This Cranberry Orange Sourdough Bread is a beautiful balance of flavor and texture. The chewy crust and soft interior pair wonderfully with bursts of dried cranberries and fragrant orange zest. It’s the kind of loaf that feels both rustic and seasonal, a perfect way to shake up your sourdough routine.
Recipe: $3.09| Per Serving: $0.19 | Yields: 16 slices
Whether you’re serving it toasted with butter for breakfast or as a unique side to a savory meal, this bread never fails to impress.
Looking to expand your sourdough baking? This loaf is a great step beyond a classic Rustic Sourdough Discard Bread and fits right in with other naturally flavored breads like our Apple Sourdough Bread and Sourdough Discard Banana Muffins.
It also makes an excellent homemade gift, perfect for holiday baskets or brunch spreads. Serve a slice with cream cheese for a delicious snack that's next level awesome.
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🍯 Why This Recipe Works
- Naturally leavened dough brings a signature tang and chewy texture that pairs beautifully with sweet and citrusy add-ins.
- Orange zest and cranberries add a pop of brightness and sweetness without overpowering the loaf.
- Flexible dough structure means you can experiment with mix-ins like nuts or swap out ingredients to suit your taste.
🥘 Ingredients
Active sourdough starter: This gives the bread its rise and characteristic tang. Make sure it’s bubbly and recently fed.
Bread flour: Provides the structure needed for a tall, chewy loaf.
Dried cranberries: Slightly sweet, chewy, and perfect for balancing the sour notes.
Fresh orange zest: Adds brightness and aroma—zest your orange right before adding for maximum impact.
For specific ingredients and measurements, please see the recipe card below.
🧾 Substitutions
Cranberries: Chopped dried cherries or raisins can be used instead, though the tartness of cranberries is a great contrast to the citrus.
Orange zest: Try lemon zest for a different flavor profile. It’s slightly sharper but still pairs nicely with dried fruit.
🔪 Instructions for Cranberry Orange Sourdough Bread
Step 1: THE NIGHT BEFORE: Prepare your levain by mixing together 50g active sourdough starter with 50g bread flour and 50g water in a bowl or jar. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature overnight (8-12 hours). (Image 1).
Step 2: IN THE MORNING: In a large mixing bowl, combine 500g bread flour and 350g water. (Image 2). Mix until no dry flour remains. (Image 3). Cover and let it rest (autolyse) for 1 hour.
Step 3: Add the prepared levain and 10g salt to the dough. (Image 4). Mix thoroughly until well incorporated. (Image 5).
Step 4: Cover the bowl and let rest for 4 hours, but perform 3 stretch and folds 30 minutes apart during the first part of the 4 hours. You will add the cranberries and orange zest during the second stretch and fold so keep reading.
Step 5: Right after you finish mixing the dough and letting it rest, soak the cranberries in orange juice or the juice of one orange while you wait to add them. This will plump them up and give your bread a lot more flavor! *This step is "technically" optional. (Image 7).
Step 6: After the dough has rested for 30 minutes, do your first set of stretch and folds. Do this by lifting half of the dough in the bowl and folding it over onto itself, give the bowl a quarter turn, and repeat until you've done it 4 times. Cover and let rest.
Step 7: During your second stretch and fold (30 minutes after the last one), add in the honey, orange zest, and drained cranberries. It will get wet and messy; trust the process. (Image 8).
Step 8: Perform your second set of stretch and folds to incorporate the cranberries and zest. Not all of the cranberries will want to remain in the dough. This is okay. (Images 9, 10, & 11).
Step 9: 30 minutes later, perform your last set of stretch and folds. Then cover the dough and let it rest for 2 more hours undisturbed. (Image 12).
Step 10: Uncover your dough, it should be bigger in size but not yet doubled. If it's doubled in size, you risk it becoming overproofed. (Image 13).
Step 11: Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and shape it into a round loaf by pulling the dough down and to the center, creating a round top and bunched up bottom. Then place the dough, smooth side down into a floured proofing basket. If you don't have one, a parchment lined bowl works too. (Image 14). Cover with plastic wrap and let chill in the fridge overnight (or for 8-12 hours).
Step 12: IN THE MORNING: Preheat your oven to 475°F with a Dutch oven inside. Once preheated, carefully remove the Dutch oven.
Step 13: Place a piece of parchment paper (or on a silicone bread sling) over the dough and invert it onto the paper. Score the top of the dough with a sharp knife or lame. Transfer the dough (with parchment) into the Dutch oven. (Image 15).
Step 14: Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes until the crust is deep golden brown. (Image 16).
Step 15: Remove the bread from the Dutch oven and let it cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing. I recommend 3 hours or until cooled to the touch.
Slice and Enjoy!
🍴 Recipe Tips
- This bread is fantastic toasted—try it with a slather of butter, honey, or cream cheese for breakfast or a snack. It’s also a lovely accompaniment to sharp cheeses or hearty soups.
- Note: I recommend using rice flour on the proofing basket but bread flour on your work surface. This is because the bread flour will dissolve into the bread and not create weird pockets of air, while the rice flour will prevent sticking thanks to its non-gluten structure.
- Storage: Keep your loaf at room temperature in a paper or cloth bag for up to 3 days. For longer storage, slice and freeze in an airtight container or bag, toast straight from frozen!
- Scaling: Want to make two loaves? Just double everything! This dough handles scaling well and can be split after bulk fermentation.
- Make Ahead: You can cold-proof this dough overnight in the fridge for deeper flavor and easier scoring.
🥣 Recipe Add-Ins
For added texture and flavor, mix in 100g of chopped nuts (walnuts or pistachios work beautifully) during the second set of stretch and folds.
Feeling festive? A few tablespoons of chopped candied orange peel give it a panettone-style twist.
Try a sprinkle of coarse sugar or oats on top before baking for added flair.
💭 Recipe FAQs
Yes, but cut them in half and reduce hydration slightly to account for their moisture. (I'd use 300g of water instead of 350g). The dough will be stiffer, but the cranberries will release moisture as they bake.
Nope! You can bake it on a hot baking sheet or pizza stone. Just add a casserole dish of hot water to the bottom oven rack while preheating; this creates steam for a crispy crust. Bake as usual, removing the water pan halfway through for extra crunch.
This can happen if it's underbaked. Make sure the internal temp hits at least 200-210°F and let it cool fully before slicing. Also, gummy insides can be caused by slicing into a warm loaf. I always wait until the loaf has been cooled completely to the touch. (About 3 hours).
Yes, you can use orange juice instead of water, but I don’t recommend it. In my experience, (I made pineapple sourdough using juice instead of water), the flavor was mild, and the crumb turned out less airy. For the best results, stick with water and add orange zest instead. You’ll get a brighter citrus flavor and a much better texture.
❤️ More Delicious Sourdough Recipes
If you tried this Cranberry Orange Sourdough Bread, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and share your feedback in the 📝 comments section below. I would truly appreciate it!
📖 Recipe
Cranberry Orange Sourdough Bread
Equipment
- Silicone Bread Sling *or parchment paper
Ingredients
Levain:
- 50 g active sourdough starter ($0.05)
- 50 g bread flour ($0.09)
- 50 g water ($0.00)
Dough:
- 500 g bread flour ($0.86)
- 350 g water ($0.00)
- 10 g salt ($0.01)
- All of the levain
Add-ins:
- 100 g dried cranberries ($1.09)
- Zest of one orange ($0.77)
- 20 g honey or maple syrup *optional ($0.22)
Instructions
Prepare the Levain (Evening Before):
- Mix 50g active sourdough starter with 50g bread flour and 50g water in a jar.
- Cover and let it sit at room temperature overnight (about 8-12 hours) until bubbly and doubled in size.
Soak the Cranberries:
- Optional: Soak the dried cranberries in the juice of one orange for extra flavor.
- Let them soak while you prepare the dough in the next step.
Mix the Dough:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 500g bread flour and 350g water.
- Mix until no dry flour remains.
- Cover and let it rest (autolyse) for 1 hour.
Add Levain and Salt:
- Add the prepared levain and 10g salt to the dough.
- Mix thoroughly until well incorporated.
Bulk Fermentation:
- Cover the bowl and let the dough ferment at room temperature for 4 hours.
- During this time, perform 3 sets of stretch and folds at 30-minute intervals.
- During the second set of stretch and folds, incorporate the soaked cranberries (drained), orange zest, and honey or maple syrup if using.
Shape the Dough:
- Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface.
- Shape it into a round loaf (boule) or oval (batard), depending on your preference.
- Place the shaped dough into a floured proofing basket or bowl.
Cold Proof:
- Cover the dough and refrigerate it overnight (8-12 hours) to enhance flavor and structure.
Bake:
- Preheat your oven to 475°F (245°C) with a Dutch oven inside.
- Once preheated, carefully remove the Dutch oven.
- Place a piece of parchment paper over the dough and invert it onto the paper.
- Score the top of the dough with a sharp knife or lame.
- Transfer the dough (with parchment) into the Dutch oven.
- Cover and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove the lid and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes until the crust is deep golden brown.
Cool:
- Remove the bread from the Dutch oven and let it cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing. I recommend 3 hours or until cooled to the touch.
Nicole Durham says
This bread loaf is phenomenal! I've made it several times already and each time is better than the last.