Ciabatta is an Italian bread known for its floury crust and airy, chewy crumb. My recipe for soft-baked ciabatta bread uses a simple coil fold, which involves periodically lifting and tucking the dough under itself while it rises to develop strength and structure. The result is a super soft homemade ciabatta bread with an open crumb, perfect for sandwiches. Ciabatta's rustic appearance also means it is surprisingly easy to shape!
Clocking in at just three hours start to finish (most of it hands-off resting time), my beginner-friendly ciabatta recipe is a perfect option for a lazy weekend or evening baking project! I love baking ciabatta sandwich rolls to serve with my deli-style tuna salad or as tear-apart dinner rolls with my favorite homemade spaghetti sauce.
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
The SOFTEST Ciabatta bread you'll ever bake
One of my biggest complaints about store-bought ciabatta bread is that the crust is too thick and hard. It can be tough to bite into, especially with lots of sandwich fillings.
So for my homemade ciabatta bread recipe, I focused on developing a soft and fluffy texture inside and out. The crust is chewy and floury; it's undeniably ciabatta, but soft and squishy enough to bite into without issue.
This is the full-size version of my small-batch ciabatta which is made with one cup of flour. To scale the mini ciabatta up 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 that you can make by hand, no mixer needed.
To give this ciabatta bread its soft, fluffy crumb my recipe uses a high-hydration, very wet dough. Since it's too wet to knead, I like to use a coil fold (more on that below) technique to build structure into the dough.
You don't need a special pan to bake ciabatta bread. Just plop it onto a parchment-lined sheet pan, cut it into pieces, and your soft and fluffy ciabatta is ready to bake.
Grocery List and Ingredient Rundown
Here are the ingredients that you'll need to make my soft and fluffy ciabatta bread! They're all very basic and easy to find in most grocery stores. See recipe card (at the end of the post) for ingredient quantities.
How I Mix My Ciabatta Dough
Making my 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 meant to have a rustic, imperfect shape.
If you're new to bread making, homemade ciabatta bread is a great place to start. You can do this!
I use a square container for mixing and folding my soft-baked ciabatta dough — it helps train the dough to hold a square shape so it's easier to cut later. But you can absolutely use a round mixing bowl instead.
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'll build strength and structure into the dough using a gentle technique called a coil fold.
By letting the ciabatta dough rest between these sets of coil folds, air bubbles are trapped inside the dough's gluten network, giving the ciabatta its open, airy crumb.
I know, it sounds complicated! But all you really need to know is that it's a two-hour rest total, with folds every 15 minutes for the first hour. That's four sets of folds total. During the second hour, I leave the dough to rise 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 you finish mixing the dough. After mixing, the dough rests for 15 minutes, and then you do the first set of coil folds. Each "set" of folds consists of four coil folds.
On the first set of folds, the ciabatta dough will feel weak and might even tear. That's okay. 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)
![[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)
It's okay if both ends of the ciabatta dough release from the bowl. The goal is to get the two flaps tucked under the dough. Pull the dough toward your body, 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.
![[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)
![[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)
Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat. Each time you pick up the dough, your fingers should be sliding 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. At this point, you want the dough to work on developing nice bubbles. At the end of the rise time it will look airier and will double in size.
How I Shape and Cut Ciabatta Dough
Always cut and shape ciabatta on a generously floured work surface.
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.
You can also cut the dough into sixteenths or even smaller to make dinner rolls. Don't separate the rolls on the pan before baking, and they'll bake up pull-apart style.
Use a sharp knife or bench scraper in an 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.
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.
While the cut loaves are resting, the dough expands, and the flour on the countertop trapped underneath the ciabatta 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, flip each loaf over as you transfer it onto the sheet pan, immediately before baking.
Slide a metal bench scraper under the ciabatta in one quick motion.
Use the bench scraper or floured hands to nudge the flipped rolls apart.
Right out of the oven, the ciabatta loaves will feel hard to the touch. That's okay, they will soften as they cool.
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
💭 Have More Baking Questions?
I've rounded up answers to common baking questions and how-to guides, including:
- Ingredient swaps and FAQs
- Why my recipes are written in grams and not cups
- How to quickly bring eggs and butter to room temperature
- Ingredients I use (salt, flour, yeast, etc.)
- Step-by-step guides for bread and baking techniques
See my baking techniques & troubleshooting guide and ingredient swaps and FAQs for more!
📖 Recipe
3-Hour Soft-Baked Ciabatta Bread
Recipe Notes
- Overnight rise: pop the dough in the fridge after the final set of coil folds and let it finish bulk fermentation there.
- Be gentle. The folding process is as much about incorporating air as it is about building strength into the dough. Once the dough has finished bulk fermentation, handle it as gently as possible to preserve as much of the air inside the dough as you can. Use "fingertip light" pressure to stretch and shape it.
- 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 do stretch and folds, do those 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!
- 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. For a less floury ciabatta, dust it off.
- Baked ciabatta can be stored at room temperature for 4-5 days in an airtight container or plastic bag at room temperature with a paper towel to absorb moisture. It will begin to lose its super soft and squishy texture after about 2 days, but can be revived by toasting or popping it in a 350°F oven for a few minutes.
- 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 5-10 minutes.
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 (90°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.
- 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.
- 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!
Sue says
I have made this bread about 3 or 4 times and it comes out perfectly every time.
Rebecca Eisenberg says
I'm so glad to hear that! Happy baking!
Angel says
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 says
Yum! So glad you and your fam enjoyed the ciabatta — French dip is such a great way to use this bread!
Dawn says
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 says
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 says
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 says
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 says
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 says
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 says
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 says
Thanks Rebecca. Is it possible it overproofed? My kitchen is really warm and it sat for two hours.
Rebecca Eisenberg says
Then yes, it's definitely possible it overproofed!
Maya says
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 says
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 says
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 says
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 says
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 says
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 says
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 says
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 says
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 says
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 says
these are PERFECT slider buns — great choice!!
Rachel says
Wow! These were pillowy soft and completely wonderful
Belle says
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 says
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 says
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 says
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 says
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 says
Best recipe ever! So easy and it works beautifully at high altitude!
Lex says
I love you. So soft. So fluffy. So easy. So quick. Might be my new go-to bread recipe tbh.
Jen says
Excellent recipe! Worked wonderfully the first time, no problems.
Caroline says
Turned out perfect!
Rachel Arias says
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 says
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 says
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 says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Happy baking!
Betty Jo Simonetti says
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 says
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 says
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.