Dutch Oven Garlic Rosemary Bread (Printable)

Rustic bread with crisp crust, soft interior infused with garlic and rosemary. Perfect for sharing.

# 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 bowl until thoroughly combined.
02 - Pour lukewarm water and olive oil into the dry mixture. Stir until a shaggy, sticky dough forms.
03 - Add minced garlic and chopped rosemary to the dough. Mix gently to distribute evenly throughout.
04 - Cover bowl with plastic wrap or damp towel. Let dough rise at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours until doubled in size.
05 - Turn dough onto floured surface. Using floured hands, shape gently into a round ball without degassing excessively.
06 - Place dough seam-side down on parchment paper. Cover loosely and let rise for 30 to 45 minutes until puffy.
07 - Position Dutch oven with lid in oven. Preheat to 450°F for at least 30 minutes to ensure proper heat retention.
08 - Carefully remove preheated Dutch oven. Lift dough using parchment and place inside, replacing lid immediately.
09 - Bake with lid on for 30 minutes to create steam and develop oven spring.
10 - Remove lid and bake for an additional 12 to 15 minutes until crust achieves deep golden brown color.
11 - Transfer bread to cooling rack. Let rest for at least 20 minutes before slicing to preserve texture.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The crust gets impossibly crisp while the inside stays pillowy soft, like bread from a proper European bakery
  • Fresh garlic and rosemary weave throughout every bite, making even plain butter feel like a treat
  • The Dutch oven creates its own steam chamber, giving you professional results without any fancy equipment
02 -
  • The Dutch oven method is non-negotiable for that crackly crust, so don't try to skip it even if you're tempted
  • Letting the bread cool completely before slicing is torture, but cutting into warm bread ruins the texture you worked so hard to achieve
03 -
  • If you want a milder garlic flavor, use roasted garlic instead of fresh, which adds sweetness instead of sharpness
  • The parchment paper isn't optional unless you have extraordinary confidence in your Dutch oven transfer skills

Go Back