Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - Homemade 4 Ingredient Bread (2024)

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This easy no knead bread recipe is a tasty homemade 4 ingredient bread you and your family will love! The simple recipe is perfect for first time or experienced bread makers.

Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - Homemade 4 Ingredient Bread (2)

Who doesn’t love homemade bread?Especially rustic artisan bread! Some bread recipes are complicated and difficult top make, but this no knead bread recipe is both easy and delicious! It turns out a wonderful rustic bread with a firmer crunchy outside, but is delightfully soft on the inside!

If you don’t know how to make homemade bread, try this easy recipe! And if you already know how to make bread, this recipe is a basic no-nonsense recipe that won’t take all of your time so you can move on to other things!

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Easy No Knead Bread Recipe – Homemade 4 Ingredient Bread

Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - Homemade 4 Ingredient Bread (3)

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This easy no knead bread recipe is a tasty homemade 4 ingredient bread you and your family will love! The simple recipe is perfect for first time or experienced bread makers.

Ingredients

Units

2 cups warm water (110°)
1 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. or 1 pkg. yeast
4 cups all purpose flour

Instructions

  1. Mix salt, yeast and water. Stir until dissolved.
  2. Add flour. Mix until well blended.
  3. Cover in a bowl with plastic wrap, leaving a small hole in the plastic wrap.
  4. Let rise 2 hours.
  5. Sprinkle a small amount of flour on top and punch down.
  6. Divide dough in half to make two balls, using just enough flour so you can make each into a ball. It will be sticky.
  7. Fold the edges under to form a smooth top.
  8. Let rise on parchment paper on a cookie sheet for 40-50 minutes until doubled.
  9. Optional: Put melted butter on top with some sesame seeds. Score the top of the bread with a knife. Place an oven-safe pan with 1 cup of water in oven. (The steam this creates will give the bread a chewy, crispy crust.)
  10. Preheat oven to 450°.
  11. Bake 30 minutes.

No Knead Bread In A Dutch Oven

If you like, you can make this easy no knead bread in a Dutch oven with a few easy modifications. Instead of rising the dough as in the main recipe, simply follow these instructions:

To rise, place dough in a parchment paper lined bowl (not wax paper) and cover with a towel. Let stand on countertop for about 35 minutes.

Place Dutch oven with lid into a cold oven and preheat to 450°. When oven reaches 450°, carefully lift the parchment paper and dough and place gently into the hot pot. (Parchment paper goes in the pot too.) Cover and bake 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove lid and parchment paper. Return, uncovered, to oven and bake 10-15 more minutes. Let it cool at least 15 minutes before slicing.

For more recipes like this no knead artisan bread, check out our Dining On A Dime Cookbook, Volume 1:

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - Homemade 4 Ingredient Bread (8)Christine

    OMG! This bread is SO good! I doubled it and used the hot water in the oven method for baking. Delicious! My whole family loved the bread!

    Reply

  2. Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - Homemade 4 Ingredient Bread (11)Sheila B

    I’m confused. How is this sourdough when there’s no sourdough starter.

    Reply

    • Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - Homemade 4 Ingredient Bread (12)Jill

      Sheila here is what I think you are looking for read the first part above the recipe and I think it will explain it Easy No Knead Sourdough Bread

      Reply

      • Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - Homemade 4 Ingredient Bread (13)Sheila B

        Thanks. I was looking at the wrong one. Sorry.

        Reply

        • Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - Homemade 4 Ingredient Bread (14)Jill

          No problem Sheila- we have so much stuff on the website it is easy to do. Just holler if you have more questions. : )

          Reply

          • Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - Homemade 4 Ingredient Bread (15)Debbie

            Jill can this bread be made gluten free?

          • Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - Homemade 4 Ingredient Bread (16)Jill

            Debbie I am not really sure. The gluten free breads can be so tricky. Here is a gluten free bread recipe we have and some instructions on gluten free bread making. This might help you get some ideas on how to make it gluten free. Hope this helps. https://www.livingonadime.com/gluten-free-flour-recipe/

  3. Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - Homemade 4 Ingredient Bread (17)Valerie J

    Made it tonight. My family loved it and it was so easy!!!

    Reply

  4. Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - Homemade 4 Ingredient Bread (18)Pat

    I’ve never made bread before and would love to try it. It sounds delicious, but I’m confused about one thing.
    You said to mix it. Do you have to have a mixer with a bread hook? If so, are there any bread recipes that you
    can make without one? I only have a hand mixer. Thanks!

    Reply

    • Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - Homemade 4 Ingredient Bread (19)Jill

      No Pat you don’t. I am a cookbook author and have never owned any kind of stand mixer with a hook because they take me more work to clean than a little hand mixer. You can if you need to do it all by hand. What I do though is I mix up up most of the ingredients with a hand mixer including part (about 2 cups) of the flour. Then I hand stir the last 2 cups of flour in just because it is easier. The dough hooks on a stand mixer are usually for kneading the bread so since this is no knead you don’t need one for sure. Relax and have fun with it and if you have any questions just holler.

      Reply

      • Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - Homemade 4 Ingredient Bread (20)Pat

        You are a sweetheart for answering me so soon. Thank you! I can’t tell you how excited I am to give
        your bread a try. Wish me luck! And again, thank you very much. Pat

        Reply

      • Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - Homemade 4 Ingredient Bread (21)Kathlyn Barnes

        Loving the comments of how good this bread is and can’t wait to try it! Can it be made with whole wheat flour or any other flour besides white?

        Reply

        • Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - Homemade 4 Ingredient Bread (22)Jill

          It is not always really easy to just trade whole wheat flour for all purpose white flour in many recipes. You could maybe try to do half whole wheat and half white.

          Reply

        • Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - Homemade 4 Ingredient Bread (24)Jill

          You place 1 cup of water into a separate pan – it is the measurement of 1 cup and not a drinking cup. Hope that makes sense.

          Reply

  5. Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - Homemade 4 Ingredient Bread (25)Lisa Kavanaugh

    Another method that works(because I’m lazy when it comes to kneading bread lol) take any basic bread recipe and for the first rise, only add 1/2 – 3/4 the flour. Should be like thick stew consistency. After an hour….. or two if you forget, mix in the last of the flour. Now at this point, I usually bake a batch of rolls for dinner and refrigerate the rest of the dough for later. Or you can let rise a second time and go from there. My kids usually spend the next few days pulling off a chunk from the fridge to make a quick fry bread for a fast meal or snack. Works for our busy family!

    Reply

    • Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - Homemade 4 Ingredient Bread (26)Jill

      Thanks for the great ideas Lisa.

      Reply

    • Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - Homemade 4 Ingredient Bread (27)Pat

      Thanks, Lisa. That’s a great tip. Now I just need someone to ‘remind’ me to add it. HA! Thanks for
      answering. Appreciate it.

      Reply

    • Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - Homemade 4 Ingredient Bread (28)Joyce

      I didn’t realize you could refrigerate dough. This is a great hack. I am single and love the idea of being able to have the dough for making small batches. How long does it keep in the fridge?

      Reply

      • Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - Homemade 4 Ingredient Bread (29)Jill

        It can last around 3 days but it usually is best if you can use within 2 days

        Reply

  6. Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - Homemade 4 Ingredient Bread (30)Patty

    Jill, I’d like to try this bread tonight, but I only have Rapid-Rise yeast. Will that work? Thanks!

    Reply

    • Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - Homemade 4 Ingredient Bread (31)Jill

      Yes it will sorry Patty I was sleeping when this came in : )

      Reply

  7. Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - Homemade 4 Ingredient Bread (32)Patricia

    I’m diabetic doctor told me not to eat bread, can I use any other kind of flour other than regular flour?

    Reply

    • Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - Homemade 4 Ingredient Bread (33)Jill

      I think there are Patricia (maybe buckwheat and oat) but you may have to just google it.

      Reply

  8. Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - Homemade 4 Ingredient Bread (34)Melodie Louise Shumaker

    I’ve been making bread for years but would like to try this recipe. However I don’t have parchment paper. What can I use instead?
    Melodie

    Reply

    • Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - Homemade 4 Ingredient Bread (35)Jill

      We suggested parchment paper because the dough is very sticky. You could try greasing a piece of wax paper really good or place it on a very well greased and floured pan. Be sure to grease it out around the edges because it will spread as it rises.

      Reply

      • Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - Homemade 4 Ingredient Bread (36)Melodie Louise Shumaker

        Thanks Jill, I will try that.
        Melodie

        Reply

  9. Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - Homemade 4 Ingredient Bread (37)Ann

    Could I use a bread maker on the dough cycle to mix and for the first rise then make divide and form for the second rise?

    Reply

    • Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - Homemade 4 Ingredient Bread (38)Jill

      I am not sure Ann because I don’t use a bread maker but I don’t know why you couldn’t

      Reply

  10. Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - Homemade 4 Ingredient Bread (39)Birdie

    Hello Jill.
    Try mixing this dough with the wooden end of a French whisk; until the flour is incorperated. I do that when I make quick or no knead bread. It works like a charm.
    Birdie

    Reply

    • Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - Homemade 4 Ingredient Bread (40)Birdie

      p.s. I’ve also baked this type of bread in the parchment/tin bowl that I let rise. Nifty and neat.

      Reply

  11. Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - Homemade 4 Ingredient Bread (41)Melissa

    My oven only goes to 400 how do I adjust this to make this bread?

    Reply

    • Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - Homemade 4 Ingredient Bread (42)Jill

      Melissa just bake it at the highest your oven will go. The crust of the bread may be just a little softer but not by much and should be fine.

      Reply

  12. Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - Homemade 4 Ingredient Bread (43)Debbie Primo Charron

    What size Dutch oven is used to make this bread ? And is it a cast iron dutch oven?

    Reply

    • Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - Homemade 4 Ingredient Bread (44)Jill

      A Dutch oven is usually that 5-6 qt. size pan that comes with most pan sets. It doesn’t have to be cast iron.

      Reply

  13. Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - Homemade 4 Ingredient Bread (45)Connie

    Can I use bread pans to make more of a loaf of bread? Also seen cook lower heat for softer crust. How low is safe as I like soft bread?

    Reply

    • Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - Homemade 4 Ingredient Bread (46)Jill

      Connie I have never tried this recipe in a loaf pan but you could try it and see. I would lower the temperature a little but the part of the bread inside the bread pan will be softer just because the sides of the pan protect it from being harder.

      Reply

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Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - Homemade 4 Ingredient Bread (2024)

FAQs

What are the 4 basic ingredients in baking bread? ›

There are only four yeast bread ingredients you really need: flour, yeast, water, and salt. All the other ingredients in a recipe are there to add flavor, nutrition, color, and to change the characteristics of the crumb.

What ingredient makes bread soft and fluffy? ›

Adding sugar weakens the gluten structure, absorbs water, and eventually makes the bread lighter and softer. As a result, sugar improves the bread's taste, structure and texture. Yeast also eats up sugar to produce carbon dioxide, which raises the dough and makes bread fluffy.

What does adding milk instead of water do bread? ›

It adds nutritional value to baked goods. Mainly protein, calcium, and vitamin B12 which are all necessary for a heathy diet. But we don't only look for the nutritional benefits when using milk in our bread dough. The fat and lactose in milk help with tenderizing the crumb of the bread making it softer and sweeter.

What ingredient keeps bread from falling apart? ›

Gluten helps bread maintain its shape and produces the "crumb" (or texture). If your bread does not have enough gluten, the crumb will not come out as expected. Different flours have varying amounts of gluten: white wheat flour contains the most, and whole-grain flours contain considerably less.

Do they add egg in bread? ›

It also helps to brown the crust during baking. Eggs: Eggs are added to bread dough for flavor, texture, and richness. They help to create a tender crumb and contribute to the overall flavor of the bread.

What is the secret to making homemade bread? ›

12 tips for making perfect bread
  1. Use the right yeast. ...
  2. Store your yeast properly. ...
  3. Treat salt with care. ...
  4. Take your time. ...
  5. Try different flours. ...
  6. Consider vitamin C. ...
  7. Practice makes perfect. ...
  8. Don't prove for too long.

Is it cheaper to make your own bread? ›

In a nutshell, if you're buying basic, cheap sandwich bread, it's probably cheaper than you can make it at home. But if you compare two loaves similar to what you could make at home — one made with high-quality ingredients as opposed to one made with lesser quality ingredients — home baking becomes much cheaper.

How do you make bread lighter and fluffier? ›

All it takes is a small amount of dough enhancer per loaf to create a much lighter and fluffier result. Using a dough enhancer like Vital Wheat Gluten works to improve the texture and elasticity of the dough and elongate the strands of gluten. Doing so allows more room for the gas in the dough to develop and rise.

Does letting bread rise longer make it fluffier? ›

Does Rising Bread Affect Its Texture? For a fluffy bread texture, the key is to let the bread rise long enough.

What does adding egg to bread dough do? ›

Egg has protein, fat, water and while the fat and water soften the crumb, the protein helps with strengthening the gluten and capturing more CO2. Eggs are also helping with leavening the dough which adds to the rise. Doughs that have more egg usually rise more, so go ahead and play around a bit!

Is it better to use oil or butter for bread? ›

When you substitute oil for butter, you need to take note of the texture. If you want delicate, soft, and tender baked goods, I recommend using oil vs. butter. Butter will result in a denser crumb and not be as moist.

What does skimmed milk do to bread? ›

The type of sugar found in milk, lactose, has little sweetening power and does not ferment, so in dough made with skim milk powder, sugar has to be added or the fermentation will be very slow. While lactose is not fermentable, it caramelizes readily in the oven and produces a healthy crust color.

Why does my homemade bread crumble when I slice it? ›

Too much flour and not enough water can cause crumbly bread – people often do this if the dough is too sticky and they add more flour rather than kneading through it. Other culprits can be overproving or not kneading enough – the things you need to do to get a good structure.

Why is my homemade bread dry the next day? ›

Since no preservatives are used in home baking, baked products tend to dry out quickly and should be consumed in 1 to 2 days. Do not refrigerate. Refrigeration pulls moisture from bread, which speeds up the staling process and causes bread to dry out.

What is the secret to moist bread? ›

Fortunately, one of the most glaring baking problems has an easy solution: ensuring your bread stays moist. The key is twofold: use quality ingredients and let the dough stand overnight. If you're using storebought flour, opt for “bread flour,” which will hold better in heat and help create a more tender crumb.

What are the 5 main ingredients in bread? ›

Ingredients
  • 2 1/2 cups warm water.
  • 3 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast (can use rapid rise)
  • 1 tablespoon salt.
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar (or raw sugar)
  • 5 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour.

What is E471 in bread? ›

Emulsifiers in bread:

Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E471): often derived from plant oils or animal fats, E471 may have some negative health effects, including an increased risk of heart disease and weight gain.

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