How to Make Dough Without Yeast

Co-authored by Bill Holdenstern and Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: November 15, 2022 Approved

If you love making baked goods but don't have the time to let dough rise, make dough without yeast. You can easily make fluffy, flavorful dough that relies on chemical reactions between baking soda, baking powder, or vinegar. Mix up a quick no-yeast pizza dough or soda bread. You can also make a simple quick bread that's made with buttermilk and your choice of flavorings.

Ingredients

No-Yeast Pizza Dough

2 1/2 cups (350 g) all-purpose flour
2 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon oil
3/4 to 1 cup (180 to 240 ml) water

Makes one large pizza crust or two thin-crust pizzas

No-Yeast Quick Bread Dough

2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (100 g) white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk
1 large egg
1/4 cup (56 g) unsalted butter
Optional add-ins (like dried fruit, spices, cheese, or herbs)

Makes one loaf

No-Yeast Soda Bread Dough

4 cups (480 g) flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 tablespoon baking soda
1 1/2 cup (355 ml) water
2 teaspoons vinegar (cider or white)
1 tablespoon (14 g) melted butter

Makes one loaf

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Making No-Yeast Pizza Dough

1
Whisk together the dry ingredients. Measure 2 1/2 cups (350 g) of all-purpose flour into a mixing bowl. Add 2 3/4 teaspoons of baking powder and 1 teaspoon of salt. Whisk the ingredients for about 30 seconds, so the baking powder is evenly distributed.^{[1]
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2
Stir in the oil and water. Pour in 1 tablespoon of vegetable, olive, or canola oil and 3/4 cup (180 ml) of water. Stir the pizza dough until it forms into a ball. You may need 1/4 cup (60 ml) more water, if your flour absorbs a lot of the water.^{[2]
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- Ensure that you add the extra water a tablespoon or two at a time. Avoid adding so much water that the dough becomes sticky.
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3
Knead the dough. Sprinkle a little flour on your work surface and scoop the pizza dough onto it. Knead the dough for 3 to 4 minutes, so the dough becomes smooth and elastic.^{[3]
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- You can knead the dough however you like. The important thing is that the dough is stretched and folded repeatedly. This will develop the gluten in the flour.
4
Shape the dough. You can use a rolling pin to roll the pizza out to any shape you like, or you can place it into your pizza pan and stretch the dough to fit the pan. Keep in mind that the pizza crust will be thick if you make one pizza out of this dough.^{[4]
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- If you want to make two thin-crust pizzas, just divide the dough in half and roll them until they're as thin as you'd like.
5
Top and bake the pizza. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F (200 C). Spread the dough with sauce, pesto, or oil. Sprinkle your choice of pizza toppings across the top and bake the pizza for 15 to 25 minutes.^{[5]
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- If you're making two thin crust pizzas, they may only need 10 to 15 minutes.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Making No-Yeast Quick Bread Dough

1
Preheat the oven and prepare a pan. Turn the oven on to 350 degrees F (180 C). Spray a 9 x 5-inch (23 x 13-cm) loaf pan with cooking spray. This will prevent the bread from sticking to the pan.^{[6]
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2
Whisk together the dry ingredients. Measure all of the dry ingredients into a medium-sized mixing bowl. Whisk the ingredients together for about 30 seconds, so they're incorporated. You'll need:^{[7]
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- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (100 g) white sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
3
Melt the butter and stir in the wet ingredients. Melt 1/4 cup (56 g) of unsalted butter in a separate mixing bowl. Add 1 cup (240 ml) of buttermilk and 1 large egg. Whisk the wet mixture until the egg is well mixed.^{[8]
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- If you don't want to use butter, you can substitute the same amount of olive or vegetable oil.
4
Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients. Pour the wet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to gently stir the mixtures together until they're just combined.^{[9]
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- If you'll be adding optional flavors, it's fine if there's still a little dry mixture in the dough.
5
Stir in any optional flavors. You can easily make sweet or savory flavored quick bread. Just stir the added flavors in until they're just combined, since you don't want to over-mix the dough. You can add up to 1 1/2 cups of mix-ins (like the dried fruits or nuts), or add seasonings and herbs according to your taste. Good options for quick bread include:^{[10]
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- Fruit: cranberries, dried cherries, apples, blueberries, orange zest, raisins
- Nuts: walnuts, pecans, almonds
- Herbs and spices: dill, pesto, caraway seeds, chili powder, garlic powder
- Cheese: parmesan, cheddar
6
Bake the quick bread. Scoop the no-yeast quick bread dough into your prepared pan and put it in the preheated oven. Bake the bread for 45 to 50 minutes. To test if the bread is done, stick a toothpick into the center of the loaf. It should come out clean. Cool the loaf in the pan for 15 minutes. Then take the bread out and serve it.^{[11]
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- While the quick bread is best the same day it's baked, you can wrap it tightly and store it for a few days.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Making No-Yeast Soda Bread Dough

1
Preheat the oven and get a pan out. Turn on the oven to 400 degrees F (200 C). Get out a baking sheet or pizza pan and set it aside.^{[12]
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2
Stir together the dry ingredients. Measure all of the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Whisk them together until they're completely combined. You'll need:^{[13]
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- 4 cups (480 g) flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 tablespoon baking soda
3
Stir the water and vinegar into the dry mixture. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour 1 1/2 cup (355 ml) of water and 2 teaspoons of vinegar into the well. Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to stir the mixture until it forms a shaggy dough.^{[14]
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- You can use white vinegar or cider vinegar for this recipe.
4
Knead the dough. Sprinkle a little flour on your work surface and scoop the soda bread dough onto it. Knead the dough for 3 to 4 minutes, so the dough becomes smooth and elastic.^{[15]
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- You can knead the dough however you like. The important thing is that the dough is stretched and folded repeatedly. This will develop the gluten in the flour.
5
Shape the soda bread. Use the palms of your hands to smooth the dough into a round disk. It should be about 1 1/2 inches (3.8 cm) high. Put the disk of dough on the baking sheet. Use a sharp knife to score an 'X' through the top of the loaf.^{[16]
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- Cut the 'X' deep into the dough, almost reaching the bottom of the dough. This will give steam a way to escape and give the soda bread its classic shape.
6
Bake the no-yeast soda bread. Put the bread in the preheated oven and bake it for 30 to 40 minutes. The bread will become crusty and firm once it's finished baking. Carefully take the bread out of the oven and brush it with 1 tablespoon (14 g) of melted butter. This will give it extra flavor and make the crust softer.^{[17]
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- For an even softer crust, you can brush the bread with milk halfway through the baking time.

Community Q&A

Question

If I have no buttermilk, what can I use?

Community Answer

For 1 cup of buttermilk, you can use 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice plus enough milk to measure 1 cup. Stir and let stand for 5 minutes. You could also use 1 cup of yogurt or 1 3/4 teaspoons cream of tartar plus a cup of milk.
Question

If I don't have an egg, is it okay to not put it in?

Community Answer

Yes, you can use applesauce, bananas, or ground flax seed instead.
Question

In the quick dough recipe, what is the reason for the sugar, and can it be made without?

Community Answer

The sugar enhances flavor and keeps the bread from being dry. You could omit sugar, but the bread will be drier.