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Learn how easy it is to make this crusty no knead einkorn bread recipe in the dutch oven today! Just 3 simple ingredients transform into a delicious, crusty loaf of wholesome einkorn bread. If this is your first time baking bread you’ll impress yourself with this easy-to-make, fancy bread made with einkorn flour!
Table of Contents
- Bread made with einkorn flour
- Making einkorn bread at home
- Why use einkorn flour?
- Baking with einkorn flour
- What you’ll need for no knead einkorn bread
- How to make no knead einkorn bread
- Watch me make this recipe!
- What size dutch oven works best for einkorn bread?
- Can you make einkorn sandwich bread?
- Can you use quick rise yeast?
- Can you substitute whole wheat einkorn flour?
- Can you freeze einkorn flour bread?
- Looking for another einkorn recipe? Try one of these!
- Crusty No Knead Einkorn Bread Recipe
Bread made with einkorn flour
Making homemade bread couldn’t be easier with this no knead recipe. We’re using einkorn flour today, friends!
Are you new to the ancient grain einkorn?
Read What Is Einkorn and learn all about this amazing ancient grain that hasn’t been changed.
I’ll share a few things below that you’ll want to know about einkorn wheat, but if you’d like a more detailed dive into this perfect healthy flour, be sure to check out the blog post about it.
Einkorn is an old heirloom wheat variety.
It is grown mostly in European countries and this ancient grain is prized because of the lower levels of gluten and that it still holds a non-GMO status.
The plant has tighter tusks and smaller berries than traditional wheat and can withstand growing in tough conditions.
Einkorn flour is not gluten-free, however, it has a weak gluten structure than modern wheat varieties which makes it easier to digest for those with gluten sensitivities. Einkorn lacks the gluten proteins that often trigger gluten sensitivity.
People with celiac disease or an extreme allergy to gluten should still avoid einkorn because it does contain gluten.
Making einkorn bread at home
I’ve been making homemade bread for years now and am such a fan. It’s actually EASY!
It tastes better because it is super fresh.
You can control the ingredients.
You impress those around you.
Why not give homemade bread a try?
This crusty einkorn bread recipe is based on my crusty no knead dutch oven bread. The original recipe uses white flour, but here we swap in einkorn flour.
That recipe has served me for many, many years and still works every time.
I wanted to make the original recipe slightly healthier, so I’ve been using einkorn flour. We love this loaf just as much as the original!
Why use einkorn flour?
Einkorn flour is perfect for no knead recipes because makes a more sticky dough than traditional all purpose flour or whole wheat flour bread.
Because of its weaker gluten structure, it does well with less mixing. Because einkorn does not have as much gluten as modern-day wheat can be easier to digest.
Einkorn flour is higher in protein and lower in carbohydrates than white flour and also naturally contains essential nutrients.
Baking with einkorn flour
Baking with einkorn flour can sound trickier because the dough becomes more sticky, but it’s truly not!
Simply follow the steps in the recipe and you’ll find the dough comes together really easily.
In fact, I prefer the no-knead method because it is less work and I love the texture of this bread. It is not dense bread and such a simple recipe!
What you’ll need for no knead einkorn bread
- all purpose einkorn flour
- sea salt
- active dry yeast
- water
How to make no knead einkorn bread
Scroll down to view the recipe card below for the full ingredients list, nutrition facts, and step-by-step instructions.
- Mix the einkorn flour, sea salt, and yeast together in a large bowl. Combine water until fully mixed.
- Cover the dough with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and allow it to sit in the mixing bowl for a minimum of 3 hours up to 12 hours at room temperature or in a warm place for the dough to rise.
- When it’s time to bake, place the dutch oven in the oven and turn the heat to 450 to heat the dutch oven. You’re going to let it heat up for 1 hour.
- After 30 minutes of heating, take a spoon and scrape around the edges of the dough to deflate slightly, and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
- After the dutch oven has heated for 1 hour, and the dough has rested for 30 minutes after scraping down the edges, carefully remove the heated dutch oven from the oven, take the lid off and pour the dough into the pan. Place the lid on and bake for 25 minutes.
- After 25 minutes, remove the lid and allow the bread to bake and crusty up for 5 more minutes.
- When done baking, remove the loaf from the dutch oven and place it on a wire rack to cool.
Watch me make this recipe!
Watch below, or head over to YouTube to watch me make this recipe!
What size dutch oven works best for einkorn bread?
For this loaf, a 2.5-3-quart oval dutch oven works best (updated to a smaller size as it works better!)
If you use a larger round dutch oven, just know your loaf may be a little flatter and the cooking time could be a little less by using a larger pot.
Can you make einkorn sandwich bread?
Yes! Instead of using a dutch oven, line a loaf pan with parchment paper and use that.
You can use 1 bread pan for a larger loaf, or use 2 smaller bread pans for 2 loaves. You’ll get real bread that works great for sandwiches, toasted with peanut butter, and french toast with maple syrup!
For sandwich bread, the bake time will be similar – around 25-30 minutes.
You can use a thermometer to check the internal temperature of the bread. Look for 200 degrees F to know when it’s done!
Can you use quick rise yeast?
In the recipe, it calls for active dry yeast.
But what if you only have quick-rise yeast? Not a problem!
The einkorn bread recipe rise time is very forgiving.
You can use quick-rise yeast and just know that your dough will rise quicker. I’ve used the same amount of quick rise yeast and my minimum time simply decreases to 2 hours.
You’ll get a quicker initial rise and then you can still have your dough sit out longer.
The beauty of this easy einkorn bread recipe is that you don’t have to monitor it super closely.
Can you substitute whole wheat einkorn flour?
Whole wheat einkorn flour is next on my list to try, but I don’t see why not!
Once I try it I will come back and update you here. If you do try making no knead einkorn bread with whole wheat einkorn flour, please leave a comment down below and report how it went and the next time I try it I will also come and update it here!
Can you freeze einkorn flour bread?
Yup!
Allow the bread to fully cool, then place in an airtight bag.
Label and add the date and freeze for up to 6 months.
To defrost the bread, simply place the loaf on the counter for a few hours.
You can warm it again in the oven at 350 for 5-10 minutes.
This recipe can be doubled or tripled (if you use multiple pans) and is fantastic to plan ahead for freezing.
Bake once, and enjoy multiple times!
Looking for another einkorn recipe? Try one of these!
- Whole wheat einkorn bread
- Pumpkin einkorn bread
- Sausage and kale pizza with einkorn crust
- Mini einkorn pizza bites
- No sugar banana cake
Crusty No Knead Einkorn Bread
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose einkorn flour
- 1.5 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 1/4 cups warm water, (not hot to the touch)
Instructions
- Mix the einkorn flour, sea salt, and yeast together in a large bowl. Combine water until fully mixed.
- Cover the dough with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and allow it to sit in the mixing bowl for a minimum of 3 hours up to 12 hours at room temperature or in a warm place for the dough to rise.
- When it’s time to bake, place the dutch oven in the oven and turn the heat to 450 to heat the dutch oven. You’re going to let it heat up for 1 hour.
- After 30 minutes of heating, take a spoon and scrape around the edges of the dough to deflate slightly, and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
- After the dutch oven has heated for 1 hour, and the dough has rested for 30 minutes after scraping down the edges, carefully remove the heated dutch oven from the oven, take the lid off and pour the dough into the pan. Place the lid on and bake for 25 minutes.
- After 25 minutes, remove the lid and allow the bread to bake and crusty up for 5 more minutes.
- When done baking, remove the loaf from the dutch oven and place it on a wire rack to cool.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Happy Baking! If you try this no knead einkorn bread recipe, I’d love it if you left a star rating and comment below letting me know how it turned out!
XO
Heather
Originally published March 2020. Updated June 2022.
I am so excited to try this recipe! Thank you for creating it!! I am using fresh milled eikorn WW flour for this. Do I need to adjust my measurements at all for that? Thank you!! 🙂
Hye Christina! When using 100% whole wheat einkorn you’ll want to increase the water used slightly (maybe 1/4 cup more). Watch the video and just get your mixed dough to look the same consistency and add more water as needed! Let me know how it goes 🙂
I have been baking the bread in a Dutch oven. Love the recipe. Wanted to try a loaf pan for sandwiches. What temp and how long?
Hi Tanya! Same temperature, 25-30 minutes 🙂 Let me know if you try it out!
been baking my bread using spelt and decided to give einkorn a try. luckily, i found this recipe to start with. no knead to look any further. this turned out a great loaf. top notch in flavor, texture, crust and crumb. since i can’t leave well enuff alone and i gotta screw with any recipe i try, i did add a bit of maple syrup but other than that, i proceeded as instructed. unbelievably tasty, easy to whip up and clean up and the only downside, really, is that i want to eat too much of it. thanks for sharing this recipe.
Haha I think enjoying it a lot is a good problem to have, Doug! I’m really glad you enjoyed the recipe, and the tip on adding a bit of maple syrup sounds great.
i doubled the recipe and cooked it in a round cast iron Dutch oven. I baked it with the lid on for 45 minutes and uncovered for another 5. I love how crusty it is. It’s not too salty to me at all. The recipe is very easy. I did add a little more water to the dough. I’m very happy with the result.
Thanks so much for sharing Pam! Glad you loved it 🙂
Mine turned out flat 🙁 why? I have a round Le Crouset and coated the bottom with olive oil which are two differences. Could you possibly give the quantities of each ingredient in weight to be more precise? I really want to make this bread a staple in my home! Thank you 🙂
Hi Nicole! That’s no fun that it turned out flat. I’m sure using a larger round dutch oven made a difference in the rise. I’ve had a flat one before when I halved the recipe and still used the same size dutch oven. Another reader has had else has had success using a loaf pan, so you could try that! Unfortunately, I don’t have the weights for the ingredients, so sorry!
According to Jovial Foods’ website 1 cup of all purpose einkorn weighs 120g. (Yay to recipes that provide ingredient weights)
Thanks David!
This is my first attempt at baking bread and using Einkorn flour. It is rising at the moment, but I’m sure it will be great! Thank you so much for helping me with my first steps into baking with this great flour!
Hi Mary! You’re so welcome 🙂 I’m glad it was an easy first recipe for you to get into baking with einkorn flour. Please let me know how it turns out after baking!
Can you use a loaf pan for this?? I have a super old dutch oven that I have no idea what size it is. Its 9.25 in from one side to the other. I thought it would be too short to be called a loaf when done and wouldnt make good sandwich bread being shaped so short. So I thought a loaf pan would be better if possible. Thanks for the easy recipe, if it works out. lol
Hey Jill, I’ve never tried a loaf pan, but size wise I think it would work. The bread wouldn’t be as crusty of a loaf not heating it in advance or having a lid on… but now I’m curious how it turns out! Would you let me know if you try it out in a load pan?
Also, with. larger dutch oven (is it round?) you could also double the recipe. Others have done that with success!
Thanks Heather, im in the process right now of making it in the loaf pan, I didnt want to double the recipe in case it is a flop. LOL As you know the stuff isnt cheap and I usually make muffins with it so didnt want to waste my precious healthy flour. I could use some foil on top to make it crusty if that would do. Worth a try. Yes, my dutch oven is round so it would be super flat, great for snacking on bread and butter but not much use for sandwiches. I’ll keep you posted!
Finally done! Parchment paper in the loaf pan, took 10 extra min, took the foil off last 5. Golden brown, crunchy, DELISH!!!! Now you know it works in a loaf pan, at least it did for me!
Awesome Jill! Thanks for testing for all of us! Now I need to do this too 🙂
Jill,
Did you heat up the loaf pan 1st, like it says in the directions for the Dutch oven?
In the comments, it refers to 2 tsp of yeast. But the recipe calls for 1. I’ve made the recipe twice now. First time, the yeast was expired and it didn’t rise. I’m blaming the expired yeast. This time, it still didn’t rise. But after reading comments, I realize that it was way too dry. So, I’m going to give it a 3rd try. Because my friend swears by this recipe. So, I’m hoping it will be a 5*! But, can you clarify, 1 or 2 tsp of yeast?
Hey Jill! It’s 1 tsp yeast 🙂 I hope it works out for you and you have success like your friend! Feel free to send me a photo if you’ve having any issues (@fitmamarealfood on Instagram or via my email on the contact page).
I am making tis recipe at this moment. The dough seems sticky compared to other bread recipes I’ve made. Should I add more flour or is it supposed to be a sticky consistency?
Hey Clover – yup! Einkorn flour makes a really sticky dough, so totally normal. Let me know how it turns out for you!
Why ‘deflate’ 1/2 hour into the preheating time? Also, how far down into the dough do you push the spoon, all the way to the bottom of the bowl? Thanks
Hi Marc! Not all the way down, you just scrape around the edges to release the air from it. The reason to deflate (or degas, as it’s called) is to releave the air bubbles to avoid overstretching (too big of air pockets) which will give you a better end result!
This was my first time baking with einkorn flour and my first loaf turned out delicious 🍞 I think I will double the recipe next time. Thanks Heather!
That’s great Anne! So glad you loved it!