Ultimate Same-Day Artisan Bread (Sourdough-Free)

Golden crust, soft crumb, just sweet enough—this no-sourdough artisan bread is your new go-to for bakery-level results at home. It bakes up beautifully in one day, with no starters, no gimmicks, and zero compromise on flavor or texture. Whether you’re baking for your family or trying to impress a crowd, this bread looks like it came straight from a professional pastry kitchen—without any of the hassle.

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Recipe

Servings: 20 slices

Calories per serving: 205

Total time: 8.5 hours

Ultimate Same-Day Artisan Bread (Sourdough-Free)

Ingredients

• 750g bread flour -or- 750g organic unbleached all-purpose flour + 11g (3 ½ tsp) vital wheat gluten

• 500g warm water (~105°F)

• 50g whole milk

• 25g honey

• 6g (2 tsp) active dry yeast

• 15g sea salt

• 30g butter or olive oil

Instructions

1. Bloom the yeast (9:30 AM): In a large mixing bowl, combine warm water, milk, and honey. Sprinkle yeast on top and let sit for 10 minutes until foamy.

2. Mix (9:40 AM): Add flour, vital wheat gluten, and salt. Mix until a shaggy dough forms. Add the butter or oil and gently knead it in. No need for a stand mixer—just hands and patience.

3. Autolyse (9:45–10:15 AM): Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes to relax the gluten and fully hydrate.

4. Stretch and folds (10:15–11:15 AM): Perform 3 rounds of stretch-and-folds every 30 minutes to build structure. Simply stretch one side of the dough up and fold it over, rotating and repeating 4 times per round.

5. Bulk fermentation (11:15 AM–2:15 PM): Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm place (75–80°F) until increased in volume by ~70%.

6. Preshape (2:15 PM): Gently turn out the dough, shape into rounds, and let rest for 15 minutes.

7. Final shaping (2:30–2:45 PM): Shape into tight boules and place into well-floured 8–9" round proofing baskets, seam-side up.

8. Final proof (2:45–4:30 PM): Cover and let proof until puffy and barely springing back when poked.

9. Preheat oven (3:45 PM): Place a Dutch oven or baking stone inside and preheat to 475°F (245°C) for at least 45 minutes.

10. Bake with staged scoring (4:30–5:10 PM):Transfer dough to parchment and load into Dutch oven unscored. Cover and bake for 5 minutes.

Then, remove the lid, score the slightly set top, and re-cover. Continue baking covered for 20 minutes.

Uncover and bake another 15–20 minutes until deep golden and internal temp reads 202–205°F.

11. Cool completely (5:10–6:00 PM): Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for at least 45 minutes before slicing.

Nutrition per Slice

• Calories: 205

• Protein: 6g

• Carbohydrates: 36g

• Fat: 4g

• Sugar: 3g

• Fiber: 2g

• Sodium: 290mg

Storage Instructions

Once cooled, store whole loaves at room temperature wrapped in a towel or paper bag for up to 3 days. Once sliced, place the cut side down on a wooden board or freeze individual slices in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months. Reheat directly from frozen in the toaster or oven.

Bloom yeast

Mix dry ingredients

All ingredients

Mix all but butter

Knead to shaggy dough

Add butter

Knead

Autolyse

After autolyse

Stretch and fold (bulk fermentation)

Stretch and fold (bulk fermentation)

Stretch and fold (bulk fermentation)

Stretch and fold (bulk fermentation)

Stretch and fold (bulk fermentation)

Stretch and fold (bulk fermentation)

Stretch and fold (bulk fermentation)

Stretch and fold (bulk fermentation)

Stretch and fold (bulk fermentation)

Bulk fermentation

After bulk fermentation

Pre shape

Pre-shape

Pre-shape

After rest

Final shape

Final shape

Final shape

Into proofing baskets

Into proofing baskets

Let rise

Look how pretty :-)

Parchment paper before oven

Wet rice for better bottom of bread

Wet rice for better bottom of bread

Turn bread

Place in dutch oven

Bake covered for 4 mins

Score quickly and bake covered another 20 mins

Remove cover and bake

Take out of oven

Take out of oven

Let cool for 40-60 mins on wire rack

Perfect bottom :-)

Enjoy :-)

Enjoy :-)

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Prompt

Here's how I prompted this amazing Ultimate Same-Day Artisan Bread (Sourdough-Free) recipe:

I felt playful. So I told ChatGPT:

I have a challenge for you. I want to make the most delicious bread ever made. With active dry yeast.

It accepted the challenge:

Challenge accepted. Let’s craft the most delicious bread ever made with active dry yeast—flavorful, chewy, golden-crusted, and deeply satisfying.

Here's what we'll do:

We'll use a hybrid method inspired by artisan loaves: slow fermentation for flavor, a touch of sweetness for depth, a soft but structured crumb, and a golden, crackly crust. No sourdough starter, but the flavor will be surprisingly complex for a yeasted bread.

🍞 Ultimate Artisan-Style Yeasted Bread

Servings: 2 medium loaves (or 1 large boule)Calories per serving: ~190 per thick slice (based on 20 slices)Total Time: 20–24 hours (mostly hands-off)

Ingredients

• 750g (6 cups) bread flour (high-protein, unbleached)

• 525g (2 ¼ cups) lukewarm water (~105°F)

• 2 tsp active dry yeast (6g)

• 18g (1 tbsp) honey or malt syrup (optional, but amazing for flavor)

• 15g (2 ½ tsp) sea salt

• 15g (1 tbsp) olive oil or melted butter (adds tenderness)

Method

1. Bloom the Yeast (10 minutes):In a large bowl, dissolve honey in warm water. Sprinkle yeast over the top. Let it sit until bubbly and foamy.

2. Mix Dough (5 minutes):Add flour and salt. Mix with a dough hook, Danish whisk, or hands until shaggy and sticky. Add olive oil and fold it in gently. Don’t knead yet.

3. Autolyse + First Rest (30–45 minutes):Cover the bowl. Let the dough rest. This relaxes gluten and improves extensibility.

4. Stretch & Folds (30 minutes x 3 sets):Every 30 minutes, perform a gentle stretch-and-fold: lift one edge of dough, fold it over, turn the bowl, and repeat 4 times. This develops structure.

5. Bulk Fermentation (8–12 hours at room temp or overnight in fridge):Cover the bowl tightly. If your kitchen is warm, go for 8 hours at room temp. For maximum flavor, refrigerate overnight.

6. Shape (10 minutes):Turn dough onto floured surface. Divide or shape into a tight boule or batard. Rest 20 minutes uncovered, then shape again for tension.

7. Final Proof (1–2 hours at room temp or 4–6 hours in fridge):Place in a floured banneton or towel-lined bowl. Cover and proof until pillowy and risen, but not collapsing.

8. Preheat Oven (1 hour before baking):Heat oven to 475°F (245°C) with a Dutch oven inside, or a baking stone + steam tray.

9. Score & Bake (30–40 minutes):Turn dough onto parchment. Score with a sharp blade. Load into Dutch oven, cover, and bake 20 mins. Then uncover and bake another 10–20 until deep golden and hollow-sounding.

10. Cool Completely (1–2 hours):Don’t cut early—this ruins the crumb. Cooling sets the interior and enhances flavor.

Nutrition (Per 1 thick slice, based on 20 slices)

• Calories: 190

• Protein: 6g

• Carbs: 35g

• Fat: 2g

• Fiber: 2g

• Sugar: <1g

• Sodium: 290mg

Storage Instructions

Store uncut loaf at room temp, wrapped in a towel, for 2–3 days. Once sliced, keep cut side down on a board or in a paper bag. For longer storage, freeze sliced bread in an airtight bag up to 2 months.

Would you like a version that’s enriched (like a brioche), or should I help you customize the crust/crumb more?

I wanted to make an adjustment because I don't have bread flour:

I have regular organic unbleached flour AND gluten. What quantities should I use? How long is the total from start to bulk?

It updated:

Perfect. Since you have regular organic unbleached flour (likely ~11–11.5% protein) and vital wheat gluten, we can absolutely elevate your dough to perform like high-protein bread flour.

Let’s dial it in precisely.

💡 How much gluten to add?

For every 100g of all-purpose flour, add about 1.5g of vital wheat gluten to approximate strong bread flour.

Your recipe calls for:

• 750g all-purpose flour

So you’ll add:

• 750 × 0.015 = ~11g gluten

Updated Ingredients (Adjusted for Regular Flour + Gluten)

• 750g organic unbleached flour

• 11g vital wheat gluten

• 525g lukewarm water (~105°F)

• 2 tsp (6g) active dry yeast

• 18g (1 tbsp) honey or barley malt syrup (optional but flavor-enhancing)

• 15g sea salt

• 15g olive oil or melted butter

⏱ Time Breakdown Until End of Bulk Fermentation

Let’s say you’re starting in the afternoon or evening:

Step	Time	Duration
Yeast bloom	0:00	10 minutes
Mix & rest (autolyse)	0:10	45 minutes
Stretch & folds (3x)	0:55	1.5 hours total
Bulk fermentation	2:25	8–12 hours
Total until end of bulk	~10–14.5 hours depending on room temp or cold ferment

So if you start at 4:00 PM:

• Stretch & folds done by 6:30 PM

• Bulk ferment from 6:30 PM to between 2:30–6:30 AM (room temp), or just place in the fridge overnight for up to 16 hours (fridge slows it down for better flavor and control)

Tips for Best Results

• Warmer kitchen? Go with a shorter 8–10 hour room-temp bulk.

• Cooler kitchen? Bulk may need closer to 12–14 hours.

• Fridge route? Do your stretch and folds at room temp, then pop into the fridge until morning. Shape cold or let warm slightly before shaping.

Let me know:

• Do you want it to be shaped into boules or batards?

• Do you want it crustier (for dipping) or softer (for sandwiches)?I’ll fine-tune the method further based on your preference.

I had some questions about timing:

What if I start at 9:30 am? Can I have it ready by 6 or sooner?

It patiently explained:

Yes — if you start at 9:30 AM, you can have fresh bread ready by 6:00 PM or even earlier, without compromising flavor, as long as we use a slightly warmer proofing environment and a tighter schedule. We'll speed up bulk fermentation while still using strategic rests and folds for gluten development and flavor.

✅ Target: Bread ready by 6:00 PM

We’ll use a “same-day artisan method” (controlled warm proof + reduced bulk time) and bake it around 4:45–5:00 PM. Here's the optimized plan:

📅 Timeline for Same-Day Artisan Bread

Step	Time	Notes
Yeast bloom + mix	9:30–9:45 AM	Combine everything except oil, rest 10 mins, add oil and mix again.
Autolyse/rest	9:45–10:15 AM	Dough rests, gluten starts forming.
Stretch & folds (3 sets)	10:15–11:15 AM	Every 30 mins, strengthen dough.
Bulk fermentation	11:15–2:15 PM	Warm spot (75–80°F) shortens bulk to 3 hours. Dough should rise ~70%.
Shape & bench rest	2:15–2:45 PM	Pre-shape, rest, final shape.
Final proof	2:45–4:30 PM	Covered, in a warm spot.
Preheat oven	3:45–4:30 PM	Dutch oven inside at 475°F.
Bake	4:30–5:10 PM	Covered 20 min, then uncovered 20–25 min.
Cool	5:10–6:00 PM	Minimum 45–50 minutes before slicing.

🔧 Adjustments for Faster Bulk

Since you're using active dry yeast, we’ll go with the full 2 tsp (6g), not reduced. Use water at 105°F, and if your kitchen is cool, proof the dough inside:

• An off oven with the light on, or

• A microwave with a mug of hot water

Target ambient temp: 75–80°F for bulk and final proof.

🍞 Outcome

You’ll still get:

• Complex flavor (thanks to the autolyse, folds, and olive oil)

• Strong crust

• Open crumb with chewy structure

It won’t be quite as sour or nuanced as a 24-hour cold fermented loaf — but honestly, it’ll be shockingly good for a same-day bake.

Ready to lock in the method with these times and ingredients? Or do you want a slightly softer sandwich-style version?

I requested a rewrite with times:

Ok so please rewrite with times 

So it did:

Absolutely — here’s your same-day artisan bread recipe with exact times, using regular unbleached flour + added gluten, active dry yeast, and a finish time of 6:00 PM.

🥖 Same-Day Artisan Bread (with Active Dry Yeast)

Yields: 2 medium loaves or 1 large roundCalories per serving: ~190 (based on 20 thick slices)Total Time: ~8.5 hours (mostly hands-off)

🕘 Start: 9:30 AM

🍽 Ready to eat: By 6:00 PM

Ingredients

• 750g organic unbleached all-purpose flour

• 11g vital wheat gluten

• 525g warm water (~105°F)

• 6g (2 tsp) active dry yeast

• 18g (1 tbsp) honey or malt syrup (optional but recommended)

• 15g sea salt

• 15g olive oil or melted butter

Instructions

9:30 AM – Bloom the yeast

In a large bowl, mix warm water and honey. Sprinkle yeast on top. Wait 10 minutes, until foamy.

9:40 AM – Mix the dough

Add flour, vital wheat gluten, and salt. Mix until shaggy. Add olive oil and gently knead or fold it in by hand or with a mixer for 1–2 minutes.

9:45–10:15 AM – Autolyse (rest)

Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes to hydrate and begin gluten development.

10:15–11:15 AM – Stretch & folds (3 sets)

Do one set of stretch-and-folds every 30 minutes:

• Lift one side of dough, stretch upward, fold over.

• Rotate the bowl and repeat 3 more times (4 total folds).Do this at:

• 10:15 AM

• 10:45 AM

• 11:15 AM

11:15 AM–2:15 PM – Bulk fermentation

Cover bowl tightly and let rise in a warm spot (75–80°F) for 3 hours. Dough should increase by about 70%.

2:15–2:45 PM – Shape and bench rest

Lightly flour your surface. Turn out dough, gently shape into a ball or divide and shape two loaves. Let rest 15 minutes uncovered. Then final shape into tight boule or batard and place into proofing basket or lined bowl.

2:45–4:30 PM – Final proof

Cover and proof in a warm place until the dough looks puffy and springs back slowly when poked. Preheat oven starting at 3:45 PM.

3:45–4:30 PM – Preheat oven

Place a Dutch oven or baking stone in the oven and preheat to 475°F (245°C).

4:30–5:10 PM – Bake

• Turn dough onto parchment.

• Score with a sharp blade.

• Bake inside Dutch oven:

  • 20 minutes covered, then

  • 20–25 minutes uncovered until deep golden brown.

5:10–6:00 PM – Cool

Place bread on a wire rack. Wait at least 45 minutes before slicing so the crumb sets and doesn’t turn gummy.

🧬 Nutrition per slice (based on 20 slices)

• Calories: 190

• Carbs: 35g

• Protein: 6g

• Fat: 2g

• Fiber: 2g

• Sugar: <1g

• Sodium: ~290mg

🧊 Storage Instructions

Wrap whole loaf in a towel or paper bag at room temp for 2–3 days. Once sliced, place cut side down on a cutting board or freeze slices in an airtight bag for up to 2 months.

Had a question about weight:

What are 11grams gluten if using tsp?

It answered:

Great question — vital wheat gluten is dense and fine, so when converting 11 grams to teaspoons, the key is using weight-specific conversion rather than a general volume rule.

✅ Approximate conversion:

• 1 teaspoon of vital wheat gluten ≈ 3.2 grams

So:

11 grams ÷ 3.2 g/tsp ≈ 3.4 teaspoons

👉 Rounded for practicality:

Use 3 ¼ to 3 ½ teaspoons of vital wheat gluten.

That’ll get you very close to the ideal 11g boost for 750g of all-purpose flour to behave like strong bread flour.

Let me know if you want a 1-loaf version or an enriched variation next!

I wanted an adjustment for the kiddos:

Can we make it sweeter for the kiddos?

It made the adjustment:

Absolutely — we can tweak this recipe to make it kid-friendly and slightly sweet, without turning it into dessert. The goal: a soft, lightly sweet artisan loaf that still has structure, but with a flavor profile that’s perfect for toast, PB&J, or even snacking plain.

🍯 Kid-Friendly Slightly Sweet Artisan Bread

Start: 9:30 AM  Ready to Eat: By 6:00 PMYields: 2 medium loaves or 1 large roundCalories per serving: ~205 (based on 20 slices)

🍬 What We’re Changing

To make it sweeter (but not cake-like), we’ll:

• Increase the honey

• Add a splash of milk (optional but softens the crumb)

• Slightly enrich the dough with more fat for tenderness

Updated Ingredients

• 750g organic unbleached all-purpose flour

• 11g (3 ½ tsp) vital wheat gluten

• 500g warm water (not reduced, still ~105°F)

• 25g honey or sugar (~1 ½ tbsp) ← sweeter but still balanced

• 50g whole milk (or sub more water)

• 6g (2 tsp) active dry yeast

• 15g sea salt

• 30g butter or light olive oil (doubled for softness)

Method (Same-Day Schedule)

9:30 AM – Bloom yeast

Mix warm water + milk + honey. Sprinkle in yeast. Wait 10 mins until foamy.

9:40 AM – Mix

Add flour, gluten, and salt. Stir until shaggy. Add softened butter or oil. Mix gently.

9:45–10:15 AM – Rest (autolyse)

10:15–11:15 AM – Stretch & folds (3 sets)

11:15 AM–2:15 PM – Bulk fermentation

In a warm spot (75–80°F).

2:15–2:45 PM – Shape and bench rest

2:45–4:30 PM – Final proof

3:45–4:30 PM – Preheat oven to 475°F with Dutch oven inside

4:30–5:10 PM – Bake

20 min covered + 20–25 min uncovered until deep golden.

5:10–6:00 PM – Cool fully before slicing

👶 Kid-Friendly Serving Ideas

• Toast with butter + cinnamon sugar

• Cream cheese + strawberries

• Grilled cheese

• French toast (next-day)

Nutritional Value (per slice, 20 slices)

• Calories: 205

• Protein: 6g

• Carbs: 36g

• Fat: 4g

• Sugar: 3g

• Sodium: 290mg

Would you like a more milk bread–like version next, or keep this as your default sweet artisan loaf?

I then wanted to know if it will be enough for 2 loafs:

is the quantity here enough for 2 standard round proofing baskets?

It said yes:

Yes — the dough quantity in this recipe is perfect for 2 standard round proofing baskets (8–9 inch diameter, ~1.5–2 lb capacity each).

Here's the math:

• The total flour weight is 750g

• With water, milk, oil, etc., your total dough weight will be around 1,375–1,400g

• Split evenly, that gives ~685–700g per loaf, which is ideal for standard bannetons

✅ What You'll Get

• Two medium round loaves with excellent oven spring and height

• Each loaf will fill the basket nicely, not under- or over-proofed

• Bakes beautifully in either two Dutch ovens or one at a time if needed

If you want extra-tall loaves or to push each basket to its full 850–900g capacity, I can scale the recipe up slightly for you. Otherwise, you're good to go as-is!

So I asked for a rewrite with the entire thing based on where I'm at:

OK can you please rewrite the recipe with the timing last used? it's 2:15 and about to start preshaping

It did just that:

Got it! You’re at 2:15 PM about to start preshaping — here’s your updated recipe and precise timeline from this point forward to have bread ready by 6:00 PM.

🥖 Same-Day Kid-Friendly Slightly Sweet Artisan Bread

Current time: 2:15 PM — Starting preshapeReady to eat: ~6:00 PM

Ingredients Recap (for 2 loaves)

• 750g organic unbleached flour

• 11g (3 ½ tsp) vital wheat gluten

• 500g warm water (~105°F)

• 50g whole milk

• 25g honey

• 6g (2 tsp) active dry yeast

• 15g sea salt

• 30g butter or light olive oil

Steps & Timing from 2:15 PM

2:15–2:30 PM — Preshape and bench rest

• Gently shape dough on a lightly floured surface into loose rounds.

• Cover with a towel, rest 15 minutes.

2:30–2:45 PM — Final shaping

• Shape dough into tight boules or batards.

• Place each loaf seam-side up into well-floured round proofing baskets.

2:45–4:30 PM — Final proof

• Cover proofing baskets loosely with a plastic bag or damp towel.

• Let dough rise in a warm spot (75–80°F) until puffy and springs back slowly when poked (~1 hr 45 min).

3:45 PM — Preheat oven

• Place Dutch ovens (or baking stone + steam tray) inside oven.

• Preheat to 475°F (245°C) for at least 45 minutes.

4:30–5:10 PM — Bake

• Carefully transfer loaves to parchment on a peel or tray.

• Score tops with a sharp blade.

• Bake covered for 20 minutes, then uncovered for 20–25 minutes until deep golden brown.

5:10–6:00 PM — Cool

• Remove loaves from oven; cool on wire racks for at least 45 minutes before slicing.

Pro Tips

• Keep proofing baskets covered and avoid drafts.

• If proofing feels slow, a slightly warmer spot (like inside the turned-off oven with light on) helps.

• Don’t rush cooling — cutting too early makes crumb gummy.

Want me to send you reminders or a checklist you can use on your phone as you go?

I then made some scoring adjustments because of how hydrated the dough is:

I actually baked with the lid on for 5 minutes then scored and then bake for another 20 minutes with the lid on. Better scoring for highly hydrated bread

It encouraged me:

Excellent move — that's a very smart scoring strategy for high-hydration doughs. Letting the loaf set for a few minutes in the heat before scoring gives it structure and tension, which can dramatically improve:

• Scoring control (less drag or collapse)

• Oven spring (stronger vertical rise instead of spread)

• Ear formation on the cut

• Crust definition

Your adjusted method sounds like this:

🔥 Adjusted Baking Method (High-Hydration Friendly)

4:30 PM — Load into preheated Dutch oven

• Place unscored dough on parchment into the hot Dutch oven.

• Cover and bake for 5 minutes.

4:35 PM — Score and continue baking covered

• Quickly open the oven, remove the lid.

• Score the partially set dough.

• Cover again and continue baking for 20 more minutes (covered).

4:55–5:10 PM — Finish baking uncovered

• Remove the lid and bake uncovered for 15–20 minutes until deep golden brown with a crisp crust.

This technique is especially helpful for:

• High hydration loaves (70%+)

• Delicate doughs that tend to spread

• Achieving a clean, dramatic ear

Let me know how the crumb turns out — if you want to post-bake analyze it together (texture, holes, chewiness, crust), I’m ready. Or we can build on it for a softer or even sweeter version for another day.

I also wanted to know what the internal temp should be, as I have not made this bread before and wasn't sure what the right timing should be:

What you did internal temperature be?

It told me:

For artisan-style yeasted bread, especially with added fat and sweetness like yours, the ideal internal temperature when fully baked is:

🔥 200–205°F (93–96°C)

• 200°F (93°C) → Fully baked with a soft, moist crumb

• 205°F (96°C) → Slightly drier interior but better crust and shelf life

• Above 208°F → Risk of dry crumb, especially in leaner doughs

• Below 198°F → Likely underbaked and gummy inside

✅ For Your Loaf (slightly enriched and sweetened):

Shoot for 202–204°F in the center (insert thermometer through the bottom or side to avoid deflating the top).

Bonus Tips:

• If the loaf feels done by crust color but reads <200°F, keep baking uncovered for a few more minutes.

• Letting it cool at least 45–60 minutes after hitting target temp is critical — the internal steam finishes setting the crumb.

Let me know what temp yours reached if you checked — we can troubleshoot or celebrate accordingly!

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