Easy Homemade Artisan Bread Recipe (2024)

Table of Contents

How to Make Artisan Bread at Home What Type of Flour is best for Artisan Bread? What Variations of Artisan Bread Can I Make? Easy Artisan Bread Recipe Ingredients Instructions Video Nutrition www.superhealthykids.com Natalie Monson FAQs References

Even if you have never made bread, or have made bread and have failed – this Easy Artisan Bread recipe is for you! This bread is soft and fluffy on the inside and crunchy on the outside. The perfect side dish to soup or pasta for a dunkable delight!

How to Make Artisan Bread at Home

Artisan bread is incredibly easy to make because there are just a few ingredients and you don’t even need a stand mixer to make it.

Start by adding flour, yeast and salt to a bowl. Mix, then add water and mix until everything is incorporated. If you are going to include add-ins you would add them now.
Let it sit in the bowl for 8-20 hours, covered. Yes – you read that right. You can mix it up at night and then in the morning you are ready to finish it off. After you let it sit in the bowl, turn it out onto a floured surface, or you can also put it in a floured bowl. Cover and let it sit for 1 hour.
In the meantime, preheat your oven to 450 degrees for 30 minutes. You will need an oven safe pot for this recipe. I like to use a ceramic dutch oven. Place your pot in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
After your bread has risen for an hour and your pot has preheated for 30 minutes, carefully place your dough into the pot. Bake your bread with the lid on for 30 minutes and then remove the lid and bake for another 10-15 minutes depending on how dark you like your crust.
Remove from pot and allow to cool before slicing.

Then serve! This bread goes great with soup and salad, or also with brunch or breakfast as a side.

What Type of Flour is best for Artisan Bread?

I have made Artisan bread with all types of flour. The three main types that I recommend using are:

All-Purpose: Standard all-purpose flour is a basic white flour and has mid-range of protein levels as far as flour goes, which makes it a good choice for most baked goods because it will produce enough gluten to give the light and airy texture we all look for. AP flour works well with this Artisan bread recipe and will give you the fluffy chewy bread we all love!
Bread Flour: This type of flour has a higher protein content than all-purpose which means it will produce more gluten and give you a lighter, more airy and chewy bread. It is definitely the ideal flour for making bread.
Whole Wheat Flour: Whole wheat flour can come in a variety of consistencies from extra coarse to extra fine. An extra coarse grind will give your bread a more dense whole grain texture while an extra fine grind will give the bread a smoother texture. If you use whole wheat flour in your artisan bread, it definitely won’t rise as much as when using white flour and you will end up with a much more dense loaf. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, if you start with that expectation. You can always try half wheat and half white flour or a combination of both.

What Variations of Artisan Bread Can I Make?

This artisan bread recipe is incredibly versatile. You can make it just plain which is good if you are serving with a flavorful soup. Or you can start playing with it and use add-ins. Some of our favorites are:

Sweet Add-Ins:

cranberry+white chocolate+walnut (add 1/4 cup of each)
cranberry + cinnamon (1/4 cup cranberries + 2 tsp cinnamon)
cinnamon + raisin ( 2 tsp cinnamon + 1/4 cup raisins)
white chocolate + pecan ( 1/4 cup of each)

Savory Add-Ins:

rosemary (1 tbsp dried rosemary)
jalapeno cheddar (1/4 cup chopped pickled jalapenos + 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese)
garlic parmesan (6 cloves minced garlic + 1/3 cup shredded parmesan)
sundried tomato + oregano + feta (1/4 cup chopped sundried tomatoes + 2 tsp dried oregano + 1/4 cup crumbled feta)

Let me know what variations you try in the comments below!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

3.8 from 78 votes

Easy Artisan Bread Recipe

This bread is soft and fluffy on the inside and crunchy on the outside. The perfect side dish to soup or pasta for a dunkable delight!

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time45 minutes mins

Rest10 hours hrs

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: 1 loaf

Calories: 172kcal

Ingredients

3 cups flour
1/2 tsp yeast
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water

Instructions

Put first 3 ingredients in bowl and stir until incorporated. If you are going to use add-ins, put them in now.
Add the lukewarm water and stir again until ingredients are combined.
Cover bowl with saran wrap. Set aside and let rest for 8-10 hours or overnight.
After dough has rested, flour a surface. Wet hands and pat into a ball – try to get as round as you can.Let it rise for an hour.
Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. Place your pot into the oven at 450 for 30 minutes
After the bread has risen for an hour, take your pot out of the oven and place bread in the hot pot. Bake for 30 minutes. Take lid off and bake for another 10-15 minutes for a darker crust. Let cool before slicing and enjoy!

Video

Nutrition

Keyword : Easy Artisan Bread

www.superhealthykids.com

Natalie Monson

I'm a registered dietitian, mom of 4, avid lover of food and strong promoter of healthy habits. Here you will find lots of delicious recipes full of fruits and veggies, tips for getting your kids to eat better and become intuitive eaters and lots of resources for feeding your family.

Learn More about Natalie

Ooo-la-la. I’m very excited about this. I’ve been wanted to take a whack a homemade bread for awhile. I can do this!!!

Hi
I want to make the artisan bread. What size is your oven safe pot? Thanks

I use a 6 quart pot.

Sorry, is this dried active baking yeast?

Yep – dry active yeast.

Great, I would love to make and eat this artisan bread in this week may be at my weekends. I have always had a craving for them since i WAS A CHILD.

This seems so simple. The rise time is redoculously long but that can probably only help it. It defiantly wouldn’t be a bad way to have fresh bread in the mornings though for Sunday brunch. Thanks for the great post!

Do you use white or whole wheat flour?

Did you use white or whole wheat flour?

I used a mixture of both. You could use all whole wheat, but it would be very dense. I like a 50/50 blend for this bread recipe.

Hi Natalie,
Do we leave it covered for 8-20 hrs at room temp or in refrigerator? I’m assuming it’s in the refrigerator and this is why you let it rest another hour?

It is actually at room temperature.

Hi there! I could have sworn I’ve been to this
web site before but after browsing through some of the posts I realized it’s
new to me. Regardless, I’m definitely happy I discovered it and
I’ll be book-marking it and checking back regularly!

Hi, Does the material of the pot matter? Can I use Pyrex? Thanks!

Would this be good for French toast?

I wouldn’t subsitite olive oil or add olive oil tithe original recipe. Add the rosemary from the start and paint the rosemary on top before you start baking. Maybe even better after you take the lid off. You may have to experiment to get the end result you want. And use olive oil for dipping at the time you consume. Otherwise you’ll need to look for a different recipe.

There should be mention of flouring the dough after you put it on to the counter. I just floured the counter and it’s still how it was when I put it on the counter. Should tell us to thoroughly flour the dough until it’s in a soft ball. I put mine in the pot in the oven and it’s not in a ball. It’s a sticky dough mess. Don’t know how it’s going to turn out. This is why thorough directions are important!

For non good cookers of anything (ummm….like myself)…. We need more details. Hate to be one of “those annoying people.” But I just finished this & was super disappointed. I thought it was odd that it didn’t say to stir it all after you add in the warm water…but I thought well hey she knows what she’s doing. It was extremely lumpy when I woke up this morning…like hard lumps molded together & of course the water didn’t get to the bottom of the bowl because like an idiot I didn’t stir it, since it didn’t say to after adding the warm water. I went ahead and finished the process and it’s in the oven now but I’m pretty positive this will not turn out well. :/

Eric, Thanks for the reply. I will give it a try! Was concerned that the salt was essential to the yeast processing to help it rise.68C91

I don’t want this to come off as being rude, but in any recipe when you first begin you always mix the ingredients together. You mix your dry ingredients together first and if there is any wet ingredients you mix those together (separate from the dry) and then you combine them and mix together. You don’t had wet to dry and not mix it. That’s how all the ingredients are supposed to be combined.

Yes, it definitely needs mixing. I wasn’t sure whether to knead it after the first rise, but I suspect the result is probably better if you do.

I just tried the recipe too, but don’t have a metal oven pot and was too nervous to risk breaking my nice ceramic casserole dishes by dropping dough into it when hot. I did knead it before the 2nd rise. I ended up baking it on top of a pizza stone with a bowl of water in the oven to try to prevent it drying out.

Without being covered, it was browning too quickly, so I turned it down to 200C about half way through, and kept it in the oven for 40mins. I used 400g of flour, and about 280g of water.

Great result… very yummy!

Have you tried putting it in a loaf pan?

I made this following the directions and it turned out great. It actually does say “Mix, then add water and mix until everything is incorporated.”

I did this without flouring the dough and it turned out perfectly. It does say “Wet hands and pat into a ball – try to get as round as you can. Let it rise for an hour.”

Hi Natalie! I made the artesian bread this morning, the bread turned out great but my problem was getting it out of my aluminum Dutch oven pot! It was stuck to the bottom! What would you suggest I thought of using a PAM spray but didn’t want to scorch the bottom of the bread! Any suggestions? Thanks 🙂

Love this recipe. Wondering if it could be divided after mixing to make 2 smaller loaves? Bake at same time what would bake time be?

It is great for french toast!

What temperature is the lukewarm water?

I love to cook but am absolutely not a baker! I was a bit nervous at how easy this all came together. I made it with 100% whole white wheat flour and it came out looking just like the picture. I was shocked! And it was so yummy! The only problem is… Because it is so delicious, I keep finding myself “stealing” little slivers here and there and those are starting to add up! Everyone needs to try this recipe.

I never have, but this is our guide for substituting gluten free flours: https://www.superhealthykids.com/blog-posts/the-essential-food-allergy-substitution-guide.php

What type of flour are you thinking?

This is a good article on storing artisan bread. http://www.ehow.com/way_5777531_way-freshly-baked-artisan-bread.html

You can, it just might not retain quite the same round shape. But I have made it on a pizza stone and it has turned out fine 🙂

It makes one loaf, but is easy to double and make two 🙂

No I haven’t tried it. I’m not sure you would get the same crust on the outside.

I don’t think it would work the same.

Yes you stir the water in until everything is combined.

We used AP flour.

You would want to make sure it is an oven safe pot.

No kneading required!

Nope!

Yes!

Yep!

It is about 105 degrees F.

I would probably decrease the baking time by 5 minutes and go from there.

Hmmm. I’m not sure that I would use an aluminum pot for this recipe. You need the pot at such a high temperature, I think you run the risk of scorching. Sorry!

is the lid necessary? thanks– looks great & easy!!

Just read the comments. This bread is so easy, recipe is completely clear and not complicated. You gave detailed information with pictures. It doesn’t get any easier and the bread is great. Thank you also for the link for storage.

I’ve just recently discovered this recipe, am making it for the third time, and my boys love it! Question — the directions in the post say let it rest 8 to 20 hours, but the recipe card itself says 8 to 10. Is there a preferred rest time or can you explain the differences that will occur with a longer rest vs. shorter? LOVE IT! Thanks!

No-knead bread is a method of bread baking that uses a very long fermentation (rising) time instead of kneading to form the gluten strands that give the bread its texture. It is characterized by a low yeast content and a very wet dough. Some recipes improve the quality of the crust by baking the bread in a Dutch oven or other covered vessel. It needs at least 8 hours and up to 20-24 hours. Basically the idea is that the longer you let it rest, the more rich the flavor will be. So definitely not necessary, just a flavor enhancer!

What size pot did you use? I have a 5 quart dutch oven. Would that be ok? Really want to try this!

Yep a 5 quart will work great!

Is rapid rise yeast suitable? What would be the suggested rise time with rapid rise?

Mine stuck like cement to the bottom of my Dutch oven dish 🥺 Tips for next time?

Or you can try parchment paper!

Mine stuck like cement to the bottom of my Dutch oven dish 🥺 Tips for next time? Oil?

Or parchment paper works great!

So after a long week I made this and I should thank you for making it so easy.

Do you have a recipe for a good starter?

This actually isn’t a sourdough recipe and so you just need regular yeast. Good luck!

I don’t usually leave comments. And several of your recipes have been a hit in our house but this one is now the number one! My son struggles with food anxiety from ADHD, where this has so few ingredients and no sugar, he is so happy, it’s delicious and best of all he feels good about eating it- no anxiety!! Thank you for making something so simple and delicious, everyone loves it! On the weekly to-do list in our house!

Thank you so much for sharing! We’re thrilled to hear it was a hit at your home!

Is this rested in or out of the fridge?

We rest it on the counter at room temperature. 🙂

Easy Homemade Artisan Bread Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What makes a bread an artisan bread? ›

Artisan breads are characterized by their lean formulation (i.e. low sugar and fat level), little to no use of dough conditioners (except for enzymes used for dough strengthening and crumb softening), and high or low hydration levels (depending on shape and spread desired by the baker).

Know More ›

What's the difference between artisan bread and regular bread? ›

Artisan bread is thought to be a healthier option than store-bought bread. While there haven't been clinical studies to clearly define the differences, artisan bread is made from wholesome fresh ingredients whereas store-bought bread contains processed ingredients and preservatives to stretch the shelf life.

What is the best flour for artisan bread? ›

Best flour for homemade bread – use bread flour if you can. Bread flour has more protein in it than normal flour which means more gluten, and this makes the dough more elastic and yields a more fluffy yet chewy texture inside the bread, as well as creating the big holes you see in the photos, like sourdough bread.

Learn More Now ›

What is the secret to making homemade bread? ›

12 tips for making perfect bread

Use the right yeast. ...
Store your yeast properly. ...
Treat salt with care. ...
Take your time. ...
Try different flours. ...
Consider vitamin C. ...
Practice makes perfect. ...
Don't prove for too long.

More items...

Discover More Details ›

Is artisan bread better for you than regular bread? ›

Nutrient Powerhouse: Artisanal breads often utilize whole grains and organic flours, rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber. This is in stark contrast to refined white flour, stripped of much of its nutritional value. A Happy Gut: Sourdough bread is a natural source of beneficial bacteria (probiotics).

Keep Reading ›

What's the difference between artisan bread flour and regular bread flour? ›

Artisanal flour is inherently no different t regular flour since the ingredients are largely the same. The differences lie in the product's quality and the quality of the goods you can make from it. Artisanal flours often produce a better aroma and flavor and are better for making crusty bread with tender insides.

Explore More ›

Why is my artisan bread so dense? ›

The usual reason why bread becomes too dense is due to using flour with low protein content. When your loaf is spongy and heavy, you might have also put too much flour into it or made the dough in a cooler or too warm setting.

View Details ›

What is the best yeast for artisan bread? ›

Active Dry Yeast is an ideal yeast to use for artisan breads or no knead breads that require a slower rise time. It's also the preferred type of yeast for those doughs that proof in the refrigerator for extended periods of time.

Discover More ›

What flour do professional bakers use for bread? ›

While bread flour is more than adequate for everyday breads, some professional bakers use high-gluten flour with a 14% protein content to provide extra strength to dense, chewy doughs like bagels and pizza dough. High-gluten bread flour gives milk bread it's taut structure and compact (but tender) crumb.

Discover More Details ›

What is the powder on artisan bread? ›

Artisan Bread doesn't need a special pan, and it is made with the most basic of ingredients - flour, yeast, salt, water, and malt powder.

Learn More ›

What not to do when making bread? ›

The top mistakes you're making when you bake bread

You're measuring incorrectly. ...
Your yeast is old. ...
You're using low-protein flour. ...
You're using too much flour (or water) ...
Your oven isn't hot enough.

Apr 15, 2020

Tell Me More ›

Why do you put water on bread before baking? ›

Two reasons: By keeping the outer surface of the bread moist, it delays crust formation. This allows the bread to expand (or “spring”) for longer and develop the nice round shape. Without water, it might form a crust early on, but then as the middle bakes, it will expand and burst the crust.

Find Out More ›

What adds flavor to homemade bread? ›

There are all kinds of ways to take your average bread dough to new places. Make it more flavorful and sticky with sugar, or soften it up with some dry milk powder. Here's how to arm your pantry with bread boosters. Sweeteners such as malt and honey are used to add flavor to bread dough.