Artificial Flavors Free Classic Dutch Oven Bread
There is something deeply satisfying about pulling a golden, crackling loaf out of a screaming-hot Dutch oven, and this no-knead bread delivers that bakery-worthy result with just four humble ingredients. Flour, instant yeast, kosher salt, and warm water — that is genuinely all it takes, which means you know exactly what is going into every slice. Store-bought bread can be a minefield of additives, natural flavor blends, and preservatives you never asked for, so baking your own is the cleanest possible workaround. The long, slow rise — anywhere from 8 to 18 hours — does all the heavy lifting, developing a complex, slightly tangy flavor that no artificial shortcut could replicate. A covered bake traps steam and gives you that shatteringly crisp crust, while the final uncovered stretch deepens the color to a rich, burnished brown. The hardest part is honestly waiting the full hour before you slice into it, but the open crumb and chewy interior make the patience completely worth it.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- ¼ tsp instant yeast
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 ½ cups warm water (about 110°f / 43°c)
Instructions
- 1
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, instant yeast, and kosher salt. Pour in the warm water and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until no dry flour remains and a shaggy, sticky dough forms — about 1 minute. The dough will look rough and uneven; that is correct.
- 2
Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rest at room temperature for 8 to 18 hours, until the surface is dotted with bubbles and the dough has roughly doubled in size.
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