This No-Fail Recipe Makes Homemade Bread Blissfully Simple (2024)

Bread has never really been my forte, so if I can manage to bake delicious homemade bread with this recipe, anyone can!

Jill Nystul·October 6, 2023


This No-Fail Recipe Makes Homemade Bread Blissfully Simple (2)

This No-Fail Recipe Makes Homemade Bread Blissfully Simple (3)

I haven’t always been the most confident baker when it comes to recipes that call for yeast, but that was before I was introduced to this easy overnight bread! The thought of baking a loaf of bread from scratch can be intimidating, but this recipe is so simple that even the most novice baker could pull it off.

Plus, we all know that the aroma and flavor of freshly baked bread are their own rewards! A slice of warm bread with butter is one of life’s simple pleasures, one that’s easier to enjoy than ever with this simple overnight method.

Give it a try, and experience the rewards of making your own bread for yourself!

Looking for bread sans gluten? Don’t miss my favorite gluten-free bread recipe!

How To Make Easy Overnight Bread (No Kneading Required!)

This No-Fail Recipe Makes Homemade Bread Blissfully Simple (4)

Ingredients:

  • All-purpose flour
  • Kosher salt
  • Active dry yeast
  • Warm water

Directions:

This No-Fail Recipe Makes Homemade Bread Blissfully Simple (5)

Step 1 – Mix The Dough

Start by whisking the flour, salt, and yeast together in a medium-sized bowl. Gradually add the water and stir with a wooden spoon. Mix the dough gently and form it into a ball.

This No-Fail Recipe Makes Homemade Bread Blissfully Simple (6)

Step 2 – Rest

Transfer the dough to a large ungreased bowl, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set it aside in a room-temperature area. Let the dough rise for 12-18 hours, or until the surface is covered in bubbles and the dough has at least doubled in size.

This No-Fail Recipe Makes Homemade Bread Blissfully Simple (7)

Step 3 – Prep The Dough

When the dough is ready, place cast iron pot with a lid (like a Dutch oven) inside your oven, turn it on, and set it to 450°F. Let the Dutch oven warm up in your oven for about 30 minutes or so.

This No-Fail Recipe Makes Homemade Bread Blissfully Simple (8)

Transfer the dough to a floured surface. Fold the corners of the dough under to create a smooth, rounded ball, then place the dough on a large square of parchment paper and dust the surface with flour. Let the dough rest for about 15 minutes.

This No-Fail Recipe Makes Homemade Bread Blissfully Simple (9)

Next, use a sharp knife to score an X-shape into the top of the dough. (The cuts should be shallow and just a few inches long.) Then use a spray bottle on the mist setting to spray the top of the dough lightly with water.

This No-Fail Recipe Makes Homemade Bread Blissfully Simple (10)

Step 4 – Bake

Remove your preheated Dutch oven and use the parchment paper to lower the dough into the pot. Place the lid back on the Dutch oven and bake for 30 minutes.

This No-Fail Recipe Makes Homemade Bread Blissfully Simple (11)

At this point, remove the lid and bake your bread for an additional 8-15 minutes to get a deeper color on the crust. You want the top to be dark, but not burnt.

This No-Fail Recipe Makes Homemade Bread Blissfully Simple (12)

Remove the finished bread from the oven and cool on a rack for 30 minutes before slicing.

More Ideas You'll Love

This Is The Best Fix For Sticky Residue On Hardwood Floors

Residue can leave your wood floors hazy, sticky, and impossible to clean, but I'll show you a surefire way to get rid of it. Continue Reading

This No-Fail Recipe Makes Homemade Bread Blissfully Simple (14)

Step 5 – Eat!

Now comes the best part: eating! I love a slice of this bread toasted, buttered, and sprinkled with the perfect cinnamon sugar mix. Or slather a piece of your fresh homemade bread in nut butter or jam, and dig in!

More Bread Baking Tips & Tricks

  • If you don’t own a Dutch oven, or a cast iron pot, you can use the insert of your crock-pot or a deep stoneware baking dish. And if those don’t have an oven-safe lid, you can always cover it with foil instead!
  • Customize your loaf by mixing in your favorite ingredients. Add garlic and herbs for a savory loaf, dried fruit and nuts for a sweeter loaf, or a handful of your favorite shredded cheese. Yum!
  • For an even quicker bread, try my mom’s English Muffin Bread!

This No-Fail Recipe Makes Homemade Bread Blissfully Simple (15)

No-Knead Overnight Bread Recipe

Jill Nystul

This recipe makes the process of baking homemade bread unbelievably easy, not to mention unbeatably delicious!

4.06 from 518 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 12 hours hrs

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 12 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Course Bread

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Calories 371 kcal

Ingredients

  • 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 – 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
  • 1 1/2 cups warm water

Instructions

  • Whisk the flour, salt, and yeast together in a medium-sized bowl.

  • Gradually add the water while stirring with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together into a ball.

  • Transfer the dough to a large ungreased bowl, then cover with plastic wrap. Leave the bowl out at room temperature for 12-18 hours, or until the surface is covered in bubbles and the dough has doubled in size.

  • Place a Dutch or French oven in your oven, then set it to 450°F. Let the Dutch oven warm up for about 30 minutes.

  • Transfer the dough to a floured surface, then fold the corners of the dough under to form a smooth, rounded surface. Place the dough on a large square of parchment paper, then dust with flour and let it rest for 15 minutes.

  • Use a sharp knife to score an X-shape into the top of the dough. (The cuts should be shallow and just a few inches long.) Mist the top of the dough lightly with water.

  • Remove the preheated Dutch oven, then use the parchment paper to place the dough inside. Cover the Dutch oven and bake for 30 minutes.

  • After 30 minutes, remove the lid and continue baking for an additional 8-15 minutes.

  • Transfer the loaf to a cooling rack and allow it cool for 30 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Don’t own a Dutch or French oven? Use the insert of your crockpot or a deep enameled baking dish. If your chosen vessel doesn’t have an oven-safe lid, just cover the dish with aluminum foil where indicated.

Customize your loaf with flavorful add-ins! Try garlic and herbs for a savory loaf, dried fruit and nuts for a sweeter loaf, or a handful of your favorite cheese.

Nutrition

Calories: 371kcalCarbohydrates: 77gProtein: 10gFat: 1gSodium: 6mgPotassium: 108mgFiber: 2gCalcium: 18mgIron: 4.7mg

Read This Next

  • Clone of a Cinnabon
  • 23 Items Under $5 That Can Save Your Life!
  • How to Clean Stove Burners With Ammonia And Zero Elbow Grease
This No-Fail Recipe Makes Homemade Bread Blissfully Simple (2024)

FAQs

How to make homemade bread taste less yeasty? ›

Allow the bread to rise in a draft-free 80°F to 90°F area away from a heat source. If the area is too warm, bread will rise too fast and begin cooking before the yeast has finished acting. This will impart a "yeasty" taste to the dough that will be transferred to the finished baked loaf.

What does too much yeast taste like in bread? ›

Strange, sour taste or smell

Problem: Your bread has a fermented, alcoholic smell or taste to it. Causes: Too much yeast.

Why does my bread always fail? ›

It may indicate the kneading wasn't enough for the gluten to develop properly, or the dough was proved for too short a time or the dough may have been too dry. It is also worth checking the flour you used. Always use strong flour instead of plain and make sure too much salt was not added.

What are the 7 stages of bread making? ›

It consists of a series of steps including mixing, fermentation, makeup, proofing, baking, cooling, slicing and packaging. Due to their critical role, these processes must be carefully operated to meet pre-set conditions and specifications.

What can I add to homemade bread to make it taste better? ›

Granulated sugar or honey: the sugar is used to “feed” the yeast and tenderize the bread. Salt: to enhance flavor. Oil: Vegetable or canola oil, or melted butter could be substituted.

What kills yeast in bread making? ›

Ultimately, if you've waited for a bit and your dough isn't rising and you think your yeast is dead, don't blame the salt: Yeast can lose its effectiveness if it's improperly stored, or if it's combined with water that's too hot (over 139°F).

What are the common mistakes in bread making? ›

The top mistakes you're making when you bake bread
  1. You're measuring incorrectly. ...
  2. Your yeast is old. ...
  3. You're using low-protein flour. ...
  4. You're using too much flour (or water) ...
  5. Your oven isn't hot enough.
Apr 15, 2020

Why does my homemade bread fall apart so easily? ›

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.

Can you let bread rise too long? ›

If the dough has risen too long, it's going to feel fragile and might even collapse as you poke it,” says Maggie. If this is the case, there's a chance you can save your dough by giving it a quick re-shape. Learn more about this fix in our blog on saving overproofed dough.

What temperature do you bake bread at? ›

Pop the loaves into a 375º oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. The loaves should be golden brown. If you want to be sure they're baked through, use your thermometer to check the internal temperature of the bread. You're looking for about 185º.

What is the most important step in bread making? ›

Kneading Dough: Kneading bread dough is an important process to developing a gluten structure which strengthens the bread. It also creates a more even crumb for the final product and improves the flavor of the bread.

How do you fix too much yeast in bread? ›

Increase salt: Increase the amount of salt in the dough to 2.2% of the flour used in the recipe. Salt helps to control the yeast and can help mitigate the effects of too much yeast.

Why does my homemade bread smell yeasty? ›

If your bread has a sour, yeasty flavour and smells of alcohol then you have either used too much yeast.or you may have use stale yeast or creamed fresh yeast with sugar.

How to reduce yeast in dough? ›

In order to use less yeast you're going to add time and/or warmth to the dough preparation process. Enriched doughs (those with lots of butter, eggs, milk, and/or sugar) can develop off flavors in a warmer environment, or in the time it takes for reduced amounts of yeast to grow and work at cool room temperature.

Why do you add baking soda to yeast bread? ›

If you add baking soda to a quick bread, the gas bubbles it releases into the batter lifts your bread. When the combination of baking soda and acid combines with heat, proteins in the batter (like eggs) turn rigid. The rigid structure traps the gas and results in a light, fluffy texture.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Kelle Weber

Last Updated:

Views: 5888

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (53 voted)

Reviews: 84% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Kelle Weber

Birthday: 2000-08-05

Address: 6796 Juan Square, Markfort, MN 58988

Phone: +8215934114615

Job: Hospitality Director

Hobby: tabletop games, Foreign language learning, Leather crafting, Horseback riding, Swimming, Knapping, Handball

Introduction: My name is Kelle Weber, I am a magnificent, enchanting, fair, joyous, light, determined, joyous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.