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    Perfect Crusty Oat-Topped Bread

    Perfect Crusty Oat-Topped Bread

    Oats on top, crunchy outside, soft and fluffy inside
    Oats on top, crunchy on the outside, soft, warm, and fluffy inside! Just listen to that crust - this is bread perfection. The rolled oats coating creates an incredible texture while the simple 4-ingredient dough produces the softest interior. Using the "lift and slap" technique builds perfect structure without traditional kneading. Every little bit is precious in this beautiful, therapeutic bread-making process!

    How to Make Perfect Crusty Oat-Topped Bread

    Follow along with this visual guide to see the complete bread-making process

    You can follow along with the video above to see exactly how to shape these beautiful oat-crusted loaves. Watch the dough transformation and learn the oat-coating technique.

    Ingredients

    • 220 ml Water(1 cup)
    • 3 g Fresh yeast(¾ tsp, or 2g dry yeast (½ tsp))
    • 320 g Bread flour(2½ cups)
    • 6 g Salt(1 tsp)
    • Rolled oats(for coating (about ½ cup))

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    1. 1
      Mix the dough: In a bowl, combine water (220ml) with fresh yeast (3g) or dry yeast (2g). Mix well. Add bread flour (320g) and salt (6g). Mix until there's no more dry flour - just mix, no need to knead. Every little bit is precious! Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
      Timer Available:First Rest (30:00)
    2. 2
      First stretch and fold: With a wet hand, stretch the 4 sides of the dough and fold them to the center. Lift the dough and slap it back - I call this technique "lift and slap". Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
      Timer Available:Second Rest (30:00)
    3. 3
      Second stretch and fold: Repeat the steps from before - stretch and fold the 4 sides. The dough is now much more elastic! Lift and slap. Now the dough is ready for the final rise. Let rise until it doubles in size - it usually takes about 2 hours.
      Timer Available:Main Rise (2:00:00)
    4. 4
      Divide and pre-shape: Sprinkle flour on your work surface. Try not to disturb the dough too much. Fold the dough so it's easier to cut - bubbles are always a good sign! Cut in half. Brush off any extra flour. Flatten each piece gently, stretch the edges and fold into a ball. Make each dough ball as tight as possible and pinch to seal. Rub against the work surface to seal the balls. Let them rest for 10 minutes uncovered.
      Timer Available:Ball Rest (10:00)
    5. 5
      Final shaping: Fold each ball again to tighten the surface and pinch to seal. Brush off excess flour. Final step!
    6. 6
      Coat with oats: Brush each loaf generously with water. Generously coat with rolled oats - the water makes them stick beautifully. Place on the baking tray.
    7. 7
      Final rise: Cover with a towel and let rise for 30 minutes.
      Timer Available:Final Rise (30:00)
    8. 8
      Score and prepare: Score the bread with a sharp blade or knife. The oats make the cut a little tricky - it doesn't have to be perfect! Sprinkle a little water around the bread for steam.
    9. 9
      Bake: Cover with another tray of the same size and bake at 430°F (220°C) for 20 minutes. Remove the top tray and bake for 10 more minutes until beautifully golden.
      430°F (220°C)
      Timer Available:Baking Time (30:00)
    10. 10
      Cool and serve: They look great! Listen - they sing as small cracks form in the crust. That's how you know the bread will be great! I could listen to this forever. Hollow taps mean it's perfectly baked. As crispy as it gets! Slice to reveal the incredibly soft and pleasant crumb. All it needs is a little butter!
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    Watch the Video Tutorial

    See every step in action! Follow along with the complete video guide for perfect results.

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