Small Loaf of Bread in a Cast Iron Skillet
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This small loaf of bread baked in a cast iron skillet is soft on the inside with a golden, crisp crust on the outside. It’s the perfect size for a small family dinner, soup night, or when you just want fresh homemade bread with a slather of honey butter.
Baking bread in a cast iron skillet gives you bakery-style texture using simple pantry ingredients. No extra special equipment required.
Why Bake This Small Loaf of Bread in Cast Iron
- Perfect size for 3–4 people, or one giant sandwich
- No bread machine or mixer needed
- Crunchy crust with soft, tender inside
- Uses basic pantry ingredients, things you already have on hand
- Bakes evenly in an 8 inch skillet
- Cast iron holds heat perfectly, which helps create that lightly crispy crust while keeping the inside soft and fluffy.
Ingredients for Small Cast Iron Bread
- 1 cup all-purpose flour or bread flour
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast-fast acting yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar or honey
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt-has a slightly large grain than table salt
- 1/2 cup warm water (about 110-115°F)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
How to Make a Small Loaf of Bread in Cast Iron
- Mix the Dough-In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Stir in warm water and olive oil until a soft dough forms.
- Rise– Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1.5 hours, or until doubled in size and bubbly.
- Shape– scoop the dough out onto a liberally floured surface and pull the edges into the center and roll into a small ball.
- Bake– Heat the oven to 450º F. Place the dough into a parchment lined 8 inch cast iron skillet, then put 3-4 ice cubes on the sides of the pan under the parchment. Cover with a piece of foil loosely over the pan so that it doesn’t touch the dough. Bake for 20–25 minutes, remove the foil and continue to bake for 10 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
- Rest– Remove from the skillet and cool before slicing.
Tips for the Best Cast Iron Bread
- No need to preheat the skillet
- Brush the top with melted butter after baking for a touch of flavor.
- Score the top before baking for a rustic design.
- If your kitchen is too cool, let the dough rise in the oven on the proof setting.
- If the dough is too sticky, wet hands with a little bit of water to help shape the dough
⭐️ Cast iron also works well for other baked recipes like skillet cookies and pastries such as puff pastry Apple Pie.
Variations
- Add 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder and Italian seasoning for savory bread.
- Stir in shredded cheddar for a cheesy loaf.
- Replace ½ cup flour with whole wheat flour for a heartier texture.
Storage and Freezing
Store at room temperature in an airtight bag for up to 3 days. For longer storage, slice and freeze for up to 2 months, thaw in the counter or in the toaster.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but it will be a different process. The yeast will need to be dissolved with the sugar in the water and let sit for 5 minutes, then mix in the rest of the ingredients. Allow the dough to rise for one hour, punch down the dough and rise again for another hour. Shape into a ball, then place in the parchment lined pan, rise for 30 additional minutes before baking as instructed in the recipe card.
This can also be baked in a Dutch oven pot, like this bread recipe.
It can also be baked as directed in an 8 inch baking dish, it won’t get as crisp but will still be delicious.
This can also be made in a large cast iron skillet if you don’t own an 8 inch pan.
If your dough is too sticky, add additional flour 1 tablespoon at a time until it is manageable, this is a sticky dough so don’t add too much.
Dampening your hands with a little water will also help them from sticking to the dough.
Cast iron skillet bread is homemade artisan bread baked directly in a cast iron skillet instead of a traditional loaf pan. The heavy skillet holds heat well, which helps create a golden crust while keeping the inside soft.
What to Serve with Homemade Bread
This small loaf of crusty bread pairs well with simple family dinners like:
- roasted chicken– in a cast iron skillet of course
- soups
- pasta
Other Bread Recipes We Love:
Cast Iron Bread-Small Loaf
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 sea salt
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup warm water 110-115ºF
Instructions
- Mix- in a mixing bowl combine the 1 cup all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon instant yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1/4 sea salt .
- Combine the 1 teaspoon olive oil and 1/2 cup warm water, pour into the dry ingredients
- Stir together the ingredients with a dough hook or wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms (looks like torn, wet paper), continue stirring or use clean hands to knead the dough together until a sticky ball forms.
- Rise- cover the mixing bowl with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place until bubbly, about 1.5 hours.
- Prepare for baking- place the dough onto a well floured surface and roll into a ball. Place into a parchment lined 8 inch cast iron skillet. Place 3-4 ice cubes in the pan on the sides under the parchment paper. Cover the pan loosely (like a tent) over the dough with foil.
- Bake in a 450º F oven covered for 20-25 minutes, remove the cover and continue to cook for 10 minutes, until the bread is golden brown on the outside.
- Cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing and enjoying.
Notes
- Nutrition facts are just an estimate of the ingredients listed
- if the dough is too sticky to handle wet hands with just a little water to reduce dough sticking to your hands.
