11 recipes for How to use a Dutch Oven for

Bread
Are you interested to know- How to use a Dutch Oven for Bread?

Whose mouth doesn’t water at the sweet aroma of baking bread? Crusty on the outside, warm
and delicate on the inside, there is nothing more satisfying than the taste of fresh-baked bread
with a pat of butter to compliment it. Bread is not only a staple in most cultures; it is also
comfort food. I don’t know about your house, but in my house, homemade bread is gobbled up
almost as soon as it comes out of the oven. Lately, I’ve been baking my bread on a flat baking
sheet, but then I miss out on the crusty outer goodness and melt-in-your-mouth inner goodness of
the bread. The solution? Bring in the Dutch oven!

A dutch oven is a cooking kettle with a tight-fitting lid. It is usually made from cast iron and
sometimes coated in enamel. Dutch ovens can be used on stovetops, in ovens, and even in fires
or on charcoal. Dutch ovens can be used to make soups, casseroles, meats, and even crusty, melt-
in-your-mouth bread.

Although I’m a pretty good cook, I’m not a chef, so I checked out what other cooks had to say
about baking bread with a Dutch oven. It turns out that the process of steam being trapped in the
Dutch oven by the tight-fitting lid keeps the dough moist enough to let the yeast in the dough
expand the loaf. This is what produces the light, airy, mouth-watering goodness inside of the
bread loaf. But then, after you remove the lid of the Dutch oven to finish off the loaf, the
moisture evaporates, and the even, consistent heat of the Dutch oven causes the crust to become
crispy and flakey, producing an artisan-quality loaf of bread.

To bake a loaf of bread in a Dutch oven, the first thing to do is preheat the Dutch oven. If you are
using your conventional oven, just heat it in that. Once the Dutch oven is preheated, place the
bread dough in it on parchment paper.

There are different techniques for baking bread in a Dutch oven. If a recipe calls for a preheated
Dutch oven, simply pop the Dutch oven into a conventional oven before placing the dough in it.
Some recipes call for letting the bread dough rise while it is in the Dutch oven before baking. In
that case, don’t preheat the Dutch oven. Most of the bread recipes for Dutch ovens call for using
parchment paper. This method certainly adds a component of safety when lowering the dough
into a preheated Dutch oven. I started baking with parchment paper a few years back, and I love
it. It makes baking as well as cleaning up a snap! (If not using parchment paper, apply cooking
oil to the inside of the pot before placing the dough inside.)

Once the bread is ready for baking, place the lid on the Dutch oven and place it in the oven (or
hot coals if you are cooking with fire or charcoal – add some of the coals on the lid for even
baking.) Follow the recipe for the oven temperature and baking time. But, pay attention to how
much time the bread should bake with the lid on and with the lid off. This important detail will
determine the artisan quality of the bread – crusty and flaky on the outside and soft and melty on
the inside. Be very careful when removing the lid – it will be extremely hot!

Once the bread has finished baking, remove the Dutch oven from the heat. Follow the recipe for
whether or not you should let the bread cool inside the Dutch oven or remove it and place it on a
rack to cool. However, resist the temptation to cut into the loaf immediately after cooking. I
repeat – RESIST! Even though everyone in the house has been waiting anxiously as the smell of
freshly baked bread has been wafting through the house – wait for it to cool. By waiting for the
bread to cool completely, the steam dissipates in the loave allowing for it to finish cooking
completely. Otherwise, the soft inside of the loaf may turn out gummy and underdone.

Finally, once the loaf is completely finished, call the family, cut into the bread, and enjoy with
butter, honey, flavored oils, or any topping of your choice. Or you can just enjoy it bare.

How to use a Dutch Oven for Bread recipe for deep-dish pizza

This first recipe is my go-to bread recipe. I can use this recipe to make bread, dinner rolls,
flatbread, tortillas, and pretty much just about any other kind of bread. But my favorite form of
this recipe is pizza dough! I’ve experimented a lot with making the dough, and I have perfected
it into a deep dish, thick crust pizza. This recipe makes for an artisan Style baked pizza crust that
everyone in my family absolutely loves, especially my husband.

This recipe is my go-to bread recipe because it is a great recipe for building protein into my diet
while cutting back on fat. The ingredients in this recipe are the basics, flour, baking soda, baking
powder, and salt. But instead of using water, I use nonfat plain Greek yogurt (protein without the
fat.) This dough has been a lifesaver for me as I have tried to achieve a more active and healthy
lifestyle. In fact, I have lost 55 pounds over the last year-and-a-half and have changed from
sitting around and watching TV to getting out and riding my bicycle and being more active!

To make pizza dough (remember, you can also use this dough like bread or dinner rolls), I place
one cup of flour into a large mixing bowl. Then I add 1/2 teaspoon each of baking soda, baking
powder, and salt. I use a whisk to mix the dry ingredients well. Then I add one cup of nonfat
plain Greek yogurt. I mix it with a wooden spoon, and then when the dough gets too sticky for
the spoon, I mix it with my hands. I knead the dough in the bowl until it is completely mixed.
Then I shape it into a round ball, cover the mixing bowl with a towel, and let it rest for 10 to 20
minutes, depending on how busy I am with other things. I have found that it is important to let
the dough rest.

In fact, there have been plenty of times when I’m in a hurry, and I want to make food and get it
on the table for my hungry family. So I make the dough, then roll it out into pizza dough without
letting the dough rest. However, when I don’t let the dough rest, I find that the dough is more
difficult to work with, and the final product is chewy and actually difficult to eat. By letting the
dough rest, it is much easier to work with, it’s more elastic, and I get an easier-to-eat final
product.
After the dough has rested, I take it out of the mixing bowl and place it on a floured surface. I
take a few minutes to knead the dough into the flour, making sure that I pat it down flat and roll
it back onto itself. I continue that process, flipping the dough over every time I do it. I make sure
that there is plenty of flour on the work surface so that the flour is continually being mixed back
into the dough. I don’t spend a long time on this process; I just do it until the dough feels elastic
and not sticky. Then I know it is ready to form it into the pizza crust.

When I’m making a thick crust pizza dough to put into the Dutch oven, I don’t use a rolling pin
to roll it out. I flatten it as best as I can with my hands then I transfer it into the Dutch oven that I
have coated with cooking spray. Once the dough is in the pan, I flatten it out to the edges of the
pan.

I poke some holes in the dough with a fork, and then I pop it into a preheated oven at 350°. Bake
without the lid for about 10 to 15 minutes. I don’t want it to overcook, but I bake it until just
before it turns brown. At that point, I pull it out of the oven, let the dough cool down a little bit
and then add my pizza toppings. Then, I pop the pizza back into the oven and cook it until the
cheese on top is gooey and bubbly and turning brown.

This recipe is amazing. And if your family loves pizza as much as mine does, they’re going to
love it.

1. How to use a Dutch Oven for Bread recipe for Easy Deep Dish Pizza Dough

 Prep time: 10 minutes

 Rest time: 10 – 20 minutes
 Cook time: 15 minutes for dough, 15 minutes for assembled pizza

Ingredients

 1 cup flour
 ½ teaspoon baking powder
 ½ teaspoon baking soda
 ½ teaspoon salt
 1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
 Favorite pizza toppings

Baking Instructions- how to use a Dutch oven for bread recipe for Easy Deep Dish Pizza Dough

First, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Then add the Greek yogurt
and mix with a wooden spoon or spatula. When the dough becomes sticky, knead with your
hands until it isn’t sticky. Form into a ball.
Cover the mixing bowl with a clean towel. Let it rest for Ten to Twenty minutes. Then transfer
the dough to a floured surface. Work the flour in as you knead the dough. This will only take a
few minutes. Work the dough until it is no longer sticky and it is elastic. Flatten the dough on the
work surface, then transfer it to the Dutch oven that has been coated with cooking oil or
parchment paper. Work the dough to the edges of the pan until it takes the shape of the bottom of
the Dutch oven. Bake for a quarter-hour (15min), then take away from the oven.

Add your favorite pizza toppings, then pop back into the oven for about 15 more minutes.

10 recipes for How to use a Dutch Oven for Bread :

The following recipes are actually bread recipes, as opposed to the previous pizza crust recipe.
Each recipe can be made in the Dutch oven by following the instructions for each recipe, but
using the technique below for Dutch oven baking.

Using a dutch oven to make bread is a great technique to get artisan quality bread. And I’m
talking about bread that is crusty on the outside and oh so light and soft on the inside. The first
thing you do is make the bread dough according to the recipe you have. But it’s the actual baking
that takes a little bit of know-how.

Generally speaking, preheat the Dutch oven inside of your conventional oven. You want it nice
and hot because it is an oven, and you will be placing bread in it; before baking the bread, use a
knife or some other utensil to score the top of the bread. Some people just make a criss-cross.
Some people get fancy and make a design. Then when ready to bake, place the dough on
parchment paper and gently set it inside the Dutch oven. If you don’t plan on using parchment
paper, you can just spray the Dutch oven with non-stick cooking oil. Now, this next part is pretty
important: place the lid on the Dutch oven before baking. You really want to bake the first part
with the lid on.

That produces steam inside the Dutch oven, which is what causes the bread to expand. Without
the lid, the crust would become hardened too quickly, and you won’t get that light, soft and airy
inside of the bread. So make sure that your lid is on the Dutch oven during the first part of the
cooking. Then about two-thirds of the way through the cooking process, remove the lid and
continue baking. This is the part that gets that artisan quality crusty goodness on the exterior of
the bread. Continue to bake, and then when done cooking, let the bread completely cool before
serving. Typically, baking bread in a Dutch oven will take about 30 minutes, but pay attention to
the recipe and follow the recipe’s instructions for baking.

2. How to use a Dutch Oven for Tomato Bread

 Prep time: 40 minutes

 Rest time: 60 minutes, or until double in size
  Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

 1 cup tomato juice

 ½ cup butter
 1 cup water
 2teaspoons salt
 1 tablespoon honey
 1 tablespoon yeast, dissolved in ½ cup warm water
 2 eggs, beaten
 1 ½ cups oat flour
 5 cups flour

Baking Instructions- How to use a Dutch Oven for Tomato Bread

First, mix the tomato juice, butter, water, salt, and honey together. Cook and then cool to
lukewarm.

Then add the yeast dissolved in water, eggs, and oat flour. Mix it well and add the whole wheat
flour. Work it until it makes a soft dough. Let the dough rise till it doubles in size. Punch it down
and divide it into loaves. Bake at 350 degrees, following the Dutch oven baking technique above.

3. How to use a Dutch Oven for Whole Wheat Bread

 Prep time: 20 minutes

 Rest time: 60 minutes
 Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

 3 tablespoons yeast
 ⅓ cup maple syrup or honey
 4 cups warm water
 ⅓ cup vinegar
 ¼ cup olive or coconut oil
 8 heaping cups whole wheat flour
  1 teaspoon salt

Baking Instructions- How to use a Dutch Oven for Whole Wheat Bread

First, mix the water, maple syrup or honey, vinegar, and yeast together. Let it rest for 15 minutes.
Then add salt and oil. Add 3-4 cups of flour and mix well. Then add in 1 cup at a time until the
remainder of the flour is mixed in. The dough will be soft. Let the dough rise for 45 minutes,
punching it down every 10-15 minutes. Divide the dough into four loaves and prick with a fork.
Bake at 375 degrees following the Dutch oven technique above.

4. How to use a Dutch Oven for Herb Bread

 Prep time: 30 minutes

 Rest time: 60 minutes
 Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

 2 packages yeast
 ¼ cup warm water
 2 teaspoons salt
 ¼ cups butter
 ½ teaspoon dried basil
 ½ teaspoon dried oregano
 1 cup milk
 ½ cup honey
 5 cups flour
 2 eggs, slightly beaten
 ½ teaspoon dried thyme
 1 teaspoon nutmeg

Baking Instructions- How to use a Dutch Oven for Herb Bread

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Scald the milk. Mix honey, salt, and butter, and then add
the scalded milk. Let cool. Add 2 cups of flour. Mix and add the yeast and eggs. Add the herbs
and remainder of the flour to make a soft dough. Knead and let rise. Bake at 350 degrees using
the Dutch oven technique.
6. How to use a Dutch Oven for Harvest Bread

 Prep time: 30 minutes

 Rest time: 60 minutes
 Cook time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

 ½ cup cornmeal
 ½ cup honey
 ¼ cup oil
 1 tablespoon salt
 2 cups boiling water
 2 tablespoons yeast
 ½ cup warm water
 1 cup rye flour
 1 cup whole wheat flour
 1 cup toasted sunflower seeds
 1/ cups poppy seeds
 3 cups flour

Baking Instructions- How to use a Dutch Oven for Harvest Bread

First, mix the cornmeal, honey, oil, and salt. Pour the boiling water over this mixture. Let it cool.
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and add to the cooled mixture. Add the rye flour and 1 cup
of wheat flour and mix well. Add the seeds and mix. Add the remainder of the flour and mix. Let
it rise. Then punch it down and divide it into two loaves. Let it rise again. Bake at 350 degrees
for 45 minutes using the Dutch oven technique above.

6. How to use a Dutch Oven for Applesauce Bread

 Prep time: 15 minutes

 Rest time: 20 minutes
 Cook time: 60 minutes
Ingredients

 ½ cup soft butter

 2 eggs
 1 teaspoon vanilla
 2 cups whole wheat flour
 1 teaspoon baking powder
 1 teaspoon baking soda
 ¾ teaspoon salt
 2 teaspoons cinnamon
 ½ teaspoon nutmeg
 ½ teaspoon stevia
 1 cup applesauce
 1 cup raisins
 ½ cup water

Baking Instructions-How to use a Dutch Oven for Applesauce Bread

Do not preheat the Dutch oven for this recipe. Cook the raisins in water for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, cream together the butter, eggs, and vanilla until fluffy. Use a separate bowl to mix
the dry ingredients. Combine the dry ingredients with the butter and eggs mixture. Add the
cooked raisins and applesauce to the other mixture and beat well. Pour into a greased Dutch oven
and let it rest for 20 minutes. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for an hour. Cool and refrigerate.

7. How to use a Dutch Oven for Basic White Bread

 Prep time: 30 minutes

 Rest time: 2 hours
 Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

 3 tablespoons sugar
 2 teaspoons salt
 1 package yeast
  5-7 cups flour
 2 cups milk
 butter

Baking Instructions- How to use a Dutch Oven for Basic White Bread

First, combine the sugar, salt, yeast, and two cups of flour. Next, heat the milk and 3 tablespoons
of the butter, on low heat, until very warm – but not hot or boiling (120 – 130 degrees. Slowly,
while mixing on low, add the warm milk and butter to the flour mixture and increase the mixing
speed to medium. Mix for about 2 minutes. With a spoon, mix in ¾ cups of the flour, continually
stirring, and then continue adding flour – about 3 cups total. Mix it until a soft dough forms.

Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and knead the dough until it is elastic (about 10
minutes). Place the dough into a bowl coated in cooking oil, and coat the top of the dough with
cooking oil. Cover and let rise 1 hour or until it doubles in size. After the dough has doubled,
punch it down, cut in half, place each half in a bowl, cover, and let rest for 15 minutes. Place the
dough into a Dutch oven then bake at 400 degrees using the Dutch oven technique.

8. How to use a Dutch Oven for Cheesy Bread

 Prep time: 30minutes

 Rest time: 90 minutes
 Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

 2 tablespoons sugar
 2 teaspoons salt
 2 packages yeast
 5 cups flour
 2 ¼ cups milk
 ¼ pound shredded sharp cheddar cheese
 1 tablespoon melted butter
Baking Instructions- How to use a Dutch Oven for Cheesy Bread

Combine sugar, salt, yeast, and two cups of flour. Over low heat, mix milk and cheese until very
warm (about 120 degrees; cheese does not have to be melted.) Combine the two mixtures at low
speed until just blended. Change to medium speed and mix for two minutes. Scrape the bowl
occasionally. Mix in one cup of flour to form a thick batter. Mix for two more minutes, scraping
the bowl periodically. Mix in two more cups of flour to make a stiff dough. Cover, rest 45
minutes to let the dough double in size. Punch down dough and add to Dutch oven. Let it rise 45
more minutes until it has doubled in size. Then brush the dough with butter and bake at 375
degrees using the Dutch oven technique.

9. How to use a Dutch Oven for Beer Bread

 Prep time: 10 minutes

 Rest time: 0 minutes
 Cook time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

 2 ½ cups flour
 1 teaspoon salt
 1 teaspoon baking soda
 4 tablespoons baking powder
 1 12 ounce can of beer or some other carbonated beverage
 3 tablespoons melted butter

Baking Instructions How to use a Dutch Oven for Beer Bread

Add all dry ingredients together and mix. Add the beer to the mix, being careful not to let the
beer become too fizzy. Quickly and firmly stir together for 20-30 seconds. Do not over mix. The
batter will be lumpy. Pour the batter into the Dutch oven. Pour melted butter on top, if desired.
Bake at 375 for 50 minutes using the Dutch oven technique.
10. How to use a Dutch Oven for Ranch Bread

 Prep time: 10 minutes

 Rest time: 10 – 20 minutes
 Cook time: 15 minutes for dough, 15 minutes for assembled pizza

Ingredients:

 2 cups flour
 1 tablespoon sugar
 ¾ teaspoon salt
 1 ¼ teaspoons yeast
 ⅔ cup warm water
 ¼ cup ranch dressing

Baking Instructions- How to use a Dutch Oven for Ranch Bread

First, mix the flour, sugar, and salt together. Mix the yeast in the warm water. Add to the dry
mixture. Then add the ranch dressing and mix. Let rise for 45 minutes. Punch down and place in
the Dutch oven. Bake at 400 degrees using the Dutch oven technique.

A few final words about How to use a Dutch Oven for Bread

Baking bread in a Dutch oven ranks pretty high on the culinary scale as an art form. Whether you
perfect tasty bread for your family or create artisan quality bread for entertaining, the Dutch oven
is the way to go. Now, a few questions to ask yourself…

Are you ready to delight your family with the aroma of fresh bread baking throughout your
home? Does the thought of serving freshly baked bread at your next family dinner warm your
heart? Are you ready to dive into the world of Dutch oven bread baking and experiment with
your favorite bread recipes?
If the answer is yes, the next step is to choose a perfect Dutch oven for you. We have already
done the work for you and have compiled a list of the best ten Dutch ovens for bread. As you
look over the list, first and foremost, think about what features you need to have for mastering
the art of making artisan quality bread. In addition, think about features that will be best for your
cooking and serving style. You will find that while all of these Dutch ovens are featured for
making bread, they are also perfect for making so many other delicious foods, both savory and
sweet. We invite you to look over the ten best Dutch ovens for bread and choose the Dutch oven
that is perfect for you.

I hope you enjoy my writing on How to use a Dutch Oven for Bread and I hope you learn some
new recipes for How to use a Dutch Oven for Bread!