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
A really good recipe! If you’re intimidated by bread or have had bad luck in the past give this one a try. I let mine sit in the refrigerator for 2 days after the first rise and it came out so good!
So easy to make I love that you can add different flavors. Can’t wait to make this bread again!
I mix this bread on Saturday afternoon let it rise as per instructions and then put it into the refrigerator. I baked it Sunday afternoon and it was DELICIOUS. OMG who know bread made from 4 ingredients could be so tasty. This is sorcery and I love it!!!!!
Thanks Sally for another repeat recipe
❤❤❤
This was too easy!! My dough was a bit wet though and harder to work with. I left it in the fridge overnight. It was so good and delicious. Will make it again and again. Thanks for an awesome recipe.
This recipe was so easy!! And the flavor is sooooo good. Will definitely be making this again!
I am very intimidated by bread making, but Sally makes the process approachable and easy to follow. Thank you for this recipe! It is so delicious, and I will definitely make it again.
My bread did not work . The only thing I did different from recipe is I used my Kitchen Aid mixer with the kneading attachment to get things started. Also, I used 1/2 self rising flour and 1/2 all purpose flour. I left the dough in the refrigerator for 12 hours (after 3 hours on the counter). Cooked according to instructions, with cast iron pan filled with boiling water. I baked the bread for about 25 minutes but then added another 5 minutes hoping to get it golden. It was completely dense and tasted like flour. Could it be the flour I used ??
Hi Amy! I recommend trying this recipe as written– skip using a mixer and use all all-purpose flour or all bread flour. And for best flavor, make sure you’re using coarse salt, too.
I made this bread for last night’s dinner and all I can say is WOW! The recipe is far too easy and simple to produce such amazing results. I did let the bread rest for 2 days (torturous, but well worth the wait!) as recommended to enhance the flavor. My boyfriend was in love after his first bite and I honestly think that this bread rivals the fancy baguettes sold at the posh little French bakery near my work location. Definitely going to make this on a regular basis – thank you, Sally for an amazing recipe!
I just pulled the Artisan Bread out of the oven. I added Herbs De Provence to the dough bf putting it in the fridge for 2 days. Best bread I’ve ever made. And so easy! Getting ready to put another batch together with roasted garlic.
Another wonderful recipe Sally, thank you so much, 2 loaves almost gone in under 12 hours!! Very tasty and so easy, will be making again with some herb additions
AH-MAZ-ING!!! I made this early this morning after having it the fridge for about 18 hours. It came out perfect! My family absolutely loved it and I was told it needs to stay on rotation in our house! We tried it on its own and then I made mini grilled cheese sandwiches, and OMG! I’m hooked! And so easy!! You must try this recipe! #sallysbakingchallenge
Five stars for a great taste (I did the rosemary and garlic variation)! However, my loaves barely rose at all and came out quite flat. Could this be the yeast? It is new, so it should still be okay – plus, the dough rose very well. Thanks so much! 🙂
Hi Isabel! If the shaped dough that rested at room temperature for 45 minutes spread out quite a bit, use floured hands to narrow the loaves out again right before baking. This will help. You could also check into newer yeast, too. But I don’t think that was the issue since the dough rose so nicely for you.
Is the fist time baking a bread and this recipe is incredibly easy. I used all purpose flour, pink Himalayan salt and dry yeast because that’s what I had in my pantry. Also added Rosemary. I let the dough sit for 6 hours (I couldn’t wait any more) plus the 45 minutes, lined the sheet with parchment paper and placed the pan with boiling water at the bottom. The bread tastes delicious. I love the crispy crust and the chewy flavor. Definitely will be baking more bread.
Thank you Sally for this easy and tasty recipe!
Tried this recipe the day I received it and absolutely LOVED it! Extremely easy and quick. The only hard part is waiting to cook it! I confess I only let it rise the minimum time because I simply couldn’t wait to try it, but will make it again and follow your suggestion to let it rest longer. I can’t imagine that it could taste any better, it’s so good! Thanks for a great recipe Sally (again)!!
Made this today and it is so easy and sooo good! It was the perfect recipe to break in my new enameled Dutch oven!
Wow! I did it and it actually worked! Thank you for creating recipes for those of us who are afraid of yeast . My kids devoured these loaves and have asked for the dough to be baked as sandwich buns. I think I could probably get 8-10 from your recipe. Perfect for our week of lunches. Do you have any advice for the bake time?
So glad you tried and loved this homemade bread! Careful shaping into rolls or buns– this is a sticky dough, so use floured hands. The bake time will be only a few minutes shorter. Bake until golden brown and when lightly tapped, they sound hollow.
Thanks, Sally! I managed to get 8 square buns from your recipe. I stretched them out to flatten more than a loaf would be. Bake time was 17 minutes in my oven and they were perfect! School lunches will never be the same. ☺️
Bread has always intimidated me more than anything in baking. This recipe was SIMPLE and DELICIOUS. So happy with the results and cannot wait to try it with add-ins!
This recipe is so easy. I don’t think I am going to have to buy bread. Thank you!
Delicious bread! My dough was pretty sticky, but it went fine after adding a little more flour. Will definitely keep this recipe to remake. One again, you can’t be disappointed making a Sally’recipe 🙂
I made this into four small loaves. It is very easy and tastes great!
This bread was easy and delicious! I couldn’t believe how quickly it came together. My daughter and I look forward to the challenge recipe each month and this one didn’t disappoint! The whole family loved it! I’m very much looking forward to trying some of the flavor ideas to add to this bread.
Hi Andrea! It’s definitely worth a try– I personally haven’t tested the recipe this way. Let me know how it goes!
Hi Nicole! Were you using the parchment paper directed in the dutch oven method instructions? (On the cranberry no knead bread)? Feel free to reduce the oven temperature and bake the bread for longer so that it cooks a little more evenly.
Great, easy recipe! I slathered honey butter on the loaves prior to baking and they came out great!
Just baked this in the oven after leaving it for 3 days! Can’t wait to cut into it! Just waiting for it to cool a bit! Smells delicious 🙂
My bread completely stuck to the bottom of the baking sheet even though I floured it. Any idea what I did wrong? Still tastes absolutely delicious, even if the bottom is missing!
Hi Aly! You may have needed a little more flour– I flour mine pretty heavily. If you decide to try the recipe again, you can choose a nonstick baking pan or even line it with a silicone baking mat.
Home made artisan bread! I love the texture ,the crispy crust because I put the water in bottom of oven ,creating steam. The chewiness ahhh delicious…I like the fact that I can bake loaves right away or put in refrigerator for several hours. Ive tried ciabatta bread by Paul Hollywood and Jim Lahay’s artisan boules… both are good recipes, but THIS bread is superior!
This is such a great bread recipe!! It’s so tasty and crusty. And so easy!! I was really amazed how hands off it is. Not scary at all. I can’t wait to make it again – and will be making it again at the end of this week when I need to bring soup and bread to work for lunch. Thanks, Sally!
Nice recipe! Mine came out nice and crispy but then softened as they cooled so might have needed to bake them a smidge longer. Family loved them and are asking for another batch.
I made two batches of dough. I baked one after the three hour wait (and the 45 minutes)….those two loaves turned out dense and I don’t think I could have baked them longer or they would have been burnt. They also seemed a little salty? I will bake the other batch of dough tomorrow after the 12+hour in the refrigerator and see if there is any difference. I did notice my instant yeast just expired last month and so I will be purchasing new yeast and not giving up on this!!
Hi Kim! New yeast will definitely help your next batch of dough. I don’t expect it to be as dense, either. Make sure you’re not adding too much flour as you work with the dough, too. Feel free to reduce the salt based on your flavor preferences, too! If you use fine salt, the bread will taste salty. I recommend coarse.