High Altitude No Knead Seeded Bread

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An easy no knead seeded bread recipe, tested at high altitude. This rustic multi seed bread has a hearty crust and chewy crumb, and is loaded with a variety of crunchy seeds and oats.

You might also love these high altitude recipes for no knead cinnamon raisin oatmeal bread, simple Irish brown bread, and honey whole wheat sandwich bread.

Rustic loaf of seeded no knead bread cut in half.

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What is No Knead Bread?

No knead bread is a very rustic, artisan style bread loaf or boule made from four basic ingredients: just flour, yeast, salt and water. From there, you can add all kinds of herbs, spices, nuts, seeds or oats to add flavor or texture to your bread. Or just keep it basic, like my original no knead bread recipe, which I flavor simply with caraway seeds. This hearty, seedy bread is fantastic toasted and buttered, served alongside hot soup or stew, or made into a grilled cheese sandwich.

The way this recipe works is you simply mix together the ingredients in a bowl with a spoon, then leave the dough to rest, anywhere from 12-24 hours and up to a full week. The long resting time allows the dough to ferment, which gives it a tangy flavor, similar to sourdough bread. So if you’ve wanted to try baking sourdough, but are intimidated by the whole process of keeping and feeding the sourdough starter, you’ll love starting with this easy rustic bread recipe. After the fermentation period, the dough is baked in a cast iron skillet or a Dutch oven at a very high temperature, giving it a thick and chewy crust.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

So Simple to Make. When it comes to bread baking, it really doesn’t get easier than this no knead cast iron skillet bread or Dutch oven bread. Simply mix, rest and then bake the dough. This multi seed bread recipe is a great baking project for a beginner bread baker.

Hearty and Wholesome. I love the heartiness of this bread, and the thick, chewy crust. It’s wonderful toasted and enjoyed alongside scrambled eggs for breakfast, or dunked in soups and stews.

High Altitude Tested. I develop all the recipes on my site for Denver’s altitude of 5,280 feet. If you’re at a lower or higher elevation, please see my FAQs for guidance on adjusting recipes for your altitude.

Round loaf of rustic bread covered in seeds and oats.

See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.

Ingredients

Flour. You can use either all purpose flour (for a slightly lighter, airier texture) or bread flour/high protein flour (for a more dense and chewy texture).
Oats. Use old fashioned rolled oats, not quick oats or steel cut oats.
Yeast. You can use either instant/rapid-rise or active dry yeast. This is what makes the bread rise. My preferred yeast for bread making is Red Star Platinum Premium Instant Yeast.
Salt. Flavor.
Seeds. I used a combination of pumpkin seeds (pepitas), sunflower seeds and brown flax seeds. Raw seeds are best, so they don’t contribute excess salt and the flavor of the oils they’re roasted in to your bread. Just for the heck of it, I also added some chopped hazelnuts, but this is optional.
Water. Be sure your water is between 110-115 degrees Fahrenheit when you stir it into the dough, so that it properly activates the yeast.
Honey. Just a touch, to add a kiss of sweetness.

Instructions

Make and Rest the Dough

In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, yeast, salt, seeds and nuts. Add the water and honey, and stir into a sticky, shaggy dough.
Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest, undisturbed, at room temperature for at least 12 hours, or overnight. The dough will rise and bubble up in the bowl, and may fall again.
Baker’s Note: You can even let the dough rest for up to one week, in the refrigerator. The longer the dough rests, the more of a tangy flavor it will develop, similar to sourdough bread.

Step 1 for making seeded no knead bread.

Shape the Bread and Add the Topping

When you’re ready to bake your bread, place a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the bowl down and deflate the dough, then scrape it out of the bowl onto the parchment paper. The dough will be sticky, so use the spatula or slightly damp hands to shape it into a round or oval shape.
Combine the seeds for the topping, and sprinkle them over the dough, pressing them in. Let the dough rest at room temperature for 45 minutes.
Baker’s Note: If the dough is cold from the refrigerator, it may need to rest and warm up for several hours, prior to baking.

Step 5 for making seeded no knead bread.

Step 6 for making seeded no knead bread.

Bake the Bread

While the shaped dough is resting, position a rack in the center of the oven and another rack in the lower third of the oven. Place a cast iron skillet or Dutch oven on the center rack. Preheat the oven to 450 F, letting the cast iron skillet or Dutch oven heat up for at least 30 minutes.
Place a metal pan, like a baking sheet or roasting pan, on the lower rack. Boil 2 cups of water to have ready on standby.
Use a sharp paring knife or bread lame to slash the dough across the top, about 1/2 inch deep.
Using oven mitts, remove the skillet/Dutch oven from the oven – the skillet will be very hot!! Grab onto the parchment paper to lift the dough, and set the paper and dough onto the skillet/Dutch oven.
Pour the boiling water into the metal pan on the lower rack – this creates a burst of steam, which will contribute to the bread’s crusty exterior. Immediately place the skillet/Dutch oven on the center rack, and close the oven.
Bake the bread for about 45-55 minutes, until an instant read digital thermometer inserted into the bread reads 195 F. The bread will be a deep golden brown, with a crisp, crusty exterior.
Set the bread on a cooling rack, and let cool for several hours. Slice the bread with a sharp serrated bread knife, using a sawing motion to get through the exterior crust (since the bread is so crusty, an electric knife would make the job easier). Resist the urge to cut the bread while it’s hot from the oven, or you will ruin the texture, making it gummy.

Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common baking questions, so that you can be successful in your own baking!

Frequently Asked Questions

How should I store leftover seeded no knead bread?

Cool the bread completely before storing it in an airtight container or freezer bag. Keep the bread at room temperature for up to 3-5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3-6 months.

Will this recipe work without the oats?

Yes, you can make this rustic seeded bread recipe without oats by replacing the oats with the same amount of all purpose flour or bread flour.

Slices of rustic seeded bread on a cutting board.

A loaf of Irish brown bread on a wooden cutting board. — Brown Bread

Pumpkin bread with crumb topping cut into slices. — Brown Bread

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