Crusty Cranberry Nut No Knead Bread Recipe
This Crusty Cranberry Nut No Knead Bread is a rustic, artisan-style loaf with a crisp golden crust and a tender, chewy crumb filled with plump dried cranberries and crunchy walnuts or pecans. Perfect for beginner bread bakers, this recipe requires no kneading and minimal hands-on time, yet delivers maximum flavor and texture—thanks to a slow overnight rise and a hot Dutch oven bake. Enjoy it fresh with butter, toasted, or as a unique addition to your breakfast or cheese board.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 20 hours
- Yield: 1 loaf; 10-12 servings
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
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 instant yeast (Platinum Yeast from Red Star recommended)
- 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/35°C)
Optional for Work Surface
- More flour, for dusting
- Parchment paper (for baking)
Instructions
- Mix Dough: In a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt, yeast, chopped nuts, and dried cranberries using a silicone spatula. In a separate bowl or measuring cup, stir together the honey and warm water. Pour the honey-water mixture over the dry ingredients. Mix until combined—the dough will be sticky, but do not add more flour. Gently shape the dough into a ball as best as you can.
- First Rise: Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Leave the dough to rise on the counter at room temperature for 12–18 hours, until doubled in size and bubbly on the surface.
- Shape Dough: Turn the risen dough onto a lightly floured work surface. With floured hands, shape it into a ball (it doesn’t need to be perfect). Place the dough ball on a large sheet of parchment paper. Use a very sharp knife, kitchen shears, or a bread lame to gently score an X on the top. Set the dough and parchment in a bowl to maintain its shape while resting. Cover loosely and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Preheat Dutch Oven: While the dough rests, preheat your oven to 475°F (246°C) with a Dutch oven (with lid) inside for at least 30 minutes. This ensures the pot is extremely hot before baking.
- Bake the Bread: After the rest, carefully lift the dough (with parchment) and place it into the hot Dutch oven. Cover with the lid and return to the oven. Bake for 25 minutes covered, then remove the lid and bake an additional 8–10 minutes, until the bread is deep golden and sounds hollow when tapped, or until the center reads 195°F (90°C) on an instant-read thermometer.
- Cool & Serve: Remove the bread from the pot and cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before slicing. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: The dough can be prepped up to 18 hours ahead of baking. Baked and cooled bread freezes well, wrapped in plastic and foil, for up to 3 months.
- To freeze dough, prep as instructed, wrap it lightly in oiled plastic wrap, and place in a freezer-safe container. Thaw at room temperature, let it rise, then proceed with shaping and baking.
- A 5-6 quart Dutch oven is ideal. If yours is smaller, halve the recipe or bake in two batches.
- Bread flour yields chewier bread; you can substitute up to 1 cup of the flour with whole-wheat flour, but avoid using all whole wheat.
- You may use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast with no other changes needed.
- Dried cranberries or raisins work best; fresh or frozen berries are not recommended for this recipe.
- Bake at a slightly lower temperature if your parchment paper cannot tolerate 475°F, and bake a bit longer.
- Leftover bread stays fresh at room temperature, wrapped tightly, for up to 1 week.
