast
- Fresh Yeast: Less common, but used in professional bakeries. Requires refrigeration and must be crumbled into the dough.
- Active Dry Yeast: This is the most common type for homemade bread. It needs to be dissolved in warm water (bloomed) before using.
- Instant Yeast (Rapid Rise): This yeast can be mixed directly with dry ingredients without blooming. It rises a little faster than active dry yeast.
2. Blooming the Yeast
- For Active Dry Yeast: Always bloom it first to ensure it’s still alive and active.
- Dissolve 1 tablespoon of yeast in a cup of warm water or milk (100°F – 110°F / 38°C – 43°C) with a teaspoon of sugar.
- Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes until it becomes foamy.
- Instant Yeast: No need to bloom; it can go straight into the dry ingredients.
3. Water Temperature
- Ideal Temperature: 100°F – 110°F (38°C – 43°C) for activating yeast.
- Too Hot: Above 120°F (49°C) can kill the yeast, leading to no rise.
- Too Cold: Below 95°F (35°C) will slow the yeast down, affecting the rise.
4. When to Add Salt
- Don’t add salt directly to the yeast mixture: Salt can inhibit yeast growth if added too early.
- Mix it with the flour: Add salt to the flour before combining it with the yeast mixture to avoid direct contact with yeast.
5. Choosing the Best Flour
- All-Purpose Flour: Works well for most bread recipes. It has a moderate protein content (around 10-12%) which gives bread a nice texture.
- Bread Flour: Has higher protein (12-14%) and helps create a chewy, structured loaf. Great for rustic breads, pizza dough, and artisan loaves.
6. How Much Flour to Add
- General Rule: Start with about 2 cups of flour.
- Add flour gradually: Flour can absorb water differently depending on humidity, brand, and type. Use just enough to form a dough that’s smooth, slightly tacky but not sticky.
Helpful tips for measuring Ingredients
This crusty round bread is very easy to make, but you need to have some basic information before you start.
How to measure Ingredients?
When making dough, one of the most crucial steps is proper measurement of the ingredients. Using a kitchen scale can ensure accuracy, especially with flour, which can vary in density depending on how it’s packed. Measuring accurately helps achieve the right texture and consistency, resulting in a perfect loaf every time. Taking the time to measure correctly will make a noticeable difference in your bread-baking success.
Wet versus dry ingredients – to make the dough for the buns you need to differentiate between wet and dry measuring cups. We measure liquids in pitchers like these. For the dry ingredients we use measuring cups and spoons like these.
When you measure flour always scoop more than you need in your cup and use a knife to level it off. If you have a scale, use it, because measuring ingredients by weight is always more accurate. One cup of flour contains exactly 4 oz or 120 grams of all-purpose flour.
Equipment
- Deep mixing bowl. You can use a bowl of any material here. I used a glass bowl.
- A wooden spoon or a large mixing spoon to stir the mixture.
- Measuring pitchers for the liquide ingredients and measuring cups and spoons for the dry ingredients.
- 4-6 – quart Dutch oven. Don’t worry if you don’t have it. Keep reading and you will find a solution for this problem.
- Oven mitts – to protect your hands from the hot temperatures.
- Parchment paper – to help you transfer the dough into the dutch oven.
- 9-inch proofing basket (or a regular 9-inch bowl)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What if I don’t have Dutch Oven?
- Use a cast iron pan. Transfer the dough from the proofing basket to the cast iron pan and place it in the hot oven. If you use that method you have to reduce the baking time by 10 minutes.
- Oven safe pot and a sheet pan for a lid. Do not use glass or ceramic pot. Aluminum would work well. Once the dough is placed in the pot cover it with a sheet pan and place it into the hot oven. Bake for 30 minutes covered and 10 minutes uncovered.
- Pizza stone. Preheat the pizza stone place the dough on it and create steam. You can create steam by spraying some water in the oven, using ice cubes or placing water in another oven safe dish or pan. Reduce the baking time by 10 minutes.
I don’t have a proofing basket. What should I use?
Don’t worry. You can use any salad or mixing bowl. It is best if the bowl has 9-inch diameter.
My bread turned out flat and dense. Why?
Here are some possible explanations. Your dough was too dense. Maybe you added too much flour and the dough wash too heavy and thick.
Not enough proof time. Every bread that is made with yeast needs time to proof. Give it a minimum of one hour to proof after it is mixed. Then shape it and proof it for thirty more minutes. During this process don’t allow rapid change in temperature in the house. Keep the dough away from drafts and vents.
Your baking pan (Dutch oven) was too big. If this is the case the bread might spread to the sides and become flatter.
Ask any additional questions in the comment section below.
Crusty Round Bread in a Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 1½ cups lukewarm water 355 ml, about 110F
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp active dry yeast or one 7 gram packet, instant yeast works too
- 3-3.5 cups bread flour or high-protein all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- more flour for dusting
Instructions
- Add the slightly warm water, sugar and yeast in a deep bowl. If you use active dry yeast wait for 5 minutes before adding the flour. If you use instant yeast you can add the flour right away.
- Add two cups of flour and one teaspoon of salt to the bowl and stir well (with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula) until the flour is incorporated.
- Gradually add the remaining cup of flour and stir until all the flour is well incorporated. The dough should be sticky, but not too liquid.If it gets too hard for you to stir you can do stretch and folds until all the flour is absorbed. Depending on the brand of flour you use you will need 3 to 3 ½ cups of flour.
- When it is too hard to stir in the bowl, transfer the dough on a floured surface and roll it in some flour. Once the dough is smooth and no longer sticks to your hands return it to the mixing bowl. Cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and proof for one hour.
- Generously flour a surface and transfer the proofed dough there. Pull each corner of the dough in towards the center. Form a round loaf. Look at the video to see exactly how I do this.
- Dust a bowl or a proofing basket with flour and carefully transfer the dough there, seam side down (smooth surface up).
- Proof the dough in the basket or bowl for another 30 minutes. It should be covered and away from drafts and vents. I use a clean shower cap to cover my proofing basket.
- While the dough is proofing for a second time preheat the oven to 430F.
- When the oven is done preheating and the dough is double in size carefully flip the dough from the basket to the parchment paper. You don't want to deflate it so be very gentle when you transfer the dough.
- Score the surface of the dough with a sharp knife or a razor. I usually make a long vertical slice a bit off the center.
- Carefully place the dough in a cold dutch oven. Put the lid on and place in the oven.
- Bake the bread for 30 minutes with the lid on. Then bake 8-10 more minutes without the lid.
- Use a spatula to remove the bread form the dutch oven and place it on a cooling rack. Allow the bread to cool down slightly before slicing it.
Notes
Other Bread Recipes you Might Like
Easy Whole Wheat Bread with Seeds. No Knead
Easy Homemade Bread. No kneading and No Mixer
How To Bake Homemade Bread Rolls In An Air Fryer
Just finished enjoying a slice of this delicious bread. This recipe is easy to follow, (always reading all instructions before starting any new recipe.) it was a very pleasurable baking this bread. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
That’s so wonderful to hear! I’m so glad you enjoyed the bread and found the recipe easy to follow. It’s always great when baking is both fun and rewarding. Thanks for taking the time to share your experience. I hope you bake more delicious loaves in the future! 😊