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’m just starting making bread, and this recipe was easy to follow and the end result was DELICIOUS!!!! My husband and I ate half the loaf in one sitting with some balsamic vinegar and olive oil lol
I decided to do this at midnight and forgot to let it rise.. straight into the fridge! Baked today, it still rose and still amazing!
What if we jus want to bake one loaf and not both in the same day what temperature would we need and what time?
Hi Sara, the bake time and temperature shouldn’t change if you are baking just one loaf instead of two.
I have made 5 batches of this and we find it to be great. I wonder what is the best procedure to bake after refrigeration for 2-3 days. Would it be advisable to allow to sit out for a while before baking and how long do you suggest?
I would like to get the higher rise.
Hi Mike, the dough will come out of the fridge and then rest for 45 minutes in step 4. That’s it!
Hi Sally-
I have made this dough several times and it always turns out great and tastes so yummy. I use 430 g bread flour and 1.5 cups water, then mix in setting ‘2’ for 5 min with my kitchen aid. When I go to shape however, it’s always sticky and I can’t ever form a ball. Is this just because of the hydration level of the dough, or should I knead it more? Just trying to understand the process better. Thanks!
Ilsa
Hi Ilsa, We do not recommend a mixer for this particular dough– it’s very loose and sticky. A mixer wouldn’t be doing you (or the dough!) any favors, which could be why it’s overly sticky. It’s best to use the no-knead method outlined here—let us know if that works better for you!
Can I use “bread machine yeast” instead of instant yeast?
Hi Ann, that should work fine!
If I’m honest, I have never had anything stick so bad as this bread stuck to my pans! I had to cut it off the pans and then I was left with not so pretty bread after all. The flavor is great on this, but I will definitely be trying a different tactics when baking.
Informative and very useful specially to the beginner.
I’ve been making recipes from this blog since 2016ish and I’ve never had one go wrong!
This bread was delicious but found that it stuck pretty bad without parchment paper.
I baked again using parchment paper and it was perfect!
Can gluten free flour be used?
Hi Michele, we have not tested this recipe with gluten-free flour, but you should expect different results if doing so–especially with yeasted breads.
Hi Sally,
At the first step my dough isn’t dry at all it’s really wet. I used room temperature water but I’m using extra strong bread flour. Could that have made it more wet? And will the wetness affect the bake at all or will it be ok?
Should I add more flour?
Please let me know if you get a chance
Hi Megan, This is a very wet dough. There are a lot of variables that can go into the consistency of dough, down to even the weather/humidity. If you find your dough is especially wet/loose, you can certainly add more flour (1 Tablespoon at a time) until the dough comes into a workable consistency. Hope this helps!
Hi! My bread took awhile to rise. My bread did not turn brown. Yikes what did I do wrong?
Thank you!
Hi Lisa, the browning will depend on your oven and the position of your baking rack in your oven. We recommend baking this bread on the center rack of your oven.
Hi Sally, is it okay if I bake the bread inside a stainless-steel loaf pan? I do not own a dutch oven or a baking sheet yet as I just moved to a new place. If so, what size do you think is the correct loaf pan size? Thanks!
Hi Shania, there is a little too much dough for a standard size (9×5-inch) loaf pan, so you could try dividing the dough in half and using 2 loaf pans. The edges should still crisp up and the bake time may vary. Let us know how it turns out!
I already tried and baked it in a 9.5×5.5 inch pan and it was just the perfect size! However, the inside of my bread does not look dry enough despite the thermometer reads 90°. What could possibly be the culprit?
Hi Shania, if you baked all the dough in one pan, that is likely why the inside seems underbaked/gummy. There is a bit too much dough for that size pan, which make it hard for the center to bake through completely. However, if the temperature reads 195°F (90°C), it is safe to eat.
Hi Sally. Fantastic bread, but why is my dough so slopp. Followed your recipe exactly. Thanks
Hi Bill, this is a very wet dough. There are a lot of variables that can go into the consistency of dough, down to even the weather/humidity. If you find your dough is especially wet/loose, you can certainly add more flour (1 Tablespoon at a time) until the dough comes into a workable consistency. Hope this helps!
This is the best artisan bread recipe I have ever tried. I have made it 5 times now and my husband and I just love it. The simplicity, the flavor, the crustiness, the texture. It is perfect. Thank you for sharing your recipes.
This bread was delicious and the recipe is so easy with just a few ingredients. I followed the directions for cooking in a Dutch Oven and added the minced garlic and rosemary. It was perfect with homemade soup. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful recipe with so many variations.
This is my first time making artisan bread. As with all of Sally’s recipes, it was easy to follow and it’s obvious that she’s done all the homework to provide failproof recipes. This bread is the perfect combination of chewy and crunchy. Thank you for yet another success, Sally! Your recipes make me feel such reward when I see the finished product :->
I just finished making this recipe and it was perfect! I’ve been looking a simple but delicious bread recipe and this is it. Thank you!
I made these many times, and it’s awesome. However, lately my hubby is requesting to have softer crust. How can i do that?
Hi Mardia! A chewy crust is the goal of this bread, but you could try changing your baking method for a slightly softer crust. Are you adding the pan with water inside the oven for baking? You can skip that step if looking for a softer crust. You can also try using all purpose flour instead of bread flour for a less chewy bread.
You make great recipes thank you so much
Hi there, thank you for all of you recipes! I tried this recipe but my loaf turned out pretty flat. i had holes and was tasty, but very flat. Any suggestions? Also, what is your preferred method for storing your baked bread?
Thanks,
Sara
Hi Sara, the dough can sometimes flatten out while resting, especially if you’re in a hot/humid climate. You can simply flour your hands and try to bring it back to a taller loaf after resting, right before it goes in the oven. Hope this helps!
A very easy way to impress my wife, and to eat a nice warm bread for breakfast.
This is my second time, both with steam.
I put half the salt in the dough, then sprinkled extra course on top before baking. Most of that rolled off, and the effect wasn’t spectacular.
My bread always seems to flatten out when I put it on the pan to cook it. I don’t know what I am doing wrong?
Hi Shirley, this is normal, just try to handle the dough as little as possible while handling/shaping or you’ll lose the air bubbles. Work gently with floured hands, it doesn’t have to be perfect!
I love your bread recipes. I made your ciabatta a few times. Everyone loved them. I would like to know if this recipe would make sandwich buns or hot dog buns. My husband always likes fresh bread that I make to use for them. Thank you for all your great recipes. I have made quite a few.
Hi Phyllis, we would try our bread bowls dough for hot dog buns. We’re unsure exactly how many hot dog buns that recipe would make. Let us know what you try!
I made this bread as my very first attempt at bread making. I followed the directions to a tee but it came out extremely dense. What did I do wrong?
Hi Carol, happy to help troubleshoot. Make sure to handle the dough very carefully to prevent compressing the air bubbles. Be sure to also spoon and level your flour (or use a kitchen scale) to ensure it’s not over-measured, which can make the bread dry and dense. Are you using instant yeast or active dry? Active dry can take a little longer to rise. Finally, a digital thermometer is helpful for ensuring the water temperature isn’t too hot, which can kill the yeast. Hope this helps for next time!
Thank you! Will give it another try!
I love your recipes. I’ve been making the Artisan Bread for several months. I am running out of coarse salt. Can I substitute pink salt? I have a lot of it. Thank you. Carol Ann
Hi Carol Ann, we’re sure you could, but we’re unsure if you would need the same amount. Let us know if you try!
Hello!! Sorry if this has been addressed before – I made the dough and left it to rest in the fridge for a few days but I got stressed at work and promptly completely forgot about it lol. Its been about 4 days now and I’m wondering if its still salvageable? I currently live in a country where real artisan bread is hard to come by and any bread they do have tends to be far too sweet for me, so this recipe would be a game changer!!! It hadn’t deflated when I remembered to check on it before work this morning but I’m not sure if this will still be the case after work when I go to bake the bread lol.
Hi Hannah, you can certainly give it a try, but since it has risen for so long, it may be over-proofed and collapse while baking, which will yield a denser loaf of bread.
I’ve made this bread twice. First time dough seemed wet.I was afraid to add more flour I had weighed the dough and concluded it may be the brand of flour also read someone else had the wet dough. 2nd try added more flour. Love this recipe making more today!
I’ve made this recipe twice now and it tastes great! But, for some reason, my bread keeps coming out dense 🙁 I left it to rise in the fridge for 18 hours and before that, I let it rise for 3 hours at room temp. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong!
Hi Sabrina, we’re happy to help troubleshoot. Every loaf will turn out differently, some with more air bubbles than others. They are completely normal and to be expected. If you overwork the dough and pop those bubbles, it would result in a denser loaf. Be sure to spoon and level (or use a kitchen scale) to measure your flour too, as too much flour in the dough can cause it to turn out dense. Hope this helps for your next batch!
Love this recipe so far! First time I made it was a success, second time was a fail (added greek yogurt so probably messed with the chemistry), and the third time, last night, I left it out on the counter for 11.5 hours instead of 3 by mistake, oops! I just put it in the fridge, but it still has tons of air bubbles and is massive, can it be saved?
Hi Chloe, the dough is perfectly fine at room temperature for that long. After refrigerating, proceed with the recipe. It will be just fine!
I am such a huge fan of this recipe. I am NOT a skilled cook but this bread turns out great for me every time. I’ve had so much fun coming up with different flavors – Cheddar cheese and jalepeno, feta and Kalamata olive, and even plain Greek yogurt. I follow the recipe exactly and have never had a problem. My one tip though is to use a thermometer to determine doneness. It always takes mine quite a bit longer to cook than the recipe (probably because I add additional ingredients). Since it takes so much longer to cook, I add a layer of tin foil around the loaf once the outside has browned.
Enjoy!!!