Cranberry Walnut Sourdough Bread (Beginner-Plus)
If you’ve baked our beginner sourdough loaf, congratulations! That first bake is a huge milestone—you’ve heard the crust crackle, admired the crumb, and felt your confidence rise with each slice.
This cranberry walnut sourdough is the perfect next step. At 70% hydration, the dough is a little tackier than the beginner loaf, but with patience and gentle handling it rewards you with a soft, flavorful crumb studded with tart cranberries and toasted walnuts.
In this recipe you’ll practice even distribution of inclusions, neat shaping, and confident scoring. Those skills become the foundation for endless flavor combinations and more advanced loaves later on.
One more tip from my kitchen: this bread makes the best chicken salad sandwiches. The chewy crust, nutty crunch, and pops of cranberry sweetness are such a good match—try it and tell me what you think!
Tools You’ll Need
- Mixing bowl and a kitchen scale.
- Bench scraper and a banneton or floured-towel bowl.
- Dutch oven with parchment, or a stone plus a steam pan.
- Sharp lame/razor for scoring.
Time Table (Sample Schedule)
This plan lets you bulk during the day and bake after a cold proof. Watch the dough more than the clock for the best results.
| Step | What Happens | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Mix & Rest (Fermentolyse) | Combine flour, water, and starter, then rest with no salt. The rest relaxes gluten and jump-starts fermentation. | 30 min |
| Add Salt | Sprinkle in salt and pinch or fold to incorporate evenly. The dough will feel stronger and slightly tighter. | 10–15 min |
| Bulk Fermentation | Make gentle folds every 30 minutes for the first two hours. Aim for ~50–75% rise and a softly jiggly feel. | 4–5 hrs |
| Fold in Inclusions | Add cranberries and walnuts during the second fold. Distribute without tearing the gluten network. | During 2nd fold |
| Pre-shape → Bench Rest | Tuck into a round to build surface tension. Cover and let it relax before final shaping. | 20–30 min |
| Final Shape → Cold Proof | Place seam-up in a well-floured banneton. Refrigerate for a slow, flavorful rise. | 12–16 hrs |
| Bake | Bake covered for spring, then uncovered for color. Cool completely before slicing. | 45–50 min |
Why This Is the Next Step
The beginner bread uses less water and no inclusions, so handling is simpler. This loaf teaches hydration control and mix-in technique.
You’ll keep structure while adding fruit and nuts without tearing. That confidence makes future loaves feel easy and repeatable.
Cranberry Walnut Sourdough Bread
Ingredients
- 500 grams Bread Flour
- 350 grams Water room temperature
- 100 grams Active Sourdough Starter
- 10 grams Salt
- 120 grams Cranberries dried
- 100 grams Walnut toasted
Instructions
- Whisk the starter into the water to disperse. Add the flour and mix until no dry bits remain; cover and rest 30 minutes
- Sprinkle in the salt. Pinch and fold until fully incorporated and the dough tightens slightly
- Over the first 2 hours, perform gentle stretch-and-folds every 30 minutes. During the second set of folds, scatter the cranberries and walnuts over the dough and fold to distribute without tearing. Continue bulk until the dough has risen ~50–75%, feels jiggly, and shows domed edges
- Lightly flour the surface, turn out the dough, and pre-shape into a round. Cover and rest 20–30 minutes
- Shape into a tight boule or batard. Place seam-side up in a well-floured banneton (rice flour helps prevent sticking)
- Cover and refrigerate 12–16 hours for flavor and easy scoring
- Preheat a Dutch oven to 476°F for 30–45 minutes. Turn the dough onto parchment seam-side down, score, and load
- Bake 20 minutes covered, then 20 minutes uncovered until deeply browned
- Cool at least 1–2 hours before slicing
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Hydration: Base is 70% (350 g water to 500 g flour). With a 100% hydration starter, effective hydration is ~73%.
- Flour: Bread flour or strong AP both work; adjust with an extra coil fold if the dough feels slack.
- Cranberries: Dried are easiest; if using fresh, reduce to 90–100 g and pat very dry.
- Walnuts: Toast first and cool to minimize purple tint; some light coloring is normal.
- Storage: Keep cut-side down on a board for 24 hours, then bag or freeze slices.
Nutrition
Variations to Try
Use this formula as a canvas and follow the same timing. Swap fruit and nuts to match the season or your pantry.
- Apricot & Almond: Sweet apricots pair beautifully with mild almonds.
- Cherry & Hazelnut: Tart dried cherries love the earthy crunch of hazelnuts.
- Raisin & Pecan: Classic and cozy; lovely with cream cheese.
- Savory Spin: Skip fruit and add roasted garlic with rosemary.
Quick FAQs
- Can I use strong all-purpose flour?
- Yes, aim for roughly 11.5–12.5% protein for the best structure. If the dough feels slack, add an extra coil fold or two during bulk.
- Fresh vs. dried cranberries?
- Dried are the easiest and most consistent for distribution. For fresh, use 90–100 g, pat very dry, and fold gently.
- How do I keep walnuts from tinting the crumb?
- Toast the nuts and let them cool completely before adding. A faint tint can still happen from acidity and is perfectly normal.
Then circle back to this “beginner plus” beauty.
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Adding the cranberries and walnuts was a little messy but the bread was delish