Cranberry Walnut Bread
This Cranberry Walnut Bread has quickly become one of our favorite breads to make at home. The cranberries give it a little sweetness, the walnuts add some crunch, and the bread itself is soft with a nice golden crust. It’s especially good warm with a little butter, which is exactly how most of the first loaf disappeared around here.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
A lot of cranberry walnut bread recipes fall into one of two camps: a sweet quick bread, or a rustic no-knead loaf that needs to sit overnight. We wanted an actual loaf of cranberry walnut bread – the kind you can slice for toast, slather with butter, or just tear into while it’s still warm.
This one does require two rises, but you’re looking at roughly three hours of rising time instead of waiting until tomorrow to bake your bread. The stand mixer does most of the work, and it bakes in a regular loaf pan. You can start it in the afternoon and have a fresh loaf cooling on the counter the same day.
Ingredients Needed
There’s nothing unusual here. Most of what you need is probably already in the pantry, with dried cranberries and walnuts bringing the flavor and texture that make this bread stand out.
Egg and water – Whisked together for the egg wash that gives the baked loaf its shiny, golden crust.
Warm water – Gives the yeast the warm environment it needs to become active.
Honey – Adds a little sweetness and gives the yeast something to feed on.
Active dry yeast – Gives the bread its rise and that unmistakable homemade yeast bread flavor.
Buttermilk – Adds richness and helps give the bread a soft, tender crumb.
Unsalted butter – Adds flavor and richness to the dough.
Kosher salt – Seasons the bread and balances the slight sweetness from the honey and cranberries.
All-purpose flour – Provides the structure for the loaf. Start with the smaller amount and only add more if the dough needs it.
Dried cranberries – Add chewy little pockets of tart sweetness throughout the bread.
Walnuts – Add a nutty flavor and a little crunch to every slice.
How To Make Cranberry Walnut Bread
Don’t let the rising time make you think this is an all-day project. The stand mixer handles the mixing and kneading, and most of the remaining time is just waiting for the dough to do its thing. Give yourself a few hours, follow the dough more than the clock, and you’ll have a beautiful loaf ready for the oven.
Step 1 – Bloom the yeast. Add the warm water and honey to a measuring cup, then stir in the yeast. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. You’ll know the yeast is active when the mixture becomes foamy on top.
[Photos: yeast added to warm water and honey | bloomed yeast]
Step 2 – Combine the dry ingredients. Add 2 3/4 cups of the flour, salt, dried cranberries, and chopped walnuts to the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix briefly to distribute the cranberries and walnuts throughout the flour.
Step 3 – Add the wet ingredients. Pour in the bloomed yeast mixture, buttermilk, and melted butter. Mix on low speed with the dough hook for about 3 minutes, until everything comes together. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed.
Step 4 – Knead the dough. Increase the mixer to medium speed and knead for about 8 minutes. The finished dough should be smooth and elastic, pull away from the sides of the bowl, and still feel slightly tacky. If it’s too sticky, add some of the remaining 1/4 cup flour a little at a time.
Step 5 – Let the dough rise. Turn the dough out onto a work surface, knead it briefly by hand, and shape it into a ball. Place it in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
Step 6 – Start shaping the loaf. Turn the risen dough out onto a wooden board and gently press it into a rough rectangle. You don’t need to be exact here; you’re just creating an even shape to start forming the loaf.
Step 7 – Shape the loaf. Fold and roll the dough into a tight rectangular log, gently pressing as you go to keep the loaf even. Pinch the seam closed when you’re finished.
Step 8 – Proof the loaf. Place the shaped dough seam-side down in a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan. Cover and let it rise by about half. When gently pressed with a fingertip, the dough should slowly spring back while leaving a slight indentation.
Step 9 – Egg wash and bake. Preheat the oven to 375°F with a baking sheet on the lower rack to act as a heat shield. Whisk the egg with the water and gently brush it over the risen loaf. Bake for about 40 minutes, until the bread is golden brown and the center reaches 200°F. Start checking the temperature around 35 minutes.
Let the bread cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then remove it and place it on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
This bread would make one heck of a sandwich. Turkey and sharp cheddar, turkey with Brie, or even a Thanksgiving leftover sandwich would all be fantastic. But truthfully, it’s hard to beat a thick slice right out of the toaster with some good butter melting into it. That alone is worth making the loaf.
Tips
- Watch the flour. Start with 2 3/4 cups and only add more if you need it. The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl but still be slightly tacky. Too much flour can give you a dense loaf.
- Let the dough tell you when it’s ready. Rising times are estimates. A warm kitchen may move things along faster, while a cool kitchen can take longer. Look for the dough to double during the first rise rather than relying strictly on the clock.
- Don’t overproof the shaped loaf. For the second rise, you’re looking for the loaf to increase by about half, not necessarily double. Give it a gentle press with your finger. It should slowly spring back and leave a slight indentation.
- Use the baking sheet as a heat shield. We place an empty baking sheet on the rack below the bread while the oven preheats. It helps keep the bottom of the loaf from getting too dark during the 40-minute bake.
- Check the temperature. Start checking around 35 minutes. The loaf is done when the center reaches about 200°F.
- Try to let it cool. I know, fresh bread. But give it at least a little time before slicing so the inside can finish setting. If you absolutely have to cut into it warm, I understand completely.
Variations
- Orange Cranberry Walnut Bread – Add a little fresh orange zest to the dough. Cranberry and orange are a natural combination, and you’ll still get the texture and crunch from the walnuts.
- Cranberry Pecan Bread – Swap the walnuts for chopped pecans for a slightly sweeter, buttery nut flavor.
- Raisin Walnut Bread – Replace the dried cranberries with raisins for a more traditional fruit and nut loaf.
- Add some spice – A little cinnamon added to the dry ingredients would give the bread a warmer flavor, especially during the fall and holidays.
- Toast the walnuts – Toast the walnuts before adding them to the dough for a deeper, nuttier flavor. Just make sure they’re completely cool before mixing them in.
FAQs
Yes. Mix the dough with a sturdy wooden spoon until it comes together, then knead it by hand on a lightly floured surface. It will take a little more work, but you’re looking for the same smooth, elastic, slightly tacky dough.
For the first rise, let the dough roughly double in size. After shaping, the second rise is only about a 50 percent increase. Gently press the dough with a fingertip. It should slowly spring back while leaving a slight indentation.
Make sure your water is between 105°F and 110°F. Water that’s too hot can kill the yeast, while water that’s too cool can make it slow to get going. If you don’t see any activity after about 10 minutes, your yeast may no longer be active and it’s best to start again.
Once completely cool, keep the bread tightly wrapped or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze it.
Absolutely. Let the loaf cool completely, wrap it well, and freeze it whole or sliced. Freezing individual slices makes it easy to grab one or two and pop them right into the toaster.
Other Delicious Bread Recipes
Cranberry Walnut Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup 120 g warm water, 105–110°F
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1½ teaspoons active dry yeast
- ½ cup 120 g buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 2¾ –3 cups 330–360 g all-purpose flour
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- Oil or nonstick cooking spray for greasing
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Bloom the yeast. Combine the warm water, honey, and active dry yeast. Stir and let stand for 5–10 minutes, until foamy.½ cup 120 g warm water, 105–110°F, 1 tablespoon honey, 1½ teaspoons active dry yeast
- Combine the dry ingredients. Add 2¾ cups flour, kosher salt, dried cranberries, and chopped walnuts to the mixing bowl. Mix briefly to evenly distribute the cranberries and walnuts.1½ teaspoons kosher salt, 2¾ –3 cups, ½ cup dried cranberries, ½ cup chopped walnuts
- Add the liquids. Add the bloomed yeast mixture, buttermilk, and melted butter to the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed for 3 minutes, until combined. Stop and scrape the sides of the bowl.½ cup 120 g buttermilk, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Knead the dough. Increase the mixer to medium speed and mix for 8 minutes. The dough should become smooth and elastic and clean the sides of the bowl. It should remain slightly tacky. Add some of the remaining ¼ cup flour only if needed.
- Form the dough. Transfer the dough to a work surface. Knead briefly by hand and form into a ball.
- First rise. Place the dough in a greased glass bowl and cover. Allow to rise until doubled in size, approximately 1½–2 hours.Oil or nonstick cooking spray
- Shape and proof. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and shape into a loaf. Place seam-side down in a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan. Cover and allow to rise by approximately half. The dough should slowly spring back when gently pressed, leaving a slight indentation.
- Prepare the oven. Place a baking sheet on the lower oven rack to act as a heat shield. Position another rack above it for the bread and preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Apply the egg wash. Whisk together the egg and water. Gently brush the egg wash over the top of the risen loaf immediately before baking.1 large egg, 1 tablespoon water
- Bake. Bake at 375°F for about 40 minutes, until golden brown and the center reaches 200°F. Begin checking the internal temperature at about 35 minutes, as oven temperatures and baking times can vary.
- Cool. Let the bread cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then remove it and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.