Description
This Cranberry Walnut Bread is a delightful homemade yeast bread featuring fresh cranberries and crunchy walnuts. With a tender crumb and subtle sweetness from sugar and butter, it makes a perfect breakfast, snack, or companion to your favorite spreads. The dough is kneaded and given ample time to rise before baking to achieve a soft yet hearty texture.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 4 cups (480 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (6 grams) salt
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) sugar
- 2 teaspoons (7 grams) active dry yeast
- 1 cup (about 120 grams) chopped fresh cranberries
- 1 cup (about 120 grams) chopped walnuts
Wet Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) warm water (about 110°F or 43°C)
Instructions
- Gather Ingredients. Assemble all ingredients so you have everything ready to start the bread-making process.
- Activate Yeast. In a large mixing bowl, combine warm water with sugar and active dry yeast. Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes until the mixture is frothy, indicating the yeast is active.
- Mix Dry Ingredients. Add flour and salt into the yeast mixture and stir until a rough dough forms.
- Add Cranberries and Walnuts. Fold the chopped cranberries and walnuts gently into the dough, ensuring even distribution.
- Knead the Dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes until it becomes smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky.
- First Rise. Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours, or until doubled in size.
- Shape the Loaf. Punch down the risen dough gently to release air. Shape it into a loaf form and place it into a greased loaf pan or onto a baking sheet.
- Second Rise. Allow the shaped dough to rise again for 30-45 minutes until it puffs up noticeably.
- Bake. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake the loaf for 30-35 minutes until the crust is golden brown and a skewer inserted comes out clean.
- Cool. Remove the bread from the oven and transfer to a wire rack. Let it cool for 15-20 minutes before slicing and serving to allow the crumb to set.
Notes
- Make sure the water is warm but not hot to prevent killing the yeast.
- Fresh cranberries add tartness, but you can substitute with dried cranberries if preferred; reduce sugar slightly if using dried.
- Kneading develops gluten which gives the bread its structure; don’t skip this step.
- Allowing the dough to rise properly is crucial for a light and airy texture.
- Store leftover bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.
