Cranberry Walnut Sourdough Bread

Craving something unique and delicious? Cranberrywalnut sourdough is the perfect combination of sweet and tart! The crunchy walnuts and juicy cranberries make this artisan loaf a delicious treat.

4.65 from 14 votes

Prep Time 12

Cook Time 45

Total Time 12 45

Ingredients

150 g sourdough starter active
330 g water warm
500 g bread flour
10 g sea salt
100 g dried sweetened cranberries
80 g chopped walnuts

Instructions

Make the dough:

In a large mixing bowl, combine 150g of active sourdough starter with 330g warm water until mostly combined.
Add 500g bread flour to the bowl and mix until a shaggy dough forms. Knead the dough with your hands until all the shaggy bits are incorporated.
Cover the bowl and set aside for 45 - 60 minutes.

Stretch and fold:

Uncover the bowl, sprinkle 10g of salt on top of the dough, then, using damp hands, grab the dough and gently pull it until the flap is long enough to fold over itself, then fold the flap, rotate the bowl 90 degrees, repeat 4 times. Recover the bowl, and set it aside for 30 minutes.
Add 100g dried cranberries and 80g chopped walnuts to the bowl, then repeat the stretch and fold process at least 3 more times. The intervals can be as short as 15 minutes, or as long as 60 minutes, but it should be completed at least 4 times during the bulk ferment

Pre-shape + shape:

Lightly flour the work surface and use a bowl scraper to turn the cranberry walnut sourdough out onto the floured surface.
Fold the edges into the middle, alternating sides as though lacing the dough together. Then starting from the bottom, tightly roll the dough into a batard. Stop there if making a batard, or tuck the long ends underneath to create a boule. Allow the dough to rest covered for 20 minutes.
Place your hands underneath the dough and using your pinkies, apply pressure to the dough and drag it along the work surface to increase surface tension in the dough. Avoid overtightening the dough because it may tear with the inclusions.
Dust the top of your boule or batard with rice flour, then use a bench scraper to pick up the dough, flip the dough, and place it upside down, or seam side up, into a banneton to prove.

Cold proof:

Cover the banneton with a reusable plastic bag and place it in the fridge. During the proving period, the dough will rise in the banneton, but due to the cool temperatures in the fridge, it won't be a marked difference.

Pre-heat oven:

Place your dutch oven, cloche, or desired baking dish in the oven and preheat to 450f.

Bake:

Once the oven is preheated, remove the dough from the fridge and invert the banneton onto a sheet of parchment paper.
Use a lame, sharp knife, or clean razor blade to score the dough, I usually like to make one deep curved slash when adding inclusions, but you can get as fancy as you like!
Carefully remove the dutch oven from the oven, and using the parchment paper as a sling, transfer the sourdough loaf from the counter into the dutch oven.
Bake the dough at 450f covered for 20 minutes and uncovered at 450f for 25-30 minutes, or until the loaf is cooked through. You can test the doneness of the loaf with an instant-read thermometer. Bread is cooked once it reaches 205 - 210 degrees Fahrenheit internal temperature.

Cool:

Remove baked bread from the dutch oven and transfer it to a wire mesh cooling rack to cool completely before slicing. I like to leave it for at least 2 hours before slicing, as slicing too soon can affect the crumb and texture of your loaf.

Notes

Batch:

This recipe bakes a nice-sized loaf of cranberry sourdough bread. This is the perfect amount for our family of 4 to serve with at least 2 meals.

Storage:

If you've got leftover sourdough, you've got serious willpower! There are a couple of ways to store sourdough bread to help prolong its quality after cutting.

Your boule can be kept cut side down on a cutting board for up to 12 hours before the crust becomes too crisp. This is our go-to. I recommend transferring it to a bread bag after 16-18 hours though.

Your sourdough loaf can also be frozen. To freeze sourdough bread, cool the loaf to room temperature, then tightly wrap it in plastic wrap, slide it into a bread bag, seal it up, and stick it in the freezer for 1-2 months. To use after freezing, remove the loaf from the freezer, unwrap, and allow it to come to room temperature (1 -2 hours) before slicing and enjoying.

variations + substitutions:

Swap the walnuts for pecans
Add a pinch of cinnamon or cardamom!
Add some fresh orange zest
try different dried fruits, like raisins or blueberries

baker's schedule

Day 1 -->

7:30 am: Feed your sourdough starter
1:00 pm: Mix up the dough.
3:30 pm: Stretch and fold process is complete.
4:00 pm: Pre-shape and shape dough, then slide it into a plastic bag and place in the fridge for up to 48 hours.

Day 2 -->

8:30 am: Set a dutch oven into the cold oven and preheat both together at 450f.
9:30 am: Flip the cranberry walnut loaf onto a parchment paper square, score the top of the loaf then bake.