No Knead Bread Recipe

Directions

Mix the Dough

1. In a big mixing bowl, stir together the flour, yeast, and salt. Add the warm water. Use a Danish dough whisk (or your hands) to mix until everything’s hydrated. The dough should be wet and shaggy — not pourable like batter, but definitely not stiff. Adjust with a tiny bit of extra flour or water if needed.

Let It Rise

1. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a plate and leave it on the counter until doubled in size (roughly 2 to 3 hours, but depends on your environment). It will jiggle like jelly, and get bubbly on top. If nothing's happening, move it somewhere a little warmer.

Optional: Let It Chill (For Flavor)

1. At this point, you can go straight to baking or cover the dough and refrigerate it for up to 3 days. That cold fermentation deepens the flavor and makes the crust even better. If you're letting it chill for flavor, pull the dough out about 45–60 minutes before it hits the oven so it can warm up a bit.

Preheat Your Dutch Oven

1. Place your Dutch oven (lid on) into your oven and heat to 450°F for at least 30 minutes. You want that pot blazing hot when the dough goes in.

Shape the Dough

1. Lightly flour your counter and gently scrape the dough out of the bowl. Sprinkle a little more flour on top. Use a dough scraper (or big knife, spatula, whatever works) to fold the dough over itself about 6 times to form a loose round-ish shape. No need for perfection — it’s all about deflating air bubbles and building a bit of tension.

Flip It Onto Parchment

1. Slide a piece of parchment paper next to the dough and gently flip the dough onto it so the smooth side is facing up. Scoot it toward the center and tuck it into a rough round. Lopsided is good — more bumps mean more crunchy edges.

Bake

1. Carefully lift the parchment and dough into the hot Dutch oven. Cover with the lid and bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for 12 more minutes, or until the crust is a deep golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.

Cool (just a bit)

1. Transfer the loaf to a wire rack and let it rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing. Yes, it's hard to wait. But it's worth it.