Name: Dutch Oven Damper Bread
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: Australian
Ingredients: 500g self-raising flour + extra for dusting the parchment paper; 2 tsp sea salt flakes; 60g unsalted butter, cold; 300ml full cream milk + extra for the top of the loaf; 2 tbsp golden syrup

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Looking for a quick bread that only has a handful of ingredients and can be whipped up in no time? You’ve found it! In under 45 minutes, you’ll be breaking it open and eating a delicious warm loaf of damper bread slathered in butter. Enjoy!

A black cast iron casserole sits on a tea towel with a loaf of damper inside it.

I think it’s a right of passage that as a kid at school in Australia, at some point, you learn how to make damper. It’s really one of the easiest (and most delicious) quick breads to make. But don’t save this one for the next time you go camping, a loaf of damper can be made any day of the year. It’s quick and easy to whip up for a Sunday lunch alongside some ham and cheese and pickles.

So what is Australian damper bread?

I think of it like the distant Australian cousin of Irish soda bread. A no-knead, no-rise bread made with a handful of pantry ingredients. It’s easy to make, delicious warm slathered with butter and it can be made pretty much anywhere. Sounds like a win doesn’t it?

Traditionally, damper was a campfire bread cooked over hot coals by stockman. While the original recipe consisted of nothing more than flour and water, like many recipes, they evolve over time. These days you’ll find them with butter, milk, salt, and sugar to improve the flavor and commonly cooked in a camp oven. Personally, I’ve always made mine with golden syrup. I just love the sweetness it adds to the bread.

You’ll need these few simple ingredients to get started

Self-raising flour. Alternatively, you could use plain flour with baking powder mixed with it. Two teaspoons of baking powder for every cup of flour is a good ratio.
Unsalted butter. Make sure its cold and just out of the fridge (Or freezer on really hot days).
Sea salt flakes – Maldon or Murray River are my go-to’s, however because we’re making an Australian recipe, it’s Murray River all the way!
Full cream milk. You could also use water, or half and half if you’re low on milk.
Golden syrup. Honey also another option.

All the ingredients you need to make damper bread in a Dutch oven.

The details

Preheat the oven to 200C.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the self-raising flour and sea salt flakes. Give it a 10-second whisk to aerate the flour and break up any lumps before popping it aside.
Add the butter and rub it into the flour with your fingers until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Make well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add the milk and golden syrup to the flour mixture. Using a large wooden spoon, Stir just to combine, but no more. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and lightly form the dough into a ball. Damper bread dough should only just come together. It should not be kneaded more than 5 times.
Place the dough on along with a little extra flour on a piece of baking paper.
Using a sharp knife (a small serrated one will work perfectly!) score the top of the dough with a cross about 2cm deep.
Brush the top of the loaf with a little additional milk.
Lift the damper loaf (by the paper) into a small, oiled Dutch oven (without the lid) and pop into the preheated oven. Bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the base.
Leave the loaf to cool covered with a tea towel sitting on a wire rack

The flour mixture in a bowl resembling breadcrumbs.

The dough being mixed with a fork to bind it together.

Equipment

I bake my damper recipe in a 20 or 22cm enamel cast iron Dutch oven. You could also use a skillet, baking tray, or seasoned cast iron camp oven.

You’ll also need baking paper to cook the bread on as well as measuring tools, a large bowl, and a knife/mixing spoon. A butter knife is the traditional way to mix your damper but no judgment, a knife or wooden spoon will both do the job!

How to bake in enamel cast iron

If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ll know about my utter love for cast iron cooking, especially enamel cast iron. While this damper bread recipe is normally cooked in a raw/seasoned cast iron Dutch oven on a campfire, with an enamel pot, we need to do things a little differently. Here are a few tips…

Firstly, when baking, oil your enamel interior before use. A vegetable or canola oil will do the job.
Always keep your temperature below 200C in the oven.
Do not warm up your pot in the oven, and please, enamel cast iron is meant for your oven, not over hot coals. We want to have these beauties for life!

How to eat a loaf of Aussie damper

Simply warm out of the oven with a good bit of butter – that’s my choice!

Traditionally, a good drizzle of golden syrup

Serve on a ploughman’s plate with some, cured meats, pickles, and cheese.

Alongside a bowl of butternut pumpkin soup, or any soup or slow cooked stew really!

Cooks Notes

I cook my damper with the lid off in this recipe, however, you can always start with the lid on to give it a little extra rise. Just remember, you will need to adjust your cooking time.
If you find it hard to rub the butter between your fingers, try grating it with a coarse frater first.
Try making individual damper rolls by dividing your dough before cooking it into four individual loaves and then baking til golden. Perfect for serving alongside a bowl of beef and red wine stew!

Storage

Damper should be eaten the day it’s cooked and as close to the meal time as possible to get all those just-out-of-the-oven feels. I start preparing one hour from the time we plan to serve. If you have a little leftover, store it in an airtight container and toast the next day.

A loaf on damper in a black Le Creuset with the lid sitting on the side like it's just been taken off the pot.

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Happy Baking!