Baking bread in a pot: how to get a crisp crust at home

October 31, 2026

Homemade bread and a Vokshus bread bag on the worktop

A hot pot with a lid does roughly what steam does in a baker's oven. The loaf rises tall and the crust turns crisp. Here is the method, plus a simple no-knead recipe.

Short answer: Heat the pot with its lid in the oven at 250 °C for at least 30 minutes. Add the dough, bake 25 minutes with the lid on, take off the lid, lower to 220 °C and bake another 15 to 20 minutes.

Why a pot makes better bread

Dough releases steam as it bakes. The lid holds that steam in, so the crust stays soft long enough for the loaf to rise. Once the lid comes off, the crust turns crisp and brown.

Which pot can you use?

Cast iron with a lid: The best choice, because it holds heat well.
Enamelled cast iron: Works just as well. Check that the pot and the lid knob can take 250 °C.
Ovenproof dish with a lid: Fine if the maker says it can take that heat empty.

A pot of 4 to 5 litres suits a loaf made with 500 g of flour.

Simple no-knead recipe

500 g plain wheat flour
3.7 dl water
10 g salt
5 g fresh yeast, or 1 g dried yeast

Stir the fresh yeast into the water. If you use dried yeast, mix it into the flour.
Mix everything into a sticky dough. There is no need to knead.
Cover, and leave the dough at room temperature for 12 to 16 hours, until it is full of bubbles.
Turn the dough out onto a floured worktop. Fold it a few times and shape a tight ball.
Put the ball in a well-floured proofing basket with the seam up, and let it rise for about 1 hour.
Put the pot and lid in the oven meanwhile, and heat at 250 °C for at least 30 minutes.
Carefully turn the dough into the hot pot, and score a cross on top.
Bake 25 minutes with the lid on. Take off the lid, lower to 220 °C, and bake another 15 to 20 minutes.
Let the bread cool on a rack for at least 1 hour before you slice it.

The pot and lid get very hot. Use thick oven gloves every time you touch them.

No proofing basket?

Use a bowl lined with a floured tea towel. A proofing basket still gives you the classic ring pattern in the flour on the crust, and the dough releases more easily. How to use the pot for sourdough: rustic sourdough boule.

How to look after the bread

When the bread is completely cold, put it in the bread bag and put the bag in the fridge. If you freeze it, it can stay in the same bag.

Round bread proofing basket379 NOK

Spiral ribs give the classic ring pattern in the flour on the crust. About 20 × 8 cm, supplied without a liner.

See the proofing basket →

Bake & Keep519 NOK

Proofing basket and Bivoks™ bread bag in one set, from dough to finished bread.

See Bake & Keep →

Frequently asked questions

Does the pot need heating first?

That gives the best result. The hot pot gives the dough a fast start, and the loaf rises taller.

Can I use baking paper in the pot?

Yes, it makes it easier to lower the dough in. But many baking papers are only rated for 220 °C, so check the box. See what baking paper can take.

Why did the bottom turn too dark?

The pot is too close to the heat below. Put it one level higher next time, or put a baking tray on the rack underneath.

Can I bake sourdough bread in a pot?

Yes, a pot suits sourdough well. The method is the same.

Not sure if the bread is done? Tap the bottom lightly. If it sounds hollow, it is ready.

From dough to finished loaf

Bake & Keep gives you the proofing basket for the dough and the bread bag for the finished loaf.