Cranberry Walnut Bread (No Knead) - Cooking For My Soul (2024)

If you’re new to baking bread at home, no-knead breads may be a great place to start. Today I am sharing my most beloved artisan bread recipe: No Knead Cranberry Walnut Bread!

I’ve included all the tips and tricks you need to know to make the perfect no-knead artisan loaf of cranberry walnut bread. It’s actually really simple and takes very little active prep time.

It is seriously one of the best and coziest breads to make this season. Your house will smell like the best bakery in town!

You may think that such a fancy-looking artisan bread is difficult to bake at home, but it’s actually not. The no-knead method requires, as its name says, no kneading and also no mixer. All you need is some patience and a Dutch oven, which is essential to get that beautiful golden brown, crisp crust. It’s really impossible to mess up!

This cranberry walnut bread recipe is the perfect loaf to make during fall. It’s cozy, delicious, and packed with nuts and dried cranberries.

The cranberry walnut bread has a hint of orange thanks to the fresh orange zest. It’s fragrant (not overpowering at all!), delicious, and perfectly light and a bit chewy…just like a good artisan loaf should be!

Why we LOVE baking this no knead cranberry walnut bread at home:

• Effortless, no kneading required: Seriously, zero kneading. Promise.
• The crust is perfect! Baking this cranberry walnut bread in a Dutch oven creates the perfect artisan-style golden brown crust.
• Great flavor: The slow rising process infuses the bread with great flavor. Plus, all the mix-ins (dried cranberries, walnuts, orange zest) are awesome!

Basically, here’s the run-down of how this method works: you mix all the ingredients together in a bowl, let it rise for 18 hours, shape it into a ball, and bake in a Dutch oven. And just like that, you get a beautiful loaf of artisan bread. It’s like magic!

We love making Grape and Chicken Salad sandwiches with this cranberry walnut bread. Truly the perfect combination! Or keep it simple and start your mornings with a toasted slice of this bread plus some good butter.

If you’re looking for traditional bread recipes, check out this Rosemary Focaccia, Super Soft Honey Rolls, Garlic Herb Rolls, and Cinnamon Swirl Bread.

All About the No-Knead Bread Method

The no-knead method is very simple and easy.

Here are the basics: You activate the yeast and mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Then cover and let it rise at room temperature for 18 hours, shape the dough into a ball on a floured surface, and bake in a hot Dutch oven pot. Absolutely zero kneading required.

And yes, you read that right, 18 hours! During this time, the enzymes break down and the yeast starts releasing air, and bubbles form. This movement of air stretches the dough during the 18 hours. With this movement, gluten forms. Remember, the whole point of kneading, in general, is to develop gluten. So, in this “no-knead” technique, it’s like the movement of air and bubbles “knead” the bread slowly to form gluten.

Here are a few things to know:

• This type of bread uses a very low amount of yeast. Yes, ½ teaspoon is all you need.
• Once you mix all the ingredients, it will be very sticky and wet. That’s normal. Do not add more flour, as this will result in a dense bread later on.
• This slow fermentation process also gives the bread amazing flavor naturally, aside from the orange zest that will infuse the bread even more.
• After 18 hours, the dough will look shaggy, wet, and sticky. That’s normal. In fact, that’s what you want to make a perfect loaf – a “wet” dough will create steam inside the Dutch oven, which is what creates that nice, crispy crust. See more below.

Why Bake in a Dutch Oven

Baking your bread in a Dutch oven is what creates that beautiful, golden brown, crisp artisan-style crust.

Why? It’s all about steam! The Dutch oven is like a vessel that allows steam released from the moist dough to evenly circulate in a contained space. This steam creates that crusty surface that we all love in artisan breads. There’s a lot of science behind this, but I’m not going to bother you with it. So for now, let’s just say it’s like magic?

Because of this, not only does your oven need to be really hot (450 degrees F), but your Dutch oven pot too. Preheat the oven along with your Dutch oven pot inside for at least 30 minutes before you plan to bake your cranberry walnut bread. You’ll need to place the shaped dough inside the hot Dutch oven and then bake immediately.

I’d recommend using a medium-sized Dutch oven, between 5 to 6 quarts. Make sure it’s oven-safe up to 450 degrees F or higher. Believe it or not, some Dutch ovens are not safe at those temps.

Ingredient Notes

As always, the specific ingredient quantities are listed in the recipe card down below, but I wanted to provide a few helpful ingredient notes here.

• Active dry yeast: Make sure you get active dry yeast, and not instant dry yeast. They work differently.
• Wam water, about 110 to 115 degrees F, to activate the yeast. This is to make sure the yeast is good to go. Make sure the water isn’t too hot or too cold.
• Bread flour: Bread flour has higher gluten content than all-purpose flour, so your cranberry walnut bread will rise taller, have better structure, and be a bit lighter and perfectly chewy. If you don’t have bread flour, all-purpose will do too, but the texture may not be optimal.
• Granulated sugar, used for flavor and to activate the yeast.
• Kosher salt will give the bread amazing flavor!
• Dried cranberries and roughly chopped walnuts.
• Honey: Adds a nice subtle touch of sweetness.
• Fresh orange zest: Adds subtle aromatic tones to the bread. It’s not overpowering at all, but if you’re worried about it, decrease the amount or omit it.

Step-by-Step Instructions

First of all, make sure you have a 5 or 6 quart Dutch oven that is safe up to 450 degrees F or higher. Also, plan accordingly since the dough will need 16 to 18 hours to rest on your countertop at room temperature. I always make my dough in the evening and bake the next afternoon.

Step 1 | Activate yeast

In a bowl, dissolve the yeast and sugar with the warm water (110 to 115 degrees F). Let it sit for 10 minutes or until foamed up. If it doesn’t, discard and start over. This means the yeast is expired or not active.

Step 2 | Mix the dough and let it rise for 18 hours

In a large bowl, whisk the flour with salt. Then, add the yeast mixture and honey, and combine until no pockets of flour remain, without over-mixing. Stir in the dried cranberries, walnuts, and orange zest. Give it a stir until just combined.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap (without touching the dough) and let sit on the counter at room temperature for 18 hours. Yes, 18 hours! The recommended range is 16 to 18 hours, but the longer the better.

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Step 3 | Shape dough

After 18 hours, the dough will look very wet and sticky. That’s normal! Do NOT punch the dough. Using a bench scraper, transfer the dough to a well-floured surface and turn to coat with flour. Sprinkle more bread flour as needed.

Flour your hands. Gently fold the dough over from the edges to the center to form a ball, being careful not to burst the air bubbles trapped inside. Carefully transfer the dough onto parchment paper, smooth side up. Gently press the sides to re-shape if needed, and flour the top a little bit. Cover with plastic wrap, and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Step 4 | Preheat oven and pot

While it’s resting, place the Dutch oven with the lid inside the oven. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F for 30 minutes.

Step 5 | Bake in Dutch oven

Score an X or any pattern on the dough and gently reshape it if needed. Remove the hot Dutch oven from the oven. Immediately lift the parchment paper to transfer the dough into the hot pot. Cover with the lid tightly and securely. Bake at 450 degrees F for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking for another 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown.

Let the baked cranberry walnut bread cool down completely before slicing.

How to Tell If the Bread is Ready

This is how I tell if my no-knead cranberry walnut bread is ready:

• The bread should be golden brown in color and have a nice crisp crust. If it looks pale, give it a few extra 3 to 5 minutes.
• When tapped lightly, it should sound a bit hollow on the top crust and bottom crust.
• To be completely sure, insert an instant read thermometer. The center should read 210 degrees F.

Let the Bread Cool Completely

If you’re like me, you may be tempted to cut into this beautiful loaf of cranberry walnut bread while it’s warm, but trust me, this is the kind of what that needs to be completely cooled down before you slice it.

The bread continues to “bake” with the residual heat, perfecting the texture of the interior. You want to let the air cool down to allow those beautiful holes to set. This will also yield a lighter and more airy texture, and not dense.

How to Serve

Here are my favorite ways to serve this amazing, crusty cranberry walnut bread:

• The simple way, toasted and with some butter or jam.
• Make avocado toast, ricotta toast, or really any kind of toast!
• Try this Chicken Salad with Grapes recipe – it makes a GREAT chicken salad sandwich!
• Serve with your breakfast or with soup. Try it with this Roasted Butternut Squash Soup, Creamy Tortellini Soup, or Bacon Potato Chowder.
• Or simply enjoy as is, warm of course!

If you’re a bread baking enthusiast, be sure to check out these other bread recipes on the blog:

Recipe FAQs

This recipe was published in 2020 and updated in October 2022 to include new photos and information.

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