Small Batch Dutch Oven Bread
This easy and quick Dutch Oven Bread recipe is perfect for those nights when you want something to sop up soup or saucy dinners. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside this smaller loaf is going to be your new favorite recipe.
When you want to make fresh bread but just don’t need a whole loaf of bread this is the recipe you need. I mean, I love bread, but between two people, a big loaf of fresh bread can be a little overwhelming. This loaf is about half the size of a regular loaf of Dutch oven bread.
Plus, it’s not a no-knead loaf, which means it is quick to prepare and ready in no time at all. No mixing, and let it rest for hours or days instead of kneading. Just mix it up, knead it, let it rise, shape it, let it rise again and bake. Yes, just like a regular loaf of bread.
What You Need to Make a Dutch Oven Bread
This bread recipe calls for nothing special; it is just a regular bread recipe.
- all-purpose flour
- rapid/instant rise yeast (see notes below if you want to use dry active yeast)
- salt
- warm water
- Dutch oven
What Kind of Dutch Oven?
You do need a good cast iron Dutch oven with an oven-proof handle. Enameled Dutch ovens WILL work, BUT you have to be very careful that you don’t ruin the enamel. It can chip or break off if heated empty. I always say to proceed with caution and check the manufacturer’s site BEFORE using it, as described in this post.
Notes on Yeast
If you want to use dry active yeast just sprinkle it into the warm water and let it bloom. Then use that water in the bread.
If you want to go rogue, you can try my rogue method, this is how I do it:
- place the flour in a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer
- put the dry active yeast on one side of the flour
- add the salt to the other side of the bowl
- whisk the flour, yeast, and salt together
- pour the warm water into the flour, and use a spatula to just stir it together
- if you’re using a stand mixer you can put the dough hook on the mixer, and then let it mix and knead from this point on
- if you’re not using a mixer keep stirring the dough once it comes together, then turn it out and knead it from there
When To Make This Bread
Anytime. All the time. This bread is perfect for any time you want fresh bread, but not a lot of it. It’s the perfect loaf to serve with anything that needs sopping up such as Marry Me Chicken or Smothered Pork Chops.
Got Leftovers?
Store leftovers in a bread bag for up to 3 days. Better yet, let the leftovers get stale and make my French Toast Recipe!
Small Loaf Dutch Oven Bread
Equipment
- Dutch Oven Cast iron is best, be sure the knob is heat-proof
- Bread Sling you can just use foil or parchment for a bread sling but I find the silicone bread sling makes rising and baking this loaf, especially easy
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/8 tsp rapid rise yeast see notes in the post about using active dry yeast
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup warm water
Instructions
- put the flour in the bowl of a stand mixer or a mixing bowl
- put yeast on one side of the flour and the salt on the other side of the bowl, stir lightly together
- pour most of the warm water into the bowl, mix with a wooden spoon just until it comes together
- once it starts to come together use the bread hook on your stand mixer or the wooden spoon and stir until a ball starts to form
- add the rest of the water and stir again
- once the dough forms you can knead on low with the machine or knead by hand 6-8 minutes
- once a soft dough is formed put the dough in lightly oiled covered bowl
- let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size
- deflate the dough gently
- form a round ball and if needed pinch the bottom of the ball together to form a loaf
- place it on the bread sling on the counter, either use foil, parchment, or my preferred method, the silicone sling
- turn the bowl you used for rising over the top of the dough
- let it double in size again
- meanwhile place a Dutch oven in the cold oven
- preheat the oven to 425° (if using parchment, don't go above 415° and just bake a little longer)
- when the dough has just about doubled remove the hot Dutch and take off the lid
- slash the top of the dough with a razor or very sharp knife
- lift the dough up using the sling and set it carefully in the hot Dutch oven
- cover with the lid
- bake for 45 minutes, removing the lid after 30 minutes, probably closer to 50 minutes if you are only baking at 415°
- Cool completely on wire rack before cutting the bread, ok try to hold off until it's cool it will slice better that way
