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No Knead Overnight Loaf

This is truly a no fail recipe that anyone can make, no bread making experience is required. Take just 5 minutes to mix up the ingredients and leave on the counter and bake at your convenience anywhere from 8-24 hours later. This loaf has the flavor profile and nutritional benefits of long fermentation without needing a sourdough starter or fussing with timed stretch and folds. Perfect for a fancy dinner loaf or just basic sandwiches, this is the easiest bread recipe you'll ever find.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
fermentation 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 5 minutes
Course Baked Goods

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups bread flour
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • ½-1 teaspoon dry active yeast
  • 1½ cup water

Instructions
 

  • In a large mixing bowl, add flour, salt and yeast (use full teaspoon if fermenting for less than 10 hours)
  • Add water and mix until a shaggy dough forms and all the flour is mixed in
  • Cover and leave on the counter to ferment for anywhere from 8-24 hours
  • When you're ready to bake, preheat oven to 425℉ and set dutch oven in the oven to preheat without its lid
  • Turn dough out onto a floured surface and shape into a loaf by going around and tucking the dough under itself and gently pulling it toward you creating tension. Rotate and repeat until you have a nice tidy loaf
  • Place on a piece of parchment paper and cover with the bowl. Let sit for 30 minutes to rest
  • After resting, use a sharp knife to slice at least one score across the loaf for moisture to vent. If you don't do this the loaf will choose its own spot to vent open
  • Carefully set inside hot dutch oven, cover with the lid and bake for 30 minutes
  • After 30 minutes, remove lid and bake for 12-15 minutes more until the crust is golden brown
  • Cool completely on rack before cutting

Notes

  • If you plan to ferment for longer than 8 hours, only use 1/2 a teaspoon of yeast, otherwise use the full teaspoon
  • This is truly a no fail recipe, you can leave the dough on the counter from anywhere from 8-24 hours and it will turn out. I've even had my 9 year old daughter make this herself
  • This makes a perfect loaf for dinner, sandwiches for lunch, french toast for breakfast, or an any time snack
Keyword bread, long ferment, no knead