No Knead Cheddar Bread (Print Version)
Rustic golden loaf with sharp cheddar, tender crumb, and crisp crust—no kneading required
# 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 Steps:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and instant yeast until evenly blended.
02 - Add the grated cheddar to the flour mixture and toss thoroughly to distribute evenly throughout.
03 - Pour in the lukewarm water and mix with a wooden spoon or spatula until a shaggy, sticky dough forms.
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 forming 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.
06 - Lightly flour a work surface and your hands. Carefully turn the dough out, shape it into a round loaf, and place it on parchment paper.
07 - Cover with a towel and let rest for 20–30 minutes while the oven continues heating.
08 - Using oven mitts, remove the hot pot from the oven. Lift the dough with the parchment paper and lower it carefully into the pot.
09 - Cover with the lid and bake for 30 minutes.
10 - Remove the lid and bake another 10–15 minutes, until the crust is deep golden and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
11 - Transfer to a wire rack and let cool at least 30 minutes before slicing to ensure proper texture.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- You get that bakery quality crust and tender interior without any of the arm work or technique stress
- The sharp cheddar creates these incredible molten pockets throughout the crumb that make every bite feel like a treat
02 -
- The dough will look impossibly sticky and shaggy at first but trust the process it will transform
- That preheated Dutch oven is what creates the professional bakery style crust so dont skip it
03 -
- Grate your own cheese instead of buying pre shredded it melts better and distributes more evenly
- The parchment paper sling makes transferring the dough into the hot pot completely stress free