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 is where you start. This artisan bread recipe 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. You can even turn it into garlic bread and homemade croutons.
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 Recipe
- 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
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, sweet potato dinner rolls, brioche, 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, pizza bread, and asiago-crusted skillet bread, bread flour produces a stronger, chewier bread and that makes a big difference in a 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 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 two longer loaves side-by-side on a flat baking sheet, about 9×3 inches each. 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. Score the loaves on top right before baking. Scoring also helps control the bread’s expansion. To help ensure a crispier crust, after the oven preheats, pour boiling water into a metal or cast iron baking pan on the bottom oven rack. Immediately place the baking sheet inside and shut the oven door to trap the steam. The steam will help create that coveted crisp crust.
- 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 or cinnamon butter
- Slice and dunk in crab dip, beer cheese dip, garlic & bacon spinach dip, or even homemade Italian dressing
- Serve alongside slow cooker chicken chili or pumpkin chili
- As a dunker for homemade tomato soup, creamy cauliflower potato soup, minestrone soup, creamy chicken noodle soup, crab soup, or slow cooker creamy chicken & corn soup
- With a big bowl of mac & cheese or spaghetti with slow cooker turkey meatballs
- Use for my goat cheese & honey crostini
- It’s the perfect starch in breakfast casserole or baked apple cider French toast
- Use it to make homemade garlic bread or homemade croutons
- With anything because homemade bread is everything’s best friend
Homemade 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 ungreased 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 20 minutes before slicing and serving. Store leftovers loosely covered at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
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 at 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 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.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 slices
- Calories: 136
- Sugar: 0.1 g
- Sodium: 389.8 mg
- Fat: 0.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 27.2 g
- Protein: 4.7 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Reader Comments and Reviews
I make this often. We absolutely love it!
I’ve always struggled with baking consistently good bread. I’ve made this recipe several times and it always tastes amazing! Thank you!
I’ve made this three times now, and am currently putting together another batch to bake tomorrow. I work five-hour shifts, so I’ve been making it with regular (not instant) yeast right before I leave for work, and putting it in the fridge upon my return–so it’s on the counter about 5 1/2 or 6 hours. Works just fine. This will actually be my first plain batch–the other three all had garlic powder and rosemary because I love flavorful breads! But this time I want to be able to eat it with sweet spreads like honey, too. Love this recipe, thanks so much! Thanks especially for all the notes about possible changes. I’m pretty inexperienced with baking, so I never know what’s ok to change.
I have been wanting to make this bread since you posted it and finally made it this past weekend. LOVE this bread! It is so incredibly easy too! I was so amazed at the flavor and texture of this bread and did not realize that letting dough sit in the refrigerator before baking it would create such a wonderful flavor and texture! This is a keeper! Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful bread recipe.
I am not a baker and found this recipe. So easy and literally my first attempt at baking bread. I wish I could attach a picture to show how it turned out! Thanks for sharing this recipe, Sally. I will be making this for family gatherings!!
Made your artisan bread and its wonderfulI’m afraid my husband and I couldn’t stop eating it so two more batches made today. Thanks for making bread making simple and enjoyable instead of complicated and hard work.
We love your recipes and have tried so many, your the 1st website I visit daily.
Best wishes
Dawn x
Just amazing! The bread is to die for! I live in Utah and have been struggling with bread making because of the dry climate here. The recipe was so clear and had great tips! I put the boiling water under the bread and it is so crisp! Thank you!
Hi Sally, I have just made this and instead of doubling in size, it has quadrupled! Will this affect the taste of the bread?
This is a great recipe but I had a problem and I’m afraid when I bake my loaf I’m going to have the same problem. I made half of mine into rolls and I’m going to make the other half I thought into boule. Unfortunately my rolls are a little doughy in the middle and I’m afraid that’s going to happen to my loaf. However, they are beyond delicious .
Thinking about turning the oven down to 450°. Any thoughts?
Hi Cheree! I recommend a few things– first, try baking the dough(s) on a lower oven rack to prevent the exterior from setting too quickly (and the dough not cooking in the center). Similarly, tent the bread about halfway through bake time with aluminum foil to help it bake a little more evenly. Finally, you can try lowering the oven temperature and baking for longer so the loaves can cook a little more evenly. Hope all of this helps for next time.
Hi Sumi! I recommend double checking your oven temperature with an oven thermometer. Bake on the conventional setting. Also, try placing the baking sheet on a lower rack if possible. And you can also slightly lower the temperature, too. Hope this helps for next time!
Hi Sally, I just made this tonight & it is amazing! Very easy recipe to follow. I read that you recommend loosely covering the leftovers before storing, as a too-tight seal can eliminate some of the crustiness: does that also apply when storing the leftovers in the fridge? Thanks again!
Thrilled you love this bread! Thanks Lisa. Yes, same goes for storing in the refrigerator. To maintain some crispiness, keep it only loosely covered.
Sally, my husband has been promising me homebaked bread for over 20 years. He’s made enough bricks to line a garden pathway…until I showed him your website. I’ve made many of your recipes and we’ve enjoyed them all. I decided to turn the breadmaking over to him. He was thrilled with your videos and step by step instructions. He studied them and made his first loaves. They turned out great! Then he made your rolls for SuperBowl Sunday, the one day a year we have a get together with our best man and his SO. They were so good! He can’t wait to try more; I think cinnamon rolls are next. Thanks for sharing your skills with us!
The absolute best bread I have ever baked. The water in the bottom of the oven worked perfect and my loaf was crusty on the outside and soft on the inside. Thank you so much! Now if I can get a decent sourdough starter made, I will try that as well!!!
Absolutely yummy! It did stick to my cookie sheet so, next time I’ll use parchment paper. Will definitely be making again!
So glad this is the recipe I used for my first attempt at making bread. It turned out absolutely perfect. I can’t wait to branch out from the basic recipe. Thank you!
I forgot to mention that after baking just 5 minutes I use a spritzer with cold water and spray it on my loaves to give the crust more crunch. It is a fantastic recipe and soooo easy with great results!
And then I bake another 20 minutes.
I had great success with this recipe! Can I use this for pizza somehow? I’ve made your pizza dough recipe and it just didn’t have the same greatness in texture and flavor as this one. Please help! Thanks so much
Hi Denise! You can definitely try– this dough is very sticky and will be hard to roll out after the refrigeration step, so you’ll have to use your hands to flatten it out into a crust.
Wow!! This recipe is sooo good. Super easy, not much hands on time and you can make it beforehand. The perfect bread for everything!! Have made this bread half a dozen times this month already and each time it’s delicious. Thanks Sally for another wonderful recipe x
I made a boule and it was a beautiful loaf! It tasted delicious and was super easy to make.
I am already a lover of making all my bread fresh, and this was a great new way to pull together a super easy loaf. Deliciously crusty, perfect for all my winter soups!
What an easy and delicious recipe!!! Will definitely be making again!
The easiest recipe I’ve ever made. I was concerned that it was too sticky after rising in the fridge for 18 hours. It was sticking to my hands and the work surface. I shaped it best I could and cooked in a Dutch oven. Came out better that expected. Nice color and crunchy crust. Interior was light, flavorful and full of beautiful air pockets. I will be making this again and again. Thank you!
Hi Sally, I baked this today – thanks for a great challenge recipe – I made it plain (leaving that batch to rise a bit longer in my fridge and I’ll use some for Baked French toast I think) and second batch filled with 1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries and 1/2 cup chopped Walnuts and 1/4 cup chopped pecans and cut one half of the dough into 4 smaller pieces and l lightly shaped them into triangular or squoval (square oval) shapes – it tastes delicious!
Loved this recipe! Super easy to make, looks pretty, and tastes sooo good!
I love how easy this recipe is. It really makes bread feel doable. I have been wondering if bread flour can expire? I used what I had in the pantry and it may be a couple years old. My bread turned out dense so I am wondering if it could have been the flour. Ill be buying new flour to retry
Hi Dani, Yes flour can expire! Use the date on your package but in general flour lasts about a year if stored properly in an airtight container.
I’ve always been intimidated by bread, but this was so easy! Everything came together in a few minutes, and I didn’t need any equipment beyond the basics. I’ll definitely be making this again soon!
I love this bread recipe! I’ve been making a similar one for years, but never thought to make it into the two smaller loaves without the Dutch oven. This way it was easier to share!
Bread and I have never gotten along. I always end up with hockey pucks , this bread on the other hand was so light and just the right chewy texture. My family loves it and were going to have the second loaf tomorrow with lasagna. I can’t wait to make some to stock my freezer with! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe.
This is the first baking challenge I’ve done. I started the bread dough yesterday and then it spent about 24 hours in the fridge. It was a very easy recipe and it came out really yummy! Crisp and chewy crust and soft inside. The only mistake I made was baking on parchment, it burned♀️, but the bread was unscathed! I will definitely make this again. Looking forward to the next baking challenge.
I have not made homemade bread in years so this artisan bread was a great recipe to use to get back into working with yeast again. This bread was SO easy to mix together, and it was exciting too to watch the dough rise and see the air bubbles develop. It baked up beautifully and one loaf was gobbled up before I realized I still needed to take my baking challenge photo, LOL!!! This bread is so easy to make and so delicious!!!