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No-Knead Crusty White Bread

Making bread from scratch is not at all difficult if you’ve tried it.  A few years ago it was a cinch as my bread machine did the majority of the work, the results weren’t too bad, but I don’t have that bread machine anymore.  Over the years, I’ve enjoyed trying out fairly simple recipes to conquer that yeast fear.  I used to feel pretty intimidated with the seemingly complex and work intensive process of baking fresh bread.   Homemade bread is substantially tastier than store-bought bread, it isn’t laden with preservatives, nor is it expensive to make, and doesn’t take all that much time, either.  Those were reasons enough to motivate me.  I’ve since enjoyed trying and testing various recipes, including tips and tricks from different sources.  King Arthur Flour’s website comes up quite frequently on my Facebook page, I’d like to give them credit for this recipe.  It is so basic, but by reading their step-by-step instructions here, you’ll be able to master some of the do’s and dont’s almost right away.  I’ve also found that by watching videos online, it gives me that added confidence to try out anything.  I learned how to roll my own sushi with this method.  Will save that post for a later date :)

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The full recipe calls for the ingredients below.  However I halved it as I wanted to test it out first.  My results yielded a couple of smaller loaves and a baguette.  I love the rustic and artisan-style look to these loaves, don’t you?  This particular recipe is great as you can mix your dough, then leave it in your refrigerator for just over a week.  As it is resting in your refrigerator, it is developing flavor all that time.  Just grab whatever you need from the dough, let it rise in a warm space, then bake it and voila! you have fresh bread at your fingertips for a week at a time.  I’d like to try mixing wholewheat flour to the recipe for the next batch.  My husband craves bread, in any shape or form, so imagine his joy when fresh bread is literally at his fingertips.  I love the cutting board, my older daughter always gifts me with amazing kitchen gifts from all her travels.  Thanks Val :)

  • 3 cups lukewarm water
  • 6 1/2 to 7 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons instant or active dry yeast
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The results were amazing, when toasted it was even more crusty and delicious!  Go on, give it a try, you won’t be disappointed.

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Slathered some butter on this loaf when it was ready and we were in bread heaven :)

I’m linking this post to Angie’s Fiesta Friday #102.  Thanks to our lovely co-hosts Elaine @ foodbod and Julie @ Hostess at Heart.

48 comments

    1. Thanks Suzanne, what I thought was great about this particular recipe was that you mix this big batch and just leave it in the refrigerator, the longer it keeps (just over a week), they say it tastes like sourdough bread. I loved the idea of just grabbing what I need and baking it fresh each time. Thanks for stopping by :)

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  4. Very nice-looking bread, Loretta! :-) I have toasts or bagels every single morning. I need to start making my own on a regular basis, don’t you think? And your recipe is the easiest one there is. Thanks! :-)

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    1. Thank you much Dear Angie, I love toasts in the mornings too. What’s wonderful about this recipe is the fact that you can let it sit in the refrigerator for just over a week, it makes a huge batch, and you just take whatever you need for the day and bake it…..you’ll have fresh, buttery bread before work each day. Thanks for putting on yet another great FF party. :)

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    1. Thanks so much Elaine, you’re spot on! That ingredient of love makes it all so good in the end, no matter how much you toil and labor over a hot stove :) Happy weekend, thanks so much for co-hosting :)

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  6. Loretta, this recipe just makes my bread loving heart go pitter patter. I’m definitely going to make this bread. My wonderful children gave me two new bread books for Christmas and I haven’t dove in yet. I think this weekend I’m going to cuddle up with my cherished new books. My drug of choice is fresh bread with butter and a glass of red wine.

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    1. Ha ha Julie, being endorsed by the Bread Queen herself, makes my own heart go “pitter patter” :). Thanks so much, not quite there yet, but I liked this recipe as you could make a whole batch and leave it in the refrigerator for just over a week, grabbing a bit each day as you go along and freshly baking it. I’ll now have to try using half white and half wholewheat, as I’m not too crazy about the denseness of wholewheat on its own. Can’t wait to see what your bread books reveal in the upcoming weeks, that was awful thoughtful of your children to give you those gifts for Christmas. Happy weekend, and thanks for co-hosting :)

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    1. No you do not need a bread maker for this Belle. It’s really quite simple, give it a go, you’ll be so proud of yourself. Love banana bread, I just baked a loaf last weekend when we went up to visit our girls in NYC, it had choc chips in it too – that’s what they request in the banana bread :).

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  10. Loretta this is such a gorgeous loaf!! I have been making this no knead crusty bread from quite some time now, I really enjoy slathering some butter on it for breakfast. The taste definitely is superior and cannot be compared to store bought ones. I love your cutting board too, great gift :)

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    1. Thank you Freda, nothing quite like the aroma and taste of freshly baked bread that’s true. I made an English Muffin bread too a while ago which I’ll surely replicate, it was even better toasted. Yes, cherish my cutting board, I only use it for cutting breads or serving cheese and such on it. Thank you.

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    1. You’re spot on Juliana! Nothing like it. It is so easy, you ought to give it a go, it makes one feel all professional, but believe me I’m just a beginner. :) Have a lovely weekend.

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    1. Thanks Johanne. Gosh we keep losing sight of one another, so good to see you. Will have to catch up on your postings too. Nothing quite like freshly baked bread is there eh? Have a lovely weekend, no snow here yet, and I’m happy to keep it that way :)

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      2. Aww, that’s a shame Johanne, I wonder what could be wrong. I usually don’t like receiving emails, as I get so many, so I just click on the Reader. So each day, when I check, all the new posts from different bloggers,appear under “Reader”. You can find Reader on the top left hand corner of your screen. So when you click the Follow Button, (this would be for any blog you sign up for), you’ll get a confirmation email saying you’ve signed up for it. I click on that, then it takes me to another box with the name of the blog, I click “unsubscribe” here, because I don’t want it in my email folder, just under Reader. The only email I get is from Angie for Fiesta Friday, the others just appear in My Reader. This way you’ll get less emails, but still be able to read all the blogs you’ve signed up for. Let me know if you need me to walk you through it some more.

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    1. Thanks Judi, yes unfortunately I have to watch my bread intake too. Your rolls sound wonderful too, I love the simplicity and ease of this recipe. It is so handy to have it all made up in the refrigerator.

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    1. Thank you Sue, yes this is definitely a time saver recipe as you can just bake fresh bread as you go. The dough can sit in your refrigerator for just over a week. Thanks for stopping.

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  17. This bread looks so lovely and comforting, Loretta. I like the fact that you can refrigerate the dough. I used to also like to bake my own bread every now and then. Last 6 months haven’t done so because of my health issues but this recipe looks like a winner and will have to give it a try!

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    1. Thanks Indu, it truly is comforting and satisfying to the palate. I just made another large batch yesterday, it will sit in my refrigerator for a week. I can grab some whenever I want to make fresh bread, my husband cannot get enough of it, however I try to limit my carb intake :) Thanks for stopping. :)

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