No Knead Cheddar Bread (Printable Version)

Rustic golden loaf with crisp crust and tender cheesy crumb. No kneading required.

# What You'll 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

# Preparation Steps:

01 - Whisk together flour, salt, and instant yeast in a large mixing bowl until evenly blended.
02 - Add grated sharp cheddar to the flour mixture, tossing thoroughly to distribute cheese evenly throughout.
03 - Pour lukewarm water into the bowl and mix with a wooden spoon or spatula until a shaggy, sticky dough forms.
04 - Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap or clean towel. Let rise at room temperature for 3–4 hours until doubled in size with surface bubbles.
05 - Preheat oven to 450°F. Place Dutch oven or heavy pot with lid inside to heat for at least 30 minutes.
06 - Lightly flour work surface and hands. Turn dough out, shape into a round loaf, and place on parchment paper.
07 - Cover with towel and let rest for 20–30 minutes while oven continues heating.
08 - Using oven mitts, remove hot pot from oven. Lift dough with parchment paper and lower into pot.
09 - Cover with lid and bake for 30 minutes to create steam and develop initial structure.
10 - Remove lid and bake 10–15 minutes longer until crust is deep golden and loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on wire rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The cheese creates these incredible savory pockets throughout the crumb that make every slice feel like a treat
  • One bowl and zero kneading means you can start it in the morning and forget about it until baking time
  • The crust gets restaurant level crispy while staying tender inside, exactly the way good bread should be
02 -
  • The dough should look ridiculously sticky and messy, this is exactly right and not a sign that you added too much water
  • That parchment paper transfer is non negotiable for safety, attempting to drop sticky dough into a screaming hot pot without it will end badly
  • Cutting into warm bread ruins the texture and makes it gummy, the hardest part is honestly waiting those 30 minutes
03 -
  • A light coating of olive oil on the crust after baking keeps it shatteringly crisp even on day two
  • Add 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme with the flour for bakery style variation

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