Why You’ll Love This No-Knead Honey Oat Bread
This no-knead honey oat bread is simple, soft, and full of gentle flavor. You get a slice that is slightly sweet from honey, textured from oats, and warm from cinnamon. The dough is wet and sticky, but you do almost no work. Let time do the job. If you like easy bread you can make ahead, you will love this loaf. If you want a version with fruit and nuts, try the Crusty Cranberry Nut No-Knead Bread for a change of flavor that still uses the no-knead method.
introduction
This recipe gives you a reliable loaf with little hands-on time. Mix the flour, oats, yeast, salt, and cinnamon in one bowl. Stir wet ingredients in another, combine, then cover and leave at room temperature. After a long slow rise you shape the sticky dough, rest it again, and bake. The process is forgiving. You can make it when life is busy, and you will still end with warm, homemade bread. The bread keeps well and works for toast, sandwiches, or plain with butter.
Why Make This Recipe
Make this recipe because it saves effort without losing taste. There is no heavy kneading to learn. You do not need special equipment. It uses simple pantry items like flour, oats, honey, yeast, and oil. The oats add texture and a mild nutty note. Honey adds gentle sweetness and keeps the bread moist. The long, slow rise builds flavor and creates a tender crumb. This loaf is also good for people who want a softer, everyday bread rather than a very crusty artisan loaf.
What You Need for No-Knead Honey Oat Bread
You need basic tools and a few pantry ingredients. Have a large mixing bowl, a medium bowl or large liquid measuring cup, a silicone spatula or wooden spoon, a 9×5-inch loaf pan, plastic wrap or foil, and a sharp knife or bread lame for scoring. A wire rack helps cool the loaf nicely. An instant read thermometer can check doneness, but a hollow sound when tapped also works. You do not need a stand mixer. A normal room temperature works fine for the rise. The recipe makes one standard loaf that fits in a 9×5 pan.
How to Make No-Knead Honey Oat Bread
The method is calm and slow. You will mix, wait, shape, rest, and bake.
- Mix the dry ingredients in a large ungreased bowl: bread flour, oats, yeast, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk them to combine and set aside.
- In a medium bowl or large liquid measuring cup, whisk together the water, honey, and oil until the honey dissolves.
- Pour the water mixture into the flour mixture. Gently stir with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon until the dough comes together. The dough will be heavy and very wet and sticky. Do not overwork it. Stir by hand because it is too sticky for a mixer.
- Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Set it on the counter at a normal room temperature and let it rise for 12–18 hours. The dough will mostly spread out in the bowl rather than rise up. It should almost double and show many air bubbles.
- Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
- After the long rise, uncover the dough and gently fold in the remaining 2 tablespoons of bread flour. This makes the dough easier to handle.
- Pour the dough onto a work surface. With lightly floured hands, shape it into a loaf about 8×4 inches. Do not overwork it. Place the loaf in the greased pan.
- Score the top with one slash down the center about 1/2 inch deep using a very sharp knife or bread lame.
- Loosely cover the pan with plastic wrap or foil and let the dough rest at room temperature for 1 hour, until it rises slightly above the rim.
- Near the end of this second rise, preheat your oven to 375°F (191°C).
- Remove the cover and bake for 50–60 minutes. The top will brown; tent the loaf with foil after 30 minutes to prevent over-browning.
- Test doneness by tapping the loaf; it should sound hollow. For accuracy, the center should read 195°F (90°C) with an instant read thermometer. Keep in mind the bread will continue to cook a few minutes after you remove it.
- Let the bread cool for at least 15 minutes in the pan on a wire rack before slicing. You can let it cool completely if you prefer.
- Store leftovers covered at room temperature up to 3 days or in the refrigerator up to 10 days.
Ingredients:
- 3 cups + 2 Tablespoons (410g) bread flour (spooned & leveled), divided
- 1 cup (85g) old-fashioned whole oats or quick oats (not instant)
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons (4g) Platinum Yeast from Red Star or any instant or active dry yeast
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 and 1/2 cups (360ml) water, close to room temperature at about 70°F (21°C)
- 6 Tablespoons (128g) honey
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil (or other neutral tasting oil)
Directions:
- In a large ungreased bowl, whisk 3 cups (390g) bread flour, the oats, yeast, salt, and cinnamon together. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl or large liquid measuring cup, whisk the water, honey, and oil together.
- Pour water mixture into flour mixture and gently stir together with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon to combine. Dough will be heavy and very wet/sticky. Do not overwork dough. (Tip: Stir dough by hand. Dough is too sticky for a mixer.)
- Cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and set on the counter at room temperature—honestly any normal room temperature is fine. Allow to rise for 12-18 hours. (See note if you need to extend this time.) Depending on the size of your mixing bowl, the dough will mostly rise out to the sides of the bowl instead of rising up. Some upward rise is normal if your bowl is on the smaller side. The dough will stick to the sides of the bowl and have a lot of air bubbles. You want it to almost double in size during this time.
- Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
- After rising, uncover dough and gently fold in remaining 2 Tablespoons (about 20g) of bread flour. Dough is very sticky, but the extra flour makes it more manageable. Pour dough (and any excess flour that is not mixing in) onto work surface. Using lightly floured hands, gently form into a loaf shape, about 8×4 inches. Does not have to be perfect, so don’t over-think the shape or overwork the dough. Place in greased pan and using a very sharp knife or bread lame (some even use kitchen shears), score the bread loaf with 1 slash down the center or off-center, about 1/2 inch deep. (“Score” = shallow cut.)
- Loosely cover loaf with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and set on the counter at room temperature for 1 hour or until dough rises slightly above the rim of the pan.
- Meanwhile, towards the end of the 2nd rise, preheat oven to 375°F (191°C).
- After rising, remove plastic wrap/covering from bread and bake for 50-60 minutes. The loaf will begin to heavily brown on top, so tent it with aluminum foil after 30 minutes. How to test for doneness—give the loaf a light tap. If it sounds hollow, it’s done. For a more accurate test, the bread is done when an instant read thermometer reads the center of the loaf as 195°F (90°C). (Tip: Keep in mind that the bread will continue to cook for a few minutes as it cools.)
- Remove from the oven and allow bread to cool for at least 15 minutes in the pan set on a wire rack before slicing and serving. Feel free to let it cool completely before slicing, too.
- Cover leftover bread and store at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
Best Ways to Serve No-Knead Honey Oat Bread
This bread is versatile. Slice it thin for toast and spread with butter and jam. Use it for sandwiches with deli meats, cheese, or egg salad. Make French toast with thicker slices for a sweet breakfast. The oats give it a nice chew that pairs well with honey butter, peanut butter, or cream cheese. Warm a slice and drizzle a little honey for a simple treat. It also pairs well with soups and stews as a side.
How to Store No-Knead Honey Oat Bread
Store the loaf covered at room temperature for up to three days. Keep it in a plastic bag or wrap it well to keep it soft. For longer storage, refrigerate for up to ten days. To freeze, wrap the loaf or slices tightly in plastic and then foil. Freeze up to three months. Thaw at room temperature or toast frozen slices directly.
Easy Tips to Make No-Knead Honey Oat Bread
- Measure flour by spooning it into the cup and leveling it; do not scoop directly with the cup.
- Use room temperature water near 70°F (21°C) for a steady rise. Slightly warmer water will speed the rise.
- Let the dough rest the full 12–18 hours; this creates better flavor.
- Handle the dough gently when shaping; it is sticky but forgiving.
- If the top browns too fast, tent with foil after 30 minutes of baking.
- Use an instant read thermometer for a sure test; 195°F (90°C) at the center means the loaf is done.
Try These Variations of No-Knead Honey Oat Bread
- Add 1/2 cup chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans to the dry mix for crunch.
- Fold in 1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries for a sweeter loaf.
- Replace half the water with milk for a richer crumb.
- Swap honey for maple syrup for a different flavor profile.
- Use whole wheat bread flour for a nuttier, denser loaf; keep the hydration the same but expect a firmer crumb.
Common Questions About No-Knead Honey Oat Bread
Q: Can I shorten the 12–18 hour rise?
A: Yes, but the flavor and texture will change. A shorter rise of 6–8 hours at a warmer room temperature may work, but the dough will not develop the same depth of flavor.
Q: Can I use instant yeast or active dry yeast?
A: Yes. The recipe accepts either instant or active dry yeast. If using active dry yeast, you can mix it directly with the dry ingredients as written. The long rise will still work.
Q: My dough is very sticky. How do I shape it without a mess?
A: Lightly flour your hands and work surface, and use a gentle touch. Fold in the extra 2 tablespoons of flour as the recipe says. Shape quickly with minimal handling.
Q: Can I make this in a different pan size?
A: You can use a slightly different pan, but the shape and bake time may change. A 9×5-inch pan is best for even baking and the stated time.
Q: How do I keep the bread soft for longer?
A: Store it tightly wrapped at room temperature. Slicing only as needed helps keep it moist longer.
Final Thoughts
No-knead honey oat bread is a great choice when you want home-baked bread without a lot of work. It uses simple steps and common ingredients. The long rise gives good flavor and a soft crumb. You can adapt it with add-ins or different flours to suit your taste. It works for breakfast, sandwiches, or as a warm snack.
Ready to Give It a Try?
Gather your ingredients, set aside a little hands-on time, and let the dough rest. In about a day you will have a warm, tasty loaf with little effort. Enjoy the smell of fresh bread and the simple pleasure of slicing into a loaf you made at home.
Print
No-Knead Honey Oat Bread
- Total Time: 780 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A simple, soft no-knead bread that is slightly sweet from honey and textured from oats, perfect for toast or sandwiches.
Ingredients
- 3 cups + 2 tablespoons (410g) bread flour, divided
- 1 cup (85g) old-fashioned whole oats or quick oats
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons (4g) Platinum Yeast or any instant or active dry yeast
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 and 1/2 cups (360ml) water, close to room temperature
- 6 tablespoons (128g) honey
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil (or other neutral tasting oil)
Instructions
- In a large ungreased bowl, whisk together 3 cups of bread flour, oats, yeast, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk water, honey, and oil until combined.
- Pour the water mixture into the flour mixture and gently stir until the dough comes together. The dough will be heavy, wet, and sticky.
- Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature for 12-18 hours.
- Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
- After the rise, gently fold in the remaining 2 tablespoons of bread flour and shape the dough into a loaf.
- Place the loaf in the greased pan and score the top with a knife.
- Cover loosely and let it rise for 1 hour.
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (191°C) near the end of the rise.
- Remove the cover and bake for 50-60 minutes, tenting with foil after 30 minutes if necessary.
- Test doneness by tapping; it should sound hollow. Let cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing.
Notes
The bread can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. For longer storage, slice and freeze.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 200mg
- Fat: 2g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 0mg