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This no knead Dutch oven bread is the crusty, bakery-style loaf that’ll make you feel like a bread wizard with shockingly little effort. No stand mixer, no kneading, just a bowl, a spoon, and a Dutch oven. With a chewy interior and that crackly, golden crust we all chase, this is the real deal.

Golden-brown dutch oven bread quick on parchment.
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Want a twist on this easy artisan bread? Try my no knead rosemary bread or my Dutch oven cranberry walnut bread next.

Here is Why This Quick Dutch Bread Recipe Works

This 2 hour artisan bread delivers big bakery energy with barely any hands-on time.

No kneading needed: The long rest time lets the gluten develop naturally, so you can skip the elbow grease.

Steam-powered crust: Baking in a Dutch oven traps moisture, giving you that lofty rise and shatteringly crisp crust.

Simple ingredients: Just flour, yeast, salt, and water—but the flavor payoff is huge.

Versatile base recipe: This method works beautifully with variations too, like my no knead rye bread, baked in a Dutch oven for that same crusty perfection.

Jar of Red Star yeast beside bowls of flour on kitchen counter.
Only four ingredients: Flour, salt, yeast, and water.

Recipe Tips

Use the right water temperature: Keep it around 100°F. Too hot and you’ll kill your yeast; too cold and it’ll take longer to rise.

Don’t skip the preheat: That Dutch oven needs to be scorching hot to give the dough a good oven spring.

Score before baking: A quick slash on top helps control where the bread expands as it bakes.

Use bread flour if you can: The higher protein content gives a chewier crumb and taller rise.

Serve it with garlic butter: This loaf is begging to be dunked in something delicious. Try my garlic butter sauce for the ultimate upgrade.

Storing Leftovers

  • Refrigerate: Wrap the cooled bread in a clean towel or place in a bread bag and store at room temperature for up to 3 days. Avoid the fridge unless your kitchen is very humid.
  • Freeze: Let the loaf cool completely, then wrap it tightly in foil and place in a freezer-safe bag. It keeps well for up to 3 months.
  • Reheat: To refresh the crust, reheat the thawed bread in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes until warm and crisped up again.

Why No Knead Bread Wins

When you need an easy, dependable loaf that delivers on both taste and texture, this no knead Dutch oven bread pulls through every time. It’s got the artisan look without the artisan effort, and frankly, that’s the kind of kitchen win we all need.

Want to branch out? My no knead focaccia brings the same laid-back method with a totally different vibe.

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Golden-brown artisan bread loaf in a white Dutch oven.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Additional Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
4.66 from 73 votes

Quick No Knead Dutch Oven Bread

Make this artisan-style, Quick No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread in only 2-hours! It is moist and tender with a beautiful crunchy crust. No special equipment needed, just a bowl, a spoon and 5 minutes of mixing time.

If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating and comment.

Servings: loaf
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Ingredients 

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour, or bread flour, 360 grams
  • teaspoons Quick Rise Instant yeast, 1 packet, or RapidRise instant yeast
  • teaspoons salt, 9 grams
  • cups water, warm, up to 100°F; (338 grams)
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Instructions 

Make the Dough:

  • Fluff up the flour before measuring or weighing; then add the flour, yeast and salt to a mixing bowl and stir to combine.  Make a well in the center and pour in the water, stir and mix completely .  The dough will be soft and sticky.
  • Cover the bowl with an oil-sprayed plastic wrap and let stand in a warm spot at room temperature. Let rise for 1 hour.  (I like to set the covered bowl on top of the refrigerator).
  • After 40 minutes, place a 4 or 6-quart Dutch oven with lid in the oven and preheat to 450°F.
  • Sift a light dusting of flour on a large piece of parchment paper and set aside.
  • When the dough has rested for the 1 hour, turn it out onto a lightly flour-dusted work surface.  Use a bench scraper to turn and fold the dough 5 or 6 times to shape into a rough ball.  Dust lightly with flour.
  • Place the dough with the floured side down, in the center of the reserved sheet of parchment paper.  Dust the exposed top lightly with flour and cover with a fresh piece of plastic wrap.  Let the dough rest on the counter top for 15 minutes.  

Bake the Bread:

  • Carefully remove the Dutch oven from the oven, remove the lid. Remove the plastic wrap covering from the dough, and using the parchment paper as a sling, lift the dough and set it into the Dutch oven. Spray the top of the bread with some water (see notes) and score it with a sharp blade.
  • Replace the lid and transfer to the oven.
  • Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the lid from the Dutch one and bake the bread for an additional 15 minutes.
  • Transfer the hot Dutch oven to the work area and using the parchment paper, lift the bread out and place on a wire rack.  Let cool before slicing.

Video

Notes

Flour matters: All-purpose flour has about 10% protein, while bread flour clocks in around 12%. More protein = more chew. If using bread flour, increase the water by ¼ to ⅓ cup. The dough should be soft and sticky either way.
Watch your yeast: Check the expiration date and store it in the fridge. Old yeast = sad, flat bread.
Use the right water temp: Aim for lukewarm, around 100°F. Hot water can kill the yeast and ruin your rise.
Steam is your friend: Spraying the dough with water before baking helps create more steam, which leads to a higher rise and a crustier crust.
Dutch oven = crust goals: It traps steam and gives the bread that lofty rise and crackly finish. But don’t leave the lid on the whole time. Remove it after 20 to 30 minutes so the crust doesn’t get too thick.
Check for doneness: Tap the bottom of the loaf. It should sound hollow. For extra precision, use an instant-read thermometer. The internal temp should hit 210°F when it’s done.
Prevent overcooked bottoms: Place a small metal rack or trivet in the bottom of your Dutch oven before adding the dough. It lifts the bread just enough to reduce direct heat and help avoid a scorched base.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 slice, Calories: 134kcal, Carbohydrates: 28g, Protein: 4g, Sodium: 304mg, Fiber: 1g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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More Artisan Bread Recipes

Memories Of By-Gone Days:

I have vivid memories of watching my grandma bake bread when I was a kid. She started early in the morning, and it was a full-day affair. With a crew of farmhands to feed, she didn’t make just one loaf, she made batches. Big ones. The old-fashioned way, with serious kneading.

She’d mix everything into a massive lump of dough, let it rise, punch it down (my favorite part), and knead it all over again. I loved when she let me punch the dough and that warm, yeasty smell whooshed up—pure heaven.

After shaping the dough into loaves and giving them one last rise, she’d finally bake them. The kitchen smelled unreal. I can still picture those four golden loaves cooling on the rack, and if it wasn’t too close to dinner, she’d slice off a heel and slather it with homemade butter just for me.

Bread baking has changed a lot since those days, and I think she would’ve loved this easier, 2-hour version. Honestly, give me a thick slice of this toasted bread with butter and raspberry jam, and you can keep your chocolate cake.

About Pat Nyswonger

Pat Nyswonger is a self-taught home cook with years of experience creating from-scratch meals for family and friends. As a wife, mother of four, and grandmother to seventeen, she understands the value of recipes that bring people together. Her kitchen has always been the heart of her home, where she enjoys developing flavorful, approachable dishes that home cooks of any level can make and enjoy.

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4.66 from 73 votes (73 ratings without comment)

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78 Comments

  1. Dori says:

    5 stars
    When I first made this the bread came out good, but seemed a bit dense. I don’t think it raised as much as it should have. It was edible. I just made a second loaf and what a big difference. I made sure the water temperature was 100 degrees. To raise, I turned on the light under the microwave and unlatched the door so both lights would generate some heat. I also put a cup of hot water inside the microwave to give some moisture. Wow! it raised much better. I will make this bread from now on instead of buy bread at the store (which has preservatives and sugar. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.

    1. Pat Nyswonger says:

      Wow, Dori!…I love your creative approach to helping the dough rise! You’r absolutely right–the water temperature makes a big difference. I usually place my covered bowl of dough on top of the refrigerator since it’s a bit warmer there. However, my new oven has a ‘Proof’ feature/setting that I haven’t tried yet. Thank you for sharing your comments and ideas! I’m so glad this recipe is working well for you.

  2. BRIAN KICHENSIDE says:

    Brilliant, spraying with water before placing in the oven, best tip ever!

    1. Dahn Boquist says:

      Right? It makes such a difference! A little steam goes a long way for getting that beautiful crust. So glad you found the tip helpful!

    2. Jasmine says:

      Can I use wheat flour instead of all purpose

      1. Dahn Boquist says:

        That’s a great question! If you swap all of the all-purpose flour for whole wheat flour, it would actually turn into a different recipe — whole wheat absorbs more water and makes a denser, heavier loaf. This dough is designed to be soft and light, so a full swap wouldn’t work well without adjusting the water and technique too.

        However, you can replace about 25% of the flour with whole wheat (about 90 grams) without needing to change anything else.

  3. Janette Rhodes says:

    5 stars
    My husband and I absolutely Love this recipe, it’s so easy and produces a fantastic light loaf.

    1. Dahn Boquist says:

      Thank you so much—that means a lot! I’m so glad you both love the recipe. It’s always a win when something so simple turns out that well. Thanks for taking the time to share!

  4. Nancy says:

    5 stars
    This recipe was super easy and fun to make. It yielded a wonderfully crusty loaf that is super soft and airy on the inside with just the right amount of chew. Could hardly wait for it to cool to cut it open. Delicious!!

    1. Dahn Boquist says:

      Thanks for the comment. I can never wait for the loaf to cool either 🙂

  5. Jill A. says:

    5 stars
    This is such a simple and good recipe! I love that there are gram measurements and that it’s so hands off! The only change I made (both times I’ve made this) was not using instant yeast , and using less yeast (heaping teaspoon) and a longer rise time and more of a second rise (I think first rise I did 1.5hr and second I did maybe 40 min). Fantastic!

    1. Pat Nyswonger says:

      Hi, Jill…I am so pleased that you enjoy this recipe! Thank you for your comments as well as the 5-star review!

  6. Debbie says:

    Have had great success with your recipe! It is my go to. Easy and delicious, and the quick rise is awesome. Thank you.

    1. Dahn Boquist says:

      Thank you so much! I’m thrilled to hear this recipe is your go-to!