The Easiest Rustic Artisan Bread

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This is the EASIEST rustic artisan bread and comes out wonderful every time! A crunchy outer crust and perfectly soft and fluffy on the inside- this rustic loaf is sure to become a quick favorite!

Have you wanted to try your hand at homemade bread making but have been too intimidated to give it a chance? Well, I have good news for you! This is the most perfect rustic loaf that is almost fool proof. You’re going to love how easy, inexpensive and absolutely delicious this rustic artisan loaf is!

Getting back to basics after all the holiday sweets with this amazing rustic artisan bread..

There is just something so special about a nice loaf of homemade artisan bread.

Why this is The Easiest Rustic Artisan Bread:

Seriously, this artisan bread is so good and so easy! I have tried many bread recipes over the years and this is definitely the easiest one yet and the best tasting one, too! This rustic loaf is a family favorite along with our delicious Sweet Potato Dinner Rolls which are also super easy. Big bonus? This rustic bread requires no special equipment and no kneading! Sometimes simple is best, wouldn’t you agree?

Don’t be intimidated when you hear “homemade bread”, this recipe is so easy, I know you can do it! You can thank me later.

Honestly, I wasn’t planning on sharing this recipe (I’m always thinking more exciting and over the top..), but it turned out so good I thought just maybe you all would enjoy a simple, rustic bread to make at home as well!

Side note: My daughter has adorable little hands. She loves to help me in the kitchen and with the picture taking. She’s seriously just TOO cute!

This rustic artisan bread is great with just about anything, but especially soup or something to scoop up a yummy sauce with.

So lets get to some basics!

How to make this Easy Rustic Artisan Bread:

This rustic bread is so easy! The only thing you will need to factor in is the rise time, which is about 2-3 hours.

The ingredient list is minimal using basic pantry ingredients you probably already have on hand. All purpose four, active dry yeast, warm water, salt, sugar and melted butter. Easy.

Begin by proofing the yeast. For this recipe I have only used active dry yeast, which I think turns out better than instant. If you only have instant yeast you can go ahead and skip the proofing step. To proof the yeast, use warm water from your sink between 95-110 degrees F.

In the bowl of a stand mixer add the active dry yeast, warm water and sugar. Gently stir. Allow the yeast to proof for 15 minutes.

When the yeast mixture has become frothy, add the flour, salt and melted butter. Using a dough hook attachment, (or by hand!), mix the dough on low until it forms into a soft sticky dough. If the dough is too sticky to handle, add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time. It should be sticky, but not too sticky.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot to rise for 2-3 hours. If you’re looking for a warm spot in the winter, turn your oven on to warm and allow the bowl to sit on top of your stove!

When the dough has doubled in size, punch the dough down and turn it out of the bowl and onto a lightly floured work surface. Fold the dough a few times over itself and divide in half. (If the dough is too sticky add a little bit of flour at a time.) Form into two equal dough balls. The dough only needs to be folded a few times, don’t knead more than you need to! Using a sharp knife or razor score the tops by making an x on the top of the dough. This allows the dough to expand while baking.

Preheat your oven to 450° degrees F and place a pizza stone or a flipped-over cookie sheet in the oven to heat up while the oven is preheating.

For an extra crispy crust: Fill a baking dish with 2 inches of water and place on the bottom rack to create steam. The steam will create a crunchier outer layer while the bread bakes.

Using another cookie sheet, sprinkle the baking sheet with flour to prevent sticking. You can also use the flipped over cookie sheet in the oven, just be careful while you dust it with flour and place the bread dough on top, that cookie sheet will be hot!

Place the cookie sheet with the bread on top of the pizza stone or preheated cookie sheet, and bake for 25-30 minutes.

To gauge whether the bread is cooked through, you can use an instant read thermometer and it should read at least 190 degrees F. Or, carefully flip a loaf over and if the bottom sounds hollow when tapped, then it is done.

Allow the bread to cool for at least 30 minutes, but preferably an hour. This will set the crumb and create that perfect texture. This is the hardest part. It will smell heavenly!

Cut, spread with butter and EAT!

As always, I love to hear from you!

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