Air Fryer No Knead Bread
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Yes, your Air Fryer is perfect for making No Knead Bread! This bread requires just 4 ingredients and no kneading required. Perfect for sandwiches, toast or just about anything you’d want to eat bread with. So unbelievably delicious, you’ll never want to make this butter slathered crusty bread any other way.
The Perfect No Knead Bread
I’ve first shared this no knead bread with you many years ago and have since made many different versions of it and many different ways. It’s quite a popular recipe and there’s reason for that. It’s incredibly simple and only 4 ingredients are required. But now, I want to show you that you can also make this bread in your air fryer.
I love coming up with different ways to use the air fryer, and I love the fact that you can even bake in it! But what I love about this bread the most is its simplicity. The ingredients are relatively the same as for my well known no knead bread but definitely a whole lot quicker because I’ve used instant yeast to speed the process. My famous artisan bread also has the same ingredients but the way it’s made is totally different.
The thought of baking bread in an air fryer doesn’t seem right, but this amazingly fast method for making fresh bread is crazy good. Did I mention it’ll also fill your house with the wonderful aroma of freshly baked bread? With this fool-proof method, you end up with a perfect loaf of bread, every single time!
Air Fryer No Knead Bread Highlights
✅ NO KNEADING REQUIRED. As the name suggests, there really is no kneading required. Simply add all the ingredients to a large mixing bowl and stir using either a wooden spoon or a plastic spatula until all the ingredients come together!
✅ PERFECT CRUST. Because you air fry the bread at a high temperature with a piece of tented foil on top of the bread, this will create steam inside the pot and cook it perfectly. For the last 10 minutes, you remove the foil to allow the bread to finish baking. During this time the bread turns a gorgeous golden brown color, with an incredible crust.
✅ ONLY 4 INGREDIENTS. That’s right, you only need 4 ingredients, that I guarantee you already have: flour, yeast, salt and water.
✅ QUICK TO MAKE. This is the best way to make a quick rustic loaf of bread.
✅ VERY ECONOMICAL. With only a handful of basic staple ingredients, this crusty loaf costs very little. There’s no additional costs unless you want to add in some cheese, nuts, or other ingredients to your loaf.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- FLOUR – You’ll need to use all-purpose flour for this recipe. If you’d like to use whole wheat flour, check out my recipe here for Whole Wheat No Knead Bread.
- SALT – Use as much or as little as you’d like. Just don’t skip it, without it the bread won’t have any taste at all.
- YEAST – In this recipe I call for instant yeast which I recommend using when you want the bread ready fairly quickly. However, active dry yeast can be used as well but the technique is a little bit different. If you’d like to try it, check out my recipe for No Knead Bread.
- WATER – It’s super important to make sure your water is at room temperature as it will affect the outcome of your yeast.
How To Make No Knead Bread In The Air Fryer
Form The Dough
In a big bowl mix the flour, salt, instant yeast and water into the bowl and using a spatula or a wooden spoon, mix it until well incorporated. The dough will be sticky and shaggy.
Allow It To Rise
You’ll want to cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit on your counter or inside your unheated oven for 2 to 3 hours. During this time, the dough should double in size.
Preheat The Air Fryer And Baking Pan
Place an air fryer-safe baking dish that fits into the basket of your air fryer. I used a 6″ round pan but you could use up to an 8″ pan, just depends how big your air fryer is. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 20 minutes with the pan in it.
Shape The Dough
Meanwhile, flour your hands really well and also sprinkle a bit of flour over the dough. With your floured hands gently remove the dough from the bowl and roughly shape it into a ball. Take the ball of dough and place it over a piece of parchment paper. Transfer the dough with the parchment paper into a bowl and cover with a dry, clean kitchen towel until the pan has been preheated.
Carefully, remove the pan from the air fryer basked, then lift the parchment paper and drop it in the pot, with parchment paper and all. You can also score the top of the dough with a sharp knife. This will not only make your bread look pretty, but it can also prevent it from cracking. Carefully cover the pan with aluminum foil, tightly seal the edges, and place the pan back into the air fryer basket, shut the lid, and then it’s bake time.
Bake The Bread
Bake the bread for 20 minutes then open the basket and carefully remove the foil. Close the basket and bake for another 10 minutes or until golden brown. The bread is cooked when it sounds hollow when you tap it. I turned the bread upside down after 5 minutes to allow it to brown on the bottom too (as seen in the video) but this is totally optional.
What Is No Knead Bread?
No Knead Bread was first published in the New York Times about 10 years ago. This bread requires no kneading which is why it’s become so popular. You basically throw everything in a bowl, mix it up, let it sit around for a few hours and let the yeast do its work, then bake it.
How Do I Know When My Bread Is Done Baking?
Tap the bottom! Take the bread out of the Dutch oven, turn it upside down and give the bottom a firm thump with your thumb, or a knock – if it sounds hollow, it’s done. You can also use a thermometer to check the internal temperature of the bread, when it reaches between 190°F and 200°F, your bread is done.
Can I Use Bread Flour?
The difference between bread flour and all-purpose flour is that bread flour has more protein, so yes you can use it, but keep in mind that the crust will be a bit thicker. If you do use bread flour, you’ll need to increase the amount of water by 2 teaspoons per cup of flour.
Why Is My Bread Too Dense?
Usually bread will be too dense when there is too much flour. Keep in mind this dough will be pretty sticky, do not add more flour than specified. Other factors that come into play are humidity and age of flour. Little yeast, long rise, sticky dough are keys to a good, light loaf. Also do not over mix the dough in the beginning, there really is no kneading required.
Can I Double The Recipe?
Yes! I actually halved the recipe here because I wanted to make sure the pan I used fit in the air fryer. But if you have an 8 inch pan and it fit in your air fryer, go ahead and double the recipe which will still make a loaf of bread.
Can I Freeze The Dough?
Yes you can, the bread will still be crusty and delicious, it will just be a bit denser.
Expert Tips For
- Do not refrigerate the dough as it rises. It needs a warm environment to rise, either on the counter or proof it in the oven. If your oven has a PROOF function, then go ahead and use it!
- Want an easy way to know if your bread is done? Take the bread out of the air fryer pan, turn it upside down and give the bottom a firm thump with your thumb, or a knock and if it sounds hollow it’s done.
- I used a 6″ round prepared pan, but had room for a 7 or 8″ one which I would recommend. If using an 8″ pan then go ahead and double the recipe.
What’s Yeast Got To Do With It?
- Always check the expiration date on your yeast and make sure it hasn’t expired. All your yeast products whether it’s in a jar or a package should be stamped with a “Best if Used by” date. Always make sure you check this date, even when you purchase the yeast.
- To keep your yeast fresh and longer lasting, unopened yeast packages or jars should be stored in a cool or dry place such as your cupboard.
- However, you can also store your yeast in the fridge or freezer. If you do store it in the freezer and need to use yeast for your baking, make sure you take out the amount you need and let it sit at room temperature for at least half hour before using.
- Once your yeast package or jar has been opened, you must refrigerate the yeast or freeze it in an airtight container.
- One thing to remember about your yeast, is that it is a living organism and over time it will lose activity, even if you’ve never opened the jar or package. So if you don’t bake often, buy the smaller yeast packages rather than a big jar of yeast.
Leftovers
This bread can dry out a little easily so it is best to store it tightly wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container to preserve it longer. You can store it like this for about 3 to 4 days right on the counter or freeze it for up to 3 months.
More Great Recipes To Try
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Air Fryer No Knead Bread
Video
Ingredients
- 1½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- ¾ cup water (room temperature)
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Form the dough: In a big bowl mix the flour, salt, instant yeast and water into the bowl and using a spatula or a wooden spoon, mix it until well incorporated. The dough will be sticky and shaggy.
- Allow it to rise: You’ll want to cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit on your counter or inside your unheated oven for 2 to 3 hours. During this time, the dough should double in size.
- Preheat the air fryer: Place a 6-inch round pan into the basket of your air fryer. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 20 minutes with the pan in it.
- Shape the dough: Meanwhile, flour your hands really well and also sprinkle a bit of flour over the dough. With your floured hands gently remove the dough from the bowl and roughly shape it into a ball. Take the ball of dough and place it over a piece of parchment paper. Transfer the dough with the parchment paper into a bowl and cover with a dry, clean kitchen towel until the pan has been preheated. Carefully, remove the pan from the air fryer basked, then lift the parchment paper and drop it in the pot, with parchment paper and all. You can also score the top of the dough with a sharp knife. This will not only make your bread look pretty, but it can also prevent it from cracking. Carefully cover the pan with aluminum foil, tightly seal the edges, and place the pan back into the air fryer basket, shut the lid, and then it’s bake time.
- Bake the bread: Bake the bread for 20 minutes then open the basket and carefully remove the foil. Close the basket and bake for another 10 minutes or until golden brown. The bread is cooked when it sounds hollow when you tap it. I turned the bread upside down after 5 minutes to allow it to brown on the bottom too (as seen in the video) but this is totally optional.
Equipment
Notes
- Do not refrigerate the dough as it rises. It needs a warm environment to rise, either on the counter or proof it in the oven. If your oven has a PROOF function, then go ahead and use it!
- Want an easy way to know if your bread is done? Take the bread out of the air fryer pan, turn it upside down and give the bottom a firm thump with your thumb, or a knock and if it sounds hollow it’s done.
- I used a 6″ round prepared pan, but had room for a 7 or 8″ one which I would recommend. If using an 8″ pan then go ahead and double the recipe.
- This bread can dry out a little easily so it is best to store it tightly wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container to preserve it longer. You can store it like this for about 3 to 4 days right on the counter or freeze it for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
I doubled the ingredients and used an 8″ pan. Made the recipe with instant yeast but bloomed it in some of the water before adding to dry ingredients. This cut the rise time to 50 minutes. Used proceeded to the baking instructions as written. I did foil covered for 20 minutes and then 5 minutes uncovered which looked perfectly browned at that point. After cutting into the loaf, I think it could have used 1-2 more minutes of cooking time covered with foil. Loaf is tasty with great aeration. I’m very pleased to get bread this nice from the air fryer and don’t have to heat up the entire oven. I will definitely make ths recipe in the future. Thanks for posting.
Thank you for sharing your experience and insights with me and I’m glad to hear you like the bread!
i’ve baked this several times now, even in the oven a couple of times. i have active rather than instant yeast, so i make sure the water isn’t too cold, and toss the yeast in there with a little sugar about 15 minutes before stirring the dough together.
without kneading, it comes out of the bowl very soft and floppy, so i found a loaf pan that just fits in my air fryer. i don’t want to keep foil around, so i bake without, flipping the loaf over for that last ten minutes.
being such a basic white bread, it’s very easy to tweak the recipe a little. a couple of weeks ago i subbed a little rye flour in and it had such a wonderful nutty flavor!
thank you for posting this recipe for us all to use, i’m using a temporary space as my kitchen and it’s wonderful to be able to bake without using an oven!
It sounds like you’ve been experimenting and having great success with the recipe! I’m glad the recipe has been helpful for you, especially in your temporary kitchen space.
I made this bread for the first time yesterday, and I have 2 loaves rising right now! I added some cubed asiago cheese and garlic today (fingers crossed it turns out). I am not a baker but we recently moved to Belize & its hard to find good bread. I buy some from a neighbor when she bakes but I thought it would be fun to see if I could do it. I love being able to use my air fryer because the oven heats up the house too much. I am trying to use less plastic wrap- is it ok to put a lid on the bowl for the rising process?
Absolutely! Using a lid on the bowl for the rising process is a great alternative to plastic wrap. It helps trap the moisture and warmth, creating a perfect environment for the dough to rise. Just make sure the lid is loosely placed to allow for expansion as the dough rises.
OK my Asiago cheese/garlic loaf came out beautifully! I’m so excited about being able to bake bread!
It looks amazing! Enjoy!
The top temperature on my air fryer is 390 degrees. How should I adjust cooking times?
Since your air fryer has a maximum temperature of 390 degrees Fahrenheit, you can still use it to bake the no knead bread. You may need to adjust the cooking time slightly. Start by following the original recipe instructions for temperature and time but you might find that increasing the cooking time by 5-10 minutes is sufficient.
1st attempt turned out very good. I will be confident to make this again and add in a few variations.
Looks great!!
I’m on my third loaf. It’s so easy, and perfect to slice and freeze. The only problem I’m having is the parchment paper hits the element and burns. This time I wrapped the foil over the parchment. After 10 minutes it’s baked enough I can just remove the parchment, and there’s no worry about a fire.
Made this loaf yesterday , turned out great . Going to make another one tomorrow but adding cheese . Thank you for all the great recipes
My pleasure, glad you’re enjoying them!
Hi Jo, love how the bread turn out. It’s easy to make and is delicious. The only change I did was to use half wholemeal flour and half APF. Next time will try your no-knead whole wheat bread to compare the taste. Thanks for sharing this recipe. Btw, can advise how to include rolled oats in this recipe?
My pleasure, your bread looks amazing. Enjoy! You can find my no knead honey oat bread here: https://www.jocooks.com/recipes/no-knead-honey-oat-bread/
Oh I really enjoyed this bread. It tastes like what we call Batch bread in Ireland.
Thank you Jo. I have the ninja dual Air Fryer and bought the mini loaf tin in Aldi and split the dough in half. The first batch I made as per your instruction but maybe a little over cooked. So I adjusted the temps as per your instructions to 190 degrees for 15 then 170 for 30 mins and its perfect!
That’s fantastic! Adjusting the temperature for a perfect bake is always a win.
I want to use my micro wave 1 cu ft has air fryer. would like rustic look s will a glass pie plate be ok
Using a glass pie plate in your microwave air fryer should work for making no-knead bread, especially if you’re aiming for a rustic look. However, make sure the glass is heat-resistant and safe for use in an air fryer setting. Keep in mind that glass doesn’t conduct heat as well as metal, so you might need to adjust the cooking time slightly. Monitor the bread closely to achieve the desired crust and doneness.
thank you for answering my question !! oh I only have 00bread flour will that Work and just read Shoshanna question my new microwave wave has all ways to cook bake so ill use bake instead 400 Degrees ? will double recipe ? minutes ? and thanks again most of other chefs do not bother to answer. Joseph !!!
Hey Joseph! Yes, 00 bread flour will work just fine, it might even give your bread a finer texture. For baking in your microwave-oven combo, starting at 400°F sounds about right. If you’re doubling the recipe, begin with the same baking time, then check for doneness and add extra time if needed. It’s always a pleasure to help out.
Do I use the Bake or Air Fry setting on the air fryer?
Thanks!
If your air fryer has a Bake setting, it’s best to use it. The Bake setting generally provides a more even heat, similar to an oven, which is ideal for bread. If your air fryer only has an Air Fry setting, use that.
What a find! Today was my first attempt and because of lack of attention I misread an instruction and the bread was overcooked but that has not caused a problem. It is so easy to prepare and cook. The flavour is how bread used to be a long time ago.
I rarely buy bread now for one person is not economical, the price of bread is now ridiculous and it has no flavour.
I will definitely be making this bread again, with added ingredients as suggested by another poster.
It’s great to hear that your first attempt with the air fryer bread was a success, even with the slight overcooking! Enjoy your bread-making journey!
I will never understand why people still use preheating… It’s a thing of the past, when ovens were quite different, these days however, it’s just a waste of energy, money, time 🙂
Some people still have those old ones, but anyway in this case it’s also to warm up the pan.
This was so easy to make and the results were so good!!! I had always been a little intimidated about making my own bread, but this recipe seemed easy enough to try- and it really was. It turned out so yummy!! I may never buy bread from the store again! 🙈 Next time I’m going to try adding other things to it like Italian herbs, maybe cheese. It inspired me to try it in different ways. Thank you for sharing this recipe using the air fryer (as I don’t have an oven at home).
So glad you loved the bread and it looks great! Your idea to add herbs and cheese next time sounds delicious!
I just made this bread and it is delicious, my husband says it tastes like the bread they give you at The Keg before you have dinner…..And he loves that bread, so proof it is that good…..
That’s wonderful feedback, especially comparing it to the bread from The Keg! It’s great to hear your bread turned out so delicious.