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Give this No-Knead Seeded Oatmeal Bread a try! It's easy, versatile and so... delicious! The hands-on time is minimal and the fabulous results are maximum!
Yikes! Thirty-five pounds of flour later and many recipes rejected, I'm super happy to introduce you to this delicious, super-easy No-Knead Seeded Oatmeal Bread. Yes, thirty-five pounds of flour! Scott struck gold early one morning a few weeks ago and nabbed seven 5-pound bags of King Arthur flour at our local grocery store, as he knew I was working on a new bread recipe.
On top of that, a very kind reader from Utah, hearing that my supply of instant yeast was dwindling (and the stores in our area were experiencing a "yeast drought") mailed me a 1-pound package of instant yeast. "Yippeee!", I yelled when the lovely package arrived. I can now come up with fun new bread recipes "till the cows come home" (a saying that means a lonnnnnggggg time - and one you might not have heard, unless, of course, you originally hail from the fine Dairy State of Wisconsin like I do).
If you'd been a mouse in my house, you probably would have laughed as you watched me trying so many different bread recipes and variations (slow rise, quick rise, overnight in the fridge, rise on the counter...). It got to the point where I had so many bowls going, I had to label them to make sure I didn't get confused. Below is just one day of testing, see what I mean?
The one problem I ran across with many of the recipes was inconsistent results. Sometimes the bread turned out great and other times just so-so. Some recipes were too dense, some too puffy and light and some just didn't have a lot of flavor. So I kept going, working my way (fairly quickly) through all that flour.
In the end, I adapted and tweaked a simple recipe from Baking from Scratch. I'm happy to say that I think the recipe's perfect now and pretty much fail-proof if you follow the easy directions.
Don't believe me about the "easy" part? My daughter, Cait didn't either. Last week, I was scrolling through Instagram and saw that one of our nieces was attempting to make bread for the first time that day. Then I noticed that Cait had left a comment on the post. She said, "Haha, I've been trying too... mom swears it's so simple, but I haven't had much success yet, good luck!"
So I sent Cait the recipe and we did several FaceTimes to give her some tips and encouragement. Check out the pic below that Cait sent this week of her bread!
Gorgeous, right? (I'm wondering if Cait should be the one with the food blog!) Even if you've never attempted homemade bread from scratch, you can do this too!
Our daughter-in-law, Lindsay was also a bit reticent. She said, "I'm not a bread baker". It was so fun to, again, make a few loaves of bread with Lindsay via FaceTime and then see the great the picture she sent me with her iPhone:
Although this bread needs a stint in the refrigerator, the actual hands-on time is quite minimal. I like to mix the dough up at night (simply combine flour, brown sugar, yeast, salt and seeds in a large bowl, add hot tap water and stir well) then form the loaf and bake the next morning. After forming, the dough gets a little rest/rise on parchment paper while you get the oven and a large pot with a cover (or Dutch oven) nice and hot. Right before baking, the loaf is brushed with water, covered with seeds and then dropped right into the hot pot via the parchment paper. Cover the pot and let the oven do it's magic!
Since you and I can't make bread together via FaceTime, we took a few pictures of the process to help you out:
Your work's done for now. You'll just cover the dough with plastic wrap, let it sit out for an hour then refrigerate for at least 8, but up to 48 hours.
The dough is easy to form into a loaf. Starting on one side and, turning the dough as you go, fold the edges toward the center, pressing lightly to keep all the ends together. Once all the edges are turned in, flip the loaf over so the bottom (smooth) side is up. Now cup the dough all around the edges with the palms of your hands to form a smooth, tight ball.
At this point, transfer the ball of dough to a sheet of parchment paper that's been lightly sprinkled with flour. I like to put the parchment on a sheet pan so I can easily move the dough if needed. Give your pretty little ball of dough about 20 minutes to warm up and start to rise then place a Dutch oven or large pot into the oven and preheat it to 425˚F.
By the time the oven is nice and hot, your dough will be ready to go. Now's the time to add the seeds. Simply brush half of the loaf with water and sprinkle with the seed mix. I like to cup my hand right below the area I'm sprinkling to catch the runaway seeds. I just press those seeds onto the lower half of the dough.
Repeat the brushing and seeding then pick up the parchment paper and drop the whole works into the heated pot. Cover the pot and let the oven work it's magic for 40 minutes.
You'll be so delighted when you lift the cover and see the beautiful loaf of bread. It will need to bake another 10-20 minutes without the cover to brown and crisp.
The aroma of this bread as it bakes is unbelievable. If you have any family members, roommates or friends staying with you who are difficult to coax from the bed, this is a no-fail, no-coercing, no-words-necessary technique for getting them out of bed!
This No-Knead Seeded Oatmeal Bread makes delicious sandwiches and wonderful toast. I like to heat a little olive oil in a pan then add a slice or two of this bread and toast each side until crisp and golden - a wonderful accompaniment for soups and salads!
So versatile!
I love that there are so many ways to "do" this bread. My daughter, Cait's four children don't like seeds, so she's learned to make the bread with just oatmeal. It still makes a gorgeous loaf and is quickly gobbled up by her little herd. If there are certain seeds you don't like or don't have available, just skip them. I love to use sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and flax seeds but pepitas, hemp seeds, amaranth, millet, and even flaked barley are all great candidates. The only seeds I wouldn't use would be chia seeds, as they soak up so much water and the recipe would need to be adjusted to compensate.
Café Tips for making this No-Knead Seeded Oatmeal Bread
- If you're using the American way of measuring flour (cups), be sure to whisk or stir the flour up a bit before measuring. If you don't, the flour will be compressed and you'll end up with more flour than is ideal for this recipe.
- Feel free to make this bread with your own mix of seeds. Keep the total amount the same, but adjust to your taste.
- No Dutch oven? No problem. This bread can be successfully made in any large pot. The pot should be at least 5 quarts or as large as 7 quarts. You can also divide the dough in two and make two loaves in medium-size saucepans with covers.
- I like to make the dough for this recipe at night, then it's ready to bake in the morning. You can also make the dough in the morning and bake it later in the day.
- If you like a really crisp crust on your bread, remove the bread to a sheet pan after the first, 40-minute bake in the Dutch oven then bake on the sheet pan for another 5-20 minutes, depending on how golden and crisp you like the crust.
- The water for this recipe should be hot tap water. Let the water run until it's nice and hot. If you check the water with your finger, it should feel hot but not so hot that you pull your finger back.
- Once you mix in all the water, if the mixture still seems a bit dry, you can add more water, 1-2 teaspoons at a time. It should be a shaggy, fairly stiff dough but it's important that all of the flour is well-incorporated.
- This No-Knead Seeded Oat Bread can be a little messy to cut with seeds flying here, there and everywhere. I find that place a cutting board on a sheet pan helps eliminate and contain most of the wayward runaway seeds.
- Be sure to cool this bread completely before slicing or it will become dense and a bit gummy.
If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It’s so helpful to other readers to hear other’s results and ideas for variations.
- 4¼ cups all-purpose flour (I use unbleached)
- ⅔ cup old-fashioned oats
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ¼ cup roasted shelled sunflower seeds
- 2 tablespoons flax seeds
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 1 tablespoon light or dark sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast
- 2 cups hot tap water see Café Tips above in the post
- 3 tablespoons oatmeal
- 2 tablespoons sunflower or pumpkin seeds
- 1 tablespoon light or dark sesame seeds
- 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
- 2 teaspoons flax seed
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Combine flour, oats, brown sugar, seeds, salt and yeast in a large bowl. Stir well to combine. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture.
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Add about ¾ of the hot water and stir with a rubber spatula, scraping the sides of the bowl, then bringing the mixture to the center. Rotate the bowl as you stir. When the mixture gets difficult to stir, add more of the water in increments, stirring as you go until all of the water is added and all of the flour mixture is well-incorporated. The dough should be thick, but a little shaggy. If it still seems a little dry and all of the flour is not mixed in, add another tablespoon of hot tap water, one teaspoon at a time.
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Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and allow to sit at room temperature for one hour then refrigerate for at least eight hours and up to 48 hours.
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Place a piece of parchment paper on a work surface and sprinkle it with about 2 teaspoons of flour. Set aside.
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Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of flour onto a work surface (counter). Transfer the dough from the bowl with a spatula to the prepared surface. Sprinkle the top of the dough lightly with a little more flour.
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Gently press dough just to level and even it out a bit. Then, starting on one side and turning the dough as you go, fold the edges of dough toward center, pressing lightly in the center. Now turn the dough ball over, and using both hands, cup dough around the edges to form a smooth, tight ball. Place the dough onto the prepared sheet pan and cover it with a clean kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rise for 20 minutes.
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After 20 minutes of rising time, place a 5-7 quart Dutch oven on the center rack in the oven. Turn the oven to 425℉ and allow it to preheat for 30-40 minutes. The dough will be puffing up at this point, but will not have doubled in size.
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Brush half of the top of the loaf with water, and sprinkle with the seeded topping. Cup one hand along the bottom edges as you sprinkle the seeds catching the excess in your hand, then gently press the extra seeds onto the side of the loaf. Once half of the loaf is sprinkled with seeds, brush the other half with water and repeat the sprinkling and pressing process. Don’t worry if some seeds are on the parchment paper.
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Remove the Dutch oven (it's hot!) and place on the stovetop. Place the sheet pan with the dough next to the Dutch oven. Pick up the dough ball by the parchment paper and lower it into the Dutch oven. Be careful as the pot will be very hot. Cover the Dutch oven and return it to the oven.
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Bake for 40 minutes, covered then remove the cover and bake for another 5-20 minutes or until the bread is a nice golden color. (Check it every 5 minutes at this point.)
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Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and lift the bread, using the parchment paper onto a cooling rack. Gently slide the parchment paper (and excess seeds) away from the bottom of the loaf and discard.
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IMPORTANT - Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing.
See Café tips above in posts for more detailed instructions and tips.
Recipe adapted from Bake from Scratch.
This bread stores well at room temperature to 2-3 days and also freezes well. I like to slice it before freezing so I can pull out just as many slices as I want.
This recipe calls for instant yeast. If you only have regular dry active yeast you can still make the bread, the steps will be just a bit different: start the recipe by combining all dry ingredients in a bowl EXCEPT for the brown sugar and yeast. When you get ready to add the hot water, first add the brown sugar and yeast to the hot water and stir. Wait 5 minutes until the mixture begins to foam and bubble a bit. Then add the water mixture to the dry ingredients and proceed as directed.
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Rita says
I made this for my family tonight. I cooked it as two smaller loaves rather than one big one, because I didn’t have a big enough dutch oven. I used two casserole dishes instead. The loaves turned out perfectly! They had such a great texture. All my kids went back for seconds, and my husband gave it a big thumbs up. I really like the moist crumb produced by the slow rise, combined with the hard crust. This is definitely going to be made again!
Chris Scheuer says
Yay! So happy you and your family enjoyed this bread, Rita! It's so nice to be able to make our own bread!
Ruth says
The bread aroma was wonderful and couldn't wait until tasting time. I make and bake bread every week. We had the bread with our dinner and loved the taste. My bread was done but had some spots that were more doughy. It was golden brown and also baked to internal bread temperature. The bottom of bread was also nice and crispy. Do you have any ideas why that would have happened so I can adjust before baking the next loaf??
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Ruth, I'm wondering if there might have been a few pockets that didn't get completely mixed and that may have left a few doughy areas. It's a pretty dense dough so I find that after I think it's completely mixed, I stir it a few more times.
Ruth Ames says
Hi Chris, thank you for getting back to me because I am making another loaf today. We couldn't stop eating it. I will double check to make sure that the dough is completely mixed this time. Thank so much!!
Tammy says
Hi! The bread looks amazing! Do you think I can swap out AP flour for bread flour?
Chris Scheuer says
Absolutely! That will work fine, Tammy!
Chris Scheuer says
Yes, I think that will work fine.
Coleen says
Wow! I made this last night and this morning, yum! Thanks for the instructions not to cut until cool or I’d never have waited. I did see one error in your instructions, don’t discard the extra seeds in the parchment paper, instead smoosh it onto your butter so you don’t waste any seeds!
Trader Joe’s used to make a seed sourdough baguette that I loved, so added caraway to mine. Fantastic loaf, so tasty.
I’m sorry you have to deal with ‘shame’ comments, I’m sure the less than perfect foods you make still get eaten by some one, otherwise you would not know which was the good one!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks for your sweet comment, Coleen and for sharing your results. I love your suggestion about the extra seeds!
Marcie Douglass says
This bread is the second recipe from your site that I have to give 5 stars!!!! I don't know how many times you test a recipe but THANK YOU for making them so easy to make something delicious!!!! I have baked bread over the years off and on and this is by far my favorite! I look forward to cooking my way through your site!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much, Marcie! I'm so happy you enjoyed the bread. I do spend a lot of time testing recipes, that's my job 🙂 I love for readers to have success so I don't like to post anything unless I'm certain it's going to work. Thanks for taking the time to share your results. That really helps other readers who are contemplating whether or not to try a recipe. 💕
Tracy says
Love this hearty bread. It is our new favorite for avocado toast. Making another loaf tonight 🙂
Chris Scheuer says
Yum, that sounds wonderful! Thanks so much for sharing your results, Tracy!
Cyndi says
I just made this bread this week and REALLY loved it. My dough was a bit wetter than other recipes, but it all came together in the end. I used a mixture of seeds that I already had and the loaf baked up beautifully! I did need additional 15 minutes for browning. It looked beautiful! This is a dense bread, and when we had it for supper, my hubby said he didn't need anything else but a salad and this bread. I will definitely be making this again and again! We really liked all the seeds as it gave it extra chewiness too.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much, Cyndi for sharing your results and experience with this bread. I'm super happy you enjoyed it!
Kathy says
So is this made with plain flour or strong white bread flour? Or can you use either with the same results? The situation in the UK doesn’t seem to be improving with regards to buying flour! 🙁 Excited to try this!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Kathy, I've used all-purpose flour (which is similar to plain flour) and bread flour for this recipe, both with good results.
Gail says
Delicious! My husband was still eating his first slice when he asked me to please make another loaf right away. I added finely chopped walnuts and substituted with the seeds we had on hand. Wonderful and so simple! Thank you!
Chris Scheuer says
Haha! I love it. Thanks for sharing your results, Gail. I love the addition of walnuts!
Rebecca says
Enjoyed making this and my toddler is loving every bite 🙂
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much for taking the time to share your results, Rebecca. I know that with a toddler you extra minutes are few and far between. 💕
Ruth Horowitz says
I Used bread flour and no seeds. It came out beautifully and is tasty too.
Chris Scheuer says
Yay! Thanks, Ruth! So happy you enjoyed it!
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers says
i am such a fan of oatmeal bread. It's always moist and stays moist for days! Loving your rustic loaf and that seed topping 🙂
Karen says
I’m trying to keep up baking along with you! Another great recipe,followed recipe exactly and turned out exactly like you said it would! No surprise there I guess😂 thanks again for the post👏
Karen says
Woops...forgot to rate!
Chris Scheuer says
Haha! I know what you mean, Karen. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment 💕
Karen says
This bread is AMAZING!! Thank you for all of your work to produce yet another excellent recipe! I made it today and it's almost gone!
Chris Scheuer says
Thank you, Karen! 💕💕
Scott says
We're going through a flour shortage in North America, in the middle of a pandemic... And you went through how much flour trying to perfect a recipe that doesn't need any perfecting? 44lbs?
I understand you just REALLY want to make the perfect loaf, but hoarding flour and wasting that much during these times is just feeding the problem of fear and panic.
You've got a great process and storytelling ability, let's not let that go to waste too.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks for your concern, Scott.
Actually, the recipe was far from perfect and did need a lot of work and the flour was not hoarded but rather used carefully to create a recipe that can achieve delicious, and just as important, consistent results.
I think I need to clarify that this website is a business (not a hobby) and I create recipes and do lots of testing and tweaking so that other people don’t have to waste precious flour (and other expensive ingredients) with faulty recipes that don’t turn out. Just like a farmer needs seeds to plant, a dressmaker needs fabric and an artist needs paint, paper, pencils, etc, I need product to be able to create recipes so readers like you can have success.
I have this website to teach and help others to make tasty, delicious food without a lot of fuss. My desire is to create recipes that readers know they can trust. Delicious food that they can use to nourish and feed family and friends while creating lasting memories.
Kind regards,
Chris
Just so you know, the star rating is there for those who have tried the recipe and want to share their results.
Angie Maniam says
I for one am grateful for your work on this recipe and the others on the site. I'm sure the bread didn't go into the garbage so the flour isn't wasted. As the baker of many a failed loaf, I applaud your efforts. You are a blessing! (Ps. My oven is preheating now. I have never made a no knead loaf and am a little anxious.)
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much, Angie 💕 Hope you enjoyed the bread!
Lorna Peelle says
Can't wait to try this! Do you think Gluten Free flour would work in this recipe?
Thanks, Lorna
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Lorna, I haven't tried this with GF flour so I don't want to say for sure. If I was going to try it, I would just use a good all-purpose GF flour.
Nathalie Bens says
Hello
Love all your recipes..
For the flax seeds do they need to be grounded out just regular flax seeds?
Thank you
Nathalie B
Chris Scheuer says
That's a great question, Nathalie. You can really use either. If you use ground flax, you'll get more of the nutrients (some of the flax seeds will pass through without being absorbed) but flax seeds are a great source of fiber. I love the look and texture of the flax seeds but either will work in this recipe.
Celeste McLeod says
I think this would be good with dried cranberries. Thoughts on that?
Chris Scheuer says
Dried cranberries would be wonderful. I did try this recipe with raisins and it was wonderful. The dried fruit does make the bread a little heavier though so you need to give it a little longer rise time. Hope you enjoy it!
Judi says
Fabulous!!! I have made quite a few of these no-knead breads and this is the best one. It rises more than others which I really like and the additions of nuts and seeds is lovely. I am so pleased! Thanks for working this out for us. This will be my go-to for no-knead from now on. AND I even goofed up with the timing, letting it sit less time than stated; 24/48 hours - somehow I got lost. ANYWAY, worked beautifully so it is very forgiving. I am using my flour wisely and this was such comfort food. THANK YOU>
Chris Scheuer says
Yay! Thanks so much for sharing your results, Judi! I always love it when I get the first real review back from someone who's tried a recipe 💕
Linda says
Hi Chris,
I have the bread rising as I send this email to you. Just wondered if you ever include chia seeds for the topping. I didn't put them in the dough as I was concerned they may absorb the water. What do you thnk? Thanks - love all your no knead breads. Linda
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Linda, sorry I couldn't get to this right away. Yes, I think chia seeds would be great in the topping mix.
Susan Wolfe says
You mentioned your daughter using only using oats and not the seeds - can you give me an idea how much extra oats I might need if I leave out all the seeds?? Thanks.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Susan, don't use any extra oats for the dough. You don't need it. Extra oats will soak up more of the water and make the bread dry. .
For the topping, use about 1/4 cup of oats in lieu of the seeds.
Liz says
YUM! The more seeds, the better! I'm making potato bread this weekend, but once I analyze my seed supply, this ill be on my baking list!! xo
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Liz! Potato bread sounds wonderful too!
Gramma Di says
Can this bread be made in a long bread pan? Would I adjust the cooking time?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Gramma, I haven't tried this bread in a pan so I don't want to say for sure. I know you wouldn't get the nice crisp crust without a cover. I think I might use a different recipe for a loaf pan, perhaps this brioche bread: https://thecafesucrefarine.com/easy-no-knead-brioche-bread/
Gandia says
Pretty cruel to buy seven 5-pound bags so you can blog, when a lot of people can't even buy one 5-pound bag to feed their family.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Gandia, thanks for your thoughtful comment.
I think that perhaps a little clarification might be good. This is a business and I create recipes and do lots of testing and tweaking so that other people don't have to waste precious flour (and other expensive ingredients) with faulty recipes that don't turn out. Just like a farmer needs seeds to plant, a dressmaker needs fabric and an artist needs paint, paper, pencils, etc, I need product to be able to create recipes so readers like you can have success.
I don't have a food blog to create recipes to show off what I can do but rather to help others to make tasty, delicious food without a lot of fuss. Food that they can share with family and friends and create wonderful memories.
Kind regards,
Chris
Vicki says
This will be a must try if I can ever get flour again.
Chris Scheuer says
I know, it's a crazy time. They say the supply is supposed to get better though!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Paula 💕 Hope you enjoy it!
Paula says
I can’t wait to try this, Chris. Looks yummy! I love all the seeds.