Sourdough Cranberry Orange Bread is a mouthwatering treat you can enjoy any time of day.
With a perfectly crispy crust and a soft, tangy center, each bite is bursting with sweet, tart cranberries and the bright zest of fresh oranges.
This bread is sure to become a staple in your home!
Ruby Ann and I make this bread together every autumn and winter, especially on those chilly mornings when the cottage feels extra cozy.
We wake up early, head into the warm kitchen, and sip on hot mulled apple cider while preparing our favorite cranberry sourdough.
It’s become a seasonal tradition for us, and each time we bake it, the comforting aroma fills the air, reminding us of the years we’ve spent perfecting this recipe.
There’s just something about the mix of tangy sourdough and sweet cranberries that makes this bread a must-bake during the colder months!
You can check out the video of us making this delicious bread together in the FAQ section below.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Bright and Tangy Flavor: This bread is full of flavor, thanks to the combination of active sourdough starter, dried cranberries, and fresh orange juice. The sourdough adds a tangy taste that pairs perfectly with the sweet cranberries, while the orange zest adds a fresh, citrusy kick.
Simple Ingredients: With basic ingredients like bread flour, whole wheat flour, and orange zest, you’ll have everything you need to make this amazing bread. The steps are easy to follow, even if it’s your first time baking sourdough.
Perfect for Any Meal: Whether you enjoy it with butter and jam for breakfast or use it to make sandwiches for lunch, it’s sure to impress everyone. It’s also a great recipe to share during the holiday season.
Tips on How To Make Sourdough Cranberry Orange Bread
- Soak the Cranberries: Before adding them to the dough, soak the dried cranberries in warm water or fresh orange juice.
- Zest the Orange: Use a fine grater to zest the orange. Be careful not to grate the white part of the peel, as it can taste bitter.
- Use Bread Flour: Bread flour has more protein than all-purpose flour, which helps your bread rise better and gives it a chewy texture.
FAQ
What is Sourdough Cranberry Orange Bread?
Sourdough Cranberry Orange Bread is a type of bread made with sourdough starter, dried cranberries, and fresh orange zest. It has a tangy flavor from the sourdough and a sweet and tart taste from the cranberries and orange.
How Do I Store Sourdough Cranberry Orange Bread?
To store this bread, wrap it in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, you can freeze the bread for up to 3 months.
Can I Make This Bread Without a Sourdough Starter?
To achieve the unique flavor and texture of this bread, a sourdough starter is ideal. However, if you don’t have one, you can substitute the starter with 1 tablespoon of instant yeast. Here’s how to adjust the recipe:
- Proof the Yeast: Dissolve 1 tablespoon of instant yeast in 1/4 cup of warm water (about 100°F) with 1 teaspoon of sugar. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it becomes foamy, indicating that the yeast is active.
- Adjust Liquids and Flour: Since sourdough starter adds both liquid and flour to the dough, you may need to adjust the recipe. Start by reducing the total liquid (e.g., orange juice) by 1/4 cup and gradually add more liquid or flour as needed during the mixing process to achieve the correct dough consistency. The dough should be soft but not sticky.
- Shorten Fermentation Times: With instant yeast, the fermentation process will be faster. Allow the dough to rise for 1-2 hours or until it has doubled in size during the bulk fermentation. Skip the long overnight fermentation typically used with sourdough starter.
- Proceed with the Recipe: Follow the remaining steps, such as shaping, proofing, and baking, as instructed. The second proof will also take less time, usually 30-45 minutes, depending on the room temperature.
While using instant yeast won’t replicate the exact flavor profile of sourdough, this adjustment allows you to enjoy a quicker version of the bread with delicious results.
How Do I Make Sourdough Cranberry Orange Bread?
Start by soaking the cranberries in fresh orange juice. Then, mix your active sourdough starter or discard with bread flour, rye flour, fresh orange juice, and water. Let the dough rest, then add the cranberries and orange zest. Shape the dough, let it rise, and bake it in a pre-heated Dutch oven until golden brown.
Tools you may need
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Wooden Spoon or Danish Dough Hook
- Dutch Oven
- Bread Lame
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Ingredients you will need
Dried Cranberries: These add a chewy texture and tart flavor to the bread.
Fresh Orange Juice: Adds a bright citrus flavor.
Sourdough Starter: The key ingredient that adds tanginess and helps the bread rise.
Bread Flour: Gives the bread a chewy texture and helps it rise.
Rye Flour: Adds a nutty flavor and dense texture.
Salt: Enhances the flavor of the bread.
Water: Hydrates the dough and helps activate the yeast.
Orange Zest: Adds a fresh, citrusy flavor.
How To Make Sourdough Cranberry Orange Bread
Step 1: Soak the Cranberries
The day before baking, soak dried cranberries in 50g of fresh orange juice for a few hours or overnight to allow them to plump up and absorb flavor.
Step 2: Mix the Dough
In a large mixing bowl, combine your active sourdough starter with bread flour (you can exchange bread four for whole wheat flour 1:1 but it will be very dense), rye flour, 245g fresh orange juice, and water. Mix the ingredients until a shaggy dough forms. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes to allow the flour to hydrate. This rest period is the autolyse phase, which allows the flour to hydrate and gluten to develop.
Step 3: Add In Your Flavors
Add salt, orange zest, and the soaked cranberries to the dough. Perform the first stretch and fold to evenly incorporate the ingredients.
Step 4: Rest and Shape
Allow the dough to rest, then do three additional stretches and folds, spacing each 45 minutes apart. Shape the dough into a tight ball and place it in a floured banneton or loaf pan. Cover with a tea towel and let it rise for 4-5 hours. At this point, you can either refrigerate it overnight or move on to Step 5 and bake.
Step 5: Bake the Bread
Preheat your oven to 450°F. You can pre heat an empty Dutch oven inside or use the Dutch oven cold either way will yield great results. Remove the dough from the fridge, score it with a sharp knife, and carefully place it in the hot Dutch oven. Place your dough on a piece of parchment paper or lightly flour the Dutch oven to prevent sticking when transferring the dough. Add two ice cubes to the pot to create steam and bake with the lid on for 30 minutes. Then, remove the lid and bake for another 15 minutes until the crust is golden brown.
Step 6: Cool and Enjoy
Transfer the bread to a wire rack to cool for at least an hour before slicing.
You can serve this bread with butter, cream cheese, or as a base for a sandwich.
This cranberry orange sourdough bread would be wonderful for leftover turkey from Thanksgiving.
Enjoy your delicious sourdough cranberry orange bread!
Storage Ideas
- Room Temperature: Wrap the bread in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: For longer storage, wrap the bread tightly in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer-safe bag or container to maintain freshness.
- Reheating: To reheat, wrap the bread in foil and place it in a preheated oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes.
For even more delicious, homemade treats, explore our favorite cozy recipes below;
- Cottage Inspired Sourdough Starter Recipe
- Sourdough Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls + Cream Cheese
- Sourdough Apple Fritters Recipe (discard or starter)
- Sourdough Pumpkin Pie Spice French Toast Recipe
- The Best Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte (how to make)
We hope you enjoy this Sourdough Cranberry Orange Bread as much as we do. If you make this recipe, tag us @themoderndaycottage on Instagram and leave a comment below. Don’t forget to 📌 pin this recipe to your 📌 Pinterest board for future baking adventures. Happy Baking!
Sourdough Cranberry Orange Bread (discard or starter)
Ingredients
- 1 cup Dried Cranberries
- 100 g Sourdough Starter
- 295 g Orange Juice ** reserve 50g for rehydrating cranberries
- 105 g Water
- 10 g Salt
- 50 g Rye Flour
- 450 g Bread Flour
How To Make
- Soak the Cranberries: The day before baking, soak dried cranberries in 50g of fresh orange juice for a few hours or overnight.
- Mix the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine your active sourdough starter with bread flour, rye flour, 245g of fresh orange juice, and water. Mix the wet ingredients and dry ingredients until a shaggy dough forms. Let it rest for 30 minutes covered well. This rest period is the autolyse phase, which allows the flour to hydrate and gluten to develop.
- Add Flavor: Add salt, orange zest, and the soaked cranberries to the dough. Do the first stretch fold and cover well in between each stretch and fold.
- Rest and Shape: Let the dough rest, then do three more stretches and folds every 45 minutes. Shape the dough into a tight ball and place it in a floured banneton or loaf pan. Cover with a tea towel and let it rise for 4-5 hours, then refrigerate overnight or skip refrigeration and move to STEP 5 and Bake.
- Bake the Bread: Preheat your oven to 450°F and place an empty Dutch oven inside to heat up. Take the dough out of the fridge, score it with a sharp knife, and place it in the hot Dutch oven. Add two ice cubes to create steam and bake for 30 minutes with the lid on. Then, remove the lid and bake for another 15 minutes until golden brown.
- Cool and Enjoy: Let the bread cool on a wire rack for at least an hour before slicing.
Notes
- Use a Mature Sourdough Starter: Make sure your sourdough starter is active and fed regularly. This will give your bread the best rise and flavor.
- Soak the Cranberries: Before adding them to the dough, soak the dried cranberries in warm water or 50g of fresh orange juice. This keeps them from drying out and adds extra flavor.
- Zest the Orange: Use a fine grater to zest the orange. Be careful not to grate the white part of the peel, as it can taste bitter.
- Use Bread Flour: Bread flour has more protein than all-purpose flour, which helps your bread rise better and gives it a chewy texture.
- Let the Dough Rest: Allow the dough to rest and ferment for enough time. This helps develop the flavor and texture of the bread.
- Bake in a Dutch Oven: Baking your bread in a pre-heated Dutch oven creates steam, which helps the bread rise and gives it a crispy crust.
I’m confused-the title says discard or starter. But in the after comments it says use mature starter. Which is it discard or mature starter?
Also ingredients-the directions say use rye, flour and WHOLE wheat but there’s no amount for the whole wheat.
Thank yuu
Dear Jackie,
Thank you so much for your comment, and for your patience! I completely understand the confusion, and I’m happy to clarify. We’ve updated the blog post to fix the typos you pointed out—so sorry for any mix-ups!
As for the recipe, you can absolutely use either sourdough discard or a mature starter. Using discard just means the dough will take longer to rise, which can actually give you more flexibility with your bulk rise time. In our cozy cottage kitchen, we often prefer discard for the longer ferment, but if we’re in a bit of a rush, we’ll use a mature starter instead.
You’re also right about the whole wheat flour! It wasn’t mentioned clearly in the original post, but you can definitely swap the bread flour for whole wheat if you prefer. Just keep in mind it will make the loaf a bit denser, so it all depends on what texture you’re after.
We really appreciate you pointing these things out—it helps us improve! We’re just a mom-and-daughter duo trying to get our recipes out there, and we’re learning as we go. Please bear with us, and feel free to reach out anytime with more questions or feedback 😊.
Warmly,
Ruby and Emily