Dutch Oven Garlic Rosemary Bread (Print View)

Rustic bread with fresh garlic and rosemary, featuring crisp crust and soft interior. Ready in 4 hours with minimal hands-on time.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 3 1/4 cups bread flour
02 - 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
03 - 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast

→ Wet Ingredients

04 - 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Aromatics

06 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped

→ For Dusting & Baking

08 - Extra flour or cornmeal for dusting

# How to Make:

01 - Whisk together bread flour, salt, and yeast in a large mixing bowl until thoroughly blended.
02 - Pour lukewarm water and olive oil into the flour mixture. Stir until a shaggy, sticky dough forms.
03 - Add minced garlic and chopped rosemary to the dough. Mix gently to distribute the aromatics evenly throughout.
04 - Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Let the dough rise at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours, or until doubled in size.
05 - Turn the dough onto a floured surface. Using floured hands, shape it gently into a round ball without degassing too much.
06 - Place the dough seam-side down on parchment paper. Cover loosely and let rise for 30 to 45 minutes until puffy.
07 - Position a Dutch oven with its lid in the oven. Preheat to 450°F for at least 30 minutes to ensure thorough heating.
08 - Carefully remove the preheated Dutch oven. Lift the dough using the parchment paper and lower it into the hot vessel.
09 - Cover with the lid and bake for 30 minutes to create steam and develop the crust structure.
10 - Remove the lid and continue baking for 12 to 15 minutes until the crust achieves a deep golden brown color.
11 - Remove the bread from the Dutch oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Let rest for at least 20 minutes before slicing to preserve texture.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The crust develops this incredible shatter when you bite into it, like something from a European bakery
  • The garlic gets milder and sweeter as it bakes, so you get flavor without the harshness
  • Your Dutch oven does all the hard work of creating steam for that professional bakery look
02 -
  • The Dutch oven must be fully preheated or you lose the oven spring that creates those beautiful air pockets
  • Letting the bread cool for at least 20 minutes prevents the crumb from being gummy and undercooked in texture
  • Resist the urge to add more flour during shaping, a slightly tacky dough creates better steam in the oven
03 -
  • If your dough feels impossibly sticky, wet your hands instead of adding more flour
  • Use a sharp knife to score the top before baking if you want to control where the crust bursts
  • The bread freezes beautifully sliced, so make two loaves and stash one for emergency comfort

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