Christmas Sourdough Bread with Cranberries and Orange
This sourdough loaf is packed with chewy dried cranberries, bright candied orange peel, and warm spices. It is the bread I pull out for Christmas morning toast and holiday cheese boards, and it fills the kitchen like nothing else.
The crumb stays soft for days thanks to a little butter and a natural starter that gives it that subtle tang. It toasts up with crisp edges and a tender middle, perfect with salted butter.
What Makes This Christmas Sourdough Special
The sourdough base gives you a long, slow rise that builds a genuinely complex flavor, while dried fruit and winter spices bring the sweetness. It is not a cake, just a real bread that happens to feel festive.
I love how the orange peel brightens every bite and the walnuts add a gentle crunch. The dough is easy to handle if you use a well-fed starter and do the stretch and folds, and the result looks like it took a lot more work than it did.
Ingredients
- 100 g active sourdough starter (100% hydration): fed and bubbly, at its peak
- 450 g bread flour: plus a little extra for dusting, high-protein gives a better oven spring
- 280 g water, lukewarm (90-95°F / 32-35°C): adjust by a tablespoon depending on your flour
- 10 g fine sea salt: not table salt, it dissolves evenly
- 50 g light brown sugar: white granulated works too
- 60 g unsalted butter, softened: adds richness and a soft crumb
- 100 g dried cranberries: sweetened ones are fine; look for soft, plump fruit
- 50 g candied orange peel, chopped: or homemade if you have it, do not skip this
- 70 g walnut pieces, lightly toasted: pecans work well here too
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon: the warmth ties everything together
- 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg: a little goes a long way, use fresh if you can
Variations / Substitutions
- Cranberries: use dried cherries, raisins, or chopped dried apricots for a different fruit note
- Orange peel: swap in lemon or grapefruit candied peel, or a tablespoon of fresh orange zest
- Walnuts: almonds, hazelnuts, or sunflower seeds all give a similar crunch
- Spices: a pinch of allspice or cardamom can replace the nutmeg; keep it light
Sausage Vegetable Soup makes a comforting soup to pair with this bread.
How to Make Christmas Sourdough Bread
Step 1: Mix the Dough
In a large bowl, combine the 100 g starter, 280 g water, and 450 g flour. Stir until no dry spots remain, cover, and let it rest for 30 minutes. This autolyse helps the flour hydrate before you work the dough.
After the rest, scatter the 10 g salt, 50 g sugar, 60 g softened butter, cinnamon, and nutmeg over the dough. Use your hand to squish and fold everything together until the butter disappears and the dough feels cohesive, about 3 to 4 minutes of kneading right in the bowl.
Step 2: Bulk Ferment with Fold-ins
Cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature (around 70-75°F / 21-24°C) for about 4 hours, until it nearly doubles in size. Every 30 to 40 minutes during the first 2 hours, perform a set of stretch and folds: wet your hand, grab a side of the dough, pull it up, and fold it over the top. Work your way around the bowl.
After the second set of folds, scatter the cranberries, orange peel, and walnuts over the dough. Continue the stretch and fold sets for two more rounds, which will gently work the fruit and nuts throughout the dough without tearing the gluten. The dough should feel airy and soft by the end.
Step 3: Shape the Loaf
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Shape it into a round boule by folding the edges toward the center, then flip it seam side down and cup your hands around it to create surface tension. You can also shape an oval batard if you prefer.
Let the shaped dough rest, uncovered, for 15 minutes so the gluten relaxes. Then place it seam side up in a floured banneton or a bowl lined with a well-floured tea towel.
Step 4: Proof the Dough
Cover the banneton and let the loaf proof at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours, or until it looks puffy and a gentle poke with a floured finger springs back slowly but leaves a small indent. Cold proofing overnight in the refrigerator works too; allow 8 to 12 hours and bake straight from the fridge.
About 30 minutes before the proofing ends, place a Dutch oven (with its lid) on the middle rack and preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). A blazing hot pot gives the bread a strong initial lift.
Step 5: Cool and Slice the Bread
Carefully turn the dough out onto a piece of parchment paper, seam side down. Score the top with a sharp lame or razor blade; a cross or a curved slash opens nicely. Lift the dough by the parchment and lower it into the hot Dutch oven, cover, and bake for 20 minutes.
Remove the lid, lower the temperature to 400°F (200°C), and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the crust is deep amber and the internal temperature hits 200-205°F (93-96°C). Transfer to a wire rack and let it cool completely before slicing, or the crumb will be gummy. Serve it warm or at room temperature, and the kitchen will smell like the holidays.
Tips for a Great Loaf
- Use a starter that doubles within 4 to 6 hours of feeding; a weak starter will give you a dense loaf.
- If your dried cranberries are very firm, soak them in warm water for 10 minutes and pat them dry. That keeps them from pulling moisture out of the dough.
- The dough can handle a longer cold proof in the fridge, which develops more sour flavor. Bake straight from the cold to get a taller loaf.
Bake times shift a little depending on how you shape the loaf.
| Shape | Oven Settings | Approx. Bake Time | Target Internal Temp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round boule | 450°F covered, then 400°F uncovered | 35-40 min | 200-205°F |
| Oval batard | 450°F covered, then 400°F uncovered | 30-35 min | 200-205°F |
| Two small rounds | 450°F covered, then 400°F uncovered | 25-30 min each | 200-205°F |
Storing Christmas Bread
- Refrigerate: Wrap tightly and keep for up to 4 days. The crumb stays moist, but the crust will soften.
- Reheating: Warm slices in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes or toast them. A quick refresh in a hot skillet with a little butter works beautifully.
- Freeze: Slice the loaf first, then freeze in a zip-top bag for up to 3 months. Toast straight from frozen.
What to Serve with Christmas Sourdough Bread
A thick slice toasted and spread with salted butter and orange marmalade is my favorite way. It also stands up to sharp cheeses like aged cheddar or a creamy blue on a holiday cheese plate. For a simple supper, I serve it alongside a bowl of lentil soup, where the slight sweetness and spice offset the earthy broth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this with active dry yeast instead of sourdough starter?
Yes. Use 1 1/2 teaspoons of active dry yeast dissolved in the water before mixing, skip the autolyse, and reduce the bulk rise to about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Why did my fruit and nuts sink to the bottom?
They can sink if the dough is too wet or if you add them all at once at the start. Work them in gradually during the stretch and folds, as the dough gains strength, to hold them in place.
Can I bake this without a Dutch oven?
Yes. Place a shallow pan of water on the bottom rack to create steam, and bake the loaf on a preheated baking stone or sheet pan at 450°F for 25 to 30 minutes, until deep golden and hollow-sounding when tapped.
How do I know when the loaf is fully proofed and ready to bake?
The poke test is reliable: flour your fingertip, press gently into the dough about half an inch, and if the indentation springs back slowly and leaves a small mark, it is ready. If it springs back fast, give it another 30 minutes.
Can I prep the dough the night before and bake in the morning?
Definitely. After shaping and placing the dough in the banneton, cover and refrigerate overnight (8 to 12 hours). In the morning, preheat the oven and bake directly from the fridge; you will get a slightly more sour loaf with excellent oven spring.
Christmas Sourdough Bread Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Mix starter, water, and flour; rest 30 minutes. Add salt, sugar, butter, and spices; knead until smooth.
- Bulk ferment 4 hours with stretch and folds every 30-40 minutes, adding cranberries, orange peel, and walnuts after the second fold.
- Shape into a boule, rest 15 minutes, then place seam up in a floured banneton.
- Proof at room temperature 2-3 hours until puffy; preheat Dutch oven to 450°F toward the end.
- Turn out onto parchment, score, and bake covered at 450°F for 20 minutes. Uncover, lower to 400°F, and bake 15-20 minutes until internal temp reaches 200-205°F. Cool completely on a rack.
Notes
