Best Moms Cranberry Walnut Bread Recipes

CRANBERRY WALNUT BREAD (NO KNEAD)

Steps:

• Add flour, yeast and salt to large bowl (large enough for dough to double), stirring yeast into one portion of flour, salt the other, then stir together. Toss cranberries and walnuts and stir well to coat in the flour mixture.
• Pour honey into warm water and stir to combine. Pour honey water into flour mixture. Stirring to combine, it will be sticky, that's okay!
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, placing bowl in a draft-free , warm spot for at 12-18 hours (yes, hours!). I place in my oven, with a tea towel over the top of the plastic wrap.
• NEXT DAY | Once the dough has risen, and place a piece of parchment paper on the counter and dust with flour; with floured hands, gently scrape the dough away from the bowl and onto the parchment paper, the dough will be stringy and sloppy.
• Gently shape the dough into a round or oval shape. It will feel different than other breads, kind of fluid, that's alright it lends to the rustic look. Cover the shaped dough with a piece of plastic wrap (sprinkle a little flour on top of your dough if it's still really sticky) and then with a tea towel. Let rise for another 45 minutes.
• While dough is doing second rise, adjust your oven rack so that the dutch oven sits several inches above the bottom, but still has plenty of clearance on the top. PLACE DUTCH OVEN with LID INSIDE THE OVEN TO HEAT WITH THE OVEN. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
• Remove the plastic wrap, don't worry if it doesn't look like the dough has risen too much, it will puff up once it hits the heat of the oven.
• CAREFULLY (it's really hot!) remove the pot from the oven, set the lid to the side and using the excess parchment paper as a sling, gently transfer bread dough to the dutch oven, cover with lid (it's hot too!) and place back in hot oven for 30 minutes -- no peeking!! This is when the crispy crust develops. See notes if bottom burns below.
• After 30 minutes, remove the lid (remember it's still hot!), baking for another 15 minutes. Place on wire rack to cool completely. You can leave it in the pot, I prefer to remove it using the parchment and cool on a wire rack. If desired, brush or drizzle with a little extra honey, while warm.
• Resist cutting into the bread until it has mostly cooled, breads continue to bake while cooling and if you cut into it too soon it could make it gummy inside.
• *A great way to make sure your yeast is active, is to dissolve ½ teaspoon of sugar (or in this case honey) into ½ cup of warm water (between 110-120 degrees), stir in ½ teaspoon of yeast and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes.
• This is called proofing, after 10 minutes, it should be light and bubbly and smelly yeasty.
• If doesn't do the above, the yeast is "gassed" and won't do its job.
• I store my yeast in the fridge as I use it all the time, it will last even longer if store in the freezer.
• For more information read this article from King Arthur Baking outlines how to test yeast, baking powder and baking soda.

CRANBERRY WALNUT BREAD

Steps:

• Combine *WARM WATER and YEAST in mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl.* Active Dry Yeast needs 100°F - 110°F water temperature. Combine and allow 5 minute rest until yeast activates.* Quick Rise Instant Yeast needs 120°F - 130°F water temperature. Combine and proceed to step 2.
• Add SUGAR, SALT, OLIVE OIL, FLOUR, CRANBERRIES, and WALNUTS to the mixing bowl (reserve 1/3 cup flour to assist mixing).Stir ingredients together with a utensil (or stand mixer on low speed) until a shaggy dough forms.
• Mix and knead dough with your hands (or stand mixer on low speed) about 5 minutes until it becomes stretchy and pliable. During mixing, sprinkle tiny amounts of the reserved flour into the bowl to prevent sticking.
• Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and shape into a tight, round form, tucking the sides under to form a seam on the bottom.
• Perform 1st proof/rise by placing dough in an oil-coated mixing bowl (or Instant Pot), seam side down. Cover with a towel or draped plastic wrap and allow to double in size (about 45 min).
• Deflate the dough (aka punch it down) to remove air bubbles. You can move on to the next step, or...Perform 2nd proof/rise by shaping the dough into a tight round and repeat step 5. (The 2nd proof/rise is optional, but recommended to further develop texture and flavor)
• Preheat oven to 375°F and let's shape these loaves...Transfer the dough onto lightly floured surface. Press to deflate air pockets and divide dough into 2 or 3 equal sections.Press each piece into a loose rectangle shape.Fold and press dough into itself until it becomes tight while forming it into the final shape (baguette, loaf, or round).Transfer to a prepared baking sheet or loaf pan. Brush surface with olive oil and cover to prevent air exposure.
• Perform final proof/rise by resting forms in a warm spot until nearly doubled in size.Score the dough by making 1/4" slits across each loaf with a razor or knife.
• Bake 20-25 minutes, rotating as needed for even browning.The bread will be golden brown. It should register an internal temperature of 190°F on an instant-read thermometer.
• Transfer loaves onto a cooling rack and rest 5 minutes.Remove loaves from pans and rest on the cooling rack until completely cooled (to retain moisture).Store cooled bread in a plastic bag or airtight container up to 2 days at room temperature or 5 days in the refrigerator.

MOM'S CRANBERRY WALNUT BREAD

Steps:

• Mix cranberries and 1 cup sugar and let stand overnight.
• Mix together flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Sift together.
• In a bowl, mix together eggs, orange juice, hot water, melted butter, orange rind and chopped walnuts. Add to dry ingredients.
• Stir in cranberries and pour mixture into two greased and floured bread pans.
• Bake for 1 hours at 325 degrees.

HEALTHY CRANBERRY WALNUT BREAD

Steps:

• Put all ingredients except cranberries and walnuts in the bread machine pan.
• Bake at light crust, basic setting.
• Check the dough in the early stages of mixing. It should form a smooth but slightly sticky ball.
• Add additional flour, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough ball looks right. I usually have to add 2-3 tablespoons more flour, but it varies with the amount of humidity in the air.
• Add cranberries and walnuts at the add fruit signal, or about five minutes before the end of the kneading cycle.