Cranberry Orange Sourdough Bread
This Cranberry Orange Sourdough Bread combines the tangy zest of oranges with sweet dried cranberries in a classic sourdough loaf.
Great for breakfast or a snack in fall and winter, it’s simple to make and gives your home a lovely citrus smell.
Cranberry Orange Sourdough Bread
Equipment
- Lame
Ingredients
- 3 cups bread flour 450 grams/ 15.85 ounces
- 1 ⅓ cups lukewarm water 300 grams/ 10.6 ounces
- ¾ cup sourdough starter (active and bubbly)
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup dried cranberries (soaked in water and drained)
- ¾ tablespoon orange zest
Want To Save This For Later?
I’m email you a link so you can find it when you need it.
You'll join my email list which you will love. And if you don't, unsubscribe in one click. ❤️
Instructions
- Autolyse. Combine the flour, water, sugar, and starter in a large bowl and stir well. Use your hands to incorporate any dry bits. Cover with a clean, damp tea towel and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Stretch and fold during warm rise. After the rest period, add the salt, dried cranberries, and orange zest. Knead for a minute or two until everything is thoroughly mixed in. Cover with a damp towel and let it rise in a warm place for three hours, reshaping the dough into a ball once per hour.
- Second proof in the fridge. Heavily dust a banneton with rice flour. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in the banneton. Cover with plastic wrap and let it proof overnight in the fridge.
- Prepare for baking. In the morning, preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C) with the Dutch oven inside. Remove the dough from the fridge and turn it out onto a sheet of parchment paper, aiming for the center. Slash the top with a lame or a very sharp knife. Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven and place the parchment and dough inside. Replace the lid.
- Bake. Bake for a total of 55 minutes: 25 minutes covered, 25 minutes uncovered, and then 5 minutes directly on the oven rack to brown the crust. The bread is done when the internal temperature reaches 200-210°F (93-99°C).
- Cool. Remove the bread from the Dutch oven and discard the parchment paper. Allow it to cool on a wire rack for 3 to 4 hours before slicing. Store at room temperature, tightly wrapped, for up to two days. For longer storage, freeze.
Notes
Nutrition
More Tips:
Each oven is unique, so it’s important to watch your bread as it finishes baking. If the crust starts to brown too quickly, you can loosely cover it with foil.
To prevent excess moisture from evaporating, you should use plastic wrap or a damp towel to cover the bowl. This will help keep the dough from drying out.
Because of the moisture in the fruit, the bread’s shelf life is reduced. To prevent any chance of molding, it’s best to store the bread at room temperature for one day and then freeze it. Slicing the entire loaf allows you to toast individual pieces from the freezer.
Using rice flour to dust your banneton is highly recommended to prevent the dough from sticking.
While it may be inconvenient to purchase another item, a small bag of rice flour will last a long time and make a significant difference!
Key Ingredients and Tools
You will need certain tools and ingredients to make this sourdough bread. These items are important for achieving the best results.
- Heavy pot with a lid: This pot helps create the perfect crust by trapping steam inside during baking.
- Parchment paper: It prevents the dough from sticking to the pot and makes it easier to transfer the dough.
- Blade tool: This tool scores the dough before baking and helps the bread expand properly in the oven.
- Active sourdough starter: This is crucial for the bread’s flavor and rise. Ensure that it is active and bubbly before you begin.
- Orange zest: Freshly grated orange zest adds a vibrant, citrusy flavor to the bread. Oranges can be found in the produce section of your local grocery store.
You can create a delicious and visually appealing bread using these tools and ingredients.
Here are some ingredient alternatives for the recipe:
- Bread flour: Use all-purpose flour if you don’t have bread flour.
- Dried cranberries: Try dried cherries or raisins if you don’t have dried cranberries.
- White sugar: Honey or maple syrup instead of white sugar is a good alternative for a different sweetness.
- Orange zest: You can swap lemon zest for a different citrus flavor if you don’t have orange zest.
- Sourdough starter: If you don’t have a sourdough starter, use 1 teaspoon of active dry yeast mixed with ¾ cup of water and ¾ cup of flour as a quick alternative.
These substitutions might slightly change how the recipe turns out, but you can give them a try for a different flavor.
I hope you enjoy making and eating this Cranberry Orange Sourdough Bread. It’s a wonderful addition to any meal and perfect for sharing with friends and family. Whether you have it for breakfast or as a snack, this bread brings a delightful blend of flavors to your table.
By Katie Shaw
Katie shares simple, reliable recipes from her home in Virginia, where she lives with her husband, three daughters, a chocolate lab, and over thirty chickens.
Delicious and very easy to make. Soft center and so good!! I will definitely make this again.
How many grams is 3/4 cup sourdough starter? I’ definitely going to try this, but would rather use the scale than a measuring cup. Thanks!
Made this for Friendsgiving and it was a hit. Great recipe!
so glad to hear it K 🙂
Would cardamom be a good addition to this bread?
yes absolutely!!!
This looks like what I’ve been searching for. But I do have a question, with just the orange zest, it seems like there wouldn’t be much orange flavor. Do you ever substitute orange juice for a portion of the water? If so, how much orange juice would you use.
Thanks for posting this, I’m excited to make it!
Would this work w fresh cranberries? I made your lemon blueberry sourdough and it has become my most favorite ever. I plan on trying this next, but I only have fresh cranberries.
Yes i think they would be great! it will be prettier too! the cranberries will be tarter but still it will work.
Thank you! I plan making this bread this weekend. Your blueberry lemon sourdough was beautiful as well as delicious. Thank you for such wonderful recipes.
I made this bread a couple of weeks ago and liked it so much I started another batch this morning. It is a delicious bread with great flavor and texture and just a little sweetness. While there is some wait time because of the overnight rise, there is not much hands-on prep time. And the overnight rise means it is ready to bake first thing in the morning, just in time for breakfast. It is just as good the following morning sliced and toasted, especially on a fall or winter morning.