No Knead Cranberry Walnut Bread
User Reviews
4.8
39 reviews
Excellent
No Knead Cranberry Walnut Bread
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This crusty no-knead cranberry nut bread is so delicious and easy, it will turn anyone into a bread baker! Just 7 simple ingredients, this yeast bread requires minimal hands-on time and no starter.
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Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour + 3 tablespoons May also use bread flour for a chewier loaf
- 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast make sure your yeast is fresh, see notes
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 cup walnuts chopped, or use pecans or your favorite
- 1 cup dried cranberries or replace with fresh, rough chopped
- 1 ½ cups water room temp or slightly warm
- 1/4 cup honey
Special Equipment Needed
- 5 qt or larger Dutch Oven make sure your Dutch oven is safe up to 500° F
- While a dutch oven works best for even heating and mimicking a steam oven; in a pinch a large pot or roaster with lid may be used.
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Instructions
- 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, allow to rise until doubled for 12-18 hours (yes, hours), this is a slow rise, ferment, which gives the bread it's texture and flavor.
- NEXT DAY Once the dough has risen, and dust a piece of parchment paper with flour; with floured hands, gently scrape the dough away from the bowl and onto the parchment paper, the dough will be stringy and floopy.
- 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 really sticky) and then with a tea towel. Let rise for another 30-45 minutes while your oven preheats.
- 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 475°F (245° C).
- 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 25 minutes -- no peeking!! This is when the crispy crust develops.
- After 25 minutes, remove the lid (remember it's still hot!), baking for another 8-12 minutes. Place on wire rack to cool completely. How to test for doneness: Give the warm bread a light tap—if it sounds hollow, it’s ready! For a more precise check, use an instant-read thermometer; the bread is done when the center reaches 195°F (90°C).
- 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.
Equipments used:
Notes
- wire rack
- If the bread is too crisp on the bottom, try this: Place mostly cooled bread in a baggie without sealing it all the way; this will soften the crust.
- No Dutch Oven? While a Dutch oven works best for even heating and mimicking a steam oven, a large, heavy pot or roaster with a lid may be used in a pinch. Or place dough in a parchment-lined baking pan, and when adding it to the oven, add a separate pan with 3 cups of boiling hot water.
- parchment
- Regular or fast-acting yeast may both be used in this recipe.
- To test your yeast, dissolve ½ teaspoon of sugar (or honey) in ½ cup of warm water (110-120°F), then stir in ½ teaspoon of yeast. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes. If it’s light, bubbly, and smells yeasty, your yeast is active. If not, the yeast is no longer good. I store my yeast in the fridge, but it lasts even longer in the freezer.
- Store in an airtight bag on the counter for up to 1 week. Freezes well for up to 4 months.
- Substitutions
- zest
- Use Fresh Ingredients: Ensure your yeast is fresh. If in doubt, proof a small amount first.
- Use Fresh Ingredients: Ensure your yeast is fresh. If in doubt, proof a small amount first.
- The dough should be sticky, not dry—resist the urge to add extra flour.
- The dough should be sticky, not dry—resist the urge to add extra flour.
- Long Rise Time: Let the dough rise overnight (12-18 hours) for deep flavors and a chewy texture. Note: If your kitchen is very warm, check the dough a bit earlier to avoid overproofing, which can affect the bread’s texture. If it doubles in size, go ahead and bake it or store in the fridge overnight and bake in the morning.
- Long Rise Time: Let the dough rise overnight (12-18 hours) for deep flavors and a chewy texture. Note: If your kitchen is very warm, check the dough a bit earlier to avoid overproofing, which can affect the bread’s texture. If it doubles in size, go ahead and bake it or store in the fridge overnight and bake in the morning.
- Shape with Care: After the long rise, gently fold the dough into a round shape to preserve air bubbles.
- Shape with Care: After the long rise, gently fold the dough into a round shape to preserve air bubbles.
- Preheat: Preheat your Dutch oven, baking sheet, or pot before adding your dough for a crispy crust.
- Preheat: Preheat your Dutch oven, baking sheet, or pot before adding your dough for a crispy crust.
- Score the Dough: Slash the top before baking to allow proper expansion and create a rustic look.
- Score the Dough: Slash the top before baking to allow proper expansion and create a rustic look.
- Steam for Crust: If not using a Dutch oven, add a pan of boiling water to the bottom rack to help create a crisp, golden crust.
- Steam for Crust: If not using a Dutch oven, add a pan of boiling water to the bottom rack to help create a crisp, golden crust.
- Cool Completely: Let the bread cool on a wire rack before slicing to ensure the interior sets properly.
- Cool Completely: Let the bread cool on a wire rack before slicing to ensure the interior sets properly.
- Swap out dried cranberries with dried raisins, cherries, blueberries, apples, dates probably just about any dried fruit, heck even chocolate chunks! Now we're baking!
- Replace with fresh cranberries, it will be more tart, but still so yummy. Do a rough chop of them, ahead of time. I haven't tried with fresh blueberries, but I think it would work too.
- My oldest has a tree nut allergy, so when he's home, I make one with nuts and one without. Feel free to omit the nuts altogether; you could add additional dried fruit if desired.
- Substitute the walnuts with pecans, almonds, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, or cashews; just make sure to do a rough chop ahead of time! Except with the sunflower seeds, because that would just be weird!
- Toast the nuts ahead of time, cooling completely for a deeper, roasted flavor.
- Toss in orange or lemon zest!
- Make it vegan by swapping honey with maple syrup.
- See post for more Frequentlly asked questions and answers.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Serving
1serving
Calories
232kcal
(12%)
Carbohydrates
40g
(13%)
Protein
5g
(10%)
Fat
7g
(11%)
Saturated Fat
1g
(5%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
5g
Monounsaturated Fat
1g
Sodium
391mg
(16%)
Potassium
90mg
(3%)
Fiber
2g
(8%)
Sugar
13g
(26%)
Vitamin A
3IU
(0%)
Vitamin C
0.2mg
(0%)
Calcium
17mg
(2%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 12servings = 1 loaf
Amount Per Serving
Calories 232 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 232kcal | 12% |
| Carbohydrates | 40g | 13% |
| Protein | 5g | 10% |
| Fat | 7g | 11% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 5g | 29% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Sodium | 391mg | 16% |
| Potassium | 90mg | 2% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 13g | 26% |
| Vitamin A | 3IU | 0% |
| Vitamin C | 0.2mg | 0% |
| Calcium | 17mg | 2% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
39 reviews
Excellent
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