Make some homemade bread this weekend. (You can thank us, and Le Creuset later.)

With the sudden popularity of homemade bread baking, Le Creuset answered with their new Bread Oven. They kept their legendary enameled cast iron for superior heat distribution and created a shape uniquely designed to produce bakery-quality results. A deep domed lid traps and circulates steam for the perfect rise and ultimate flavor, while the low-profile base promotes even browning and bakes a golden, crispy crust marked with our hallmark three rings.

With an easy-to-clean matte black interior enamel and ergonomic knobs and handles, the Le Creuset Bread Oven makes it effortless to bake like the experts right from home.

We've put together five Bread Oven recipes to make your mouth water! Try Le Creuset's basic rustic loaf, an everyday sourdough, an easy-peasy everything rye bread, or a tender braided enriched dough pastry featuring cinnamon and apples. The possibilities are endless!

Roasted Garlic & Herb Bread

Recipe Courtesy of Le Creuset.
Difficulty: Moderate |  Prep Time: 35 minutes  |   Proofing: 2-3.25 Hours  |  Bake Time: 45 to 50 Minutes  |  Makes: 1 Loaf



With sweet roasted garlic and inviting herbs, this bread smells as good as it tastes. It’s the perfect tasteful accompaniment to soups, stews and pasta recipes. Be sure not to skip the compound butter for extra flavor – top slices of the bread with the butter and lightly toast to create the most delicious riff on your favorite garlic bread.

TIP: Get professional looking results! Score baguettes and loaves like a pro with the Mercer Culinary Baker's Lame. This professional design uses an easily replaceable safety razor to score super-clean slashes that help shaped dough expand as it bakes. The double edged stainless steel blade works with either hand and has an ergonomic handle and slide-on cover that snaps into place for safe storage. More info →

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
• 1 head roasted garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 4 cups bread flour
• 1 teaspoon instant yeast
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• All purpose flour
• Vegetable oil

For the Compound Butter.

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small skillet set over medium heat. Add onion, rosemary and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-6 minutes or until onion is softened. Transfer to a medium bowl and let cool completely.

2. Squeeze out cloves from roasted head of garlic and add to onion mixture. Add pepper and stir to combine. Divide garlic mixture in half.

3. Place bread flour, yeast, remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, sugar and warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on low speed until combined.

4. Add half of the garlic mixture and mix for 8-10 minutes or until dough starts to gather into a smooth, soft ball. (Alternately, knead dough by hand.) 

5. Cover bowl and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. 

6. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead about 1-2 minutes to release the gas. Shape the dough roughly into a ball, cover with a clean towel, and let rest for 10 minutes.

7. Cup your hands around the dough and shape it into a tight ball by rolling it on the work surface between your palms. Lightly brush the base of the Bread Oven with vegetable oil. Place the dough in the center of the base and cover with the lid. Allow the dough to rise again until roughly doubled in size and when poked with a finger will slowly spring back, about 30-60 minutes.

8. During the last 15 minutes of rising time, preheat oven to 450°F.

9. When ready to bake, score the bread with a sharp knife, razor or bread lame. Cover and place in the hot oven. Bake for 30 minutes.

10. Remove the lid, reduce the oven temperature to 375°F, and continue baking for an additional 15-20 minutes until the bread is golden brown and cooked through. It should have an internal temperature of approximately 200°F when done.

11. Carefully remove the bread from the base and allow to cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

For the compound butter: 

1. While the bread bakes, make the compound butter. Place remaining roasted garlic mixture, butter and salt in a small mixing bowl, and stir to combine.

2. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap on a flat surface and transfer compound butter to plastic wrap. Roll into a log and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until butter is firm. 

3. Spread slices of the bread with the compound butter.

Easiest Everything Rye Bread

Recipe Courtesy of Le Creuset.
Difficulty: Moderate |  Prep Time: 30 minutes  |   Proofing: 9.5-14 Hours  |  BakeTime: 45 to 50 Minutes  |  Makes: 1 Loaf

NOTE: this recipe needs an overnight 8-12 hour proof.

This is where the everything bagel meets a hearty rye bread, baked in a Le Creuset enameled cast iron bread pan. Golden brown, chewy and dusted with a topping of everything bagel seasoning, this recipe from our partner Joy Wilson (aka, Joy the Baker, @joythebaker) is all that you love about your favorite bagel but in bread form. Her easy-to-follow recipe uses our Bread Oven to create the perfect loaf. Photo credit: Emily Feretti @emferetti

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups (381 grams) bread flour
• 1 cup (108 grams) medium rye flour
• ¼ cup (20 grams) nonfat dry milk powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
• ¾ teaspoons instant yeast
• 1 ½ cups (340 grams) lukewarm water*
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons everything bagel seasoning, plus more for topping

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl whisk together bread flour, rye flour, milk powder, salt, and instant yeast. Add the water and olive oil.

2. Use a wooden spoon or stiff plastic spatula to mix the dough together. Stir in the everything seasoning until thoroughly combined.

3. The dough will be very sticky – that’s right! Mix for 2-3 minutes longer.

4. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 8-12 hours. 

5. To bake the bread, use a plastic bench scraper to gently turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter.

6. Lightly flour the top of the dough and knead and fold the dough over itself for 12-16 turns, into a bouncy, firm, slightly tacky dough ball.

7. To top the loaf with everything seasoning, sprinkle a clean flour sack towel with everything bagel seasoning and place the dough round, top side into the seasoning on the towel to pick up the seasoning.  Remove from the towel and place top side down on the lightly floured counter.

8. Shake out the flour sack towel and generously sprinkle flour over the towel. Shake off excess and place the towel into a small bowl (a six cup Pyrex bowl is the perfect size) to line.

9. Lightly sprinkle the towel with more flour. Place the dough ball in the bowl, seam side up, seasoning side down.

10. Cover gently with the edges of the towel and allow to rest at room temperature for 1 – 1 1/2 hours.

11. About 20 minutes before baking, place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 450°F.

12. The dough will be puffed and risen and have almost doubled in size. Place the base of the Le Creuset Bread Oven upside down over the bowl and gently invert the bread into the pan. Gently lift off the bowl and towel. 

13. Dust off any large patches of flour, if any. Slash a few lines into the dough using a lame or sharp knife. Gently cover dough with the domed lid.

14. Place Bread Oven in the preheated oven. Bake for 25 minutes.

15. Remove the lid and bake for another 10-15 minutes to a deep golden brown.

16. Remove bread from the oven and transfer the loaf to a wire rack to cool for 1 hour before slicing. Keep bread, well wrapped at room temperature for up to 4 days. 

Apple Cinnamon Braid

Recipe Courtesy of Le Creuset.
Difficulty: Moderate |  Prep Time: 45 minutes  |   Proofing: 45-90 Minutes   |  Bake Time: 40-45 Minutes  |  Makes: 1 Loaf

This innovative Bread Oven offers so much versatility to the home baker. Not only perfect for bread baking, the bread oven makes terrific pastry too! Try this decadent braided apple bread with its cinnamon swirl, apple filling and sweet glaze – it’s a treat at brunch or teatime. The domed lid of the Bread Oven traps steam to create the tender, brioche-like dessert bread, while the shallow base makes it easy to shape the bread as well as remove it after baking.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup warm milk
• 1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) instant dry yeast
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• Vegetable or canola oil

DIRECTIONS:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer or large mixing bowl, add milk and sprinkle with yeast. Stir to combine. Add egg, butter, flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt, and mix until the ingredients are just barely combined. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes.

2. Using the hook attachment, beat on medium speed until a soft dough forms. Increase speed to medium-high, and beat until the dough is soft and supple, about 6-8 minutes longer. Alternatively, knead dough on a floured work surface for about 10 minutes.

3. Kneading with your hands, form the dough into a ball. Transfer to a lightly greased bowl. Cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap or a towel and let sit in a warm place until doubled in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

4. While the dough rises, make the fillings. For the cinnamon filling, place softened butter, brown sugar and cinnamon in a medium mixing bowl, and stir with a spatula to form a thick paste. Set aside.

5. For the apple filling, in a large nonstick skillet set over medium heat, place the apples, butter, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cook until apples are tender and the liquid forms a thick sauce, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice, and place in refrigerator to cool.

6. To form the loaf, on a lightly floured work surface, punch down the dough and, using a rolling pin, roll evenly into a 12×16” rectangle.

7. Using a spatula, spread the cinnamon filling evenly over the dough, then spread apple filling on top. Gently press apples into the filling.

8. Starting with the longer end, tightly roll up the dough to form a 16”-long log.

9. Using a sharp knife, cut the log in half, lengthwise. Place halves next to one another with cut sides facing upwards. Pinch ends together on one side and gently twist the two pieces of dough around each other 3 to 4 times.

10. Finish by pinching the ends together. Carefully shape the twisted dough into a ring by bringing the pinched ends together.

11. Lightly brush the base of the Bread Oven with oil. Carefully place the braided loaf into the base of the Bread Oven. If some filling pieces have fallen out, tuck them back inside the dough.

12. Cover with lid and set in a warm place for about 30 minutes, until risen and puffy.

13. While the loaf is proofing, preheat the oven to 350°F.

14. Once the dough has risen, bake covered in preheated oven for 10 minutes.

15. Uncover and bake 30-35 more minutes, until deep, golden-brown and measures 190°F on an instant-read thermometer.

16. Remove from oven and set on a rack to cool.

17. While the bread is baking, make the glaze. Combine the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla and cinnamon together in a small bowl until smooth. If the icing is too thick, add more milk; if it’s too thin, add more powdered sugar. Drizzle cooled loaf with glaze.

Parmesan, Date & Walnut Bread

Recipe Courtesy of Le Creuset.
Difficulty: Moderate |  Prep Time: 40 minutes  |   Proofing: 2-3.25 Hours  |  Bake Time: 45-50 Minutes  |  Makes: 1 Loaf

There are many exciting directions to go on your bread-baking journey. For a hearty, textural version, try this sweet and savory loaf that is studded with sweet dates and toasty walnuts, and jazzed up with umami-rich Parmesan cheese. Or try experimenting with your favorite nuts and cheeses to create your favorite loaf.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 cups (550g) all purpose or bread flour
• 1 teaspoon (7g) kosher salt or coarse sea salt
• 1 teaspoon (4g) instant yeast
• 1 1/2 cups (360g) warm water (between 90°F -100°F)
• 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
• 1 cup dates, pitted and chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• Walnut oil

DIRECTIONS:

1. Whisk together the flour, salt and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer or large mixing bowl. Add the water and stir on low speed with the dough hook attachment for about 1 minute (or stir with a spatula).

2. Add Parmesan cheese, dates and walnuts to bowl. Increase speed to medium and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes (or alternately, knead by hand). Every few minutes, stop the mixer and scrape the dough off the hook and sides of the bowl.

3. When the dough appears smooth, cut off a small piece and stretch it. If it stretches to the point of transparency, it’s kneaded enough. If not, continue kneading.

4. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and cover it with a pot lid or plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise until it has doubled in size and does not spring back when you push your finger into it, about 1 1/2-2 hours (less time if it’s hot and humid, more if it’s cold).

5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead about 1-2 minutes to release the gas. Shape the dough roughly into a ball, cover with a clean towel, and let rest for 10 minutes.

6. Cup your hands around the dough and shape it into a tight ball by rolling it on the work surface between your palms. Lightly brush the base of the Bread Oven with oil. Place the dough in the center of the base, and cover with the lid. Allow the dough to rise again until roughly doubled in size and when poked with a finger will slowly spring back, about 30-60 minutes.

7. During the last 15 minutes of rising time, preheat oven to 450°F.

8. When ready to bake, score the bread with a sharp knife or razor, making an X or a hash mark to allow the dough to expand freely. Cover and place in the hot oven.

9. Bake for 30 minutes.

10. Remove the lid, reduce the oven temperature to 375°F, and continue baking for an additional 15-20 minutes, until the bread is golden-brown and cooked through. It should have an internal temperature of approximately 200°F when done.

11. Carefully remove the bread from the base and allow to cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

Basic Bread Oven Bread

Recipe Courtesy or Le Creuset.
Difficulty: Easy |  Prep Time: 30 minutes  |   Proofing: 2-3.5 Hours  |  Bake Time: 45-50 Minutes  |  Makes: 1 Loaf

Le Creuset's Basic Bread Oven Bread recipe is a perfect starting point for those new to bread baking. It is the ideal size loaf for 3-4 people.

INGREDIENTS:

•  4 cups (550g) all purpose or bread flour
• 1 teaspoon (7g) kosher salt or coarse sea salt
• 1 teaspoon (4g) instant yeast
• 1 1/2 cups (360g) warm water (between 90°F-100°F)
• Olive or vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS: 

 1. Whisk together the flour, salt and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer or large mixing bowl. Add the water and stir on low speed with the dough hook attachment for about 1 minute (or stir with a spatula).

2. Increase speed to medium and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes (or alternately, knead by hand). Every few minutes, stop the mixer and scrape the dough off the hook and sides of the bowl.

3. When the dough appears smooth, cut off a small piece and stretch it. If it stretches to the point of transparency, it’s kneaded enough. If not, continue kneading.

4. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and cover it with a pot lid or plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise until it has doubled in size and does not spring back when you push your finger into it, about 1 1/2-2 hours (less if it’s hot and humid, more if it’s cold).

5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead about 1-2 minutes to release the gas. Shape the dough roughly into a ball, cover with a clean towel, and let rest for 10 minutes.

6. Cup your hands around the dough and shape it into a tight ball by rolling it on the work surface between your palms. Lightly brush the base of the Bread Oven with oil.

7. Place the dough in the center of the base and cover with the lid. Allow the dough to rise again until roughly doubled in size and when poked with a finger will slowly spring back, about 30-60 minutes.

8. During the last 15 minutes of rising time, preheat oven to 450°F. When ready to bake, score the bread with a sharp knife or razor, making an X or a hash mark to allow the dough to expand freely. Cover and place in the hot oven.

9. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid, reduce the oven temperature to 375°F, and continue baking for an additional 15-20 minutes until the bread is golden brown and cooked through. It should have an internal temperature of approximately 200°F when done.

10. Carefully remove the bread from the base and allow to cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing. 

The Le Creuset Bread Oven takes home bread baking (and more) to the next level with ease. The Le Creuset Signature Bread Oven is made in France and includes the manufacturer's lifetime limited warranty. The base is 9.5" and the pan measures 12.75" l x 9.8" w x 7" h. More info →

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