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Sweet, chewy, and studded with dried cranberries and walnuts, this Dutch Oven Cranberry Walnut Bread and comes together with minimal effort to deliver maximum flavor.
After trying Panera's Cranberry Walnut Bread years ago, I have been recreating the bread at home with spectacular results! Using my Dutch Oven Bread recipe as a starting point and adding in dried cranberries, and chopped walnuts, this cranberry walnut bread is chewy and yeasty, and downright FABULOUS!
Kristen's Tips For Perfect Results
While this Cranberry Walnut Dutch Oven Bread is one of the easiest bread recipes to make and suitable for beginners, I do have a few helpful tips to keep in mind.
- Select the right baking vessel. There is no substitution to using a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven pan fitted with a lid for this recipe. It creates the perfect environment for cooking the bread and if well-seasoned/cared for, the bread will not stick to your pan.
- Plan ahead. While this cranberry walnut bread is one of the easiest ways to prepare bread at home, it does need to proof for at least 12 hours before baking.
- Check your yeast. Use regular dry active yeast (not quick rise yeast) and be sure that your yeast has not expired. If it is not fresh, your bread will not proof and will be dense and flat when baked.
How to Make Cranberry Walnut Bread
The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the ingredient quantities and detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Combine. In a large mixing bowl toss the yeast, flour, salt, cranberries, and walnuts together. Add in the water and mix together with a wooden spoon or spatula until the dough comes together. Expect the dough to be sticky and wetter than dough of traditional homemade whole wheat bread.
- Proof Dough. Once the dough is combined, cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 12-18 hours. The yeast will activate and the bread will get yeasty and bubbly.
- Shape. Turn the risen bread dough out onto parchment paper LIGHTLY dusted with flour. With floured hands, quickly shape the dough into a circle. Let the dough rest on the parchment paper while the oven preheats.
- Preheat the Dutch Oven. Place the Dutch oven into the oven BEFORE turning the oven on to preheat. It is crucial to let the pan preheat as well--this will give this cranberry walnut bread it's chewy, crispy exterior.
- Transfer the Dough to Preheated Pan. Once the pan is preheated, carefully place the prepared dough into the pan and cover with the lid. *If using parchment paper, be sure it is safe for baking up to 450 degrees F. Otherwise, simply slide right into the pan--no need to grease.
- Bake. Bake the covered for 30 minutes and then uncover to continue baking for 20 minutes, which will help to crisp up the exterior of the bread.
- Cool and Slice. Once baked, let the bread cool slightly in the pan and then turn out and finish cooling on a cooling rack. Allow bread to cool for 30 minutes before slicing.
Serving Suggestions
There is nothing better than a slice of this Cranberry Walnut Bread when it is warm from the oven, but this bread can be used in so many ways.
- Create a sweet and savory sandwich by using the cranberry walnut bread as a base for a ham or turkey apple sandwich.
- Make a delicious grilled cheese sandwich, by layering slices of sharp cheddar cheese or leftover baked brie or whipped brie (that has been chilled and sliced) in between two slices of buttered cranberry walnut bread and then pan-frying until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted.
- Spread Cranberry Walnut Bread with leftover cranberry orange sauce from your holiday for a little slice of heaven.
- Use chunks of this Cranberry Bread to create a sweet and savory Ham and Egg Breakfast Casserole or for a delicious spin on French Toast Casserole.
Storage Instructions
- At Room Temperature: Once the Cranberry Walnut bread is fully cooled, store the bread in an airtight sealed container or bag, at room temperature for 3-4 days.
- In the Freezer: To freeze Cranberry Walnut Bread, allow the bread to cool fully after being baked. Wrap well in plastic wrap, then a layer of foil, and then place in a freezer-safe bag. Store in the freezer for up to 1 month. Defrost at room temperature for 12 hours before serving.
Preventing the Bread from Sticking
If your Dutch oven pan is good-quality, you should have no issue with this dough sticking to the pan. However, some people have reported this issue. To prevent this from happening, use parchment paper or be sure to dust your bread with flour before transferring the bread dough to the pan. I don't recommend greasing the pan, as the oil can burn at the high temperature the bread is baked at.
More Homemade Bread Recipes
- Whole Wheat Cinnamon Raisin Bread
- Homemade Italian Bread
- Honey Whole Wheat Bread
- Whole Wheat Dutch Oven Bread
- Copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks
If you enjoyed this simple recipe for Cranberry Walnut Bread, I would love for you to leave a review and comment below.
Cranberry Walnut Bread
Sweet and tender, studded with dried cranberries and walnuts, this Dutch Oven Cranberry Walnut Bread is one of the easiest ways to make homemade bread. No kneading, no proofing--just mix, rise, and bake! It is the perfect base for sandwiches, breakfast casseroles, or just to eat toasted.
Ingredients
- 3 cups white wheat flour, or unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon dry active yeast
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ chopped walnuts
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 ½ cups luke warm water
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together flour, yeast, salt, cranberries, and walnuts. Add in water and mix well with a wooden spoon.
- Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and set in a draft-free spot to rise for 12-18 hours undisturbed.
- After the proofing time has passed, turn the dough out onto parchment paper that has been sprinkled lightly with flour and quickly shape into a circle. It will be sticky, so you may want to flour your hands as well. And try to not overwork the dough--just a rustic circle is all you are going for. Let the dough rest, while the oven preheats.
- Place the dutch oven fitted with its lid in the oven. Preheat to 450℉ (230℃). (Let the pan preheat in the oven.)
- Once the pan is preheated, carefully remove it from the oven and then carefully place the prepared dough into the pan and cover with the lid. If using parchment paper that is safe up to 450℉ (230℃), you can simply pick up the parchment paper and place into the dutch oven. If you don't have parchment paper, just place the bread dough directly to the dutch oven. DO NOT USE wax paper or a silicone baking sheet.
- Bake for 30 minutes covered. Remove the lid and bake for an additional 20 minutes.
- Remove bread from dutch oven and let cool on a wire rack completely before slicing and serving.
Equipment
Notes
Flour: Use all-purpose or whole white wheat flour. To measure the flour, scoop the flour out with a spoon and then place it in a measuring cup--this will ensure you don't use too much flour.
Nuts: Feel free to omit the walnuts from this bread to make it nut-free or swap out walnuts for pecans if desired.
Yeast: Be sure to use regular yeast, not quick-rise yeast, and be sure your yeast is not expired.
Note on Bread Sticking: If your dutch oven pan is good-quality, you should have no issue with this dough sticking to the pan. However, some people have reported this issue. To prevent this from happening, use parchment paper, or be sure to dust your bread with flour before transferring the bread dough to the pan. I don't recommend greasing the pan, as the oil can burn at the high temperature the bread is baked at.sticking to the pan. However, some people have reported this issue. To prevent this from happening, use parchment paper, or be sure to dust your bread with flour before transferring the bread dough to the pan. I don't recommend greasing the pan, as the oil can burn at the high temperature the bread is baked at.
Storage: Once fully cooled, store bread in a sealed container, or bag, at room temperature for up to 3 days. This bread can also be frozen for up to 1 month if wrapped in plastic wrap and then foil and then placed into a freezer-safe bag.
Pan: Anywhere from a 3.5 to a 6-quart dutch oven with a lid will work to bake this bread. I use a 4.5 quart myself.
Baking at a high altitude? Check out these adjustments that you may need to follow.
Nutrition
Calories: 100kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 3gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 219mgPotassium: 32mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gCalcium: 4mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Would gluten free flour work? Like Bob's baking flour or King Arthur's all purpose gluten free flour?
Hi Tayyibah! This is one recipe I have not tested using a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. I highly doubt it would work in this recipe, but if you do experiment with it, please let us know if it turns out.
Should I add Vital Wheat Gluten to this recipe?
I don't find it necessary, however, you can add 2 tablespoons for a lighter loaf.
Have you tried using freshly ground white wheat or just purchased whole white wheat flour? How would the proportions change? I want to mill the flour fresh but I know the high bran content can change a recipe.
I mill my own flour all the time. The recipe should not change if you measure out the flour correctly.
I love the look and the sound (and the anticipation!) of this bread, but can it be made without a dutch oven? Any suggestions?
Hi Pat! I personally have not made this recipe without using a dutch oven. However, I have had readers share with me that they had success. They shaped into 2 loaves (keep in mind this dough is VERY wet and harder to work with), let them rest for 30 minutes, scored the top, and then baked at 475 on a sheet pan for 40-45 minutes.
First loaf used equal amounts of whole wheat flour and white flour. Let rest to proof for 12 hours. The yeast was still fresh (does not expire for another 3.5 months and has been stored properly). Baked in a round dutch oven with lid. But the loaf turned out flatter than desired. Looks like biscotti when sliced.
I think my dutch oven may be larger than the one others have used and that may have contributed to the dough spreading out instead of rising taller. If I use the dutch oven method again may double the recipe.
Second loaf used 1 cup whole wheat flour and 2 cups of white flour. Baked in a loaf pan with a water bath in the oven. Still did not rise as high as I would have liked. The steam from the water bath helped form the crusty crust. The flavor is good. I think If I make it again I will need to play with the recipe to see if I can get the desired height and density. Probably changing the ratio of whole wheat flour and white flour maybe decreasing the salt and adding some sugar for the yeast to eat on while proofing.
Hi Alison! Most people have great success with this recipe as written, but I would love to hear how your experiments go.
I’ve made this one, and tweaked another one. Only has to rise 2 hours, and has pretty much the same measurements. Why does this one need to proof for so long, and the other doesn’t?
Hi Liz! Without seeing the other recipe, I can not speak to its differences. Even slight variations in ingredients will drastically change things when baking.
Warning! Making this bread may lead to weight gain. 😉. Buts it’s so easy and delicious I don’t care. Small chunks of white cheddar cheese are fun to add. And kalamata olives. Dried apricots and Brie. Make it up. It’s fun to experiment. And the best part is eating it with butter. If savory Olive Oil with or without balsamic vinegar. Thanks for your recipe. Easy peasy. 😍 I can now have a different bread every day.
Oh I love all your serving suggestions--totally worth the weight gain! LOL! So glad you enjoy this recipe Donita.
Hi,
My dough came out watery and flat... something wrong?
This is a sticky, looser dough, but should not be watery. It may be that your yeast has expired or that you didn't measure out enough flour.