This No-Knead Cranberry Walnut Bread with Honey is a delicious bakery-style bread that’s sweet and delicious! Make it perfect with my easy pro tips for homemade bakery-style bread!
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The BEST No-Knead Bread Recipe!
If you’ve been following thebusybaker.ca for awhile now you’ll already know how obsessed I am with no knead artisan-style bread recipes! Way back when I first started my blog I shared this Easy No Knead Artisan Bread recipe with you and it’s a recipe I’ve made more than a hundred times I’m sure, with countless flavour variations. My favourite variation yet is this No-Knead Cranberry Honey Walnut Artisan Bread! It’s delicious for breakfast or with a cup of tea in the afternoon, and it is a simply gorgeous loaf of bread that everyone will love, especially for the holidays! And with my pro tips, you’ll be able to make it too!
How to make Cranberry Walnut Bread
Pro tip#1: Pre-heat your Dutch Oven pot before baking.
This bread is baked in an oven-safe Dutch Oven pot which traps in steam, making the crust of the loaf extra crispy. Pre-heating the pot before baking helps make the crust even more crispy and golden brown! If you’re looking for a great Dutch Oven pot for making bread recipes like this No-Knead Cranberry Honey Walnut Artisan Bread, I will tell you that it’s one of the best investments you can ever make for your kitchen. Mine is a total beauty from Le Creuset (affiliate link) and I use it almost ever day throughout the year for soups, stews, sauces, curries, and of course for baking bread (if you want my original Dutch Oven Crusty Bread recipe, grab it HERE!). A pot like this one is definitely a financial investment, but considering how much I use mine and considering its high quality, it’s definitely a worthy investment since it will last for 10, 20 or even more years. I’ve also used similar cast iron pots from other brands, like THIS ONE from KitchenAid and THIS ONE from Lodge Cast Iron (both affiliate links) if you’re looking for something a little less expensive but still high quality that’ll do the job well.
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Pro Tip #2: Shape your loaf firmly but gently and dust the top of the loaf with flour.
Creating a round shape will help the loaf bake evenly and dusting the top with flour will create that gorgeous, bakery-style appearance that everyone loves!
Pro Tip #3: Let the No-Knead Cranberry Honey Walnut Artisan Bread loaf cool completely before cutting into it!!
Resist the urge to slice the bread while it’s hot. Did you know that after removing a loaf of bread from the oven it continues to bake inside as it cools?? Slicing into this gorgeous loaf too early will cause the inside of the loaf to be under-cooked and gummy. Letting the loaf cool completely before slicing ensures the perfect fluffy texture when you slice into it!
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I hope you love this No-Knead Cranberry Walnut Bread with Honey as much as we do! Let me know in the comments below, what’s your favourite bakery-style bread to make at home? I’d love to know!
KITCHEN PRODUCTS I RECOMMEND:
Looking for even more delicious bread recipes? You’ll LOVE these:
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Garlic Butter Dinner Rolls
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Healthier Cornbread
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Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins
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Easy No Knead Artisan Bread
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Easy No Knead Cinnamon Raisin Artisan Bread
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RECIPE VIDEO
Watch the video below to see exactly how I make this delicious bread recipe. You can find more delicious recipe videos on my YouTube channel.
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No-Knead Cranberry Walnut Bread with Honey
Recipe: Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour, plus 3 tablespoons
- 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 1/2 cups water at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons liquid honey, plus more for brushing on after baking or other vegan honey substitute
Recipe: Instructions
- Start with a large bowl and a wooden spoon, and add your flour to the bowl. Measure the yeast and add it to one side of the bowl. Measure the salt and add it to the other side.
- Using a wooden spoon, stir the yeast into the flour on its side of the bowl first and then stir the salt into the flour on its side of the bowl. This will prevent the salt mixing directly with the yeast. Give the whole mixture a few good stirs to make sure everything is combined.
- Add the cranberries and walnuts to the flour mixture and toss well to coat, and to make sure they're distributed evenly throughout.
- Measure the water. Make sure the water is at room temperature; water that is too warm or too cold can kill the yeast and prevent the bread from rising at all. Add the honey to the water and stir with a fork to combine.
- Pour the water in and stir with a wooden spoon. The dough will be rough and a bit sticky, but that's normal.
- Stir until all the flour is combined. This is not normal bread dough (there's no kneading involved in this recipe), so you don't need to be too concerned about the appearance of the dough at this point. Just make sure the ingredients are combined well.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. It's a good idea to ensure there's adequate space left in the bowl for the dough to at least double in size. Place the bowl in a warm, draft-free place and let it rise for 12-18 hours.
- After the dough has risen for 12-18 hours, preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (if you're using convection, 410 degrees. If your oven runs hot, 400 degrees). Place your Dutch oven with the lid on in the cold oven and let it heat up with the oven. If your dutch oven is black or dark-coloured on the inside, set your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit instead of 425. I recommend a 6 or 7-quart dutch oven for this recipe.
- Place a piece of parchment paper on the counter and dust it with flour so the dough doesn't stick to the paper. Rub flour on your hands and scrape the dough away from the sides of the bowl, gathering it in your hands as best you can (it may feel kind of fluid and not at all like regular bread dough) and forming it into a circular loaf on the parchment paper. Don't worry if it still looks a little rough in places - this lends to the rustic look of this loaf. If your dough is very fluid, simply add an extra 1/4 to 1/3 cup of flour to the dough as you shape it.
- Once you have it shaped, the dough needs to undergo a second rise (much shorter than the first). The goal is to handle the dough as little as possible at this stage because any amount of tugging at the rough can cause it to deflate after it has undergone its second rise. The next few steps will help prevent this. But don't worry if it deflates a bit. This bread dough is pretty forgiving.
- Sprinkle flour over the top of the loaf and loosely cover it with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming over the dough. The flour also prevents the plastic wrap from sticking to the dough so when you take it off at the end of the rise, it doesn't disturb the dough and wreck the rustic shape you've created. Let the dough rise for about 45 minutes. Your oven will also be preheating during this time (and so will your pot).
- Once 45 minutes have passed remove the plastic wrap from the dough and trim the parchment paper into a circle closely around the dough. If it doesn't look like the dough has risen that much, don't worry about it. The loaf will puff up a bit when it hits the heat of the oven.
- Remove the preheated pot from the oven and transfer the dough into the pot as carefully as possible by handling only the parchment paper. Place the lid on the pot and return it to the oven for 30 minutes. Don't open the oven during this time, and certainly don't take the lid off the pot; the crispness of the crust develops because of the steam that builds up in the pot during this 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes have passed, remove the lid from the pot and continue baking for another 15 minutes. After the 15 minutes have passed, remove the pot with bread from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool. You'll probably hear it crackling as it cools - this is normal. Brush a little extra honey on the top of the bread now, if desired.
- If you can, resist the urge to cut into the bread until it has pretty much cooled completely. The bread continues to bake on the inside even after it has been removed from the oven and cutting it too early could result in the inside becoming gummy or rubbery.
Recipe: Notes
Quick rise method:
- Add 2 1/2 teaspoons of active dry yeast instead of the amount listed in the recipe.
- Rise for 2 hours and follow the recipe directions after the rise time as written.
No Knead Bread Troubleshooting Tips:
- If you find your dough is too wet and fluid, add an extra 1/3 cup all purpose flour and stir until a shaggy dough appears. The dough should be slightly sticky but not wet. You can do this after the first rise as well, before you shape the loaf.
- Add 1 tablespoon of Vital Wheat Gluten to the dough with the flour to create a very voluminous dough that rises beautifully every single time and isn't too dense (optional).
- I recommend a 6 or 7-quart dutch oven for this recipe, but any covered pot that's oven-safe can be used for this recipe.
- If the bottom crust of your bread burns or becomes too hard or tough, it's likely that the bottom burner of your oven is too hot OR you're using a pot that's black on the inside (these conduct heat more efficiently than one that's a light colour on the inside). Try lowering your oven temperature by 25 degrees, using the convection setting, or using a different pot that's light in colour on the inside.
- Every person's oven is different, so it's a good idea to check on this bread about 15 minutes into the baking time if you know your oven runs hot, if you're using a gas oven, or if you are using the convection setting.
- Use an oven thermometer to make sure your oven temperature is correct. If your oven runs hot, lower the temperature of your oven by 25 degrees to be sure you don't burn the bread.
- Don't forget to dust the bottom of your pot with flour, or dust the parchment paper with flour (if you're using parchment paper as directed) so the bread doesn't stick.
- During the last 15 minutes of baking if you notice the bread is becoming too brown simply remove it from the oven early.
Recipe: Nutrition
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
In step 4 it says to mix water into flour – then in next step it says to mix honey with water, but doesn’t say what to do with it, I’m robably not reading correctly, but can you clarify please?
Mix the honey and water together and then add them to the flour mixture 🙂
I prepped this yesterday for Christmas morning today. It is gorgeous. My house smells wonderful! And I wish I could post a picture of how wonderful it looks. Thanks for this recipe. It’s my first ever Dutch oven bread. I’m super pleased!
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the positive feedback!
We are so happy with this recipe. It turned out beautifully. We enjoyed a slice this morning for breakfast and fighting the urge for a second piece. This recipe is a keeper!
So glad you liked it! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment! 🙂
I had an issue with the loaf spreading out (a LOT) on the second rise and baking, resulting in a much more flat and dry loaf. Any suggestions?
This is likely because your dough was too wet. I’d suggest adding a little more flour next time – sometimes if our measurements are just a little off it makes a big difference.
Just buy a Lodge 8 inch cast iron trivet. Put in bottom of Dutch oven when you preheat. Insert your dough on the parchment paper. No more overbrowning or burn. Has nothing to do with hot spots, etc.
I was going to ask if the parchment goes in the Dutch oven. Makes sense now. Thanks
This looked so good and easy! I used a 5-qt Lodge dutch oven, oven set at 425 rather than 450, and the bottom of the loaf burned black. Any suggestions?
That has NEVER happened to me or anyone else I know of, and I’ve made this recipe and others like it many, many times. My guess is your oven has a hot spot or possibly uses a bottom element only. Try turning on the convection setting, if you have it, or moving up the oven rack. An oven thermometer might help too, so you can see exactly how hot your oven actually is. Good luck!
This happened to me too. When I took the lid off at 30 minutes, the bread looked perfect. I set the timer for another 15 and when I went to take it out, it was dark on top. But that didn’t compare to the bottom which was black. 🙁 The bread was delicious, but we had to cut off the bottom which was unfortunate. I am almost positive that my oven temp is correct. I’ve never had any other issues with it and a thermometer always says it is. I have a gas oven and it does not have a convection setting. My guess would be that it’s my pot. I have an enameled cast iron dutch oven, but it’s a cheaper $40 one from Target. It’s very heavy, but my thought is that maybe it isn’t as thick on the bottom as a Le Creuset. Knowing that, do you think it would be better to cook it at a lower temperature, or for less time? I didn’t know if it would be fully cooked inside if I had taken it out at 30 minutes. It was so yummy, I’d love to try it again.
I’ve made this bread in a cheap turkey roaster (super thin pan) once when I was in someone else’s kitchen and that’s all I had, and it still didn’t burn on the bottom. However I did use the convection setting on the oven, and I do on mine too (but not all the time). Unfortunately, I’m not familiar with gas ovens, which may be the issue. You could try turning down the temperature slightly and baking it higher in your oven. Or try your turkey roaster like I did!
I adore this bread and have made it about ten times since I found the recipe in February. I use 410 all the way through and it’s mildly brown which I love. I would love to bake it sooner than the 12 hours because we love to eat it! But I normally go the 18 hours because I make it in the morning then get up early the next day to bake it for breakfast. Delicious!
So glad you love it!
The pot you used may not been heavy enough.
I had a similar setup and have found (thank you Serious Eats) that if you double line your parchment and put tinfoil on the bottom rack it takes care of the bottom burn. Good luck
The bottom of mine turned black, also! I made it yesterday. I made a jalapeno cheese bread a few days ago. It had the same directions and it was perfect. I”m not sure what went wrong with this one. Same oven temperature, same timing. The bread was good after cutting off the bottom. A couple of spots on the top were black, as well. I want to try this one again, but I’m not sure how to make adjustments so it doesn’t burn again.
I’ve made this recipe twice and it was too dark on the top and black on the bottom both times. My oven is usually a little cooler than it reads, taking a little longer than most recipes call for. Not so with this one! Next time Ill try 425 instead of 450. We still eat the middle—it’s so good! Not overcooked at all.
I’d recommend 425 and also moving the rack away from the burner in your oven, if possible. If your dutch oven is black in colour (on the inside) this can cause burning as well. If so reduce the temperature by another 10 degrees.
It wasn’t quite clear whether the pan needed to be greased or if the parchment paper was to be placed in the preheated pan …. I’m afraid I didn’t do either, so I’m worried my bread may stick to the pan 🙁 too late now, it’s in the oven baking .
The bread shouldn’t stick, even without the parchment. I almost always use the parchment anyway 🙂
Does it really have to rise for 12-18 hours or is that minutes??
It is 12-18 hours! It’s a slow rise, which is what develops the delicious flavour and texture 🙂
This looks so yummy… I do have a few questions as I would like to make it and have only read through your recipe and the comments. When you say to mix the yeast with half the flour in the bowl and the other half with the salt and flour and then to stir chicken by does that mean at that point combine all of the flour and the yeast and the salt? Also near the end after it has risen for many hours, when you let it rise again is it just covered in a ball or is it back in a bowl? Finally have you ever tried to refrigerate or freeze this bread? I was thinking it might be nice to give us some gifts for Christmas… Thank you
Just be sure the yeast and salt don’t touch directly – stir them in with a bit of the flour first before stirring altogether. Yes, you need to rise it again while the oven and the pan heat up 🙂 I haven’t had much luck freezing it, as it loses its crusty/artisan texture after freezing.
So this may sound dumb but how do I. It have them mix if they are in the same bowl and you say to combine everything??? Also, I am still unclear on the 2nd rise…is it just out on the parchment paper or in a bowl?
If you keep them on opposite sides of the bowl and then mix, the flour will act as a bit of a barrier between the two when you mix them all together 🙂 And the second rise is on the parchment paper, not in a bowl.
I’ve been wanting to bake in the fall and winter months. I am making a sourdough starter then saw your no knead bread. Just made the cranberry bread and found it fit my lifestyle well. With arthritis I did not want to knead, even though it’s a much loved practice. Winter is time to rest. My bread came out beautifully tastes wonderful and a great gift idea.
Thank you for making it easier to bake again.
I’m so glad you liked the recipe!! Thanks!
is it possible to use regular yeast instead of instant yeast?
Yes, it is possible 🙂
How much regular yeast would you use?
The same measurement, but dissolve it in the water first instead of adding it directly to the flour.
I am trying to reduce my sugar intake. Have you ever tried it with 1 3/4 C plain water? Thank you.
Yes, using 1 3/4 cups water in place of the honey is just fine. The honey is for flavour 🙂
Could I use fresh cranberries for this recipe?
Yes, although I’d recommend slicing them in half or using a few less.They add moisture which can affect the consistency of the dough more than dried cranberries.
Beautiful cranberry walnut honey artisan bread. I have been looking for this perfect easy recipe for a while. I had use the Italian lady recipe, but crust is not crispy and lots of work like proofing first. Yours looks so easy. Only thing I have to get a Dutch oven. King Arthur Flour has one on sale on Black Friday . Out of stock now, but will be available December 3. Hope I can get one for same sale price.
I looked all over your recipe, no mention of SIZE of the Dutch oven. Did I miss it! What size does your bread fit in?
Thank you for your time.
I use a large 5-quart dutch oven for this recipe. I hope you can get one – they’re GREAT to have! 🙂
I was wondering which 5 quart Dutch oven brand you used for this recipe?
Mine is from Le Creuset, so it’s a very heavy cast iron. It’s the best I’ve ever used and totally worth the price since I use it almost daily!
I only have a cheap stainless steel Dutch oven but I do have a Lodge cast iron 12 inch skillet with a stainless steel domed lid that fits it. I was wondering if it would work to make the bread in the skillet instead? I do have a gas oven with a convection setting. I’ve been dying to try an artisan bread. Would appreciate your suggestions.
A cheap dutch oven should work – I used to make this bread in a cheap covered turkey roaster 🙂
I own two Le Creuset but decided on not using either for bread bc the knob on ea can endure different temperature. They come with several types depending on the one you buy and heat for knobs are from 250C to 500C. Unless you have the stainless steel knob. I bought a cheap Lodge online at Home Depot fir $39 i use for making bread only. It’s normally for camping. All cast iron and treated. I love it. The cover can also be used as a pan.
I too will not spend %450 on a pot. I alsos have a lodge pot I picked up on ebay for $40. What I like is the pot has a flat lid. I put it in the oven with the lid on the bottom, place the bread in the lid then lift the bottom over the top. It keeps you from reaching into a scorching pot to get your bread out.
Any heavy dutch oven works well 🙂
You can buy le Creuset replacement knobs on their website. My Dutch oven came with the non metal knob, so I purchased a metal one and switched it out.
This looks so tasty! I want it so bad!
Hope you enjoy it!! 🙂
I made this bread yesterday and I can say it is really, really tasty. And so easy to make. Will definitely be making this one again. Thank you for sharing yet another delicious recipe. I can hardly wait to have a slice of this bread toasted this morning for breakfast. 🙂
It’s SO great toasted in the morning 🙂 Glad you loved it!
I love everything about this! So much flavor packed into each bite, absolutely a must try!
Thanks!!
This is a gorgeous loaf of artisan bread! Thanks for sharing your tips!
Thanks! 🙂
Looks yummy. Why is the rise time so long? 12-18 hours seems long but I am new to bread making.
The long rise helps create the artisan bread texture. It’s a unique technique used in recipes like this. Normal bread rises in only an hour or so. 🙂
I let this rise for a total of 3 hours and it turned out AMAZING. It was so good! I also just used a glass pan and covered it with foil. Soooooo good. Couldn’t stop eating it
Thank you for your feedback! I’m always glad to hear that the recipe turned out delicious.
This sounds very yummy! In my family we eat bread a lot so it’s nice to bring some variety to the table
I’m SO glad!
This is one gorgeous loaf! I need to make it soon!
Thanks!
What a delicious flavor combination! The hardest part looks to be having the patience not to cut into right as it comes out! A true test of wills, haha!
Ha ha! Thanks! 🙂
This looks fantastic and so perfect for the holiday! Thanks for all of your tips to getting this done right.
I hope you enjoy it!!
Unfortunately, my bottom was very over done, actually inedible, too. The rest of the bread is superb. My dough was so wet it seemed more like a batter so I added 1/4 cup of flour. It could have used more but I didn’t dare. I would like to try this bread again but I’m afraid I would have the same results as I followed the recipe. Photos of dough would be appreciated as well as metric measurements. You can’t make a mistake with measurement if you know the gram weight….
There’s a blue button that says Metric, right under the ingredient list. If you click on it, all the measurements will automatically convert to metric. As for the crust, I suggest that you read my troubleshooting tips and tricks in the notes, at the bottom of the recipe card. Hope this helps! ☺️
I do really need to say thanks! I add some vanilla extract and add pure honey to the water… the bread came out amazing!
We’re so happy you enjoyed it! Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback!
Hi
Was wondering if this bread could be made with gluten free flour?
I’m sorry, I couldn’t tell you as i have never tried it but it should work if you use a gluten free flour that performs similarly to all purpose flour. Happy baking! ☺️
Can you double this recipe? Made it several times & love it but would like to do 2 loaves since rising time is so long.
Sure you can! We love it too and it always gets eaten so fast when I make it! Happy baking ☺️