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 10-15 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 10-15 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.
