No Knead Dutch Oven Bread

Yes, you can have homemade bread from scratch!

Yes, it's easy!

Yes, you will look like a damn baker!

Homemade breads intimidate a lot of people, myself included, because it can be an intricate, time consuming, and challenging task.

Andddd if you screw up after cooking for several hours, you may have the meltdown of the century (at least that's how I handle it)

Cooking and baking should be fun.

I'm not sure when it became daunting and a chore more than a hobby. Maybe you've had a horrible kitchen experience, but take a step back and realize it's just food.

Don't take it so seriously, crazypants.

So back to the bread.

Growing up, my mom had a bread machine during my preteen and high school years and she would make fresh dinner rolls often. It was an awesome, gluten-filled childhood.

I currently do not have a bread machine, nor do I have a standing mixer which makes most bread recipes difficult.

But not this recipe!

Oh no, you don't need any special tools for this. Just a Dutch oven, a mixing bowl, and a wooden spoon.

This is not an original recipe of mine because I'm not that brilliant. It's from Jo Cooks and she does an amazing job going into detail with all of her recipes.

This bread will take a while from start to finish, but actual work time is 5 minutes total. Not kidding.

In the following weeks, I'll try to take this recipe a step further and show what you can make once this bread has been baked - spinach and artichoke bread bowl or baked brie anyone?!

Make this bread and impress all of your friends, family, and in-laws!

No Knead Dutch Oven Bread

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon active dry yeast
• 1 ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cup warm water (important!)

1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir. Add the warm water to the bowl and mix to combine. The mixture will be very sticky! Cover the bowl completely with plastic wrap and place on the back of your counter, NOT in the fridge (I told you it was easy)
2. Let dough rest for 9-18 hours. Yes, it's a long time, but worth it. I usually bake mine after 12 hours (set before bed and then bake mid morning)
3. Once dough has rested, it should have doubled in size - thanks yeast!!
4. Transfer dough to floured surface and then fold twice and attempt to form a ball
5. At this time, preheat your oven to 450 degrees and place your Dutch Oven in the oven while preheating
6. Once fully preheated or around 20 minutes, remove Dutch Oven from the oven and flour the bottom of it lightly. This will help the dough not to stick
7. Add your ball of dough to the Dutch Oven, cover and bake for 30 minutes.
8. Remove lid and then bake for another 15-20 minutes or until the crust is super crispy and brown.
9. Let rest for 5 minutes and then remove from the Dutch Oven
10. Let cool COMPLETELY before slicing
11. Use this delicious bread to make avocado toast or to dip in olive oil and balsamic vinegar!

Dough pics below for reference -