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Chipotle Cheddar & Bacon No-Knead Crusty White Bread
5 from 2 votes

Chipotle Cheddar & Bacon No-Knead Crusty White Bread

 You can make just plain crusty bread or mix-in to make different flavors! So, today I’m sharing my recipe for Chipotle Cheddar & Bacon No-Knead Crusty White Bread.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
40 mins
Servings: 3 loaves
Calories: 133 kcal
Course: Bread
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 3 cups water lukewarm
  • 6 ½ to 7 ½ cups all-purpose flour King Arthur Unbleached brand
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 ½ tablespoons instant yeast or active dry yeast
  • 3 cups cheddar cheese shredded and divided, Cabot Chipotle variety
  • 6 tablespoons Bacon crumbled and divided, cooked

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Combine all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl, or a large (6-quart), food-safe plastic bucket. For first-timers, "lukewarm" means about 105°F, but don't stress over getting the temperatures exact here. Comfortably warm is fine; "OUCH, that's hot!" is not. Yeast is a living thing; treat it nicely.
  2. Mix and stir everything together to make a very sticky, rough dough. If you have a stand mixer, beat at medium speed with the beater blade for 30 to 60 seconds. If you don't have a mixer, just stir-stir-stir with a big spoon or dough whisk until everything is combined.
  3. Next, you're going to let the dough rise. If you've made the dough in a plastic bucket, you're all set — just let it stay there, covering the bucket with a lid or plastic wrap; a shower cap actually works well here. If you've made the dough in a bowl that's not at least 6-quart capacity, transfer it to a large bowl; it's going to rise a lot. There's no need to grease the bowl, though you can if you like; it makes it a bit easier to get the dough out when it's time to bake bread.
  4. Cover the bowl or bucket, and let the dough rise at room temperature for 2 hours. Then refrigerate it for at least 2 hours, or for up to about 7 days. (If you're pressed for time, skip the room-temperature rise, and stick it right into the fridge). The longer you keep it in the fridge, the tangier it'll get; if you chill it for 7 days, it will taste like sourdough. Over the course of the first day or so, it'll rise, then fall. That's OK; that's what it's supposed to do.
  5. When you're ready to make bread, sprinkle the top of the dough with flour; this will make it easier to grab a hunk. Grease your hands, and pull off about ¼ to ⅓ of the dough — a 14-ounce to 19-ounce piece, if you have a scale. It'll be about the size of a softball, or a large grapefruit.
  6. Plop the sticky dough onto a floured work surface, knead in the chipotle cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon. Round it into a ball or a longer log--whatever you prefer. Don't fuss around trying to make it perfect; just do the best you can.
  7. Place the loaf on a piece of parchment (if you're going to use a baking stone); or onto a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Sift a light coating of flour over the top; this will help keep the bread moist as it rests before baking.
  8. Let the loaf warm to room temperature and rise; this should take about 60 minutes (or longer, up to a couple of hours, if your house is cool). It won't appear to rise upwards that much; rather, it'll seem to settle and expand. Preheat your oven to 450°F while the loaf rests. If you're using a baking stone, position it on a middle rack while the oven preheats. Place a shallow metal or cast iron pan (not glass, Pyrex, or ceramic) on the lowest oven rack, and have 1 cup of hot water ready to go.
  9. When you're ready to bake, take a sharp knife and slash the bread 2 or 3 times, making a cut about ½" deep. The bread may deflate a bit; that's OK, it'll pick right up in the hot oven.
  10. Place the bread in the oven — onto the baking stone, if you're using one, or simply onto a middle rack, if it's on a pan — and carefully pour the 1 cup hot water into the shallow pan on the rack beneath. It'll bubble and steam; close the oven door quickly.
  11. Bake the bread for 25 to 35 minutes, until it's a deep, golden brown.
  12. Remove the bread from the oven, and cool it on a rack. Store leftover bread in a plastic bag at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Notes

  • Nutrition is calculated based on 12 slices per loaf, 3 loaves for the recipe.

Nutrition Information

Calories 133kcal (7%) Carbohydrates 19g (6%) Protein 5g (10%) Fat 4g (6%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3g (2%) Monounsaturated Fat 1g (5%) Trans Fat 0.002g (0%) Cholesterol 11mg (4%) Sodium 277mg (12%) Potassium 41mg (1%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 0.1g (0%) Vitamin A 95IU (2%) Vitamin C 0.001mg (0%) Calcium 71mg (7%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 3 loaves

Amount Per Serving

Calories 133

% Daily Value*

Calories 133kcal 7%
Carbohydrates 19g 6%
Protein 5g 10%
Fat 4g 6%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3g 2%
Monounsaturated Fat 1g 5%
Trans Fat 0.002g 0%
Cholesterol 11mg 4%
Sodium 277mg 12%
Potassium 41mg 1%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 0.1g 0%
Vitamin A 95IU 2%
Vitamin C 0.001mg 0%
Calcium 71mg 7%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.