No Knead Dutch Oven Whole Wheat Bread
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No Knead Dutch Oven Whole Wheat Bread – no kneading required and 4 ingredients gives you a healthy delicious whole wheat crusty bread.
I told you December was going to be about baking! Did you think I was kidding?
Maybe I’ll throw in a crockpot recipe or two, but the rest is all about baking, my friends. Because that’s what I do in December. I bake! Cookies, breads, muffins, scones, more cookies, bars, cakes, etc. The problem is what to do with all the baked goods. Luckily I have lots of test subjects at work who are more than willing to try my goods. 🙂
I made this bread before but with white flour but since I’m on this health kick lately I thought I’d try it with whole wheat flour and what a surprise I had. It was delicious! The recipe is quite similar but different quantities and I used only whole wheat flour and it turned out beautiful and super yummy. You cannot make an easier bread than this. There’s no kneading required, you simply mix the ingredients with a wooden spoon in a big bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and leave it on your counter over night. And magic happens!
The next day your bowl will be filled with this beautiful dough ready to be baked to golden perfection. You need a cast iron pot, or basically an oven proof pot with a lid which should work just as well. This bread is healthy and delicious and there’s nothing better than freshly made warm bread. My favorite thing in the world!
Watch the video for the original No Knead Crusty bread:
If you guys love this recipe, and most importantly make it yourselves, please let us know. Take a picture and tag it #jocooks on Instagram so we can see it. I always love to see what you guys come up with!
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No Knead Dutch Oven Whole Wheat Bread
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 45 mins
Resting Time: 15 hrs
Total: 50 mins
Serves: 10
No Knead Dutch Oven Whole Wheat Bread – no kneading required and 4 ingredients gives you a healthy delicious whole wheat crusty bread.
Ingredients
- 4 cups whole wheat flour
- 2 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp active dry yeast
- 2 cups water room temperature
Instructions
- In a big bowl mix flour, salt and yeast together. Pour water into the bowl and using a spatula mix it until it's all incorporated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit on your counter for 12 to 18 hours.
- Preheat oven to 475 F degrees. Add your cast iron pot to the oven and heat it as well until it's at 475 F degrees.
- Remove pot from oven and remove the lid from it.
- Flour your work surface really well and make sure you flour your hands really well. With your floured hands gently remove the dough from the bowl and roughly shape it into a ball. Take the ball of dough and drop it into the pot. Cover the pot with the lid and place it back in the oven.
- Bake for 30 minutes with the lid on, after which remove the lid and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let cool.
Recipe Notes
- Prep time does not include time to let the dough rise.
- 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, who knows it could have been on the shelf past its expiry date.
- 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.
- Why is my bread chewy: Usually your bread will be chewy when there isn't enough gluten formation or you're using a low-protein flour. Make sure you let your bread dough rest for at least 12 hours to give it enough time for gluten formation.
- Why is my bread 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.
- I don't have a Dutch oven, what can I use instead: If you don't have a Dutch Oven, a covered metal pot would work as well, just make sure it can stand up to 450 F heat. A 4 quart Calphalon soup pot with lid would work as well. If your pot doesn't have a lid, you can cover the pot with heavy-duty aluminum foil, just make sure you seal the pot well.
- 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 and if it sounds hollow it's done.
- Nutrition: Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
Nutrition Information:
Calories: 164kcal (8%)Carbohydrates: 35g (12%)Protein: 6g (12%)Fat: 1g (2%)Saturated Fat: 1g (6%)Sodium: 469mg (20%)Potassium: 174mg (5%)Fiber: 5g (21%)Sugar: 1g (1%)Calcium: 18mg (2%)Iron: 2mg (11%)
Nutrition Facts
No Knead Dutch Oven Whole Wheat Bread
Amount Per Serving
Calories 164
Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Fat 1g2%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 469mg20%
Potassium 174mg5%
Carbohydrates 35g12%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 6g12%
Calcium 18mg2%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
More delicious recipes from my kitchen
No Knead Dutch Oven Crusty Bread
Sunflower Flax Seeds Whole Wheat Cast Iron Bread
Jeanne says
I have a couple Dutch ovens and used the smallest one. The bread was really, really good but flatter because of the Dutch oven size. Could this recipe be adapted for a crockpot?
Jo Cooks Team says
We have a recipe for slow cooker bread here! https://www.jocooks.com/recipes/slow-cooker-bread/
Sylvia P says
Hi, I have been making breads with all purpose flour so far and they all require second rise, this recipe as well as sunflower/flax ww bread recipe do not call for second rise. Is that because of ww flour? Thank you, Sylvia P.
jo says
There really is no need for the 2nd rise as the bread will rise in the Dutch oven as it’s baking. It’s really not because of the ww flour, because I make this with regular all-purpose flour all the time and I don’t rise it a 2nd time at all.
Catherine O’Connell says
What size Dutch oven?
Jo Cooks Team 2 says
I used a 3.5 quart dutch oven! If you don’t have a Dutch Oven, a covered metal pot would work as well, just make sure it can stand up to 450 F heat. A 4 quart Calphalon soup pot with lid would work as well. If your pot doesn’t have a lid, you can cover the pot with heavy-duty aluminum foil, just make sure you seal the pot well!
Shava Nerad says
NOM. I’m diabetic and on a “medium carb” diet, so this is a find for me! I made it with just a bare sprinkle of salt and it was great!
Danae says
Just popped mine in the oven but I can tell something didn’t work. The dough looked the same this morning as it did last night. No rise at all. The only thing I did differently was replace a tsp of ww flour with vital wheat gluten. Would that mess it up? Or perhaps my yeast was no good? I did just use that yeast for another receipe with success.
Jo Cooks Team says
Your yeast is dead! It’s a living organism so even if it’s still within the best before date, it can die. Test it in 2 cups lukewarm water, not hot, just warm to the touch, with a bit of sugar. If it foams up, then it’s good to go and you can use the mixture in the recipe. If nothing happens, get yourself a new jar and store it in the freezer.
Emilie T. says
My bread stuck to the pan. I have made No Knead bread before with white bread with perfect results. Why did it stick?
jo says
It’s possible your pan wasn’t hot enough. To make sure it doesn’t stick next time you can use parchment paper.
Emilie T. says
Thank you so much. On another note could you add honey to this recipe and it turn out the same? I think not – it will hurry along the fermentation, no? I love the bread as does my family, but they prefer something sweeter. I have baked bread for years and this is everyones favorite.
jo says
You should be able to add honey just fine, without it really affecting the fermentation. Honey is great as it might give the bread a nicer dark color.