diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0f025a8..61600c3 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -166,7 +166,10 @@ from . import *
 ```
 
 ### Add dependencies
-To ensure any dependencies are installed at the same time as installing your package, add them to your `pyproject.toml` file. E.g. to add `numpy` and `pandas` as dependencies, add the following line to the `pyproject.toml` file, under the `[project]` heading:
+To ensure any dependencies are installed at the same time as installing
+your package, add them to your `pyproject.toml` file. E.g. to add `numpy`
+and `pandas` as dependencies, add them to the `dependencies = []` list under
+the `[project]` heading:
 
 ```toml
 dependencies = ["numpy", "pandas"]
diff --git a/{{cookiecutter.package_name}}/pyproject.toml b/{{cookiecutter.package_name}}/pyproject.toml
index 43b98b1..d98d03f 100644
--- a/{{cookiecutter.package_name}}/pyproject.toml
+++ b/{{cookiecutter.package_name}}/pyproject.toml
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ readme = "README.md"
 requires-python = ">=3.9.0"
 dynamic = ["version"]
 
+dependencies = []
+
 {% if cookiecutter.license == "MIT" -%}
 license = {text = "{{cookiecutter.license}}"}
 {%- elif cookiecutter.license == "BSD-3" -%}