No Knead Overnight Bread

Only 5 ingredients, no fancy gadgets, and NO elbow grease make this no knead overnight bread the EASIEST, healthy, homemade bread recipe you can find! Customize this recipe by adding your favorite herbs and then TRY to stop eating it! I dare you! I guarantee that it will be hard for you keep paying $7/loaf once you starting making your own, easy no knead artisan bread at home!

I am a sucker for a good loaf of bread and around where I live there are so many fabulous bakery/artisan bread shops. Although the taste is worth it, I just find it so difficult to justify paying so much for a loaf of bread! So I used to treat myself occasionally, but stuck to store bought for the most part. That was until I starting baking my own, homemade breads.

I fell in love with having a warm, fresh-baked loaf of bread in the morning. The trouble was, I hated how much work I had to put into getting it! Most bread recipes call for lots of kneading, various proofing times, and several ingredients that I never had on hand. Then I started making my bread with this no knead bread recipe. GAME CHANGER!

What I LOVE about this overnight bread recipe:

1. The work is MINIMAL! All you have to do is mix the FIVE ingredients up with a spoon!
2. There is only one proof time AND it can be done overnight. There is no “punching down and reproofing”. You simply cover the bowl with plastic wrap after mixing the dough together and LEAVE IT!
3. Baking times are ACCURATE and the bread comes out PERFECTLY every time!
4. The recipe is SUPER versatile! You can add just about any herb/flavor you want to this recipe and enhance you homemade artisan bread in an instant! In the recipe, I wrote that you should add two tablespoons of your favorite herbs, but you can add more or less to taste without effecting the outcome of the bread.

Some of my favorite flavor combinations:

1. Garlic – Rosemary (I add about 3 tablespoons of minces garlic or 5 cloves and a tablespoon of dried rosemary)
2. Sundried tomato – Basil (about a handful of sundried tomatoes and a tablespoon of dried basil)
3. Garlic – Chive (I used minced/fresh garlic and dried chives)
4. Rosemary – Thyme – Basil (close to a tablespoon of each)
5. Rosemary – Thyme

Why I prefer to bake this homemade bread in a deep dish, covered baker:

The four quart, stone, deep-dish covered baker from Pampered Chef is my preferred cooking vessel for this recipe. I have also made this in a Staub cast iron Dutch oven and it turned out well, but the bottom crust was thicker and more difficult to cut through. If you like a tougher crust, then a cast iron may be your preferred vessel. However, I like a thin, crispy crust all around and find the stone baker provides this.

I also prefer the shape of the loaf that the stone baker provides. It is more of a loaf shape and results in more even, uniform slices than a round vessel.

How to make this EASY, no knead overnight bread:

Equipment Needed:

• 1 Mixing bowl
• 1 Wooden Spatula
• 4 QT Deep dish, covered baker with lid **see note below for other cooking vessel options

Cooking Vessel Options:

1. (Pampered Chef) 4 QT. Stone Deep Dish Baker **preferred**
2. Round Cast Iron Dutch Oven (3.5-5.5 QT) **finishes with a tougher bottom crust
3. Any 3.5-5.5 QT. oven-safe pot with lid **results will vary slightly from preferred vessel

Ingredients:

• 2 c Whole Wheat Flour *sifted
• 2 c All-Purpose Flour *sifted
• 3/4 tsp Active Dry Yeast *half a packet
• 2 tsp Salt
• 2 tbsp Herbs of your choice **optional
• 2 c Warm Water

Shopping List:

• Whole Wheat Flour
• All-Purpose Flour
• Salt
• Active Dry Yeast 
• Herbs of your choice

Instructions to making the perfect no knead wheat bread:

1. Sift the flours and mix in the yeast, salt and herbs.
2. Slowly add warm water, stirring with wooden spatula until well combined.
3. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and leave it sit in a warm space.
4. Let rest for 12-18 hours (overnight) until doubled in size and bubbling on top.
5. Place cooking vessel and lid in oven while preheating oven to 450F for 30 minutes.
6. Uncover dough.
7. Pour about a cup of all-purpose flour over top of dough ball in bowl.
8. Working on picking the dough up, continuously move flour around outside of dough ball until completely covered with a thin layer of flour and you are able to remove from mixing bowl.
9. Place ball on parchment paper and let sit for 15 minutes.
10. Score dough lightly with an “X” (about 1/8″) and sprinkle with water before baking.
11. Remove dish from oven and carefully lower dough on paper into the middle.
12. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes.
13. Remove lid and bake for another 10 minutes to achieve that perfectly browned, crusty top.
14. Remove from baking dish and cool on wire rack before slicing and serving!
15. Store in an airtight container or Ziploc bag at room temperature for up to a week/ in the fridge for 2+ weeks.

Notes:

Cooking Vessel Options:

1. (Pampered Chef) 4 QT. Stone Deep Dish Baker **preferred**
2. Round Cast Iron Dutch Oven (3.5-5.5 QT) **finishes with a tougher bottom crust
3. Any 3.5-5.5 QT. oven-safe pot with lid **results will vary slightly from preferred

Mix in Herb Ideas:

1. Rosemary
2. Thyme
3. Garlic
4. Basil
5. Italian Seasoning
6. Sundried Tomato
7. Chive

Have more fun with it:

Adding cheese to the top during the final 10 minute bake really elevates your bread flavor! That’s what I did for the loaf pictured at the top of this article! I’ve also added cinnamon to the bread and topped it with brown sugar and cinnamon streusel!

Most frequently asked question:

Q. Can you use all all purpose flour instead of wheat flour?

A. Yes!  Same measurements and the dough works the same!

Make sure to check out these other EASY recipes from Struggle Shuttle:

Lazy Housewife Pickles

Classic Sloppy Joes with Tomato Soup

Easy Chicken Barbacoa

Easy Jell-O Candy

What do you think about this no knead overnight bread recipe? Let me know in the comments!