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This beginner-friendly cranberry walnut bread recipe makes a plump, chewy, subtly sweet yeast bread within a few hours of mixing. It's the perfect bread for holiday gatherings, family breakfasts, and snacking anytime!
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Why you'll love this recipe
I want YOU to make THE BEST homemade version of Costco cranberry walnut bread. This is NOT a no-knead yeast bread (gasp!), but I assure you it is beginner-friendly, written by a bread baker (me), with step-by-step instructions and detailed photos. Much like my well-loved French bread recipe, you'll mix and bake your plump and chewy bread within a few hours, which is mostly hands-off proofing time.
You have multiple options with this same-day bread recipe:
- Use active dry yeast or rapid-rise yeast.
- Knead the dough by hand or a stand mixer in 5 minutes for either method!
- Proof the dough the old-fashioned way – or use a multicooker.
- Shape the dough into rounds or any form you like.
If you get hung up, I'm here for your questions in the comments section below. As a former baker, I love any opportunity to help you achieve baking success.
Ingredients you'll need
- Warm water - See recipe card for temperature.
- Yeast - Use active dry yeast OR rapid-rise yeast. They yield the same results.
- All-purpose flour - I recommend unbleached all-purpose flour over bleached for a denser texture with more structure. Opt for bread flour if you prefer chewy bread with a more crusty surface.
- Sugar - Use granulated sugar or preferred sugar.
- Sea salt - An essential ingredient for bread.
- Olive oil - Or preferred oil.
- Sweetened dried cranberries - Aka craisins. DO NOT use fresh cranberries for this recipe.
- Walnuts - The delicious, nutty flavor and crunchy texture give cranberry walnut bread half its name.
How to make cranberry walnut bread
Here's a step-by-step photo guide for mixing and baking this simple recipe. You can easily adapt these steps to a stand mixer if you have one.
First, determine whether you're using rapid-rise yeast or active dry yeast.
- For rapid-rise yeast: Heat the water between 120 and 130 degrees Fahrenheit and proceed to the next step – no need to activate.
- For active dry yeast: Heat the water between 100 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit, add yeast, and rest for 5 minutes to ensure it's foamy (activated).
Next, mix yeast, water, sugar, salt, olive oil, and flour to form a shaggy dough.
Stir in the dried cranberries and walnuts. Continue mixing or kneading until the flour is absorbed and the dough is cohesive.
If hand-kneading, transfer the dough to a flat surface and knead it by firmly and repetitively pushing it into itself until it becomes elastic and stretchy, indicating that the gluten has developed. Add the reserved flour in small amounts to adjust the consistency if the flour seems too wet. Shape the dough into a round, tucking it under to tighten the form.
Set the dough in an oiled bowl, cover it, and rest it in a warm spot for about 45 minutes or until doubled. Alternatively, you can proof bread dough in the Instant Pot or use the "proof" setting on an oven-style air fryer. Move the dough to a flat surface, press out air pockets, and shape it into rounds.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Transfer the dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving 5 inches of space for expansion. Dust a light flour coating on the dough for visual appeal, or leave it plain. To proof the dough, cover and rest it in a warm spot until it doubles in size. Use a razor blade or bread lame to score the surface before baking.
Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Note: The internal temperature of baked bread is approximately 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Transfer bread to a cooling grid. Cool completely before slicing and storing. Store the bread in your preferred airtight storage for up to 5 days at room temperature.
Delicious serving ideas
- Use this bread for roast turkey breast sandwiches or turkey salad during the holiday season. Add cranberry sauce for extra cranberry goodness.
- Serve this festive bread with your savory spiral ham or holiday turkey dinner.
- Make the best holiday French toast you've ever had. YUM!
- Slice the bread into smaller pieces, toast them, and serve as a component of your beautiful charcuterie board.
- Serve toasted slices with your favorite soft cheese, such as cream cheese or, my personal favorite, triple cream brie.
Cranberry walnut bread recipe tips
- Please review the expiration date on your yeast package to ensure it hasn't expired.
- All-purpose flour is my go-to for this recipe, but bread flour can be substituted in equal amounts if you prefer chewier, crusty bread.
- This bread is slightly sweet by design. If you prefer a sweeter bread, increase the sugar amount at your discretion.
- Consider soaking and draining the dried cranberries to rehydrate them and create a less chewy texture.
- Experiment with different bread shapes and sizes. You can form this dough into a baguette, rectangle loaf, dinner rolls, braids, or other free-form shapes.
- Add a hint of orange zest for a citrusy aroma and flavor.
More bread recipes
- Cheesy Pull-Apart Bread
- Easy Crostini Recipe
- Easy Cinnamon Rolls
- Best Moist Banana Bread
- Easy Cornbread Recipe
- Blueberry Zucchini Bread
📖 Recipe
Cranberry Walnut Bread Recipe
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Video
Note about scaling
When scaling, the light gray ingredient notes after the comma don’t change. Adjust as needed.
Ingredients
Yields 2 pounds dough (907 g)
- 1 ½ cups Water
- 1 (¼-ounce packet) Rapid Rise Instant Yeast, or 2 ¼ teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
- ¼ cup Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 4 ½ cups All Purpose Flour, reserve ½ cup for mixing
- 1 cup Sweetened Dried Cranberries (Craisins), chopped
- ½ cup Walnuts, chopped
Instructions
Check out the blog post above for step-by-step photos and visit recipe footnotes for additional tips.
- Water and yeast prepFor RAPID RISE INSTANT YEAST: Heat WATER to 120–130°F and proceed to the next step. No need to activate.For ACTIVE DRY YEAST: Heat WATER to 100–110°F, mix with YEAST, and let rest for 5 minutes until foamy.
- Mix the doughIn a mixing bowl or stand mixer fitted with dough hook, combine YEAST, WATER, SUGAR, SALT, OLIVE OIL, and FLOUR.Mix until a shaggy dough forms. Add CRANBERRIES and WALNUTS, and continue mixing until well incorporated.
- Knead the doughIf kneading by hand: Transfer dough to a flour-dusted surface and knead for 3–5 minutes until smooth and elastic.If using a stand mixer: Mix on medium speed for 5–6 minutes until smooth and elastic.Note: For either method, sprinkle the reserved FLOUR as needed to prevent the dough sticking to your hands or stand mixer bowl.
- First proofingShape the dough into a tight round form and place it in an oiled bowl.Cover and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size (30–45 minutes). You can also proof dough in an Instant Pot or use an oven proofing function.
- Shape the doughAfter the first proofing, punch down the dough to release air. To shape it, you can leave the dough whole or cut it in half for two smaller loaves. Reshape into rounds, loaves, or your desired shape.
- Second proofingPlace shaped dough on an oiled or parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving space for expansion. Dust the dough lightly with FLOUR for a rustic look or leave plain. Cover and proof the shaped loaves in a warm spot until doubled in size (30–45 minutes).
- Prepare oven for bakingDuring the last 15 minutes of proofing, preheat the oven to 375°F with the oven rack centered.
- Bake the breadUse a razor blade or bread lame to score the top of the dough. Bake for 35–40 minutes until golden brown. The bread is done when the internal temperature reaches 200°F.
- Cool and storeTransfer to a cooling rack and cool completely before slicing. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Recipe Notes
- Please review the expiration date on your yeast to ensure it hasn't expired.
- This bread is slightly sweet by design. If you prefer a sweeter bread, increase the sugar amount at your discretion.
- All-purpose flour is my go-to for this recipe, but bread flour can be substituted in equal amounts if you prefer chewier, crusty bread.
- Consider soaking and draining the dried cranberries to rehydrate them and create a less chewy texture.
- Experiment with different bread shapes and sizes. You can form this dough into a baguette, rectangle loaf, dinner rolls, braids, or other free-form shapes.
- Add a hint of orange zest for a citrusy aroma and flavor.
- Bake bread near the center of the oven to prevent uneven baking. When baking multiple loaves requiring top and bottom rack placement, rotate them midway through baking to promote even heating.
Equipment
- instant-read thermometer optional
- large mixing bowl or bowl of stand mixer
- stirring utensil or dough hook for a stand mixer
- parchment paper optional
- bread lame or razor blade (to score the dough)
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are estimates and may vary based on brands, ingredients, and portions.
Betsy T says
Can you use fresh cranberries in this recipe?
Traci says
Great question! I don’t recommend using fresh cranberries for this recipe. This is a yeast bread, not a quick bread, and fresh cranberries stay very tart and firm when baked. Dried cranberries add the right sweetness and texture. I hope you enjoy baking it!