Yeasted bread has never been easier. This simple method produces the most beautiful and crusty cranberry nut no-knead bread with very little hands-on work! If you’re new to working with yeast, reference my Baking with Yeast Guide for answers to common yeast FAQs.
I originally published this recipe in 2017 and have since added new photos and a few more success tips.
“Homemade bread” and “easy” are terms that don’t typically go hand-in-hand. When you think of homemade bread, you think difficult, right? This recipe, however, will completely change that thought. I realize that’s a pretty big promise, but I’m confident your perception of homemade bread will switch from “nope! too much work” to “wow, I CAN do this.”
One reader, Kris, commented: “This is an excellent recipe—bread made easy. Delicious bites full of flavor from the cranberries and walnuts. Will keep this forever. ★★★★★”
Another reader, Linda, commented: “This recipe is fantastic. The bread had a wonderful crust and great flavor. The instructions were super thorough at explaining everything for a novice bread maker. ★★★★★”
Why You’ll Love This Cranberry Nut No-Knead Bread:
- Just 7 simple ingredients
- Hardly any hands-on time
- Variety of textures: crispy crusty exterior, soft and chewy interior, and plenty of dried cranberries and nuts in every slice
- An egg-free baking recipe and dairy-free recipe
- Tastes incredible warm with a swipe of honey butter.
This bread, like my homemade artisan bread, seeded oat bread, pizza bread, asiago-crusted skillet bread, and olive bread, has all the bells and whistles of a fresh-from-the-bakery cranberry nut bread, and takes very little effort. If you are new to working with yeast, or simply feeling a little lazy, this recipe is for you.
Making this loaf will leave you plenty of time to loaf around. 😉
Just 7 Ingredients for This Cranberry Nut Bread
You don’t need a lot of ingredients to make homemade bread, and you might already know that if you’ve tried this sandwich bread recipe. You only need 7 ingredients to make this bread:
- Flour: Flour gives the bread its structure. You can use all-purpose or bread flour. I typically reach for bread flour because it yields a slightly chewier bread.
- Salt: Pick up some coarse sea salt; I find the flavor is lacking with regular table salt.
- Yeast: You can use instant or active dry yeast, but I highly recommend an instant (aka “rapid rise” or “quick rise” yeast). I always use Platinum Yeast by Red Star, which is an instant yeast with dough improvers. You don’t need much here—only 1/2 teaspoon—because of the long rise time.
- Nuts: Walnuts or pecans—baker’s choice!
- Dried Cranberries: I love the chewy texture of dried cranberries here. Don’t use fresh or frozen cranberries, because this dough is too wet. Raisins would work too, or try chopping up dried apricots or dates.
- Water: I normally encourage you to use warm liquid with yeast because it helps the yeast work faster. For this recipe, you want the water to be about 95ºF (35ºC), because we’re encouraging a nice slow rise to build flavor. An instant-read thermometer takes the guesswork out of this.
- Honey: Honey adds flavor and helps give the bread its springy, sponge-like texture.
By the way, if you enjoy honey in your homemade bread, you’ll love this no-knead honey oat bread because the flavor really stands out. The process is also very similar to today’s easy bread recipe. And both breads are delicious warm or toasted and topped with this easy homemade honey butter.
Overview: 5 Steps to Make No-Knead Bread
This no-work, no-knead, professional-bread-at-home concept originated with Jim Lahey of Sullivan Street Bakery in NYC. It’s all very basic ingredients, but his method is unique, which includes an 18-hour rise time. 18 hours?! Yes! Don’t be nervous, this 18 hours gives the dough a chance to ferment. And the fermentation time requires absolutely nothing from you. Just set it on your counter and forget about it until the next day. We use this same method for homemade English muffins. In both recipes, the magic happens when you’re not looking!
Step 1: Stir ingredients together. Don’t even break out your mixer.
This will be a super sticky dough. Remember, do NOT be tempted to add more flour. It will stick to your hands. That’s nothing a quick wash can’t fix!
Step 2: Cover the dough and ignore it.
Let the dough rise at room temperature for 12–18 hours. This recipe is very forgiving. Any normal-ish room temperature is fine. You’ll know that the dough is finished rising when it has about doubled in size and air bubbles have formed on top. Like this:
Step 3: The dough will still be super sticky after rising. That’s ok! Using lightly floured hands, form the sticky dough into a ball and place on a large piece of parchment paper. Score the top with a sharp knife, kitchen shears, or bread lame, then allow to rest for 30 minutes.
Step 4: Preheat a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven. You’ll bake the bread in a pre-heated (super-hot!) Dutch oven, which helps form a crusty exterior. If you don’t have a Dutch oven, you can use any oven-safe heavy-duty pot with a lid.
Step 5: Bake for about 35 minutes. For an accurate doneness test, the bread is done when an instant-read thermometer reads the center of the loaf as 195°F (90°C).
FAQ: Why Bake No-Knead Bread in a Dutch Oven?
Baking the bread with the lid on traps steam inside the pot, creating that perfectly crisp crust. A lid is the secret to this bread recipe’s success! You won’t regret picking up a Dutch oven.
No Dutch oven? No problem.
While baking the bread in a Dutch oven is key to this bread’s texture, you can get around it. Instead, place the rounded dough on a parchment paper-lined or generously floured nonstick baking pan. No need to pre-heat the pan like you do the Dutch oven. While the oven preheats and the scored loaf is resting, boil a kettle of water. After the oven is preheated, place scored dough/baking pan on the center rack. Then place a shallow metal baking/roasting pan or cast-iron skillet (I usually use a metal 9×13-inch baking pan; do not use glass) on the bottom oven rack. Carefully and quickly pour 3–4 cups of boiling water into it, and then quickly shut the oven door to trap the steam inside. The steam helps create a crispier crust. This is exactly how I bake 4-ingredient artisan bread.
Step 6: Enjoy a slice of warm, fresh bread you won’t believe you made from scratch.
This lightly honey-sweetened cranberry nut bread is fabulous for breakfast, toasted with butter or honey butter. Or serve it alongside a charcuterie board with a soft cheese like brie or goat cheese, or this white cheddar cranberry pecan cheese ball (yum!).
This recipe is brought to you in partnership with Red Star Yeast.
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Crusty Cranberry Nut No Knead Bread
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 20 hours
- Yield: 1 loaf; 10-12 servings
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Yeasted bread has never been easier. This simple mixing method produces the most beautiful and crusty cranberry nut no-knead bread with very little hands-on work! If you’re new to working with yeast, reference my Baking with Yeast Guide for answers to common yeast FAQs.
Ingredients
- 3 cups + 2 Tablespoons (390g) bread flour or all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more as needed
- 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt (I find the flavor lacking with regular table salt)
- 1/2 teaspoon Platinum Yeast from Red Star instant yeast
- 3/4 cup (95g) chopped walnuts or pecans
- 3/4 cup (105g) dried cranberries*
- 1 Tablespoon (21g) honey
- 1 and 1/2 cups (360ml) warm water (about 95°F (35°C))
Instructions
- *No need to grease the bowl, and do not use a mixer in this step because the dough is too sticky for a mixer.* In a large bowl using a silicone spatula, stir the first 5 ingredients together. Mix the honey and water together, then pour on top. Mix to combine. (Note that in the video below, I add the honey to the dry ingredients instead of mixing first with water, but you can do it either way.) The dough will be very sticky; don’t be tempted to add more flour, you want a sticky dough. Gently shape into a ball as best you can.
- Cover tightly. Set on the counter at room temperature (honestly any normal room temperature is fine) and allow to rise for 12–18 hours. The dough will double in size, stick to the sides of the bowl, and may have air bubbles on the surface.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and, using lightly floured hands, shape into a ball as best you can. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Transfer the dough to a large piece of parchment paper. (Large enough to fit inside your pot and one that is safe for high heat. I use this parchment and it’s never been an issue.) Using a very sharp knife, kitchen shears, or a bread lame, gently score an X into the top. Place the ball of dough + parchment inside a bowl so the dough doesn’t spread out as it rests. Cover dough lightly with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.
- During this rest, preheat the oven to 475°F (246°C). (Yes, very hot!) Place your Dutch oven (with the lid) or heavy-duty pot in the oven for 30 minutes so that it’s extremely hot before the dough is placed inside. After 30 minutes, remove the Dutch oven and carefully place the dough inside by lifting it up with the parchment paper and placing it all—the parchment paper included—inside the pot. Cover with the lid.
- Bake for 25 minutes with the lid on. Carefully remove the lid and continue baking for 8–10 more minutes until the bread is golden brown. How to test for doneness: Give the warm bread a light tap. If it sounds hollow, it’s done. For a more accurate test, the bread is done when an instant-read thermometer reads the center of the loaf as 195°F (90°C).
- Remove pot from the oven, carefully remove the bread from the pot, and allow to cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before slicing.
- Cover and store leftover bread at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: The dough takes up to 18 hours to rise, so this is a wonderful recipe to begin 1 day ahead of time. To freeze, bake and cool the bread, wrap in a layer of plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, and then allow to come to room temperature before serving. You can also freeze the dough. Mix the dough together as instructed in step 1. Wrap the sticky dough in lightly oiled plastic wrap and place in a freezer-friendly container. Thaw at room temperature, then let it rest/rise as instructed in step 2. Proceed with step 3 and the rest of the recipe.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Glass Mixing Bowl | Lodge Cast Iron Dutch Oven or Le Creuset Dutch Oven | Parchment Paper | Bread Lame | Instant-Read Thermometer | Cooling Rack
- Dutch Oven: Use a 5- to 6-quart (or larger) Dutch oven or any large oven-safe pot with an oven-safe lid. If your Dutch oven is smaller than 5 quarts, you can halve the recipe (instructions remain the same, just halve each ingredient) or make the dough as instructed in step 1, shape the dough into 2 balls instead of 1 ball, and bake them one at a time in your smaller Dutch oven. While the 2nd dough waits, lightly cover and keep at room temperature. The bake times in the recipe above (25 mins and then 8–10 mins) will both be a little shorter for the smaller loaves.
- No Dutch oven? See post above for alternative.
- Flour: You can use either bread flour or all-purpose flour here. Bread flour will produce a slightly chewier bread. Feel free to substitute up to 1 cup (around 130g) of the flour for whole-wheat flour. Do not use all whole-wheat flour, as the bread will taste quite dense and heavy.
- Yeast: If you don’t have instant yeast, you can use active dry. I’ve never had a problem using active dry yeast in this recipe, and with no other changes needed. Works wonderfully!
- Cranberries: Dried cranberries (or raisins) are best for this wet dough. I do not recommend frozen or fresh cranberries.
- Parchment Paper: If your parchment paper has a maximum temperature that’s lower than the temperature called for in the recipe, bake the bread at that temperature. Bake the bread a little longer to compensate for the lower temperature.
- Reference my Baking with Yeast Guide for answers to common yeast FAQs.
- Recipe adapted from Red Star Yeast, method originally from Jim Lahey.
Reader Comments and Reviews
I made this last week and it was so easy and delicious. Is there a way to keep the bottom from burning or getting too dark? I even misread the oven temp and baked it at 450, but the bottom of the loaf was burnt.
Hi Lily, If the bottom is getting burnt, try lowering your oven temperature by 25 degrees further and lower your oven rack as well. The bake time will be a bit longer since you lowered the oven temperature. Thanks for giving this a try!
My family loves your no knead cranberry crusty bread so we make it often. That said, it is typically pretty flat. Am I not adding enough flour when I form it? Any suggestions?
Hi Connie, it’s not a very tall bread! You can try adding a touch more flour if you would like. So glad you love it.
Turned out absolutely delicious! I realized my parchment paper has a max temp of 425, so i turned the oven down when i realized it (10 minutes into baking the loaf). Kept it in the oven for about 10 more minutes. It turned out so good! Very easy to make, combining all ingredients with no kneading. Will be making again!
I made the bread and the bottom burnt. I cut it off and still liked it. I went back to see if the temperature should have been reduced after the 30min prep for the Dutch oven pan at 475. Should I reduce the temperature lower to say 350 or something else so it doesn’t burn the next time?
Hi Kathy, If the bottom is getting burnt, try lowering your oven temperature by 25 degrees and lower your oven rack as well. The bake time will be a bit longer since you lowered the oven temperature. Thanks for giving this a try!
Why doe this take SO LONG TO RISE?
Hi Patricia, the slow rise allows flavor to develop in the dough. You can read more about this method in the post above.
Oh my, just made this for the first time. I toasted a slide and added butter and flakey sea salt. I’ll be making this again for sure!!
Made this with dried cherries and pecans. Delish!
Easy process, mix and forget it ( for a good while anyway ).
I realized now I need to stick to the exact Sally recipe. My Loaf ( yes loaf ) turned out crispy on top, 195 temp in the middle when I pulled it from the oven after a LONG bake time. The flavors were good, the loaf was dense. I didn’t have a dutch oven, so I put my bread in loaf pan, put boiling water in the bottom of my over, but forgot to cover the loaf with another pan and only put my temp on 375. My oven seems to run hot or so I thought. So it took a good 1 hour + to reach the correct internal temp. However, the taste was good, the top was crisp, but my bread was too dense. Although it makes great toast. I am guessing a lean dough, needs higher temps as you directed, I should have covered it with the other pan and all would have probably helped. I did love the flavor and it is not an overly sweet bread, so I love that too. I am embarking on a do-over today! Thank for so much guidance. I need all the help I can get.Best wishes
Please… please help!
This is the third loaf of cranberry walnut bread I have made that is only 1.5-2” high!
Possible reasons:
I do not have a Dutch oven.
I have not purchased the exact yeast, yet followed all measured ingredients and instructions.
My dough doubled is size, but was so very tacky. I did not add extra flour. After I shaped it into some semblance of a ball and scored it, I used the pan of hot water baking method. When the timer went off, I checked its internal temp.
Hi Anita, we’re happy to help troubleshoot. Was the dough overworked perhaps? That can cause any air bubbles to pop and the loaf will bake up a bit flatter. It’s not an especially tall loaf of bread, but handling the dough with extra care should help.
Hi There;
Would you recommend drying this loaf out either over night or in the oven prior to stuffing a turkey with it? I dont usually with the store bought bread I buy but if its as soft as the artisan bread I might have to?
Thank you!
Hi Laurie, you can certainly dry it out before using in stuffing – we do when we make homemade stuffing!
Hi! I would love to bake this bread but I’m allergic to nuts… I see from another comment that I can omit them, but can you suggest a good substitution? Pumpkin seeds, chocolate chips, raisins… Would any of these work? Thanks for your advice! I love all the recipes I’ve made from this website so far!
Hi Hannah! You can really add any add-ins you would like to this dough as long as they aren’t too wet (adding too must moisture to the dough) or too hard to bite through. Raisins would be great here!
Hi, Hannah,
I have a nephew who is allergic to nuts, so I substituted half raw sun flower kernels and half raw pumpkin seeds for the nuts and it was DELICIOUS! I suggest to check out “Gerbs Allergy Friendly Foods” online. They have dedicated equipment that is not exposed to nuts. That’s where I got my ingredients, then just stored them in the freezer until the next time I wanted to use them. Gerbs also sells on Amazon, but they didn’t have exactly what I wanted so I ordered from the Gerbs website. Hope this helps!
Can I use wild rice substituted for some of the flour?
I appear to have managed to bungle this one. When I took this out of the oven the result was very dense and somehow? tasted like a cheap wine? However it did make some good croutons after I chopped it into little cubes and baked again. No idea how the wine flavor happened though. Otherwise fine, just probably user error, haha!
Hi Sean, was the taste yeasty? It could be that the bread rose for a bit too long, which could also contribute to the dense texture. Or was it a bad batch of cranberries perhaps? We’ve never experienced a wine taste like that before! Be sure to also handle the dough with care to prevent popping too many of the air bubbles, which can lead to a denser loaf. We hope this helps for your next batch!
Hi, yes over-proofing (too long fermentation) it can lead to production of alcohol… maybe that’s what happened? I’m eating mine now, and when I bite into a piece with cranberry it tasted a little “winey”.
I have really been loving your website – I’m new to yeast baking, and your recipes are so easy and forgiving! I’ve got this one proofing currently. If i were to buy a cast iron loaf baker, do you know what size I should go for, for your recipes? Thank you!
Hi Lori, we’re so glad to hear you’re enjoying our recipes! Recipes like this one and our other no-knead bread recipes typically call for a Dutch oven that is 5- to 6-quarts. A loaf pan with that capacity would work well, or if you go with a smaller size, you can bake as smaller loaves. Hope this helps and that you loved this bread!
Update: this bread is INCREDIBLE! Best bread I’ve made yet. The crust was beautiful and chewy, the inside soft and moist, and the flavour was *amazing*. New fave! I’ve got your Seeded Oat bread in the fridge ready to bake later today. Thank you for all the amazing recipes!
Can this be baked in a loaf pan?
Hi Al, You could certainly try a loaf pan or two. We are unsure of the exact bake time you would need but let us know if you give it a try.
Hi!
Any chance I could make this with sourdough starter discard?
Hi Diane, we haven’t tested this recipe using sourdough discard, but let us know if you try anything.
So good! Much better than Costco’s Cranberry Walnut Bread!
Great recipe and easy to follow. However, my bread didn’t rise very much. Still tasty but a bit flat.
Maybe our climate here in South Carolina! What can I do differently next time?
Thanks
Hi Anna! This won’t be a very tall loaf of bread. Make sure to handle the dough carefully to avoid popping the bubbles after it rises.
Hi Sally and team,
I followed the instructions exactly (and my yeast is fresh) but for some reason, my loaf came out pretty dense and doughy inside. It didn’t rise as much as yours in the photos either, but I gave it the full 18 hours to expand overnight and it did double in size. Any tips on what might have happened and what I may need to do differently next time?
Hi Veronica! It sounds like it was probably a bit underbaked. An extra couple minutes in the oven should help for next time. When you checked the temperature with the thermometer, did the center of the loaf reach 195°F (90°C)? Make sure to also handle the dough carefully to avoid popping the bubbles after it rises. We hope this helps for your next batch!
What an easy, delicious bread! Nice crunchy crust and soft, moist texture inside. I’ll be making this again.
It’s so yummy by itself but even better toasted.
Will other dried fruit work? E.g. pitted dates or apricot? I’m attempted to make it with a variety of different dried fruit.
Hi Hannah, other dried fruit should work well here. So glad you enjoyed the bread!
Hi! I just tried step 3 of this recipe and the dough was too soft to form into a loaf shape and spread into a flat lump. Any advice?
I should add that I live in a tropical country and the rising step of the dough happened very quickly and then, at about 12 hours, started to reduce in size.
Could this be the issue and are there any suggestions for warmer climates? (above 30 degrees Celsius)?
I love your recipes and this is the first one that has not been a success.
Hi Karin! This is a soft dough, but a very humid environment could definitely make it more wet. Perhaps you could try adding a little more flour next time to help combat the extra moisture.
Thanks. It was flat but tasty. Will make it again for sure!
I made this – and people loved it. they compared it to Zingerman’s bread – and that is a high compliment. Can it easily be doubled without losing integrity?
Hi Robin, we’re so glad it was a hit! For best results, we recommend making 2 separate batches rather than doubling.
Sally, I have an oven that has a proofing mode. Can I shorten the proofing time by proofing in the oven?
I just want you to know that I love your recipes. I use them all the time.
Thanks-Carolyn
Hi Carolyn, that shouldn’t be a problem, but we really do prefer the longer, slow rise at room temperature to help build flavor. Let us know what you try!
Can I use maple syrup instead of honey?
Yes you can, Kim!
How about using candied fruit? I have some I need to use up. TY
Hi Kathy! You can certainly try candied fruit here – the texture may be a little different (and sweeter, obviously!).
Hi, I made this yesterday and my family LOVED it. Is it possible to double the recipe?
Hi Ayezel, we’re so glad it was a hit! For best results, we recommend making two separate batches rather than doubling.
This has quickly become a family favorite – I literally make it every other week. It was also an easy hit with an annual bake sale. Sooo good and sooo easy.
I just made this recipe. It is delicious. I was skeptical before putting it in the oven, as the dough after proofing was bitter and I thought my bread would also come out bitter (due to over proofing, rancid flour, etc. Not the recipe itself.) No bitterness after baking. Pleasantly suprised by how nice and easy it was to make. Will definitely make again.
Could this be made with GF flour ?
Thanks.
Hi Keith, we haven’t tested it, so we’re unsure of the results. Let us know if you give anything a try.