No Knead Cheddar Bread (Printable)
Rustic golden loaf with crisp crust and tender cheesy crumb. Perfect for sandwiches and toast.
# What You Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1½ teaspoons salt
03 - ½ teaspoon instant yeast
→ Cheddar
04 - 1½ cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
→ Wet Ingredients
05 - 1¼ cups lukewarm water
# How-To:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and instant yeast until thoroughly blended.
02 - Add the grated cheddar to the flour mixture and toss to distribute evenly throughout.
03 - Pour in the lukewarm water and mix with a wooden spoon or spatula until a shaggy, sticky dough forms. The dough will look rough and not perfectly smooth.
04 - Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or a clean towel. Let dough rise at room temperature for 3–4 hours, or until doubled in size with bubbles visible on the surface.
05 - Preheat your oven to 450°F. Place a Dutch oven or heavy pot with lid inside to heat up for at least 30 minutes before baking.
06 - Lightly flour a work surface and your hands. Carefully turn the risen dough out, shape it into a round loaf, and place it on parchment paper.
07 - Cover the shaped loaf with a towel and let rest for 20–30 minutes while the oven continues to heat thoroughly.
08 - Using oven mitts, carefully remove the preheated pot from the oven. Lift the dough with the parchment paper and lower it into the hot pot.
09 - Cover the pot with the lid and bake for 30 minutes to create steam and develop the crust.
10 - Remove the lid and bake for another 10–15 minutes until the crust achieves a deep golden color and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
11 - Transfer the bread to a wire rack and let cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing to allow the crumb to set.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It requires zero kneading, just mix and walk away for hours
- The cheddar creates these irresistible savory pockets throughout the crumb
02 -
- The dough will look impossibly sticky and messy, but this is exactly how it should look
- Using a preheated Dutch oven creates the steam needed for that crispy, professional crust
03 -
- Parchment paper makes transferring the dough into the hot pot completely foolproof
- The hollow tap test is the most reliable way to know the bread is done