No-Knead Cranberry Walnut Bread Recipe with Honey

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This no-knead rustic cranberry walnut bread is the most perfect bread you can make. Whether you make it for the holiday season or just because, it never disappoints! Sweetened with a touch of honey, tart bursts of flavor from dried cranberries, and finished with crunchy walnuts, plan to be making this homemade bread on repeat. 

Why You’ll Love this No-Knead Cranberry Walnut Bread with Honey

• With just a few basic ingredients, this bread can be made anytime.
• This bread has the health benefits of added walnuts for those good fats and dried cranberries for antioxidants.
• No need for a stand mixer. All you need is just a bowl and a dough whisk.
• You can adjust this bread for your tastes. It would be delicious with freshly grated orange zest, adding 2-3 tbsp to the dough. If walnuts aren’t your thing, swap them out with a different nut such as pecans. 
• This no-knead bread is practically fool-proof, even if this is your first time making bread.
• While you do need to plan for this bread, it requires almost no hands-on time. 

Why Bake in a Dutch Oven?

Using a Dutch oven creates that beautiful crust we all associate with loaves of artisan breads.  To get that beautiful crust, bake the bread with the lid on to trap the moisture that’s released from the dough. When the bread hits that high heat, it will have a second rise in the oven referred to as oven spring

What if I Don’t Have a Dutch Oven?

No problem! You can recreate the steam by placing a shallow pan into the oven as it preheats. Once you add the dough to the oven, quickly pour boiling water into the pan and close the oven door. This will replicate the same environment as the Dutch oven. 

To help with the oven spring, place a baking sheet into the oven as it preheats. It’s even better if you have a baking stone or pizza stone, giving the dough more surface area for that oven spring.

Instructions for No-Knead Cranberry Walnut Bread with Honey

This bread is a wet, shaggy dough, and the temptation is to add more flour. I’d suggest not to as it will throw off hydration ratios and affect the final product. 

• Measure 3 cups all-purpose flour, active dry yeast, and salt into a large bowl. 
• On a cutting board, give the walnuts a rough chop. Add chopped walnuts and dried cranberries to the flour mixture, stirring well to combine.

• In a smaller bowl, add warm water and honey and stir to dissolve the honey. Pour the honey water mixture over the dry ingredients. 

• Using a dough whisk, mix the dough until the dry ingredients are fully incorporated with the wet ingredients, making sure to get the sides of the bowl.  
• Let rest for 20 minutes, this allows the flour to fully hydrate. After the rest, gently grab the side of the dough, pull it straight up, and then fold it over to the middle. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn, and fold again. Repeat this process 5 or 6 times. Doing this set of folds after the flour has had time to properly hydrate ensures that the dough is fully mixed.

• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a large plate to keep the dough from drying out. 
• Leave the bowl on the counter at room temperature for 12-18 hours undisturbed. 

The Next Day

1. Place a Dutch oven with the lid into the oven and preheat to 450 degrees. 
2. After 12-18 hours, the dough will have more than doubled in size and be full of bubbles. The first time I made this I wondered if I had over-proofed the dough and would end up with a dense, flat loaf. So I understand the hesitation when looking at the dough, wondering how it would turn out. But trust me, the dough will rise and be soft and light. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. With floured hands, gently shape the dough into a round shape, being careful to not knock out too many of the air bubbles.

• Using a bench scraper, lift the dough onto a large piece of parchment paper. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes while the oven preheats.
• Score the top of the dough with an X using a sharp knife or bread lame.
• After half an hour of heating, carefully remove the Dutch oven from the oven and lift the dough into the hot Dutch oven using the parchment paper as handles. Quickly replace the lid and place back into the oven. 
• Bake for 25 minutes with the lid on. After the time is up, remove the lid and bake for an additional 8-10 minutes.
• The bread is done when the top is golden brown and the bread sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. If you aren’t sure, I suggest using an instant-read thermometer. The bread is done at 200 degrees. 

• Move to a wire rack to cool.
• Store leftovers in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Serving Ideas

• Enjoy a thick slice loaded with honey butter.
• My favorite way to enjoy is with whipped cream cheese. 
• Use the bread to make the ultimate turkey sandwich.
• This makes the best toast! 

Tips

• Toast the walnuts for an added depth of flavor.
• A well preheated Dutch oven is key.  I’ve made loaves of bread without doing this step and the result is either an undercooked bread, or you will be constantly babysitting your loaf because you don’t know how long until it’s done. Trust me, it’s worth the extra planning to properly preheat the Dutch oven.
• Shape gently. This loaf of bread is rustic and won’t have a smooth top to it. 
• Let the bread cool completely. This might be the hardest, but the most important tip. The bread is full of moisture and continues to bake as it cools. If you slice into the bread prematurely, because of all the moisture, the dough will be slightly gummy. 

I’d love to hear from you! Please leave a comment and rate the recipe. Tag photos #Lockremhomestead over on Instagram to share pictures of your No-Knead Cranberry Walnut Bread with Honey.