Cranberry Orange Sourdough Bread
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.
Servings: 16 slices
Calories: 147kcal
Cost: Recipe $3.09 / Serving $0.19
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
- 350 g water ($0.00)
- all of the levain
- 500 g bread flour ($0.86)
- 10 g salt ($0.01)
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 (night before). In a small jar or bowl, mix the sourdough starter, bread flour, and water until smooth. Cover loosely and let ferment at room temperature for 8–12 hours, until bubbly and doubled.
- Soak the cranberries (optional). If desired, soak the dried cranberries in orange juice or warm water while preparing the dough. Drain well before using.
- Autolyse the dough. In a large mixing bowl, combine the water and bread flour. Mix until no dry flour remains. Cover and rest for 1 hour.
- Add levain and salt. Add all of the levain and the salt to the dough. Mix thoroughly until fully incorporated.
- Bulk fermentation. Cover and let ferment at room temperature for about 4 hours. Perform 3 sets of stretch and folds, spaced 30 minutes apart.
- Incorporate add-ins. During the second set of stretch and folds, gently fold in the drained cranberries, orange zest, and honey or maple syrup if using.
- Shape. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Shape into a boule or batard and place seam-side up into a well-floured proofing basket or bowl.
- Cold proof. Cover and refrigerate for 8–12 hours to improve flavor and structure.
- Bake. Preheat the oven to 475°F with a Dutch oven inside. When fully heated, invert the dough onto parchment paper, score the top, and carefully transfer to the Dutch oven. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and bake another 25–30 minutes, until deeply golden.
- Cool. Remove from the Dutch oven and cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing (3 hours recommended).
Notes
- Starter readiness. Use a fully active starter fed within the last 6–12 hours for best rise.
- Cranberry prep. Soaking prevents cranberries from pulling moisture from the dough and keeps the crumb tender.
- Zesting tip. Zest only the outer orange layer; avoid the white pith to prevent bitterness.
- Basket flour. Rice flour works best in proofing baskets to prevent sticking.
- Planning ahead. This recipe is mostly hands-off but benefits from slow fermentation and overnight proofing
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 147kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 245mg | Potassium: 38mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 2IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 0.3mg
