Easy Artisan Bread Recipe (Yeast, Dutch Oven, Whole Wheat)
This incredibly easy artisan bread recipe is a simple way to get a crisp crust and tender crumb in just a few minutes of hands-on time. Made with yeast and half whole wheat flour, it comes together with minimal effort and bakes up beautifully every time. You can bake it the same day you mix it up or keep it refrigerated to use during the week. This crusty bread costs just pennies to make and literally changed the way I thought about bread – I hope it does for you, too!
✩ What readers are saying…
“This is the best and easiest bread recipe! We eat a TON of toast in this house and this makes such a nice chewy loaf with almost no effort. I tried all sorts of bread recipes looking for the “Goldilocks” loaf and this is it!” -Hannah
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This artisan bread recipe was one of the first recipes I published when An Oregon Cottage began in 2009 and it quickly became a fan favorite. Super simple, it also costs pennies to make vs. $4-$6 artisanal loaves so you can enjoy making your own artisan bread whenever you want!
I make this yeast-based easy artisan bread whenever I don’t have sourdough starter ready (and before I started making sourdough artisan, this was a weekly bake for us!). The recipe is pretty addictive, quick to mix up, and produces a bread at home that is very similar to what you might find in a bakery.
Our extended family and friends have consistently ooh’d and ahhh’d over it – it’s one of my most tried-and-true favorite recipes.
If you’ve never thought you could make a loaf of bread like you buy, this is the recipe that could change your mind. It’s the kind of homemade loaf that feels impressive but is easy enough for any day of the week.
Beyond that, looking at it from a frugal point of view, the total cost for 2 – 4 loaves is about .85 cents to $1.30 in 2025! That’s when flour is between .80 cents to $1 per pound with about .10 added for bulk yeast and salt.
TIP: Always try to buy your yeast in bulk. I’ve bought both active dry yeast and instant yeast in bulk packages and both work in this recipe. It’s SO much cheaper than the little packets – and you’re going to be making a lot of bread when you try this – believe me!
Recipe Ingredients
One of the reasons bread is so inexpensive to make and why you can save big time by making your own artisan bread (as well as an everyday, easy soft 100% whole wheat sandwich bread) is that the ingredients are basic pantry staples: flour, water, yeast and salt.
- Flour: You can make this bread using only all-purpose flour (I always choose unbleached) or regular bread flour and you will get a lighter crumb with bigger holes. However, I wanted a bread with more whole grain nutrients so I tested different ratios and came up with 3.5 cups all-purpose (or bread flour) and 3 cups regular whole wheat. Using all whole wheat works, but it results in a flatter, denser loaf. I’ve used all white whole wheat (not pastry flour) and that is better, but still not as light as including some all-purpose. Play around with the ratios that work best for your family, just keep to 6.5 cups total flour.
- Water: Use lukewarm water (about 115 degrees) which is usually the warmest water from your tap (it’s important not to use water that’s too hot, as that will kill the yeast).
- Yeast: Like I mentioned, both active dry yeast and instant yeast work in this recipe.
- Salt: The recipe is formulated for basic sea salt, not a coarser grain kosher type salt. If using a larger grain salt, you’ll need to increase the amount.
Variations
Flavor your loaf with the mix-ins of your choice, adding them at the end of step 2 after beating for 30 seconds. Here are a few ideas:
- Cranberry Walnut: 1/2 cup dried cranberries and 1/2 cup chopped walnuts.
- Garlic Herb: 2-3 tablespoons minced garlic and 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs or 2 tablespoons dried herbs. Optional: add 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese.
- Cheesy Jalapeño: 1/2 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, jack, Mexican blend) and 1 diced jalapeño (or chop up 1/4 cup of pickled jalapeños or candied jalapeños).
- Seeded: 1/4 cup sunflower seeds, 1/4 cup sesame seeds, and 1/4 cup flax seeds (or seeds of your choice).
- Bagel: Shape the loaf using Everything But The Bagel Seasoning in step 6 instead of flour, pressing to help the seasoning adhere.
The Secret to The Best Artisan Bread Crust
For the best results, with the most amazing crust ever, cook the bread in a hot cast enameled iron dutch oven or regular cast iron dutch oven (like the vintage one pictured above on the right) with the lid on during the first 15 minutes.
When the steam escapes from the dough in the first minutes of baking at a high temperature, it hits the sides and creates it’s own steam. Basically, as close to a bakery oven as we can get at home!
- This 6-quart enameled cast iron pot by Lodge is popular and similar to what I use – my exact pot you see above is the older version of this 5.5-quart pot by Tramontina, which is a little cheaper (though recommended by Cooks Illustrated).
- You can use any size pot from 4 quarts to 7. The smaller size may aid in creating a taller loaf since there’s less room to spread. Here’s a Lodge 5.5 quart pot and a 5-quart Crock-Pot brand pot.
Cost: Enamel Dutch ovens run between $60 and $300 (LeCruset, the Cadillac of enameled cookware) and even though I bought ours at the lower end, it’s the most I’ve ever spent on a single piece of cookware. It’s been SO worth it, since I’ve made so many loaves of bread that it’s paid for itself many times over – and I don’t have to worry about spraying the loaf, adding ice or water to the oven or anything.
Pot Temperature Limits?
I’ve had some readers worry about the temperature limits listed by manufacturers of the enameled pots. I bought my pot to make bread so I’m okay with using it that way and it’s done well. I’ve used my Tramontina pot for 10+ years at these temperatures and it’s still going strong with no flaking of the enamel at all, even though the manufacturer says 400 degrees is the max.
You have to do what you feel okay with, for sure, but these temperatures were tested in the Cook’s Illustrated kitchens with multiple enameled pots, including the inexpensive one I purchased, so I feel okay with it.
Can I make this without a Dutch oven?
Yes, if you don’t have a dutch oven, you can still bake this bread! Use a cookie sheet or baking stone and add steam by choosing one of these methods:
- Fill a broiler pan with water and place it on the bottom rack while the oven is coming up to temperature. Just be careful if you use a baking stone and water in a pan – the steam broke my stone when I tried it.
- Mist the bread with water before quickly putting it in the oven.
- Cover the loaf on a baking stone with the cover of a roasting pan for the first 15 minutes. Remove and continue baking.
- One reader said to use the inside of a slow cooker with the top tightly covered with foil, though I haven’t tested that.
Try different methods and see which you like best.
Let’s make this easy artisan bread recipe
Note: You can make this bread by hand, but I’ve always used a mixer because, well, it’s easier. This is the mixer I use.
Step 1: Add the yeast, salt and water to a bowl and mix.
Step 2: Add flour and mix on low until the flour is incorporated and then at level 2-3 until most of the dough starts cleaning the sides of the bowl, about 30 seconds to a minute. This acts as a little bit of kneading which I’ve found creates a better texture.
To mix by hand, follow the steps above with a wooden spoon and mix hard for at least a minute to replicate the machine’s light “kneading.” You could also perform some stretches and folds while the dough is rising to mimic this as well.
Step 3: Transfer it to a very large, oiled, bowl (or if you mixed by hand, just leave it in the same bowl), and cover it, but not airtight. Leave to sit on the counter 1-1/2 to 2 hours until it reaches the top of the bowl.
Step 3 TIPS: You can cover the bowl with a fabric cover like I show (I made this one, but modeled it on these), but it must have some kind of moisture barrier or the top of the dough will dry out. This one has a PLU lining, and beeswax bowl covers do a good job, as will plastic. Also, write the time on a scrap piece of paper to remind you when the time’s up!
Step 4: I hope you put it in a large bowl – it will rise all the way to the top! At this point you choose to: 1) Put the covered bowl in the refrigerator for 7 to 10 days, OR 2) Cut off a section to bake right away and put the rest in the fridge.
Step 5: Either way, about 1-1/2 hours before you want to serve the bread (the time needed for rising, baking & cooling), take the bowl out of the fridge if needed, pull the cover off and dust the top with flour (the dough will be sticky) and pull off half with a serrated knife. Start preheating a Dutch oven in a 450 degree oven (or use one of the alternatives I mentioned).
REFRIGERATION TIP: The recipe I adapted this from said you could refrigerate up to 14 days but I’ve found about a week is the longest we like the dough to sit. It becomes more sour, similar to the flavor of sourdough, as it ages and I made a loaf at day 9 once and it was too sour for us. So, I always use it within a week. If I don’t need bread, I make it anyway and freeze the loaf – it comes out perfectly!
Step 6: Round the dough in your floured hands, pulling and gathering on the bottom to create tension until it is a smooth ball, not handling it too much so you don’t loose all the air in the dough. Place the dough ball on a cookie sheet lined with a piece of parchment paper and dust the top with flour.
Step 7: When the thirty minutes is up, take a sharp, serrated knife and slash the top in any pattern you choose- just make sure to slash a good 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch deep (I use to barely cut into the top and then the dough would explode out the bottom making the dough look weird and misshapen).
TIP: The parchment is crucial to making this easy, since you will use it to transfer the dough to the hot enamel pot (or to a baking stone, etc.). ALSO – the parchment can be reused 2 to 3 times before it starts falling apart, too.
Step 8: Transfer dough to the hot dutch oven by removing the (hot!) lid and using two opposite corners of the parchment to transfer the dough to the pot. Don’t worry so much if the dough loses its shape, it will rise and look fine. Replace the lid, close the oven, and set the timer for 17 minutes.
Step 9: After the timer goes off, remove the lid and set the timer for another 17 minutes (if using a stone or cookie sheet, just set the timer for 30-35 minutes, rotating the pan if you need to in your oven for even browning). The loaf should be nicely browned (it’s okay to bake another 5 minutes if needed). Remove the loaf immediately to a wire rack using the parchment corners.
TIP: Are the bottom of your loaves browning more than you’d like and/or are hard to cut through? Place a cookie sheet on the rack below the dutch oven and it will prevent burning.
You’ll want to wait at least a half hour before cutting it, preferably an hour, otherwise it will gum the knife (if you can’t wait, however, here’s a trick to keep your slices looking nice). I also love the serrated bread knife from Rada pictured above – it’s the best I’ve ever used!
The loaf pictured above was made with half unbleached all purpose flour and half regular whole wheat which produces small, even holes and a tender crumb. Personally, I don’t like the breads with large holes – the butter runs out of them and they don’t work for sandwiches or even toast well. I’m happy to have the extra nutrients from the whole grain that comes with smaller holes.
Storage
- Room Temperature: The bread, sliced or whole, will store 2-3 days at room temperature without drying too much. I’ve been loving these beeswax-lined linen bread bags which seems to keep it better than a plain linen bag (bonus: you can freeze the bread in the beeswax-lined bags, too!).
- Refrigerate: This isn’t the most recommended method for storing bread as it tends to make it go stale faster, but in a household that doesn’t eat bread as much, we often store a few slices in the fridge for a day or two in silicone bags.
- Freeze: This bread freezes so well! To make it easiest to use, slice the bread first and freeze in silicone baggies in the amounts you’ll need. You can also freeze the loaves whole.
Reader Raves
“Started making bread at the beginning of the year, each time tweaking the recipe/process. Each time it just wasn’t the ‘master’ bread that I would like to repeat from week to week – UNTIL NOW! Thank you Jami, for making me focus on the basics with your ‘easy artisan bread’ recipe!” -Bob V.
“Making Artisan bread has been on my bucket list and until I tried your recipe, I had no success. Your recipe is soooo easy and delicious.” -Nancy
“I have tried numerous bread recipes over the years and always ended up disappointed. This one had such a nice texture and tastes so good!” -April
“Your method is so simple with amazing results that I think I can finally keep up with the bread required for a family of eight. Thanks!” -Erin
Do yourself a favor and make this easy bread recipe as soon as you can – and prepare for all the raves! Let me know how it goes by leaving a rating and review!
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Easy Artisan Bread Recipe
Equipment
- stand mixer optional
- Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 3 cups warm water
- 1 tablespoon yeast, both instant or active dry work
- 2½ teaspoon salt
- 3½ cups whole wheat flour* whole wheat white flour works great, too
- 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour*
Instructions
- Put the yeast and salt in a bowl and add the water.
- Add all the flour and mix until combined. Then mix at a higher speed 30 seconds to 1 minute as a quick knead (or by hand a minute, or you can choose to do a series of stretches and folds while it's rising).
- Put in a LARGE bowl and cover with plastic or other non-porous cover (not airtight). Let set at room temperature for about 1½ hours – it should double or more.
- Put in the refrigerator for up to a week or week-and-a-half, OR bake right away – cut off what you need, shape, and let sit while the Dutch oven heats.
- When ready to bake, place an enameled dutch oven, with lid, in a 450 degree oven.
- Dust the dough with flour, grab half the dough and cut it off with a serrated knife. Using well-floured hands, shape gently into a ball and place on a piece of parchment paper resting on a cookie sheet or in a small round skillet to help shape. Dust the top with more flour.
- Let sit on the counter 30 minutes if baking the day of making, 1 hour if the dough was refrigerated. Then slash the top of the loaf with a serrated knife.
- Transfer the loaf to the hot dutch oven using the edges of the parchment, replace the lid, and cook for 15 to 17 minutes.
- Remove lid and continue to cook for another 15 to 17 minutes, or until loaf is a golden brown.
- Remove to a cooling rack for 30 to 60 minutes before cutting.
Notes
- Room Temperature: The bread, sliced or whole, will store 2-3 days at room temperature without drying too much. I’ve been loving beeswax-lined linen bread bags which seems to keep it better than a plain linen bag (bonus: you can freeze the bread in the beeswax-lined bags, too!).
- Refrigerate: This isn’t the most recommended method for storing bread as it tends to make it go stale faster, but in a household that doesn’t eat bread as much, we often store a few slices in the fridge for a day or two in silicone bags.
- Freeze: This bread freezes so well! To make it easiest to use, slice the bread first and freeze in silicone baggies in the amounts you’ll need. You can also freeze the loaves whole.
- Cranberry Walnut: 1/2 cup dried cranberries and 1/2 cup chopped walnuts.
- Garlic Herb: 2-3 tablespoons minced garlic and 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs or 2 tablespoons dried herbs. Optional: add 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese.
- Cheesy Jalapeño: 1/2 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, jack, Mexican blend) and 1 diced jalapeño (or chop up 1/4 cup of pickled jalapeños or candied jalapeños).
- Seeded: 1/4 cup sunflower seeds, 1/4 cup sesame seeds, and 1/4 cup flax seeds (or seeds of your choice).
- Bagel: Shape the loaf using Everything But The Bagel Seasoning in step 6 instead of flour, pressing to help the seasoning adhere.
Nutrition
Recipe adapted from Artisan Bread In Five Minutes A Day by J. Hertzberg and Z. Francois and a Cook’s Illustrated story (no link available) on no-knead bread.
Your Questions Answered
Things that can withstand mixing like garlic, herbs, nuts, cheese, and seeds can be added along with the flour. More delicate additions like chopped jalapeños and dried fruit should be mixed in at the end of step 2.
Any size oven you have will work! The smaller the oven, the less room your bread will have to spread, which could be a good thing. Basically anything from 3-6 quart sizes are good.
I use the paddle mixer attachment because technically this is a no-knead bread. I found that I get a bread with slightly better crumb if I “quick knead” it for a minute with the paddle, but it’s not actually kneading it so I don’t bother to change to a dough hook.
Yes. Feel free to make this with any variety of flour you find your family likes.
I scoop and level. I do mix the flour first briefly to fluff and then scoop the measuring cup until it’s slightly overfull and then use a flat-edged knive to level.
Maybe. If your bread is rising okay, then it’s fine. If it’s not you can try adding a tablespoon or two flour and see if this helps it to clear the sides.
No, whole wheat pastry flour will not work. Pastry flour is made from soft wheat which has less protein in it, making it great for biscuits, cookies, cakes, etc. that use leavening like soda and baking powder to raise. Sourdough and yeast breads benefit from flour with higher protein counts to get the texture of a good bread, like regular flour and bread flour which both come in whole wheat versions.
Gluten free: I haven’t tried this with a gluten free flour, but I’ve heard that a 1:1 flour usually works.
Using all whole wheat flour or other whole grain flour will result in a denser loaf and won’t have the air pockets or chewier crust. But you can try it!
More Easy Bread Recipes
- Soft Homemade Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread
- Super Easy French Baguettes
- Easy Sourdough Artisan Bread
- Flaky 100% Whole Wheat Flaky Biscuits
- Soft & easy 100% Whole Wheat Rolls
This recipe has been updated – it was originally published in 2009, updated in 2015 and again in 2025.
Disclosure: affiliate links in this article will earn commission based on sales, but it doesn’t change your price. Click here to read my full disclaimer and advertising disclosure.
I’m not sure if you are baking this dough all at once as one loaf or cutting it in half and baking it as two loaves.
The amount listed in the recipe card is 2 loaves. Those would be regular size artisan boule loaves. However this dough is flexible and you can make 4 smaller loaves (or 6-8 and they could be soup bread bowls) or rolls, cutting off what you need as it sits in the fridge for a few days.
Thanks. I did make two loaves, and they turned out pretty good.
Glad to hear it!
Sorry, but I feel this recipe calls for to much flour IMO. It is really heavy and dense and I made 2 loafs giving the second load more time than the first to rise, but the second loaf ended up being smaller than the first which usually means it met its limit. I think maybe 1/2 to 1 cup less would be better. I made a breakfast sandwich with 2 slices and I’m so full from it lunch will not be an option today.
All in all the bread taste really good especially if you replace with an egg wash instead of flour dusting. I also found if you want a richer flavor replace a bit of yeast and water with beer 🤌
Jami,
Can a bread machine be used to knead and mix the “Easy Artisan Bread” recipe? And which bread recipes can a bread machine be used?
Thanks, Leslie Loren
PS…I love your Cipes and website! I can “while away” hours reading(and making) your recipes!
I’m glad you’re enjoying the recipes, Leslie!
As for the bread, it would be a bit overkill to use a bread machine, as there’s not really much kneading for this. Maybe if you only used the mix cycle and then the first raise? Can you by-pass a knead? (I’m not familiar with the machines.)
I have made this type of bread before and have had good results. After reading your recipe and reviews I am going to try yours today. Can I cut the recipe in half and it still work? I think I read to split the dough in half and cook, keep the other one in the refrigerator till ready to bake no more than 7 days.
Yes, Barbara, you can either cut the recipe in half or keep one half in the fridge until you need it. It’s a pretty flexible dough!
3cups water and 3.5 cups flour came out to a runny mess for me
Yes, that would. The recipe calls for 6.5 cups flour – half regular and half whole wheat.
I noticed you’re using a paddle instead of a dough hook, does it make a difference? Can I use dry active yeast instead of instant yeast?
Yes, both yeast work in this recipe.
That’s because technically this is a no-knead bread. I just found that I get a bread with slightly better crumb if I “quick knead” it for a minute with the paddle. I suppose you could change, but then you’d have to wash it, etc. 🙂 It’s just easier to keep the paddle since we’re not really kneading the bread fully.
Started making bread at the beginning of the year, each time tweaking the recipe/process. Each time it just wasn’t the ‘master’ bread that I would like to repeat from week to week – UNTIL NOW! Thank you Jami, for making me focus on the basics with your ‘easy artisan bread’ recipe!
Looking at and using literally a hundred recipes, each a little more here or there with ingredients; fold the dough 3 times, 4x…; shaggy dough & tight; finish proof, etc. None being an easy to make bread from weighing the first ingredient to enjoying the first bite! I rather weigh from my years as an operations manager in a chemical plant.
Your recipe gave me the airy bread with a crisp crust that I’ve been wanting, but never achieving the whole package.
Thank You so much again Jami!!!
Wow, thank you so much, Bob, for your ringing endorsement! I’m so glad this is “the one” for you, too.
If I choose to refrigerate bread dough for a day, what are the directions for baking bread once dough is removed from refrigerator. Thank you
Hi, Eve! The directions from the fridge are steps 5-10 on the recipe card (to bake right away is the directions in #4).
I haven’t tried THIS recipe yet, but it looks very much like the Artisan Breat in 10 minutes a Day book that I’ve used in the past. With changes (electric mixes + cast iron pot). Have to try this and soon.
I adapted my mom’s limpa recipe to this method and that might but where I start. Yum.
Thanks for (1) being lazy by which I mean looking for the easiest/simplest way and (2) inventive and (3) sharing. I think I’ll make a loaf just to give away to folks who do favors for us too.
Yes, it’s similar, though I added a bit of kneading and the cast iron pot from a Cook’s Illustrated review.
I’m so glad that it’s helpful to you – thanks for your sweet words!
This is the best and easiest bread recipe! We eat a TON of toast in this house and this makes such a nice chewy loaf with almost no effort. I tried all sorts of bread recipes looking for the “Goldilocks” loaf and this is it!
I love the flavor of the bread when it’s been in the fridge for about a week, but I find that we go through the bread too fast to let it stay there!
What I’ve been doing lately is mixing up the dough, letting it rise until doubled, and just baking the whole batch in one go. It makes a nice tall loaf that lasts us about a week.
The only thing I do differently is letting it knead in the mixer for just a couple of minutes. I find without the time in the fridge, the dough just needs a bit more kneading to get the right texture. I also don’t slash the top. Maybe my knives aren’t the right kind, or maybe it’s because I’m baking it right away, but whenever I slash the top, the whole thing just collapses and comes out a little flatter than I like.
But the flavor, texture, crust, and ease of this recipe are spot on! It’s just about the only bread I make now!
Thank you for this magic!
I love this, Hannah – the “Goldilocks” loaf. 🙂
Glad this is flexible for you, too!
Hi Jamie..You have inspired me to try making my own bread. How do you store your bread so that it stays fresh? I have looked at many “bread boxes” and am very confused. Thank You
I keep it in plastic on the counter for a day, move it into the fridge if we will still need bread over the next few days, or move it to the freezer for longer storage. Freezing is really the best way, I think, to store homemade bread for a few weeks to a couple months.
Thank you
I use these bread bags and they are fantastic!
Reusable Organic Cotton Bread Bag For Homemade Bread Large|premium Quality Patented Bread Bags Cotton Bags For Bread Loaves-safe And Eco-friendly Storage For Bread (on Amazon).
Making Artisan bread has been on my bucket list and until I tried your recipe, I had no success. Your recipe is soooo easy and delicious. I used a rapid yeast as the recipe says, but I have a lot or regular yeast on hand. Will regular yeast alter the results? I look forward to trying more of your recipes.
I’m so glad this recipe was what you were looking for, Nancy!
I’ve used regular yeast in this before and it works well with this adjustment: don’t add the salt with the yeast, just the water, and wait about 5 minutes before adding the salt and remaining ingredients. That’s basically the difference – instant yeast can be added directly and regular yeast needs a bit of proofing first. 🙂
Thanks so much for the review!
Can you use only white flour? I don’t want to buy multiple types of flour and waste some, so I’m wondering if I can use only white flour.
Yes, you can use one type if you want.
Can’t believe it – a simple, successful artisan bread recipe! Looks great and tastes even better. Feeling very proud of myself. Thank you
Yay!! You’re so welcome 🙂
I found your website while researching how to grow rhubarb and saw your video on sourdough bread. I make my sandwich bread using my Mom’s hot roll recipe and have been studying bread and sourdough bread making. I started a new starter this year as the one I had in the back of the fridge went bad. After doing a number of discards and feedings over the last few months I still wasn’t sure my starter was strong enough. So I tried your Easy Sourdough Artisan Bread Recipe. Wow! My bread came out looking like I bought it at a San Francisco sourdough bakery and tastes just as good! You are my new go-to website. Thank you!
Yay – this is wonderful, Andrea, I’m so glad it turned out so great! Thank YOU for reviewing and reading along. 🙂
Hi! When measuring the flour, do you lightly spoon it into the measuring cups, or do you directly scoop it with the measuring cups? Thanks!
I scoop and level. 🙂