If your past attempts at making homemade bread have let you down—or if you’ve never tried to bake your own before—this recipe is for you. Our crusty bread recipe turns out a beautiful loaf with a crispy, crackly crust and a soft, light crumb inside. There’s very little hands-on work, so it’s easy to make bakery-quality bread while getting other things done, like playing with your kids or just reading a good book.
So get ready; by this time tomorrow, you can be slicing into your very own handmade, fragrant crusty bread!
How to Make Crusty Bread
A steamy environment is key to both a crackly crust and a good rise. Professional bread bakers get this with steam injectors in their ovens. At home, you can generate steam with a covered pan that traps moisture. Once that steam hits the dough, the starches on the surface gelatinize. When paired with high heat, the outer layer hardens and browns into a crisp crust.
Grab a sharp knife or razor and unleash your inner artist with simple or decorative bread scoring in the flour-dusted surface of the dough. As the bread bakes, the slashes expand and darken, revealing a contrast with the lighter, floured areas.
Ingredients for Crusty Bread
- Active dry yeast: Find active dry yeast in envelopes or containers in the baking aisle. Instant yeast, which activates a little more quickly than active dry, can also be used in this recipe.
- Warm water: The water should be between 110° and 115°F. At that temperature, the water is warm enough to activate the yeast, but not so hot that it will kill it. A digital thermometer is the easiest way to check the temperature.
- All-purpose flour: While many bread recipes call for bread flour, whole wheat flour or other specialty flours, this recipe keeps things simple with all-purpose flour. To create a heartier crusty bread that’s still soft and light, you can substitute whole wheat flour for up to half of the all-purpose flour called for in the recipe.
- Cornmeal: A sprinkle of cornmeal in the bottom of the pan helps prevent the bread from sticking, and gives the slices a bit of texture, too. If you don’t have cornmeal, just use a little extra flour instead.
- Salt: Don’t skip the salt. Not only does salt make this loaf taste better, but it also helps with the structure of the bread, building a stronger network of gluten.
Directions
Step 1: Create a sticky dough
In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water. Using a rubber spatula, stir in 3-1/2 cups of flour and the salt to form a soft, sticky dough. Do not knead the dough. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature for one hour.
Editor’s Tip: If you have yeast at home that’s been hanging around a while, test the yeast before using it in your bread. Stir some yeast into a cup of warm water with a little sugar added, and let it sit for 10 minutes. Yeast that’s still alive will start to bubble and foam; if it doesn’t, the yeast has died and should be thrown out.
Step 2: Prepare the dough for the next rise
Stir down the dough (it will be sticky). Turn it out onto a floured surface and with floured hands pat it into a 9-inch square. Fold the square into thirds, forming a 9×3-inch rectangle. Fold this rectangle into thirds, forming a 3-inch square. Place the dough square in a large greased bowl, turning it once to grease the top. Cover the dough and let it rise at room temperature until it has almost doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Editor’s Tip: A bench scraper is an invaluable bread making tool that makes it easy to handle sticky bread dough like this one. You can use it when making pie crusts and pastry dough, too.
Step 3: Chill the dough overnight
Punch down the dough and repeat the folding process from Step 2. Return the dough to the greased bowl. Cover the bowl and refrigerate it overnight.
Step 4: Shape the dough
Grease the bottom of a disposable foil roasting pan with sides that are at least 4 inches high. Dust the pan with cornmeal. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. Knead it gently six to eight times, then shape it into a 6-inch round loaf.
Editor’s Tip: A large Dutch oven works well in place of a disposable foil pan, if you have one.
Step 5: Give it a final rise
Transfer the dough into the prepared pan and dust the top with the remaining 1 tablespoon of flour. Cover the pan and let the dough rise at room temperature until it has expanded to a 7-1/2-inch loaf, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Editor’s Tip: Tuck the edges underneath to make a taut, smooth surface over the top of the round.
Step 6: Bake the bread in two stages
Move the oven rack to its lowest position and preheat the oven to 500°. Using a sharp knife or a lame, make a slash that’s 1/4 inch deep across the top of loaf. Cover the pan tightly with foil. Bake it for 25 minutes.
Reduce the oven setting to 450°. Remove the foil, then bake the bread for another 25-30 minutes until it’s deep golden brown. Remove the loaf from the oven and transfer it to a wire rack to cool. Let the loaf cool completely before slicing into it.
Editor’s Tip: Using a lame is a technique we picked up from the pros! This thin French razor blade is used to make decorative slashes in your loaf.
Crusty Bread Variations
- Cheddar cheese bread: Dice four ounces of sharp cheddar cheese. After the dough has rested overnight in the fridge, fold the cheese into the dough before shaping it into a round loaf.
- Garlic-oregano bread: Peel 1/2 cup of garlic cloves and cut them into quarters. Add the garlic to 1/4 cup of 2% milk and microwave them on high for 45 seconds. Drain the garlic and discard the milk. After the dough has rested in the fridge overnight, fold the garlic into the dough along with 2 tablespoons of minced fresh oregano (or 2 teaspoons of dried oregano). Shape the dough as directed.
- Cranberry-orange bread: Turn this homemade loaf into a cranberry bread recipe! After the dough has rested in the fridge overnight, fold in 1 cup of dried cranberries and 4 teaspoons of orange zest. Then shape the dough as directed.
- Everything seasoning bread: Just before baking, brush or lightly spray the top of the dough with water. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of everything bagel seasoning blend over the surface.
How to Store Crusty Bread
To prevent your bread from getting stale, store the cooled loaf in an airtight container or a tightly sealed bread storage bag. You can store the bread this way at room temperature for three to five days. During hot and humid weather, it may be necessary to store your bread, tightly wrapped, in the fridge to prevent mold growth. This is not recommended, however, since the crust will soften up and the bread will dry out. To give it some crisp again, put the uncovered loaf on a baking sheet in a 350° oven for 5 to 10 minutes.
Can you freeze homemade crusty bread?
Yes, you can freeze homemade crusty bread. Wrap the cooled loaf in a freezer-proof bag or two layers of bread storage bags with the air pressed out. Store it in the freezer for up to three months. Let the bread thaw, still wrapped, in the fridge. You can also slice the loaf before wrapping and freezing it; this way, it’s easy to grab a slice or two at a time to put into the toaster.
Homemade Crusty Bread Tips
What temperature should the water be for proofing yeast?
The water used to dissolve and activate the yeast should be in the range of 110° to 115°. Monitoring the water temperature is important because too-hot water can kill the yeast and prevent the bread from rising. If you don’t have a thermometer, hold your hand under hot water running from the kitchen tap. When it feels hot, but you can still comfortably keep your hand under it, the water should be in the 110° to 115° range. If you have to pull your hand away, the water is too hot.
What can you do if your dough doesn’t rise?
There are several reasons why your bread dough may not be rising. It could be that the yeast is too old and has failed to activate, which is why it’s smart to test your yeast before starting. It could also be that there’s not enough moisture in the environment, which means the surface of the bread won’t expand as nicely. Combat this by using a lidded container or by covering the bowl with storage wrap instead of a dish towel.
If your dough still isn’t rising, it may be the temperature of your kitchen. The ideal temperature for bread to rise is around 75°. A proofing box or an oven with a proofing setting can help with this. Here are a few other options:
- Put the bowl of dough in an oven that’s warmed by the heat of the oven light, turned on an hour ahead of time.
- Heat a cup of water in the microwave to create a steamy environment, then put the bowl of dough inside with the door closed.
- Put the dough on top of the fridge or on a high shelf where the air is warmer than on the counter.
- Place the bowl on a heating pad set to its lowest setting.
Above all, be patient and give your dough all the time it needs to fully rise; it develops the best flavor this way. Resist the temptation to speed the process with excess heat, which can lead to overproofing and sunken loaves.
Why is my bread dough wet and sticky?
It’s important to remember that because this is a yeast bread with barely any kneading, the dough should be wet and sticky. In other bread recipes, kneading creates the network of gluten that gives bread its structure; in recipes like this, gluten forms very slowly during the long rising times. For this to succeed, the dough needs a lot of moisture. To make the sticky dough easier to handle, dust the work surface and your hands with flour. A bench scraper also makes it much easier to pick up and move sticky dough.
How do you keep crusty bread from getting too brown or overbaked?
If you see that your crusty bread is getting very brown on top before it’s finished baking, drape a piece of foil over the top to protect it. The bread is done once it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom with your knuckles (though you likely will only be able to test this once the bread has cooled). Another way to check is with a digital thermometer—when the temperature at the center of the loaf reaches 190°, the bread is done.
How do you bake crusty bread in a Dutch oven?
A Dutch oven is a great choice for homemade bread baking. It traps steam inside to increase the loaf’s height and encourage its crackly crust. Use a large Dutch oven, 4-1/2 quarts or bigger. Grease the bottom (or put in a square of parchment paper) and add a sprinkle of cornmeal. Put the lid on the Dutch oven for the first half of the baking time, and remove it for the second half.
What do you eat with crusty bread?
This bread is delicious on its own, or with a heavy smear of butter, jam or honey. It’s also perfect for dunking into garlic confit or your favorite tomato soup. A fresh green salad makes a nice accompaniment. If you love a good sandwich—like a chicken salad sandwich, avocado BLT or grilled cheese—you can hardly do better than to make one with your own, homemade crusty bread.
