How to Decorate and Stencil Bread

The Le Creuset Bread Oven makes it easy to create bakery-quality bread at home. But if you really want your loaves to look like they just came from your favorite bakery, try decorating and stenciling your bread for an artisan touch that truly takes it to the next level of deliciously beautiful.

While it might seem intimidating to create intricate designs and patterns on your loaves, it is really quite simple. We turned to Dayna of Cottage Loaves (@CottageLoaves on Instagram and @CottageLoaves on TikTok) for a master class on how to get started learning this crafty technique. Dayna is an amazing bread artist that transforms mere loaves into works of edible art, and her love of baking and life is obvious in every loaf she bakes. Here are her expert tips and tricks for how to get started decorating and stenciling bread at home.

How to Stencil Bread

Using a stencil to decorate your bread is a fun way to give it your unique hallmark and show that it was truly hand made. You can buy bread stencils at a craft store or online, or it’s easy to make your own designs at home. In fact, we were inspired to create our own fun stenciling templates. With both seasonal and classic Le Creuset emblems, they work perfectly for either Bread Oven or Dutch Oven bread. Simply right-click on the link below to download them:

Print out the template on light weight card-stock paper, parchment paper or sheets of acetate. You want something that is not too thin and flimsy but also not too thick and won’t bend. Cut out the grey parts of the pattern using a small, sharp blade or scissors. If you’re creating your own stencil, use your favorite design program to create a pattern or hand-draw it on craft paper. Dayna suggests “It is best to start with a stencil that is not too intricate. As you gain confidence you can use stencils with multiple layers creating more depth to your design.”

In terms of what to use to create the pattern, all-purpose or white rice flour is the most common. But if you’d like to get creative, try cocoa or dried, aromatic spices. Dayna’s “absolute favorite spice for bread art is turmeric” because of its gorgeous golden color. She also suggests mixing white rice flour with turmeric (or other spices and food colorings) to create a rainbow of shades.

How to Decorate Bread

Scoring your bread dough right before it goes into the oven is an essential step in the baking process. It allows the loaf to rapidly expand in a controlled way to help it achieve maximum height and prevent cracking. Some like to give their dough a simple slash, but this is another perfect opportunity to add a unique embellishment and decoration to your finished loaves.

Dayna takes full advantage of the scoring step to create her beautifully decorated bread designs that are like works of art. She finds inspiration for her designs in the seasons, noting that “natural elements work beautifully with bread such as leaves, florals and vines. A gorgeous sunset also works beautifully on a dough’s canvas.” After baking, she also likes to complement her intricate designs with edible flowers to create some of her favorite loaves.

As for what tools to use for scoring and decorating bread, Dayna’s favorite tool is a lame. But you will also see her using beautifully embellished small scissors, a bench scraper, sharp knives, skewers, tweezers and even kitchen twine to get the desired pattern she is looking for.