Description
This Thanksgiving Cranberry Walnut Bread recipe is a delightful no-knead artisan-style bread, studded with dried cranberries and chopped walnuts, and brightened with orange zest and honey. Perfectly crusty on the outside and tender on the inside, it requires minimal hands-on time thanks to its long, slow rise and baking in a Dutch oven to create a beautiful golden crust. A festive, flavorful bread ideal for holiday breakfasts, lunches, or as a unique addition to your Thanksgiving table.
Ingredients
Scale
Yeast Mixture
- ½ teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 ½ cups warm water (110 to 115 degrees F)
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Dough
- 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
- 3 cups bread flour, plus 2 tablespoons, plus more for surface
- ¾ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup dried walnuts, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
Instructions
- Prepare yeast mixture: Dissolve the active dry yeast and granulated sugar in the warm water (110 to 115 degrees F). Let it sit for 10 minutes or until the mixture is foamy. If no foam appears, discard and start over to ensure yeast is active.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the bread flour and Kosher salt until well combined.
- Combine dough: Add the yeast mixture and honey to the flour mixture. Stir just until no pockets of flour remain, being careful not to over-mix. Then fold in the dried cranberries, chopped walnuts, and orange zest until evenly distributed. The dough will be very sticky and wet, which is normal.
- First rise: Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap without touching the dough. Let the dough rest on the kitchen countertop at room temperature for 18 hours. This long rise develops flavor and texture.
- Shape the dough: After 18 hours, the dough will be sticky and wet. Transfer it gently to a well-floured surface. Use floured hands to fold the dough from the edges to the center, forming it into a ball while preserving air bubbles. Turn the dough smooth side up, press the sides gently to shape, and transfer it onto a sheet of lightly floured parchment paper, smooth side up.
- Second rise: Cover the dough ball loosely with plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven: Place a 5 to 6 quart oven-proof Dutch oven with its lid inside your oven. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F and let the pot heat for 30 minutes.
- Score the dough: Using a sharp knife or razor blade, score an ‘X’ or your preferred pattern on top of the dough ball to allow for expansion during baking.
- Bake covered: Carefully remove the heated Dutch oven from the oven. Lift the parchment paper and dough to transfer into the hot pot. Cover tightly with the lid and bake at 450 degrees F for 30 minutes, keeping the lid closed to trap steam for a crispy crust.
- Bake uncovered: After 30 minutes, remove the lid and bake for an additional 8 to 10 minutes until the crust is golden brown.
- Cool: Remove the bread from the oven, lift it out using the parchment paper, and place on a cooling rack. Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing to preserve texture and flavor. Enjoy!
Notes
- The dough’s 18-hour rise time is essential for developing flavor and achieving the perfect texture, but anywhere between 16 to 18 hours works well. A minimum of 12 hours is possible but may result in denser bread.
- A sticky, wet dough is intentional as it creates steam within the Dutch oven during baking, which crisps the crust beautifully.
- A Dutch oven is recommended to trap steam, mimicking professional steam-injected ovens to create a crisp, golden crust.
- Store the bread in a semi-open paper bag to maintain the crust’s texture.
- For freezing, wrap the bread tightly in aluminum foil, place it in a freezer-safe resealable plastic bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 80g)
- Calories: 200
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 350mg
- Fat: 4.5g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 37g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
