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
amazing. this was my first time making home-made bread. it turned out prefect. making my second batch now. the house smells fantastic.
can you use this basic recipe for other types of bread….thinking no raisin but adding sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds. thoughts?
Sure can! And here is another flavor I love: No Knead Jalapeño Cheddar Bread
Sally:
Can I substitute raisins for the cranberries and pecans for the walnuts? I made this bread this week and it was amazing!! So easy. I almost felt guilty about it.
Hi Sally
Planning to try this recipe (never tries baking bread yet!) but have a few questions:
1. Can I use a silpat or a cookie sheet instead of parchment paper?
2. Can I use a stainless steel oven-safe pot with lid instead of a dutch oven? How will temperature for baking change?
Thank you!
Hi Earlene, you can use a silicone baking mat provided it can withstand this high of heat (the brands usually list that on the package or website). You can also use a nonstick cookie sheet or simply grease it with butter. And as long as the pot you have is oven-safe in a temperature this high, I can’t see why not.
Just made this as my first yeast bread. I was worried, as the dough looked super wet, but the outcome was fantastic! Slightly chewy, good golden crisp crust, great flavor! I coupled this with the homemade honey butter recipe from this website and also great. Thanks so much for this recipe, it is a definite keeper!
Note: used the Dutch oven method, and the cooking times of 35 minutes covered and 10-12 minutes uncovered at 220C, as my baking paper was limited to that temp.
Read the bit for alternative to a Dutch oven and there’s a typo 🙁 says bake time is 32-35 minutes In a normal oven but I’m guessing this should have said 22-25 as after 30 minutes it’s a lump of charcoal 🙁 so disappointed was looking forward to trying this loaf!
This bread was AMAZING. I don’t even know where to begin. I want to eat the whole thing in one go.
I just made this one. The bread is delicious! I don’t have a Dutch oven, so followed the alternate approach. I baked it for 35 mins. The crust is crunchy, the taste is delicious. The middle is slightly gummy, I’m not sure if it needed a minute more in the oven or the dough had too much water. The dough was very sticky even after 20hours of resting. Overall delicious recipe!
This is my favorite bread! Tastes just like Balthazar’s bread. Do you by chance have the nutritional info?
I made this bread today. I have never been successful using yeast. This recipe was a breeze! It came out of the oven looking like I had just been to the local artisan bakery! And I love my new cast iron Dutch oven. Perfect for making this bread. I will try the cheddar jalapeño next time! More recipes for no knead breads please!!!
Made this 6 times since I lost my job. I put it together at 7pm and it’s in the over at 8am. All gone by 12 noon.
This was my first time using a cast iron dutch oven and making artisan bread. I loved this, thanks so much for the recipe! Chewy crust ad tender bread, I slathered on cream cheese for a delightful coffee snack.
So easy and such an amazing result! We’ve eaten almost half the loaf in one day. And only 1/2 teaspoon of yeast! I was nervous because my dough was soo wet and sticky when I put it on the parchment, but turned out great!
My parchment only let me go to 425, so I baked 35 min with lid on, 12 with lid off, and it turned out perfectly.
Can you use some whole-wheat flour with the white flour?
I don’t recommend using all whole wheat flour, but you can try substituting some of the all-purpose with whole wheat. The bread will be denser.
Best bread I’ve ever made! Crunchy, flavourful, and so easy to make. My house smells like a French bakery. I subbed 1 cup of AP for 1 cup of whole wheat and it was perfect. This will be my new go-to….. delicious!! Thank you for sharing.
I’ve made this bread 4x already – I love it and have been sharing with my neighbors to thank them for grocery shopping for me these quarantine days. I would like to make some smaller loafs – is it possible to make the recipe as listed but divide the dough in half after its gone thru its rising process to make 2 smaller loafs?
I made this bread for the first time and I was shocked! Shocked that it came out of my oven! This bread was so crusty and yummy that if I didn’t know better, I would have thought it came straight from an Artisan Bakery.
This cranberry nut bread is now my favorite bread recipe. Not only is it easy to make, the texture and flavor is amazing. I can’t wait to bake my next loaf – I’m going to start it this afternoon!
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!
I made this cranberry walnut bread today- it was delicious and super easy!! Thank you!”
Hi S,
I made this bread and it was amazing! Cooked it in my crock pot ceramic container in oven at 450 degrees (which was parchment paper max). Unscrewed the plastic center lid knob so plastic melt would not be an issue and stuck a tiny piece of tinfoil in the hole. I shared bread with my senior neighbors who are all fairly isolated during these unusual times and it made them so happy! Thank you…
I made this subbing 50g (1/4c) buckwheat flour it was delicious! Thank you.
I made this in a 7 quart Le Creuset dutch oven and followed the instructions exactly. Baked for 8 minutes after removing the lid and the bread is beautiful, but burned on the bottom. what did I do wrong?
I made this bread last night but it came out quite dense in the centre. It was proved approximately 18 hours, shaped and then rested 30 minutes before baking
Looked fantastic on the outside and did taste great but centre was doughy
I’ve made plain no knead bread before and so light and fluffy but with the fruit and nuts in it just changed the texture
Should I increase the resting time before cooking it or would like to hear any other suggestions
Thanks
If I use the oven method, can I use a Pyrex/glass dish for the hot water under the bread pan?
Do not use a glass pan with the water– it could explode in the oven. Best to use metal.
Having no cranberries in the house, I made this with dried sour cherries with great results. I used bread flour, half white and half whole wheat. The bread was absolutely fantastic – a delight for a chewy bread fan like me. Looking forward to exploring your blog!
Delicious and no fail!! I’ve made several and giving them to neighbors during this covid social distancing time.
Thanks for a great recipe!
Can the yeast be increased to get a higher rise? Does any other ingredient need to be adjusted? Ty!
Hi Susan! Glad you enjoy this bread recipe. Feel free to test it with more yeast. I wouldn’t add more of any other ingredient.
Hi there,
I am getting ready to make this and have a couple of questions please:
1. Yeast very hard to find…. found Saf-instant gold yeast. Is that ok?
2. Also… I bought currants instead of cranberries (ok for same amount)?
3. Lastly, could I use maple syrup instead of honey? Or should I use sugar? I have a mild allergy to honey so never can use it.
Hi Sarah, as long as it’s a dry yeast, you can use it. The same amount of currants work, as does maple syrup for the honey.
OMG – this was my first attempt at bread making – I usually buy cranberry /walnut bread at Costco (unfortunately, only available during Fall months) my husband said this was as good if not better than Costco’s!
I don’t have a Dutch oven so I followed the instructions to use a pan filled with boiling water. My parchment paper was not rated for 475 degree oven so I sprinkled flour on a cookie sheet. The most difficult part of the process was finding yeast during this Covid 19 quarantine. Fortunately I persuaded a baker friend to part with some of her limited supply (yes – she got half the baked loaf).
Thanks so much for this terrific recipe – once I get more yeast I’ll be baking it again…and again!!
This was such a great find! I’ve been toying with yeast breads and was looking for something to use my leftover cranberries and pecans so a more perfect match I could not ask for. I made a few mistakes along the way that seemed to work out in the end (kismet, I will call it). After mixing and letting her sit overnight, when I turned out the dough I did actually knead it a smidge, which leads me to think I lost some air from the end result. Then, as someone else noted, I followed the initial instructions to score the top before the final proof which did make the dough a little less poofy but… that also worked out ok because it turns out my Dutch oven is only 3.5 quarts so I had a smaller loaf at the end of the day anyway. I also had parchment that could only go up to 420 degrees so I baked it first for 30 mins with the cover and then another 15 mins with the cover removed to make up for the lower temps. The bread still turned out absolutely amazing, not overly chewy but just chewy enough for my taste! I’ll be making this again for sure, and probably try and replicate it the way I “messed up” since it yielded something yummy regardless.
I’m so happy that you tried this recipe and that it worked out well in the end, Holly!
Fabulous recipe, both the instructions and the results. All these questions posted here are answered in the recipe. It’s simple, easy and delicious. Thanks!
Great recipe, but your instructions say to score the bread before the final proof. Your post has it correct that it should be scored just before baking. This may be causing some of the poster reviews about flat bread. Breaking the surface tension of the outer skin lets the gas escape instead of rising within the loaf. The denser the bread in the center, the harder it is to cook through.
Can I make this without parchment paper? I’m worried about using mine, it says only safe up to 425.
Hi Laura! If your parchment paper can only be heated to a certain temperature, bake the bread at that temperature. Bake the bread a little longer to compensate for the lower temperature.
Excellent bread! Just my parchment paper was partially melted into the Side and bottom. Anyway to not make that happening next time?
Hi Sally, I am trying this recipe and it’s now the 9th hour of rising, but I can already smell the beer-like smell from the dough, should I reduce the rising time as HK is very hot today (around 85°F)? Thanks a lot
This bread is so good and really easy to make! Thanks for the recipe!
Everyone is baking these days! I only have a 3.5 QT dutch oven at home. Would baking in the bread in that still work? Thank you!
This recipe is amazing! Second time I let it rise overnight in the oven since it didn’t rise much first go around. But it pushed the cranberries out somewhat and they charred. Is it okay to reshape the dough after rising to push those berries back inside? We absolutely love the bread though. Thank you! So easy. Your recipe was my first ever attempt at bread making! Thank you.