This perfect Overnight Rosemary Dutch Oven Bread requires no kneading and is a breeze to make. The dough rests overnight making it the perfect brunch recipe that will have your family and friends begging for the recipe.
Have you ever had warm bread fresh out of the oven? There is truly nothing like it. It fills your entire home with the most incredible smell. This Overnight Rosemary Dutch Oven Bread is crispy on the outside and light and pillowy on the inside. I've tested this recipe over twenty times with different combinations of salt, yeast, folding techniques and even water temperature. I can now get amazing results with this recipe every time. The bread rises, the crust stays crispy and the inside is light and filled with tiny little air pockets.
Method
First, you whisk the flour, salt and yeast together in a mixing bowl. It is important to use rapid rise instant yeast for this particular recipe. Rapid rise instant yeast and active dry yeast are very different so be sure to use the right one. Here is my favorite rapid rise instant yeast that has produced amazing results every single time. I also use a food scale to measure the flour in grams as it will ensure consistent results every time. Here is my favorite food scale.
Next, in a large measuring cup, combine the maple syrup, olive oil and water at 115 -120 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature is quite a bit warmer than most recipes I have seen. It is however the temperature the directions on the yeast packet call for. If I use room temperature water, either the dough does not rise or it will look amazing on the outside but be very dense in the middle. When I turn my water on in the kitchen at the hottest setting it registers 115 degrees. I recommend using this instant thermometer to make sure the temperature is just right. Using water higher than 120 degrees will risk killing your yeast.
Then we sprinkle chopped fresh rosemary over the dry ingredients and pour in the liquid ingredients and combine with a spatula until it forms a shaggy dough. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled mixing bowl, cover and it with plastic wrap and and let it rise for two hours.
After two hours, pour the dough out of the oiled bowl onto a lightly floured surface. Using a pastry cutter, sliding slightly underneath the dough, then working up and over, fold the dough back on to itself about 10 times. Then transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, cover again and let rise for 12 hours or overnight.
In the morning, transfer an empty dutch oven with the lid on to your oven and set it to preheat at 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Pour the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and continue folding it over back on itself just as before about 10 times and transfer it to a piece of parchment paper. I like to use these parchment paper sheets as they are such a timesaver instead of cutting a piece every time.
Once the oven hits 450 degrees with the dutch oven inside, I usually let it heat up for about 15 more minutes. Next, carefully take the dutch oven out, take the lid off and transfer the parchment paper with the dough to the dutch oven. Cover it with the lid and transfer back to the oven for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes take the lid off and bake 5-10 more minutes until the top is golden brown.
There you have it! I usually make this bread about twice a week because it is just that good.
Overnight Rosemary Dutch Oven Bread
Ingredients
- 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour (570 grams)
- 1 packet rapid rise instant yeast (7 grams)
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 2 teaspoon maple syrup (or honey)
- 2 cups very warm water between 115-120 degrees Fahrenheit
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine sifted flour, salt and yeast. Combine with a whisk.
- In a large measuring cup combine olive oil, rosemary, honey and warm water.
- Pour the water mixture into the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula until just combined and no more loose flour is at the bottom of the bowl. You should have a shaggy looking dough.
- Lightly grease the inside of a medium mixing bowl and transfer dough to the greased bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise for 2-3 hours in a warm place.
- After 2-3 hours your dough should have doubled in size. Lightly flour a flat surface and carefully turn out the dough on to the surface. With a bench scraper fold the dough on top of itself rotating and continuing about 8-12 times
- Lightly grease the inside of another medium mixing bowl and transfer dough to greased bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 12 hours or overnight.
- After 9-12 hours your dough should have doubled in size again. Transfer your empty dutch oven with the lid on to your oven and set it to preheat at 450 degrees.
- Again lightly flour a flat surface and carefully turn the dough out onto the surface. With a bench scraper fold the dough on top of itself rotating and continuing about 8-12 times.
- Once dough has formed a loaf shape transfer to parchment paper (reshape with hands as needed)
- Once oven has preheated, carefully transfer parchment paper with dough into the heated Dutch oven and with an ovenmit put the lid back on
- Bake for 45 minutes, then take the lid off and continue baking 5-10 more minutes until the crust is golden brown.
- Remove the bread with the parchment paper and slide bread onto a wire rack to cool.
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