How to Make Cranberry Walnut Sourdough for the Holidays

You want a cozy, festive loaf on the holiday table without fuss. This cranberry walnut sourdough recipe gives you chewy texture, tart-sweet fruit, and toasty nuts—perfect with butter or cheese. You’ll learn ingredient prep, timeline options (same-day or overnight), and exact baking steps so you can pull a beautiful loaf from the oven with confidence. Read on and you’ll be slicing into holiday bread in a few hours or by tomorrow morning.

What You'll Need (ingredients + tools)

Ingredients (makes one 900–1000g loaf)

• 450g bread flour
• 50g whole wheat flour (optional)
• 350g water (roughly 78°F / 25°C)
• 100g active sourdough starter (fed, bubbly)
• 10g fine sea salt
• 150g dried cranberries (see tip)
• 100g toasted walnuts, roughly chopped

Tools

• Digital scale, bench scraper, Dutch oven (4–6 quart), proofing basket or bowl lined with linen, razor blade or lame, oven mitts.

Tip: For evenly distributed fruit, re-hydrate cranberries in hot water or orange juice for 10 minutes, then drain.

Preparing Your Ingredients

• Feed your starter 4–8 hours before mixing so it’s active and bubbly. 100g of active starter is ideal.
• Toast walnuts in a 350°F oven for 6–8 minutes until fragrant, then cool and chop.
• Rehydrate 150g dried cranberries in hot water or orange juice for 10 minutes to prevent them pulling moisture from the dough.
• Measure everything on a digital scale for consistent results.

Quick Make-Ahead Tip:

• You can toast and chop walnuts up to two days ahead. Store in an airtight container.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Cranberry Walnut Sourdough

1. Mix
   • In a large bowl, stir 450g bread flour, 50g whole wheat, and 350g water until no dry bits remain. Autolyse 30 minutes.
2. Add starter & salt
   • Mix in 100g starter until incorporated, then add 10g salt and mix thoroughly.
3. Bulk ferment (4–6 hours)
   • Do 4 sets of stretch-and-folds every 30 minutes, then let rest. During the second set, gently work in cranberries and walnuts so they’re evenly distributed.
   • Bulk fermentation is done when dough is airy and doubles modestly.
4. Shape & proof
   • Shape into a tight boule. Place seam-side up in a floured proofing basket. Proof room temp 2–3 hours or refrigerate 10–12 hours for flavor.
5. Bake
   • Preheat oven and Dutch oven to 450°F (230°C) for 45 minutes. Score the dough, place it in the hot Dutch oven, cover, and bake 20 minutes covered. Remove lid and bake 20–25 minutes until deep brown.
   • Internal temperature should reach 200°F (93°C).

Pro tips:

• For a crisp crust, remove the lid for the last bake time.
• If dough spreads too much, it was likely overproofed—chill briefly before baking next time.

Finishing Touches, Serving, and Storage

• Let the loaf rest at least 1 hour before slicing to finish interior cooking.
• Serve warm with honey butter, soft cheeses, or turkey for holiday sandwiches.
• Store: keep loosely wrapped at room temperature for 2 days, or slice and freeze for up to 3 months.
• Make-ahead: bulk ferment the dough, then refrigerate overnight and bake fresh the next day. This improves flavor and fits holiday prep.

Common issues & fixes:

• Dense crumb: starter may not have been active, or dough was underproofed. Use bubbly starter and allow full bulk ferment.
• Dried-out fruit pockets: rehydrate cranberries or fold them in late in bulk ferment.

Which variation to try

• Swap half the cranberries for orange zest for citrus notes.
• Use pecans instead of walnuts for a different crunch.

You’ve got the recipe, timing options, and troubleshooting notes to make a holiday-ready cranberry walnut sourdough. Pin this guide for easy access during busy baking days and share it with friends who bake. Ready to make this happen? Let’s do it — which tip will you try first?