Crusty Cranberry Nut No Knead Bread Recipe
This Crusty Cranberry Nut No Knead Bread is a rustic, artisan-style loaf featuring a crunchy crust and a tender crumb studded with tart dried cranberries and crunchy walnuts or pecans. Perfect for holiday breakfasts or as a flavorful sandwich bread, this no-knead recipe uses a long, slow rise to develop deep flavor and requires minimal hands-on time.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 13 to 18 hours 55 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf (about 10-12 servings) 1x
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups + 2 Tablespoons (390g) bread flour or all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more as needed
- 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Platinum Yeast from Red Star instant yeast
- 3/4 cup (95g) chopped walnuts or pecans
- 3/4 cup (105g) dried cranberries
Wet Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon (21g) honey
- 1 and 1/2 cups (360ml) warm water (about 95°F or 35°C)
Instructions
- Mixing the dough: In a large bowl, use a silicone spatula to stir together the flour, salt, yeast, nuts, and dried cranberries. In a separate container, mix the honey with warm water, then pour it over the dry ingredients and mix until combined. The dough will be very sticky—do not add extra flour. Gently shape the mixture into a ball as best you can.
- First rise: Cover the bowl tightly and leave it at room temperature for 12 to 18 hours. The dough will double in size, stick to the bowl’s sides, and may have air bubbles on the surface.
- Shaping and resting: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and shape into a rough ball using floured hands. Place the dough on a large piece of parchment paper suitable for high heat. Score an X on top with a sharp knife or bread lame. Place the dough with parchment into a bowl to hold its shape and cover loosely. Let it rest for 30 minutes.
- Preheating the oven and pot: While the dough rests, preheat the oven to 475°F (246°C). Place a Dutch oven or heavy pot with the lid inside to heat for 30 minutes.
- Baking the bread: Carefully remove the hot pot from the oven, lift the dough by the parchment paper, and place it inside the pot. Cover with the lid and bake for 25 minutes. Then remove the lid and bake for another 8 to 10 minutes until the crust is golden brown. Check doneness by tapping the bread; a hollow sound or an internal temperature of 195°F (90°C) means it’s ready.
- Cooling: Remove the bread from the pot and cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before slicing.
- Storage: Store leftover bread at room temperature in a covered container for up to one week.
Notes
- Use coarse sea salt for better flavor compared to regular table salt.
- The dough is intentionally very sticky; avoid adding extra flour during mixing or shaping.
- Ensure your parchment paper is oven-safe for high heat baking inside the Dutch oven.
- Scoring the dough helps control how it expands and creates an attractive pattern on the crust.
- Testing doneness by tapping or checking internal temperature ensures perfectly baked bread.
Keywords: no knead bread, cranberry bread, nut bread, artisan bread, no knead cranberry nut bread, homemade bread, easy bread recipe
