This is the EASIEST method for making Whole Wheat Bread! This recipe for No-Knead bread is made without special equipment, only a few minutes of prep and produces the most delicious hearty, rustic bread.
Not only is this Dutch Oven Bread incredibly easy to make, but it is also one of my favorite bread recipes. It toasts up perfectly but is divine when served with a smear of butter next to homemade Potato Corn Chowder or Lasagna Soup.
I am a bit of a bread snob. I want hearty, rich, and crusty bread that is full of flavor and texture and worthy of every calorie consumed.
And friends, this No-Knead Dutch Oven bread not only meets my high standards for bread, but it is also the EASIEST bread recipe to make.
- One Bowl
- 4 Ingredients
- No-Kneading!!
This no-knead dutch oven bread is just perfection!!
Crusty on the outside and tender on the inside. It reminds me of a fresh loaf of bread that I would pick up from an expensive bakery. Instead, it is something I made with a few simple staples and hardly any effort at all--FOR PENNIES!
How to Make No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together the flour, yeast, salt, and water until just combined.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and set on the counter to rest overnight.
- After the dough has risen, place the dutch oven in the oven and turn the oven to 450 degrees. You must preheat your dutch oven for this bread to turn out perfectly.
- Dump onto a floured cutting board and shape into a circle.
- Carefully remove dutch oven from oven and then place the rounded dough into the pan. Cover and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove cover and bake for an additional for 20 minutes.
- Let cool and enjoy!
Important Notes on this Recipe
- You will know your bread is done cooking when it reaches a temperature on an instant-read thermometer of 207-209 degrees.
- I use whole wheat flour for this recipe, but you can use half whole wheat and half all-purpose or whole white wheat flour as well.
- Be sure to use a spoon/scoop to add flour to your measuring cup--if you just scoop from canister using the measuring cup, you will end up with significantly more flour than this recipe calls for.
- Use regular active dry yeast, not rapid rise or instant yeast.
- Do NOT forget the step to preheat your dutch oven in the oven while the oven preheats, that is crucial to achieving the right texture.
More Bread Recipes
- Easy Whole Wheat Cranberry Walnut Bread
- Whole Wheat Cinnamon Raisin Bread
- Homemade Italian Bread
- Honey Whole Wheat Bread
This is a great starter recipe for homemade bread. It is simple, easy, and delicious! I hope you give a try and enjoy!
No-Knead Whole Wheat Dutch Oven Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups warm water between 100-115 degrees Fahrenheit
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon dry active yeast
- 3 ¾ cups whole wheat flour or 480 grams
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, yeast, and salt. Slowly mix in the water using a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel, and let sit out overnight at room temperature--or for at least 8 hours.
- After the dough has risen, turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and with floured hand, shape it into a circle. Let the dough rest while the oven preheats.
- Place a dutch oven pan, fitted with a lid, into the oven. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F, with the pan in the oven.
- Once the oven is preheated, carefully remove the pan from the oven and drop the shaped bread into the heated pan.
- Bake the bread covered for 30 minutes. Carefully remove the lid and bake for an additional 20 minutes.
- Remove bread from dutch oven and let cool on wire rack for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Equipment Needed
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published in 2017 but has been updated in 2020 with new tips.
Jeanne
So easy to make and very tasty. I have one question: After I shaped the dough and let it rest while the Dutch oven preheated the dough spread out some on the parchment paper rather than retaining the shaped round. Is this normal?
Thanks for you help.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Jeanne! That is a bit normal for the shape to spread out some, you can pat it back together and then add to the dutch oven.
Wendy
Can I add cheese and herbs?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Wendy! Yes, you can add herbs and cheese. Because it is not best to let the cheese sit out overnight while the dough is proofed, I would suggest folding in the cheese when shaping the bread dough. You can add dried herbs along with the flour, but fresh herbs should be folded in along with the cheese. Enjoy.
Marcy Z
Kristen hi,
I just came upon your recipe and I am eager to try it. I do have a question and a comment. First, I have added vital wheat gluten to whole wheat bread in the past to make it lighter. Would that work for this recipe? Also, I don't have a Dutch oven, but I use the ceramic part of my slow cooker with the lid and it turned out fine. Thanks for the recipe
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Marcy! I love adding vital wheat gluten. I would recommend 1 tablespoon. As for using your ceramic insert, I have not tried that, nor can I confirm if most models are oven safe up the temperature the bread cooks at (stating for others )
S Subramanian
Can I make half of this? I have a 2 Qt Dutch oven and just want to bake for one person. Thank you
Kristen Chidsey
I honestly am not sure. I would think the baking time would change quite a bit. If you do give it a try, please let us know how it goes.
Mike
Is it possible for you to provide the measurements in grams for the other ingredients? Thanks
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Mike! For the water you would need 236.59 grams. For the salt you would need 11 grams and for the yeast, 5.7 grams.
Sue
My first try - the crust was way too hard and a little bit burned.
Kristen Chidsey
I am sorry you had this issue--can I ask you what type of pan you used to further troubleshoot?
Sue
Hi, Kristen! I used my plain cast iron dutch oven and realized later that this was because of the dark color. I’ll try baking at 425° next time, what do you think?
Sue
I used my plain cast iron dutch oven and realized later that this was because of the dark color. I’ll try baking at 425° next time, what do you think?
Liz
I've made your recipe a few times and it always turns out well. I only have instant yeast but it seems to work okay. Lately I've been doing about 360 grams whole wheat and 120 grams white. Yum!
Do you think if I used regular the bread would be even puffier? It seems adequately puffy but maybe I am missing out! Thank you for your great recipe.
Rachel
Is it supposed to be really wet? I let mine set for 9 good and it rise but it was more like a sponge than a dough. I had to add a good bit of flour to get it to hold any semblance of a shape. I weighed everything carefully. Haven't baked it yet so we'll see but I'm nervous.
Kristen Chidsey
It is a much wetter dough than what you would expect.
Silvia
I have never been successful with making any type of bread. I think it's something about accurate measurements and science and the stars aligning that just never works for me. This bread seemed almost too simple. And when I left that sticky brown dough in the bowl over night, I was certain I would fail yet again.
But that crust! The crust was heavenly! The inside was so soft and delicious and almost had a sourdough flavor to it. Don't ask me how!
The only thing that could have been better is perhaps the inside could have been slightly less dense, and the crust on the bottom was quite hard. That being said, my scale is looking at retirement, and I am quite certain I used a bit more flour than the recipe called for..
But I will purchase a new scale and definitely make this again! Thank you for this super easy and delicious recipe!!
Couple of questions:
My Dutch oven is quite big, which I think made my bread a little flatter and wider than yours. Can I double the recipe, and if so, how much longer do I need to cook it?
Also, if I want to add my own oat flour or barley flour to this, do I just keep the total weight of flour the same, or does it need more or less of something? (I know nothing about bread making, so I apologize if these are silly questions!)
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe! I would not add oat or barley flour as that would create a different texture and ratio of flour needed. As for doubling, that would take some experimentation to ensure the right cooking time.
Cathy
We love this bread with whole wheat flour. Wondered if I could turn it into cinnamon raisin bread? If so how much of each, and would it work better with 1/2 all purpose and 1/2 wheat flour?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Cathy! I am so happy you enjoy this recipe. I have a recipe for Cranberry Walnut Bread using whole white wheat flour that turns out fantastic. So I would recommend using half and half wheat to white flour or whole white wheat for a lighter loaf. Then mix in 1/2 cup of raisins with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon in with the flour and follow the recipe as directed.
Mike
Does anybody have any issue with the dough too wet and sticky? Can’t seem to shape it at all. I tried folding it for quite some time hopefully it would dry up a bit and can be shaped properly but doesnt seem to work. Would love to hear how this can be fixed? I’m using 100% whole wheat flour by the way.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Mike! This dough should be pretty wet. That said, if you are really struggling to shape, I wouldn't suggest kneading, as that can make the dough tough, instead, I would dust with flour when shaping. It is okay if it is pretty loose.
Liz
Very good and will make again. Like another poster, after shaping the dough I flop it onto parchment paper and then use the paper as a sling to get it into the dutch oven and as a liner for the oven. No sticking that way!
Stephen Monteith Albers
This recipe is the very best solution for mobile applications like yachting or RVing. One pot does it all. I store wheat berries and grind flour as needed to avoid spoilage.