No Knead Cheddar Bread (Printable)

Rustic golden loaf with sharp cheddar, crisp crust and tender crumb. Easy no-knead method ready in under 5 hours of hands-off time.

# 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

# How To Make:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, salt, and instant yeast until evenly blended.
02 - Add the grated sharp cheddar cheese to the flour mixture and toss thoroughly to distribute evenly throughout.
03 - Pour the lukewarm water into the bowl 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 the dough rise at room temperature for 3–4 hours until doubled in size with bubbles on the surface.
05 - Preheat oven to 450°F. Place a Dutch oven or heavy pot with lid inside to heat for at least 30 minutes.
06 - Lightly flour a work surface and hands. Turn the risen dough out, shape into a round loaf, and place 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 into the pot.
09 - Cover with the lid and bake for 30 minutes to create steam and develop the crust.
10 - Remove the lid and bake another 10–15 minutes until the crust is deep golden and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.
11 - Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing to ensure proper texture.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The dough practically makes itself while you go about your day, requiring zero muscle or technique
  • That cheese gets all melty and distributed throughout, creating these incredible savory pockets in every single slice
02 -
  • The dough will look terribly sticky and unfinished when you first mix it, but that shaggy texture is exactly what you want
  • Skipping the preheated Dutch oven step will result in a pale, soft crust instead of that bakery-style crunch
03 -
  • If your dough seems too wet after rising, use heavily floured hands when shaping and don't worry about perfection
  • The hollow sound test is your friend, tap the bottom of the loaf and if it sounds like a drum, it's done

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