Ciabatta bread is an Italian bread known for its floury crust and airy, chewy crumb. This soft-baked ciabatta bread uses a simple coil folding technique, which involves gently lifting and tucking the dough under itself to develop gluten.
The result is a super soft and squishy homemade ciabatta bread with a beautiful open crumb and a soft, tender texture. With a rustic appearance, ciabatta bread is surprisingly easy to make and requires only a handful of ingredients.
Clocking in at just three hours start to finish (most of it hands-off resting time), this ciabatta recipe is a perfect option for a lazy weekend or evening baking project!
If you're a garlic lover be sure to check out my crusty garlic-infused ciabatta bread. I've also got a great recipe for twisted ciabatta breadsticks which uses this recipe as a base! I even used this ciabatta recipe as a base to make my foolproof white sandwich bread loaf recipe.
This soft and fluffy ciabatta bread is perfect for tearing into chunks and dunking in my best olive oil bread dip! But I also love using it to make cheesy ciabatta garlic bread slices, and toasting it up to make one of my delightfully quirky ciabatta cheesesteak sandwiches!
Jump to:
- About This Ciabatta Recipe
- What is Ciabatta?
- Ingredient Notes
- Instructions: Mixing Ciabatta Dough
- Resting and Coil Folding (Bulk Fermentation)
- Shaping and Cutting Ciabatta Dough
- BONUS: Flipping for Floury Stripes
- Baking Soft Ciabatta
- Suggested Equipment
- A Note on Temperature and Dough Rising
- Substituting Active Dry Yeast for Instant Yeast
- Storage & Freezing
- Practical Tips and Recipe Notes
- TL;DR — Recipe Summary
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
About This Ciabatta Recipe
This soft-baked ciabatta bread got its start as my small batch ciabatta which uses just 1 cup (120g) of flour.
To scale it up to full size and better support the additional weight of a larger dough, I snuck in an extra set of folds and extended the bulk fermentation by 30 minutes. But don't worry, it's still a quick ciabatta bread recipe.
One of the complaints I hear most often about store bought ciabatta bread is that the crust is too thick and hard. It can be hard on the gums and tough to bite into, especially with lots of sandwich fillings in it.
So for this homemade ciabatta bread recipe I really focused on developing a ciabatta with a soft and fluffy texture inside and outside. The crust is chewy and floury, undeniably ciabatta-y, but still soft and squishy enough to bite into without fear.
To develop gluten and give this ciabatta bread its soft, fluffy crumb with we're using a high hydration, very wet dough. To build strength into the dough without tightening it up too much, this ciabatta bread recipe uses a gentle technique called a coil fold.
Because ciabatta is a very free-form bread, you don't need a special pan to bake it. Just plop it onto a parchment lined sheet pan, cut it into pieces, and this soft and fluffy ciabatta is ready to bake.
5 star reader review
“I LOVE this recipe!!! It's easy to follow even though I'm a super beginner at baking and it's my second weekend in a row that I've made a batch!! The bread comes out tasting better than ANYthing I've ever bought in the store and I find myself a giggling mess just thinking that "I" made bread!”
—Ida
What is Ciabatta?
With its rustic shape, open crumb, and chewy, flour-dusted crust ciabatta has all the markings of an artisanal bread borne of ancient tradition stretching back centuries.
But ciabatta was actually invented in the 1980s by Arnaldo Cavallari, an Italian baker. Inspired by the long, flat, airy shape, he named his new bread ciabatta after the Italian word for slipper.
The goal was to create a bread export that could compete with the popularity of the French baguette. By all counts, it was a huge success.
"Marks & Spencer brought the loaves to the United Kingdom in 1985 during a Mediterranean-eating craze, and Orlando Baking Company claims to be the first U.S. bakery to produce the loaves, starting in 1987."
Eater.com, "Your Favorite 'Old-World' Bread Was Invented in the '80s"
Ciabatta is a high hydration bread made using flour, salt, yeast, water, and sometimes olive oil. Typically it is made using a high protein bread flour and a pre-ferment like a poolish or a biga and requires long, slow rise times to build that airy texture.
That's not the case in the soft-baked ciabatta recipe you'll find here, which uses all purpose flour, a higher quantity of yeast, and shorter rest periods between folds to develop the dough in a shorter amount of time.
Ingredient Notes
Here are the ingredients that you'll need to make this soft and fluffy ciabatta bread! See recipe card (at the end of the post) for ingredient quantities.
- Flour - Regular all purpose flour! I use King Arthur Baking Company's all purpose flour which has a slightly higher protein content (closer to a bread flour, which gives you a chewier, more elastic bread) than other brands of all-purpose flour, so if you're using a different brand of flour you may have better results with their bread flour.
- Yeast - This recipe uses instant yeast (sometimes called "rapid rise" or "bread machine" yeast). If using active dry yeast, increase the amount of yeast by 25%.
- Salt - I use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt which is half as salty as other brands and has larger crystals that dissolve easily. If measuring by weight (as you should be!), you can use any brand of salt (table salt or fine sea salt will be just fine). But if you're measuring by volume (teaspoons) and using a different brand of salt, even a different brand of kosher salt, cut the amount of salt in half.
- Water - The water should be warm to the touch but not hot. If you have an instant read thermometer, you're aiming for somewhere around 85°F.
- Olive Oil - I like using a robustly flavored extra virgin olive oil here to bring that flavor to the dough. The olive oil also helps make the dough super soft and stretchy.
Instructions: Mixing Ciabatta Dough
Making this soft-baked ciabatta takes just about 3-ish hours, start to finish. It's a very hands off recipe with no fancy shaping; it's is meant to have a rustic, imperfect shape.
There's four 15 minute resting periods, one 1 hour resting period, and one 30 minute resting period, so the amount of active work time is minimal.
If you're new to bread making, homemade ciabatta bead is a great place to start. You can do this!
Whisk the flour, salt, and instant yeast together in a medium mixing bowl. Add the warm water and olive oil.
Use a dough whisk to mix them together until a sticky, messy dough forms.
A dough whisk is great for mixing sticky, wet doughs. And this is a VERY STICKY, VERY WET dough. If you don't have a dough whisk, a wooden spoon, a spatula, or even your hands will work just fine.
I like to use a square Cambro container for mixing and folding this soft-baked ciabatta dough — it helps train the dough to hold a square shape which makes it easier to cut later on. You can absolutely use a large mixing bowl instead.
Scrape any excess flour or dough off the sides of the bowl, and use lightly damp hands to gather the sticky dough into a messy ball at the bottom of the bowl.
Resting and Coil Folding (Bulk Fermentation)
After the dough has been mixed, it's time to let it rest for two hours (this is called "bulk fermentation"). During the first hour, you're going to periodically build strength and structure into the dough using a technique called folding.
Specifically, you're going to use a gentle technique called a "coil fold."
By letting the ciabatta dough rest between these sets of coil folds, air bubbles and gas (produced by the yeast) are trapped inside the dough's gluten network, which gives the ciabatta its open, soft, and airy crumb.
I know, it sounds complicated! But all you really need to know is it's a two hour rest, with folds every 15 minutes just for the first hour. That's four sets of folds total. The second hour is just the dough resting undisturbed.
TIP: To keep track of which set of folds you're on, put a small bowl with four candies, crackers, or snacks in it. Eat one each time you do a set of folds.
The first hour starts immediately after mixing the dough. The dough will rest for 15 minutes, and then you'll do the first set of coil folds. Each "set" of folds consists of four coil folds.
To do a single coil fold, use damp hands to slide your fingers under opposite sides of the dough so your fingertips meet (or come close to it). Lift the dough straight up from the middle.
This stretches the dough out so you can tuck the two ends underneath. On the first set of folds the ciabatta dough will feel very weak and might even tear. That's okay. Just keep going. Plop it down over itself. It will continue to strengthen as you keep folding.
![[coil fold] an overhead shot of two hands lifting ciabatta dough straight up from the center to do a coil fold.](https://thepracticalkitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/fluffy-fast-ciabatta-bread-234.jpg)
Slide your fingers under opposite sides of the dough and lift straight up from the middle.
![[coil fold] a side view showing two hands lifting stretchy ciabatta dough straight up from the center in a square dough bucket.](https://thepracticalkitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/fluffy-fast-ciabatta-bread-247.jpg)
Rotate or pull your hands back slightly so that the flap of dough on the far side of the bowl releases.
It's okay if both ends of the dough release from the bowl too. The goal here is basically to get the two flaps tucked under the dough.
![[coil fold] two hands lowering the stretched dough so that one side of it has tucked under the other creating a coil shape.](https://thepracticalkitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/fluffy-fast-ciabatta-bread-294.jpg)
Pull the dough toward your body slightly, so the flap of dough closest to you curls under itself. Let the far flap of dough settle on top of it to form a coil shape. See the coil forming?
![[coil fold] two hands pulling out of the bucket having just released the dough after finishing a set of coil folds. the dough is in the bucket with both ends tucked under itself.](https://thepracticalkitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/fluffy-fast-ciabatta-bread-304.jpg)
Gently release the dough back into the bucket. Both stretched out ends of the dough will be coiled (tucked) underneath.
Rotate the bowl 90° (a quarter turn) and repeat the coil fold again. Each time you pick up the dough, you want your fingers to be under the newly tucked under ends.
On the first coil fold in each set, the dough will be relaxed and easier to stretch. By the final fold in each set, it won't stretch it quite as much. The gluten network is getting stronger.
Each time you do a set of folds the dough will feel smoother and stronger.
After the final set of coil folds, cover the bucket and let the dough rest for 1 hour. At this point we want the dough to develop those gorgeous air bubbles ciabatta is known for. The dough will look airier, and will have doubled in size.
Here's what the ciabatta dough looks like when first mix it and then after the two hours of bulk fermentation with coil folds for the first hour.
This is the end of the bulk fermentation period.
If you'd prefer to bake your ciabatta in the morning or the next day, pop it in the fridge after the final set of coil folds and let it finish bulk fermentation there.
I feel like I'm not getting the hang of the coil folding. Help! First of all, take a deep breath. It will be okay. If you find it easier to just do stretch and folds, do 4-6 of those per "set" of folds instead. It doesn't matter that you do the folds perfectly. It matters that the gluten network in the dough is getting folded at all. If there's a different folding method or technique that works better for you — use it!
Shaping and Cutting Ciabatta Dough
Before you begin cutting your ciabatta dough, preheat the oven. This will it will be ready when the dough is.
Dust the top of the ciabatta dough in the bowl with flour. Then tip the dough out of the bowl and onto a floured surface so that the sticky, un-floured side is facing up. Dust the sticky top side lightly with flour too.
Use flat hands to gently smooth the ciabatta into a large rectangle about 10x15 inches in size and 1.5 inches thick.
Gently lift and stretch the edges and corners if you need to, but don't try to force the dough, you don't want to deflate it. Just gently smooth and stretch it into a loose rectangle.
If you're going to cut your ciabatta into smaller ciabatta buns, this is the time to do it. You can also just bake the loaf whole, that's fine too.
- Cut in half: Long loaves, good for slicing like sandwich bread.
- Cut in quarters: Large sandwiches.
- Cut in eighths: Medium sandwiches.
- Cut into sixteenths: Dinner rolls.
Use a sharp knife or bench scraper in a clean up-and-down motion to make your cuts, and leave the sticky cut edges facing open. Don't tuck them under or try to hide them. Ciabatta is a very loose bread — no fancy shaping required.
Then cover the ciabatta dough with a clean towel and let it rest for 30 minutes. This is one last chance for it to develop more air bubbles inside.
You can actually cut the ciabatta right on your parchment lined baking sheet if you prefer (or if you're baking larger loaves). Leave the cut edges touching slightly to create pull-apart ciabatta rolls.
BONUS: Flipping for Floury Stripes
This is a technique I picked up in a class at King Arthur Baking HQ in Vermont. And while it's technically optional, it gives the ciabatta such a pretty pattern on top.
As the dough rests, it expands, and the flour on the countertop underneath the dough gets trapped in the wrinkled creases, creating a unique striped pattern.
To reveal those beautiful tiger stripes and give your soft-baked ciabatta buns their own unique fingerprints, immediately before baking, flip each loaf over as you transfer it onto the sheet pan.
Slide a metal bench scraper under the ciabatta in one quick motion. This will help and unstick any parts of the dough that may have stuck to the counter and make it easier to lift.
The dough will stretch out slightly as you lift and flip it. Use the flat edge of the bench scraper or floured hands to nudge the dough into shape so the rolls aren't on top of each other.
Don't have a bench scraper? Use your hands to gently lift and flip the ciabatta. It'll be fine.
This flipping technique works best with ciabatta divided into quarters or eighths. If you're baking one large loaf, two long loaves, or sixteen dinner rolls, I recommend cutting those directly on the parchment lined sheet pan and skipping this flipping step.
Ciabatta is a very freeform loaf — you can try to gently stretch or shape how you want it, but ultimately it's going to be a bit unpredictable. That's the beauty of it!
Baking Soft Ciabatta
For a soft-baked ciabatta bread, bake for 17-19 minutes at 450°F. For a crustier ciabatta bread, bake for 20-22 minutes.
- If you're baking one large loaf or pull-apart style loaves you may need to add 1-2 minutes to the bake time.
- If you're baking smaller loaves like sixteen individual dinner rolls, reduce the bake time by 2 minutes.
You're looking for an internal temperature of 200°F for doneness.
When the ciabatta is done it will have a light golden brown crust peeking out around the edges under the flour.
Right out of the oven, the ciabatta loaves will feel hard to the touch. That's okay, they will soften as they cool.
Let the ciabatta cool before slicing. You can let it cool on the sheet pan or transfer it to a cooling rack, either is fine.
If you cut it while it's still hot, the steam and moisture trapped inside will turn the starches to mush. No one wants that!
5 star reader review
“This is an amazing bread. I made it twice so far. The first time was 8 little ones for smoked meats sandwiches and again this morning but I made 2 loaves. I taught my 10 year old son to make it and he was amazed at how good it was for so little effort. Thank you for sharing this.”
—Scott
Suggested Equipment
You really don't need a lot of fancy equipment to make a mini ciabatta, but here's a few that might make the process easier for you!
- Kitchen Scale - The most accurate way to measure ingredients for baking! For best results with this recipe, you'll need to use a kitchen scale.
- Dough Whisk - A sturdy, mostly open wire coil that is designed to make mixing sticky wet doughs easy. The coil cuts through the dough easily, breaking up any sneaky lumps of flour hiding inside.
- Bench Scraper - A flat metal bench scraper with a thin edge is great for cutting your mini ciabatta dough into smaller portions AND for sliding under the dough to lift and flip it before it goes into the oven. Again, you don't need to use one, but it can be helpful!
- Flour Duster - Ciabatta is a very floury bread, but too much flour can be unpleasant! A flour duster helps you get a nice, even dusting of flour on your mini ciabatta without overdoing it.
- Instant Read Thermometer - To check the temperature of your water and check the dough for doneness.
A Note on Temperature and Dough Rising
Temperature is the main factor in determining how quickly or slowly your dough rises. This includes the temperature of ingredients in your dough, as well as the temperature of the room where your dough is rising.
In baking, "room temperature" is generally somewhere around 70°-75°F.
Depending on how cool or warm your water is, and how cool or warm your kitchen is, your dough may rise faster or slower.
- Warmer temperatures increase yeast activity. (But temperatures over 110°F can kill it!)
- Cooler temperatures slow yeast activity. (For a long, slow proof, put the dough in the fridge overnight after the final set of folds.)
If your dough is rising slowly and your kitchen is cold, find somewhere warmer to put your dough during the resting periods. If your kitchen is very warm, your dough might be a lot more active and ready to bake sooner than the times given in the recipe.
Just because the dough isn't "ready" right at the times given in the recipe doesn't mean it's not working — there might be other factors affecting how quickly or slowly it gets there! You may need to make adjustments.
Substituting Active Dry Yeast for Instant Yeast
Active Dry and Instant yeast are technically the same thing — meaning, they are both saccharomyces cerevisiae, a single-celled living organism used for leavening bread and doughs.
The only difference between the two types of yeast is that Active Dry yeast granules have a little coating around them which needs to dissolve to reveal the yeast inside.
Because of this extra little shell around the Active Dry yeast granules, you'll need to use slightly more Active Dry yeast to get the same effect as using Instant.
To calculate how much Active Dry yeast to use, increase the amount of Instant yeast by 25%. For this recipe I recommend rounding down, meaning you'd be using 7 grams (1 packet) of active dry yeast.
Instead of adding the active dry yeast to the dry ingredients, sprinkle it over the water and give it a quick stir before adding the oil and mixing the dough.
Storage & Freezing
Ciabatta is best eaten within 24 hours of baking. That's when its soft and fluffy texture will be at its peak.
Store ciabatta at room temperature 4-5 days in an airtight container or plastic bag at room temperature with a paper towel in it to absorb moisture.
It will begin to lose its super soft and squishy texture after about 2 days, but can be revived by toasting it lightly or popping it in a 350°F oven for a few minutes.
Once you cut your ciabatta open and expose the inside to air, it will go stale faster, even in a plastic bag. As always, do not refrigerate bread.
Ciabatta freezes beautifully. I usually just toss the loaves in a plastic bag and freeze them, but if you want to do it "right" and avoid freezer burn, wrap each individual loaf in plastic wrap before putting them in a bag in the freezer.
To reheat soft-baked ciabatta from frozen, unwrap the bread and place the whole loaf in a 350°F oven for about 10-15 minutes.
Practical Tips and Recipe Notes
- An overnight rise: If you want to bake this ciabatta the next day or give it a long rise time, you can pop the dough in the fridge immediately after finishing the coil folds.
- Be gentle with ciabatta dough. The folding process is as much about incorporating air as it is about building strength into the dough. You don't want to knock all the air out of it. Once it's in its final rest, you want to handle it as little as possible to preserve as much of the air inside the dough as possible. This doesn't mean you can't gently stretch it into a long rectangle shape or cut it into rolls — just use very gentle pressure! Think "fingertip light" pressure. Tug on it gently, don't squish or pinch.
- A note on oven temperature: Most ovens do not run true to temperature! Use an oven thermometer to make sure your oven is accurate! In my past three apartments my ovens were off from anywhere to 50 to 20 degrees and all of them would tell me they were at the right temperature 15 minutes before they actually were. Baking at the right temperature is crucial for getting soft-baked ciabatta.
- Dust off excess flour before baking: Some people like a super floury ciabatta, others prefer less flour on the outside. Whatever flour is on top of your ciabatta loaf when it goes into the oven is going to be there when it comes out If you prefer a less floury ciabatta, dust it off.
- An overnight rise: After the final set of folds, cover the bowl and immediately place it in the fridge overnight. In the morning, flour the top of the dough, tip it onto a floured countertop, and proceed with the recipe as written from there.
- Baking at high altitude: You will likely need to increase the water anywhere from 15-60 grams, depending on how high above sea level you are. You may also find that a higher protein bread flour works better for you!
- Incorporating sourdough starter or discard: You can do this but you'll still need to use commercial yeast to help with the speed of the recipe. Use 100 grams 100% hydration sourdough discard or fed starter, reduce the amount of water to 375 grams, and reduce the amount of flour to 450 grams. Everything else remains the same!
- Troubleshooting dry/wet dough: If your dough seems too dry, use wet hands instead of damp hands to incorporate more water while you're mixing or folding the dough until it looks like it does in my photos. This should definitely not feel like a dry dough. If the dough seems too wet, my first piece of advice is to just keep going with the recipe. This is a wet dough and many of my recipe testers told me they thought their dough was too wet when it was actually just right. If your dough is SO wet that it is still tearing and not stretching during the second set of folds, then you can dust in a tiny amount of flour. But really try to avoid dusting in more flour during the mixing or folding stages.
TL;DR — Recipe Summary
- Stir dry ingredients, add wet ingredients, and mix to form a sticky dough.
- Cover and rest for 1 hour with coil folds every 15 minutes.
- Cover and rest for 1 hour undisturbed.
- Turn the dough out, dust the top with flour, stretch and cut into loaves or rolls.
- Cover with a towel and rest 30 minutes.
- OPTIONAL: Flip loaves over onto parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 17-19 minutes at 450°F until light golden brown around the sides and 200°F internal temp is reached.
📖 Recipe
3-Hour Soft-Baked Ciabatta Bread
Ingredients
- 500 grams all purpose flour (plus ~20 grams more for dusting)
- 15 grams diamond crystal kosher salt (5 teaspoons / use half as much of any other brand if measuring by volume)
- 6 grams instant yeast (2 teaspoons)
- 425 grams warm water (80°F)
- 30 grams extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Mix. In a large bowl (or a square dough container if you have one), whisk together flour, salt, and instant yeast. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients; pour the warm water and olive oil into it. Mix the dough until it comes together in a messy ball with no dry patches of flour hiding inside. Scrape down the walls of the bowl, gathering the dough into a loose ball in the bottom of the bowl.
- Bulk Fermentation. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 1 hour, performing a set of coil folds every 15 minutes. After the final set of folds, cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 1 hour.One set of coil folds consists of four coil folds. To perform one coil fold, slide damp hands under opposite sides of the dough and lift straight up from the center, allowing the two ends to fold under the center of the dough. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and set it aside.
- Stretch. Dust your counter well with flour, then dust the top of the dough with flour too. Flip the bowl upside down over the floured countertop and let gravity pull the dough down. Gently lift the bowl off the dough, using your fingers or a bowl scraper to help any stuck pieces of dough release cleanly. NOTE: If you're baking one large ciabatta loaf or 16 pull apart dinner rolls, do this step directly onto the parchment lined baking sheet and skip flipping them later.
- Cut. Dust the sticky top side of the dough lightly with flour. Cut the dough into two, four, eight, or 16 rolls. Cut in in an up and down motion so the dough doesn't stick to your blade. Dust the newly cut sides with additional flour as needed to prevent sticking. This is a very soft, sticky dough — be patient, and don't worry about them being perfect. Cover with a clean dish towel and let the dough rest for about 30 minutes.
- Flip (Optional!). Dust any excess flour off the top of the dough, then slide a bench scraper under the ciabatta loaves in one quick movement. Lift and gently flip them over onto the sheet pan so the underside is now facing up. For a less floury ciabatta, gently dust any excess flour off the top. If you don't have a bench scraper, use your hands to flip it, it'll be fine.
- Bake for 17-19 minutes until puffed up and light golden brown around the edges. If you want to be precise, you're looking for an internal temperature of at least 200°F. Even soft-baked ciabatta will seem very hard and crusty when it first comes out of the oven, but will become soft and fluffy as it cools. Let cool before slicing!
RECIPE NOTES
- For crustier ciabatta , bake for 20-22 minutes.
- If you prefer using the stretch-and-fold method instead of coil folding, do 4-6 stretch-and-folds per set of folds.
- Baking one large loaf or 16 pull apart rolls may require an additional 2-3 minutes of bake time.
- If baking 16 individual dinner rolls reduce bake time by 2-3 minutes.
- To bake on a baking steel preheat the oven for 1 hour at 450F. Launch the loaves onto the steel using a pizza peel with or without parchment paper and bake for 15-17 minutes.
- Resist adding flour to the dough during the folding stages. This is a wet, sticky dough by design — use damp or lightly oiled hands to keep it from sticking to you instead.
Caitlin
Made this recipe yesterday to have rolls for the next couple days for sandwiches, but they are mostly all gone. The instructions on how to do the coil folds was very easy to understand and I felt very confident with the process. I will definitely be making this recipe again but will probably double the batch. So good!
Caitlin
Sorry forgot my stars.
Lisa Clay
My whole family loved these soft, pillowy ciabatta rolls. Great with a pasta dish for dinner and then make sandwiches with the leftover ... if there are any!! Delicious and so easy!
Cillian
Love this recipe, made the 1 cup quick version first and immediately knew it would be the perfect fancy sandwich bread! The explanation of the coil method is one of the clearest I've seen before, really appreciate the time put into communicating each part of the process.
Paige
My family has been begging me to make these again, they are amazing! My first try I followed the recipe exactly, this time I added a little flavor god garlic lovers seasoning to the dough for garlic ciabatta, I’m also doing two test batches that are made with a 24hr Poolish(65g flour and 65g water with 30-40 yeast granules mixed and set on counter in deli container). The Poolish I picked up from a YouTuber recipe who made homemade bread for BLTs (Brian Lagerstrom), I feel like it will help develop some even better flavor to the ciabatta! Thank you for the recipe!
Bex
Made this with my mum today. It’s a super wet dough, but it gets better with each fold. We opted for pull apart rolls and they look great. Excellent recipe! Thank you
Rebecca Eisenberg
Yessss, super wet but it's so fun when you get to that last set of folds and realize how strong you've made it! So glad you enjoyed the rolls. 🙂
Jeff
I want to make this - can I make the dough night before? I’m time poor when I get home from work and need to get dinner on the table within arising 1.5 hrs.
Can I make up and leave in fridge to ferment then take out an hour before baking and shape?
Rebecca Eisenberg
This is answered in the Recipe FAQ!
Kshitija Wani
Can I bake them directly on the baking sheet? I hardly ever bake and don't have parchment paper.
Rebecca Eisenberg
I haven't tested it. I don't see why it wouldn't work, the only concern I would have is with letting the dough rest on the sheet pan for a while before baking. So if you're doing the rolls where you let them rest on the counter and then put them on the sheet pan right before baking that should be just fine. But you may find they stick a bit if you try to to the pull apart rolls or one big loaf where you let it rest on the sheet pan for 30 minutes before baking. If you do want to do the bigger loaf or pull apart loaves I would just make sure you have plenty of flour dusted down on the sheet pan before you put the dough down — this will help reduce any sticking! Again, I haven't tested without parchment paper so this is just my best guess of what would happen — if you do give it a try, please let me know how it turns out!
Ida
I LOVE this recipe!!!
It's easy to follow even though I'm a super beginner at baking and it's my second weekend in a row that I've made a batch!!
The bread comes out tasting better than ANYthing I've ever bought in the store and I find myself a giggling mess just thinking that "I" made bread!
I've been using the garlic oil I have from the internet famous garlic confit and it doesn't make the bread taste too much like garlic but makes the house smell heavenly when i toast the bread for sandwiches!
Thank you for this recipe and your blog! I'll probably be tagging a lot recipes to come!
Theresa
I made this recipe with about 2/3 bread flour and 1/3 AP and made 16 pull apart rolls, and they came out great! The instructions were clear and easy to follow and watching the dough progress through all the coil folds was very satisfying. Will definitely be making these again, maybe sandwich size next time!
Scott
This is an amazing bread. I made it twice so far. The first time was 8 little ones for smoked meats sandwiches and again this morning but I made 2 loaves. I taught my 10 year old son to make it and he was amazed at how good it was for so little effort. Thank you for sharing this.
Mikayla
I made this recipe 2 days ago it’s already gone! It’s the best bread I have ever had no joke! Super easy recipe to follow as well! I eat it as avocado toast, sandwiches, garlic bread and just butter and bread. It’s so good that I’m making it again right now because I wanted more haha!
Rebecca Eisenberg
Yum!!!! There really are so many great ways to eat this bread!
Nicole
I have a question- can I use bread flour? I also have no parchment paper so just extra flour beneath?
Thank you!
Rebecca Eisenberg
Bread flour will ~work~ but (depending on the specific protein content, which varies by brand) it absorbs water differently than all purpose so you may find the dough a little wetter to work with! I would hold back a little water to start if you’re going to use that. As I wrote in the ingredient notes, I use King Arthur’s AP flour which has a protein content closer to other brands’ bread flour. So if you’re using a different brand bread flour should work okay, but if you’re using King Arthur’s bread flour, definitely hold back a bit of water when you mix the dough. You can always incorporate more water during the folds if you need to!
And yes just a bit of extra flour down on the sheet pan if you don’t have parchment paper. You may need to tap the excess flour off after baking!
Jen R.
This worked great with AP flour for me - I have some hard wheat flour (moreso than bread flour) - any tips for using that with this recipe?
Rebecca Eisenberg
So glad you liked it! I haven't tried this ciabatta recipe with a harder wheat flour so can't say for sure how you'd have to adjust it, but I think the only thing you'll want to pay extra attention to is the hydration level. Hard flours, higher protein flours, they absorb more water than all purpose flour does. So you may need a bit more water to get the dough feeling right. You'll have to feel out how much it needs, but now that you've made the recipe once you should be somewhat familiar with how the dough should act. Add more water gradually until it feels right. Good luck, let me know how it turns out!
Clay
I am in Denver and followed the recipe exactly. During the coil folding step, it didn't really droop down other than the first coil of each round (I've stayed more like a ball). Thoughts?
Rebecca Eisenberg
I am guessing that you may be experiencing some difficulty due to altitude — I don't personally have experience baking at altitude but King Arthur Baking has a great resource for high-altitude baking adjustments. I would recommend modifying the recipe according to their suggestions, in particular increasing the amount of water to help you get that stretchier, looser, more elastic dough.
Lu B.
This is a new go-to in my house. It is a really easy, successful recipe and I love the crumb and the taste. I bake it regularly and the rolls I make freeze easily. It's nice to have them on hand and 'at the ready'!
Angelika
I made these a couple of times now. Astounding how the dough goes from wet sticky to beautifully smooth with the coils. They taste amazing! Absolutely love them!!!❣
jane
Third time making these are so easy and yummy! Question do they freeze good , how would that work ? thank you !!!
Rebecca Eisenberg
So glad you're loving them! I answered the question about freezing in the blog post! Refer to the section "Storage & Freezing" for a detailed answer!
Sarah Hibbing
Absolutely fantastic. I've baked a ridiculous amount the last several years and enjoyed exploring different kinds of bread, but the level of very helpful detail here allowed me to produce a picture perfect, probably repeatable, result! Thank you so much!
Rebecca Eisenberg
The highest praise I could ask for!! I’m so glad you had success and I’m delighted you enjoyed the bread!
Belle
Currently in the process of making it, and only now realized I shouldn’t have used the fine salt.. hoping it won’t be too salty…. I didn’t even realize and I did put 15 grams (maybe a little less) so i’m hoping for the best
Trixy
Super easy recipe. Results so good!
Susan
Fantastic!
Plus? I understood the Candy Bowl…😎
Swapna
I'm about to try this recipe as I also prefer the softer breads - can I ask... what is with the candy or sweets?? 🙂
Rebecca Eisenberg
It’s explained in the blog post! A way to keep track of what set of folds you’re on.
Roxie Smith
I just made these for Father's Day steak sandwiches, and they are perfection! Super soft and chewy. Recipe was easy to follow. Thanks so much for this one!
RoxC
I made this soft ciabatta bread today. It was a bit too salty for me, next time I will cut the amount of salt in half. Other than that, it was very easy to make, the texture of the ciabatta was excellent and I got the crust by putting hot water in a metal bowl in the oven. I had to cook the 6 rolls for 22 minutes though. I will make it again. I think that this dough would also make a beautiful Neapolitan style pizza. Thanks for the great tutorial.
Rebecca Eisenberg
I'm glad you liked it! I would caution against reducing the salt by half — maybe start with reducing by 25%. Salt doesn't just provide flavor (e.g. the "saltiness") it also helps control the way the dough rises and gluten develops — you may need to extend the bulk fermentation time or add more sets of folds to get the same strength and softness in the dough!
Swapna
Ah thanks! Haha yes I figured it must be a timing thing. I tried them last night but mine were very flat.. I think I had not used enough yeast though. I'll keep trying.. also do you think the size of the container used would affect the rise? Mine was flat but wider than yours. Thanks!
Rebecca Eisenberg
Yes the container makes a difference! It provides support as the dough rises — a container with a smaller footprint will support the dough upward while a larger and wider container will allow the dough to expand outward and become flatter as it rises. I would try a smaller container!
Amy
This bread makes the best sandwiches. The folds make it nice and airy. The crust holds everything together. It has just enough salt and sourness to add flavor to a sandwich. It ups the game with even the simplest ingredients inside.
Joanna
Really great recipe! I’ve made bread before, but this recipe is easy enough to follow for a first-time bread maker. TBH I’ve struggled making ciabatta before, but this recipe turned out great. I did split the flour half bread flour/half all purpose. Highly recommend!
Felipe
Used dry active yeast instead, respecting the quantity described in the text.
I am in the second fold, and can still see a lot of yeast granules in the dough. Hope it will dissolve. I would recommend dissolving it before, and not add active dry yeast in the flour directly.
Don’t know if it will rise well 🙁
Rebecca Eisenberg
The yeast will dissolve in the dough, have faith! I’ve made all types of bread with both types of yeast. It is a bit weird you’re still seeing the granules, but they should dissolve as the dough rests and you move through the folds! Good luck.
Lee
should we bloom the yeast then (if using active dry yeast) rather than adding it directly?
Rebecca Eisenberg
Good question! I wrote in the section about how to substitute in active dry yeast: "Instead of adding the active dry yeast to the dry ingredients, sprinkle it over the water and give it a quick stir before adding the oil and mixing the dough."
That said, you can just add it directly to the dry ingredients and follow the recipe as written, with active dry yeast sometimes it just takes the dough a bit longer to rise because that little shell around the yeast granules needs to dissolve before it can start working.
Both approaches will work!
Molly
Amazing !!!! Super easy to follow and I love the explanations so you don’t have to go looking for what a coil fold is before you can even start. Such a great recipe !!
Linda
I’m new to bread making and I love this recipe. Made 8 rolls and friends thought I bought them at a bakery. This will be my 2nd time making it and I expect nothing less than spectacular results.
Hannah
I actually didn’t know I was a ciabatta fan before trying this recipe. Turns out I’d just never had it fresh! This recipe is now one of my favorites to make. I love how the dough sets up between folds and how satisfying the final soft, bubbly dough is.
The batch size is perfect for a few days worth of sandwiches for two, or for a family meal. I could literally eat this bread every day and not tire of it. It earns high praise from my nephew who says, “it tastes just like smushy pillows!”
Maggie
I've been making this recipe almost every weekend since the recipe was posted; sometimes two batches to give some away. I made it today from memory with the active dry yeast and sourdough modifications. I love that it's so simple that I can memorize the recipe, and it's delicious!
MARY D
I've made this as 8 rolls a few times now and they're always a hit. We use them for sandwiches, garlic bread, toasted in the morning with pb and honey. So yummy, thank you for the recipe!
Kim F.
I normally do not leave reviews but I had to let you know how great this recipe worked. The coiling fold was a little challenging but even though my technique was not great it still turned out wonderful. I baked mine about 16 minutes and still ended up with a nice crunchy crusts and tender light interior. Thank you for sharing the recipe and the blog post was very helpful. I will be making this frequently.
Ellen Garrison
Do you think this could be made into a whole wheat recipe by replacing half of the all purpose flour with whole wheat flour? Would it still rise correctly?
Rebecca Eisenberg
I haven't tried this as whole wheat baking can be a very different baking science. Replacing half the flour would definitely be way too much — try replacing 20% of the flour to start. Whole wheat flour still has the bran in it which cuts through the gluten network you're trying to build through all those coil folds — the dough will be weaker as a result. You may need to add an extra one or two set of folds with 30 minute rests in between to build in more strength. Like I said, I haven't tried this, I can't vouch for how it will work, but if you try it please let me know!
mb
these are insanely delicious. the first ciabatta recipe to work for me. it’s taking everything in me not to eat every single bite right now.
Heather
Awesome recipe. I did 8 small loaves. They just came out of the oven and I may have eaten two. Cool first? Ha. Pillows of yeasty goodness. I love slow rising recipes, but sometimes you just want bread when you want it!
Graciela
This is my third ciabatta recipe I tried. The other ones asked for a proofing of at least 14 to 18 hours, at the end they came flat as pancakes, I was going to give up until I decided one more recipe, yours. I’m so glad that I did, your is perfect, fast, that you can make the same day and in my opinion full proof. As I’m writing this comment I’m eating a panino with this wonder bread. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Nicole
Loved this recipe, so very easy to make and delicious. The instructions simple to follow, I used my hands to fold over, don't have a dough hoot yet. simply wonderful recipe, I have made twice and both times amazing. Thank you so much for sharing these delicious recipes with us.
Rebecca Eisenberg
oh i’m so glad you liked it! enjoy the ciabatta!
DeeDee
This is a stellar recipe. The instructions and the shaping/cutting options are clear and well written. I'm excited to add some sourdough discard next time for flavor. This is a truly low effort high reward bake - definitely adding to my regular bread rotation!
Sandra
Thank you for this recipe!!!
This is our go to bread.
I always make two batches and freeze it. We use it for everything.
Also...it's one of those recipes that's easy to follow.
Rebecca Eisenberg
So glad you love it! A true honor to be someone's "go to" bread recipe. 🙂
Danielle Urban
Whipped these up to have alongside a New Year’s Eve brisket and my family loved them!
Rebecca Eisenberg
Oh that sounds like a fantastic combo!!
Derek
Just wanted to let you know this was a really great recipe. First time to do ciabatta bread but have done focaccia several times and the process is very similar. The only thing I changed was I added about a cup of my sourdough starter as it was begging to be used. I also used stretch and fold method with wonderful results. The wife loves soft crust bread so the 17-19min line was right on the money.
David
Made this recipe today; unbelievably delicious.
Thanks for taking the time to explain everything so thoroughly. By the time I started, I felt like I really knew what I was doing.
Lynn Steele
I never post a review, but this recipe is awesome! I made rolls yesterday and I'm making more today because those are gone. I'm making a roast today so we can have French dip for dinner. Thank you thank you thank you.
Rebecca Eisenberg
Okay now I’m drooling — a French dip on homemade ciabatta rolls? I gotta do that ASAP! Great idea.
Courtney J
Amazing recipe! I have been trying different bread recipes, and this one is my new top favorite. It was not too hard to make, it tasted great, it made a lot, it tasted great a day later, and it froze well. Honestly what more could you want from a bread recipe?
Rebecca Eisenberg
I’m so glad you liked it!! Enjoy!
Jill
I really like this recipe for when I’m too tired or in a rush to make my usual poolish loaves. Are there any changes I can make to get a more crispy crust that persists after cooling? Great recipe!
Rebecca Eisenberg
So glad you like it! For a crispier crust, just bake them longer. Maybe an extra 3-5 minutes or so! You'll have to play around with it to get exactly the crispiness you want. 🙂
kelsey
these little babies came out perfectly! everything was so easy to understand. and i really appreciate that i was able to make beautiful ciabatta in just a few hours, rather than a day or two like most recipes! it's so nice to know there's a quick n easy ciabatta recipe out there 🙂 thank you for your work!
Rebecca Eisenberg
Oh I'm so glad to hear that!! Enjoy the ciabatta! 🙂
Chet Murthy
Hi, I made these rolls tonight, and for sure they came out fine, perfectly yummy: I munched on one just now before composing this comment! But they came out one inch thick, and with an internal crumb that wasn't as open as in your video (so, smaller bubbles, much smaller). Still soft, still a nice even crumb throughout, but I wondered if there might be something I was doing wrong, to get one-inch thick rolls, instead of thicker? I did get 100% rise during bulk fermentation: maybe I should have stopped sooner and that could have left more rise for the second fermentation (after shaping and putting on parchment) ?
Rebecca Eisenberg
You may need to work on your coil folding technique — that's where you build strength into the dough to allow it to hold its shape and to trap air bubbles inside during the rising periods. It may also be the temperature in your kitchen is a bit cooler or you stretched the dough out a bit too thin before cutting. It's hard to say without seeing exactly what you did! I would give them another try keeping those things in mind and see if you get taller results with a more open crumb!
Kaina
I’m new to baking bread and had a hard time getting mine as airy and full of large holes as yours; can you give me any pointers? But even though mine came out denser than I would’ve liked, the flavor was amazing and we ate the heck out of them! Thank you for the recipe!
Rebecca Eisenberg
So glad you like these! It's possible you're accidentally knocking too much air out of the dough during the shaping process — be super gentle with it! The other tip I would give you is to maybe let them rest a bit longer after you cut them and before baking. Happy baking!
Maggie
I’ve made this recipe 2-3 times a month since I found it. I love kneading a dough but the ease of this recipe has got me hooked, and the texture of the breads (I usually cut mine into 8 pieces) is so delightful with the right chew. Perfect with just butter (how I eat it most often) or as a sandwich bread. Best on the day of baking but love to use the leftover pieces the next day or two with a cup of soup. They usually don’t last too long in my house though!
Rebecca Eisenberg
Yum! That sounds delicious — can't go wrong with ciabatta and butter or ciabatta with soup! Keep up the great baking!
Stephanie
So fab!
Sarah Hibbing
I'd actually like to mention a small issue-i always weigh things and 15 grams of Kosher salt is a LITTLE salty (the next few times I reduced a small amount). This time (I believe my 6th time making this recipe) I used the teaspoon to dump in the salt to see if the weight corresponds. I got to 15grams in like 2.5 or 3 tsps!!! I went ahead and did 19 grams which i think was a slightly heaping 3 tsps to try to meet at least kind of in the middle in case my scale was being wonky or something I dunno. They came out perfect except... yep too salty, distinctly so! Please check this out for yourself and edit if necessary? If I had just measured by tsp it would be unbelievably salty! I did use Morton Kosher salt, so maybe that matters?
Rebecca Eisenberg
Hi! I'm so glad you weigh things! That said, in this case, using Morton's is 100% what's caused your issue. Salt content varies widely by volume (Morton's salt crystals are much denser than Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt) which is why you would reach the required weight in fewer teaspoons than you would if you were using Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. I put a note in the recipe to use half as much of any other type or brand of salt because 5 teaspoons of Diamond Crystal would be 2.5 teaspoons of Morton's Kosher Salt. With either brand, however, 15 grams should be correct because weight is the same no matter what. If you do find the ciabatta too salty at 15 grams of salt, you can absolutely reduce the salt down to 12 or even 10 grams. Just know that salt helps control yeast activity, so as you reduce the salt, you may find the dough feels a little different to work with! Good luck!
Sarah Hibbing
Aha! I thought that note meant that if you use table salt you need to use half the volume! I've never bought diamond Kosher and I didn't know different Kosher salt brands could have such different volumes!
Hayley
I have been wanting to make this recipe for the last 6 months! I’m always very hesitant to try new bread recipes because working with dough is a huge sensory issue for me. Just the thought of having my hands get a little sticky from dough for only a minute makes me want to cry. Luckily that was not the case with this!
I’m so glad I finally tried this recipe. I was expecting to have some issues with my first time making this bread, but the directions were so easy to understand that there were no issues at all.
I will definitely going back to this recipe frequently!
Rebecca Eisenberg
Oh I’m so glad the dough texture didn’t bother you! I also don’t like sticky dough hands but I can usually muscle through because I love making bread lol. I’m glad you gave it a try and that this wasn’t a bad sensory experience! Enjoy the bread!
Jenny Koops
I've made this recipe at least 5 times now and love it! I've been baking bread for years but the way this recipe is written I think its very doable for a beginner. The instructions are well written and the descriptions really help you move along in the process. I also find the dough to be forgiving if your time/temps are a bit off. I've made loaves and mini rolls and both were great! I think these ciabatta rolls would freeze well too!
Cheryl Thomas
Made this yummy ciabatta yesterday for italian porchetta sandwiches. It is fantastic!! Thanks.
Rebecca Eisenberg
So glad you liked it!!
Elpi C Blanchard
Cursed this recipe from the start. The dough was WAY too soft (basically liquid) to curl and just stuck to my fingers...turns out, that's OK!!! Came out beautifully. Next time though, (and there will be a next time), I won't add all the liquid at once, I will add most and then add a little at a time, until the semblance of a dough ball forms. Anyway, thank you for a wonderful recipe!
Rebecca Eisenberg
Ooooooh you had me nervous there for a second! I’m so glad you liked it. Definitely agree, hold back some water next time, you can always incorporate more by using wet hands (instead of damp hands) for the folding steps. Keep on enjoying the bread! Happy baking!
Angie
These were fantastic! I’ve tried other ciabatta recipes but this will be my go-to recipe from now on. Your instructions and pictures are so helpful. I will be trying more of your recipes. Thank you!
Rebecca Eisenberg
Ohhh thank you so much! I’m so glad you liked the recipe. Welcome to the practical kitchen!
Karina
This recipe turned out amazing! The ciabatta are so soft and were a big hit! If you follow the recipe, you will get incredible results! Thank you for the recipe.
Silvia Bonvini
I am kind of blown away by this recipe. I am from Italy and LOVE ciabatta. I learned to bake bread by necessity when I was in rural Kenya and couldn't find fresh bread. I learned how to make sandwich-type bread and kind of dreamt about making something that was more like ciabatta. I didn't even look it up because I assumed it was too difficult. I just cannot believe I waited so long to fo this. It is SO EASY. I don't even get my counter dirty with this recipe, as I work directly on the parchment paper. I literally make this every 3 days now, and not only it is delicious but I love how I save all the plastic that bread comes wrapped in when I buy it. I am SO THANKFUL!
Rebecca Eisenberg
Wow wow, to have an Italian’s seal of approval is high praise indeed! I’m so glad you enjoy the recipe and the bread. Happy baking!
Silvia Bonvini
Thank you Rebecca, I also made the Parmesan Rosemary bread and my guests loved it! I hope it all turns out just as well when I go back to Italy and make them for my family with Italian flour. I use Organics Bread Flour here in CA. Growing up in Italy in the 80s and 90s we didn't learn to make bread at home.
I have a question, if I double the flour, do I also double the yeast? I seem to remember reading your answer to a similar question but I can't find it, I think it was in the comments for a different recipe. Thanks!
Cherie
Loved this! First time making ciabatta, so a few small mistakes were made (like not flouring my bench quite enough, so the dough stuck a bit), but WOW for a small amount of effort, the results were fantastic! This is the second bread recipe that I've tried off your site that have turned out perfectly!
Rebecca Eisenberg
I’m so glad to hear that!! Enjoy the ciabatta, happy baking!
Stephanie
Please translate this to ounces/cups.
Rebecca Eisenberg
No. I’ve explained in the FAQ why I don’t provide cups. Ounces is easy for you to convert to — grams and ounces are both weight measurements. If you have a kitchen scale it should have a setting that lets you switch to grams though, easy!
Stephanie
Won't be using your recipes.
Rebecca Eisenberg
In that case I won’t be using your 1 star review either, since you clearly didn’t make the recipe and are just being petty.
Sue
I have made this bread about 3 or 4 times and it comes out perfectly every time.
Rebecca Eisenberg
I'm so glad to hear that! Happy baking!
Angel
New to your site, & decided on the Ciabatta bread for (same day) French Dip. All I can say is WOW. This came out looking like I had picked it up at my local artisan bakery, & certainly tasted EVERY bit as good if not better. Husband & son lined up at the counter taking turns slathering it with butter & wolfing it down. Can't say enough about easy to follow instructions & pics to demonstrate techniques. Huge thanks to u; I will definitely be making lots more recipes from your site!
Rebecca Eisenberg
Yum! So glad you and your fam enjoyed the ciabatta — French dip is such a great way to use this bread!
Dawn
My first attempt was AMAZING. The instructions are spot on, and the photos of the coil fold process are very helpful. Coil folding was a bit messy, and I was glad no one was in the kitchen to see me struggling to master the dough, but it worked. When moving the dough to the pan for baking, the feel of soft dough was almost sensual! The taste was incredible. This is five plus stars.
Dawn
I have left a five-star review previously, and I am a huge fan of this recipe. I tried the "overnight" version which leads to a question. When popping out of the fridge the next morning, should I let the dough come to room temperature before cutting and shaping? Thanks for what has now become "my family recipe"!
Rebecca Eisenberg
You'll be fine to not let the dough come to room temperature first! It will have time to warm up while they do their final rest before you bake them. Keep on enjoying the ciabatta! 🙂
PattyT
GREAT recipe. Like you, we were tired of tugging on tough rolls and extra crusty ciabatta. Tried this recipe and it's perfect.
Your instructions were thorough and easy to follow. Have already made a 2nd batch at hubby's request. Will be trying many more recipes on your site.
THANK YOU for your generosity by posting this recipe.
Ron Battocchi
A friend, who bakes a lot, has raved about this recipe for months. He adds Nigella sativa seeds. I can see why he loves it. So tasty.
Connie
My dough came together great and rose a lot. I cut it into rolls but baked up very flat. Tasted fine but not fluffy. Any tips? I’ll definitely try again.
Rebecca Eisenberg
It sounds like you may not have developed enough gluten during the coil folds OR you were a little too agressive when it came to flattening out the dough before cutting. Really make sure you're getting the dough coiled nicely during the folds and be gentle when you pat the dough out before cutting. Another thought would be that your yeast might not be good — make sure it's fresh!
Connie
Thanks Rebecca. Is it possible it overproofed? My kitchen is really warm and it sat for two hours.
Rebecca Eisenberg
Then yes, it's definitely possible it overproofed!
Maya
This recipe is amazing, can't count the amount of times I made it already!
For anyone wanting to use whole wheat flour, I found that doing 50% whole wheat works the best for me, and waiting 20 minutes between each set of folds instead of 15. Everything else is pretty much the same.
D. Hall
Literally a NO FAIL recipe for soft, chewy ciabatta. Perfect for rolls, loaves, buns, you name it! Definitely be sure to weigh out your ingredients for a successful turn out each and every time!
Delaney
First time making ciabatta. I didn't want to go through the time involved with making a biga, so this looked perfect. I have had this issue in the past, and still don't know if it's because I'm in a *very* high humidity environment or not. But this dough (and another previous recipe, a copycat Outback bread) ended up more like cake batter than bread dough.
Fresh yeast, King Arthur AP, water at the right temp based on instant read thermometer, a fruity olive oil, and the right amount of salt based on the brand. I use a scale, yet the dough looked like cake batter after several minutes of mixing it together. This makes me think it's a hydration issue, but I don't know what I'm supposed to do to adjust. I've only been baking bread for about three months. Still very new.
When it came time to fold it, I was able to grab some of it, but I looked like a grown woman playing with creamy-colored slime because it was just sooooo very wet. It never looked like the pictures you have, Rebecca.
I could see the bubbles and the gluten building in toward that last fold, though.
I still did as best as I could with what I have, and then plopped it all out on a well-floured baking mat. I wanted to make four rolls, and if I did not have a bench knife, there is no way I would have been able to divide this because it was still so wet.
Did they turn out well? They did. I made some amazing grilled Caprese sandwiches with fresh tomatoes, spinach, Buffalo mozzarella, and a homemade dressing. The bread didn't fall apart in the grill, even though it had dressing spooned over it. It was soft, and the taste was bang on.
However, it was *such* a mess to make.
Rebecca Eisenberg
Hi there! First of all, I'm so glad you kept going with the recipe even when it wasn't feeling right and I'm so glad your rolls turned out well! It does sound like you did everything right, but given you're in a very high humidity area and you've had this issue with other breads, it sounds like that may have caused the issue. If you try this recipe again (and I hope you do!) I would recommend holding back about 30-45 grams of water at the start. You could even hold back as much as 50 grams. Add it in slowly if it seems like the dough needs it, but you can also use wet hands instead of damp hands to gradually add in water during the folding steps if the dough is seeming too dry. I hope this helps! If you do give it a try again with the reduced water please let me know how it turns out! Good luck!
Delaney
I didn't suspect that I should hold back THAT MUCH water! Wow! Okay. I will definitely give it another go and hold the water back first. Thank you so much for the explanation. I always figured the answer was to keep adding tablespoons of flour until the dough gets more doughy, but then I thought I would run the risk of ruining something else in the mix by doing that. I certainly appreciate the suggestions of where to start with the water from the jump so I know how to add it in *gradually.* It seems like this might be what I need to do when the humidity is in the 80s outside. As a new-ish bread baker, I truly appreciate the guidance, Rebecca! 🙂
Delaney
PERFECT following the recommendation to hold back on water! No clue that THAT much water would have made such a difference, Rebecca. Thanks so much for the explanation. I can use this info on other recipes now, holding back water instead of adding more and more flour.
It tasted fantastic the first time, but it was a nightmare to work with the dough. This time, it was perfect all the way around!
Rebecca Eisenberg
Oh YAY I’m so glad that helped!! Bread making can be so funny that way — it’s as much about your environment as it is about following the recipe to get it just right!
Betsy
Ive made this recipe a few times now and it's great. Love that there is no sugar! I reduce the salt a tad. I'm making sandwiches for a party tomorrow and made the last batch into bite size rolls, ready for egg salad and watercress and tuna and cucumber fillings:) Baking time was reduced to about 14 mins.
Rebecca Eisenberg
Enjoy the ciabatta, those sandwiches sound fantastic!
Btw, I don't think ciabatta usually has sugar in it. Just a gentle reminder this is a diet talk-free zone — there are lots of ways to say we like recipes without implying certain ingredients are "good" or "bad". 🙂
Megan
Honestly, I think I love making ciabatta more than I love eating it, thanks to Rebecca! I’ve made these a few times, most recently for pulled pork sliders 🤤
Rebecca Eisenberg
these are PERFECT slider buns — great choice!!
Rachel
Wow! These were pillowy soft and completely wonderful
Belle
I have been both successful and unsuccessful with bread-making the past few years (mostly the latter) and also it has been a long time since I started again! Saw this recipe and decided to give baking bread one more shot and this was so good! My confidence is definitely boosted after this, thank you for the recipe and clear instructions (especially the coil folding)!!
One question, my oven isn't large so I'm not able to put the whole batch at once, in this case, do I leave the rest of the dough at room temperature or should I store them in the fridge?
Rebecca Eisenberg
I'm so glad you liked the recipe and got a nice baking win under your belt! If you can't fit them all at once, I'd just leave them at room temperature while you wait for them to bake unless your kitchen is very very warm in which case putting them in the fridge can't hurt!
Becky
I am planning to make this recipe, it sounds so delicious. My question is can I use my sourdough starter and if so how do I convert into this recipe?
Rebecca Eisenberg
I'm sure there is a way to use your starter but I'm not sure how you'd convert the recipe — it would totally change the timing! You can replace 50g water and 50g flour with 100g fed active starter, but that would just give you a sourdough flavor; you'll still want to use the commercial yeast for the timing to work properly.
Alyssa
I have made this on repeat since I first tried it and it is a HIT! Love this site and your easy to follow instructions!
Alfredo Garcia-Lucio
Best recipe ever! So easy and it works beautifully at high altitude!
Lex
I love you. So soft. So fluffy. So easy. So quick. Might be my new go-to bread recipe tbh.
Jen
Excellent recipe! Worked wonderfully the first time, no problems.
Caroline
Turned out perfect!
Rachel Arias
My hubby and I LOVE these!!! I’ve actually never had ciabatta bread before so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I made the 1 cup flour version first to test it out. And oh my goodness!!! I gave hubby a small bite , his eyes lit up, he grabbed the whole thing and NOMMED it!!😂😂😂😂 so now im making this one in the same day. (Hubby did ask if they could be made with cream cheese stuffed inside 👀 any tips on how to do that?) I love how easy all of your recipes are to follow!! Very step by step and every step is described in detail. Usually I have so many questions when trying new recipes but not with your recipes!! And measuring everything by grams is also so much easier than using 20 measuring cups. I just set the bowl on the scale and reset the weight between each ingredient. Saves so many dishes!!! Thank you for your dedication to these recipes. Please never stop ❤️
Rebecca Eisenberg
I'm so glad you enjoyed the ciabatta!! I haven't tested ways of adding cream cheese to it, but you could definitely play around with using my cream cheese stuffed bagel bomb method to make cream cheese stuffed ciabatta rolls! If you give it a try, let me know how it turns out!
Cathy
This recipe was amazing. I pick it because I was short on time. Love, love, love. Happy I read through the article, great tips. This is going in my favorites, crunchyoutside, soft & fluffy inside. . Can't wait to make again. Thank you!
Rebecca Eisenberg
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Happy baking!
Betty Jo Simonetti
My first time making ciabatta! It smells heavenly and looks pretty dang good. Can’t wait to eat one once it cools a bit.
Nikita
This is by far my favourite and most trusted bread recipe. When I need a reliable bread recipe that won't take too much time to come together, I always end up here. I think I've made these at least 10 times now and the buns always come out perfect!
Deb
Made this with half whole wheat flour, and my family loved them! My freezer is now stocked with delicious bread rolls for our lunches, thank you.
Inca
I tried this recipe using my sourdough starter and it turned out amazing! Making it for the third time today. The ciabatta has a lovely tang and crunchy exterior.
I made half the recipe and replaced 100g of water with bubbly starter. I tend to just wing it since I am new to sourdough baking- I add more water if the dough feels too dry, more flour if it feels too wet. Started by mixing all the ingredients together, doing folds every 30 minutes rather than every 15. I do this 2-3 times before leaving the dough to rise for about 2 hours, I might do another coil fold if I feel like it, of course leaving the dough to rise again. In my experience sourdough tends to take longer to rise, I wait until the dough has just about doubled before shaping. After shaping I do a final 30-40 minute proof and bake! I hope this helps someone out there 🙂
Rebecca Eisenberg
I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe and THANK YOU so much for sharing how you've adapted it to use sourdough starter! This will be really helpful for other TPK readers who are curious about where to start if they want to try making this ciabatta using sourdough instead of yeast!
Shania
I made my first batch of this a few days ago, and it was a hit. Made a second batch today and did half olive oil and half garlic oil to get a strong garlic flavor. After this batch I’m planning to play around with some herb infusions and maybe a bit of cheese even to see what other flavor profiles we like. Also your coil folding explanation is fantastic!!
Rebecca Eisenberg
Yessssss I love this so much! Flavored olive oils and herb olive oil infusions are such a great way to add flavor to this bread. If you haven't checked out my roasted garlic ciabatta yet, it's not quite as soft as this one but you could definitely use that same roasted garlic oil in this dough! You may also want to check out my ciabatta garlic bread — it's great with plain ciabatta but even better with a garlic infused ciabatta!
Liane Michell
I’ve made this recipe 4 times now, I absolutely love it! The bread is delicious and it’s so easy to make. 💕
Rebecca Eisenberg
I'm so glad you love it! Happy baking!
Leslie Sonne
Made these today and was very pleased with the final product. Used bread flour as suggested as I did not have KAF all purpose. While I live at 5000 ft elevation I did not need to add any water as the dough was wet enough. Will definitely make again and may try to make them round for hamburgers!
Sharon
Hello! How do I halve the recipe? I only want to use 250g of flour - do I just halve everything else (I am guessing no?) Thank you!
Rebecca Eisenberg
Try doubling my small batch ciabatta recipe instead — no need to increase the yeast, just double everything else.
Antonia
This recipe is so awesome. I messed it up in literally every way you can imagine and still came out with perfect ciabatta (my qualifications for deciding the perfection status is the fact that I am Italian, hopefully you blindly trust me now)
I under watered, over floured, over mixed, then over watered, then forgot to do a single coil fold, let it sit for an hour extra, feverishly kneaded it to make up for lost folding; and it was delish. My (also Italian) mother was eating them like candy bars before they even fully cooled.
M Hundley
I made perfectly pillowy ciabatta yesterday, and I am so proud of myself! Thank you for a great recipe with very clear directions.
Hotaru
I made this recipe along with a standard 2 day recipe, and the product was almost identical. Highly recommended this convenient time-saving recipe ♥️
Rebecca Eisenberg
Love that you had a side-by-side comparison, thanks for sharing your results! So glad you enjoyed the ciabatta. 🙂 Happy baking!
Carol McCreesh
Favourite ciabatta bread recipe! Have made large loaves and smaller buns. Has always turned out wonderfully
Dan Donovan
Consistently excellent results. Depending upon upcoming menu I make smaller for “dinner” rolls or larger for sandwich or bratwurst rolls. Having fun with this one.
tati
I converted the grams using google, and it came out to about 2 1/4 c. flour and 15oz water. It was WAY too wet--like mud--so I added 3/4c. more of flour, in 1/4c increments. That made it somewhat better, but the dough just wasn't foldable the way it is in your pix. I went ahead with the recipe, though, and baked it into four rolls for sandwiches. They were soft, squishy, but not airy the way ciabatta should be. Do I have my conversions wrong?
Rebecca Eisenberg
Hi! Unfortunately converting grams to cups is super inaccurate — there’s no set standard for what “1 cup” of flour weighs so every conversion calculator and flour brand is basically using a different amount. Beyond that, how you scoop your cups (loosely or tightly packed) can make a difference of 50-60 grams! Also, different measuring cup brands can have slightly different capacities which is another level of inaccuracy. That’s why using weights is the most accurate way to ensure the recipe turns out. I would recommend picking up a kitchen scale if you want to give this another try! It’ll definitely work if you use the weight measurements provided. Happy baking!
tati
I see LOL Well, I dug out my old Williams-Sonoma scale, that I've had for around three decades and balanced it. It seems to work fine--it's been wrapped up to keep it clean and dry. We did eat the rolls like French dip sandwiches, and they were quite good--just didn't have the airiness that true ciabatta should have. Thanks so much for replying. I'll be trying this again, very soon!
Shannin
Can any of the bread recipes be adjusted to use sourdough starter instead of the dry yeast?
Thanks
Rebecca Eisenberg
Of course they can, but the instant yeast is what makes my recipes fast. Adjusting to use sourdough starter would slow the recipes down dramatically and might require different mixing methods — essentially, you'd be creating whole new recipes. If you'd like to add starter to get the sourdough flavor, keep the yeast and replace equal parts water and flour in the dough with starter. For example, you can add 50g starter to the dough and reduce the flour and water the recipe calls for by 25g each.
Kristin
Just made these and they are fantastic. Recipe was spot on.
Kathy
Wonderfully easy recipe instructions to follow & make
I made this for a post Christmas family lunch.
Turned out perfectly & went down a treat. Awesome
MB
Looks like great recipe! I was wondering if it would be OK to use a stand mixer with dough hook to combine all ingredients?
Rebecca Eisenberg
If you're just asking about combining them and not kneading them, then yes you could use that. But in that case you might as well use the paddle attachment. Once the dough is mixed, you'll want to do the folds by hand — the mixer is too powerful and will knock too much air out of the dough if you try to use it to knead the dough.