Who doesn't love a low-effort, high-reward bake? Especially when it comes to making bread!
Introduced to many by Mark Bittman and Jim Lahey, then popularized by bakers like Jeff Hertzberg, Zoe François and later Alexandra Stafford, the no-knead method, as its name promises, skips the tedious step of kneading the dough altogether. of bread. Instead of encouragement gluten development and knead the dough by hand or with a mixer for a few minutes (the first is a true workout!), you just mix the dough and … that's it. A long, slow rise does all the work for you. (Not to mention, this extended rise also gives the dough a chance to develop more taste over time.)
No-bake bread means less fuss, less stress and less active time – just take a back seat and let the dough do its work. These recipes take more time to prepare, but most of it is idle time – so you can go through the day and get those chores done, get a full night's sleep, or even leave get through the work week while your dough rests.
Ready to take a break from cooking? Here are seven fantastic no-bake bread recipes – from classic, crusty loaves to sweet, swirly croissants.
John Sherman
1) Ridiculously easy, no-boil sticky buns
With a recipe that lives up to its name, these cinnamon-infused sticky buns are not only easy, but incredibly convenient for your schedule. After the initial rise of the dough, a subsequent rest in the refrigerator can last for several hours and up to three days. An added bonus? This recipe makes three batches of buns. So treat yourself to a batch today and put the rest in the fridge for on-demand sticky batches. You're welcome, you future.
Food photography and styling by Liz Neily
2) White crusty bread without mix
If you are new to yeast baking, this is the recipe for you. If you're a pro at baking yeast, this is still the recipe for you. From the direct mixing of the dough to a nuanced and developed flavor thanks to the rest in the refrigerator (which can last up to seven day), this essential no-dough recipe proves that a handful of basic ingredients can be transformed into a crusty, artisan-style loaf that delivers every time.
Liz Neily
3) Artisanal no-knead pizza crust
Meal prepping for the week can be overwhelming. But what if I told you that five minutes of dough mixing on a Sunday morning gives you the flexibility to make pizza night any at night? Let the dough rise at room temperature for a full day, then refrigerate, where it can rest for up to six days. At any time, you can pull out the dough to complete the shaping and baking steps in just one hour, meaning you're always 60 minutes away from freshly baked pizza.
Alexandra Stafford
4) Strawberry Swirl No-Knead Brioche
Slathered in a luscious strawberry jam all over its soft crumb, this buttery shortbread is best sliced: Eat it for breakfast as is, slather it with marmalade during your tea break, or give it the French toast treatment for breakfast good. . A sweet, impressive-looking loaf like this makes it hard to believe that so little work goes into it behind the scenes.
Liz Neily
5) Garlic Cheese Flatbread
The formula for this baked bread couldn't be simpler: Mix the dough, pour it into one 9″x13″ pan.give it a rest—overnight, if you prefer flexibility—and voilà, a delectable appetizer that's (almost) worth stuffing into the bread course.
John Sherman
6) No-bake chocolate-cherry bread
A delightful trio of chocolate chips, toasted cherries and toasted walnuts complements its match with a blend of the whole purpose, ryeAND whole wheat flour for a spectrum of sweet and nutty flavors. Don't let the recipe's total time put you off—the active preparation involves just mixing the dough in a bowl, adding the toppings, and forming it into a round shape, while most of the time is spent on a slow rise that can be separated for a day or two.
Liz Neily
7) No Knead Cheese Burger Buns
For a more elevated take on the humble burger bun, check out this recipe, which calls for its addition cheese powder (or grated cheese) and onion powder. All that's required of you is to quickly knead the dough and divide it into bun-sized portions, while an hour's rest between each step does most of the legwork. As a fellow blog writer PJ Hamel says it simply: so easy, so cute!
Looking for more helpful bread planning tips? Check out our Extraordinary Bread: Weeknights collection of baking recipes designed to fit your busy lifestyle.
Cover picture (Strawberry Swirl No-Knead Brioche) by John Sherman.
