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–+ servings

Cranberry Pecan Sourdough Recipe

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One of my cottage bakery best sellers! Sourdough with fresh pecans and dried cranberries folded in. My favorite breakfast bread, toasted with butter and a sprinkle of salt.
Prep Time 1 day
Cook Time 45 minutes
Servings 1 loaf

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch Oven
  • 1 proofing basket (banneton) or towel-lined bowl

Ingredients

Dough

  • 50 grams bubbly, active sourdough starter
  • 365 grams warm filtered water
  • 450 grams bread flour
  • 50 grams whole wheat flour (I use spelt)
  • 10 grams fine sea salt

Inclusions

  • 75 grams pecans, roughly chopped see notes
  • 90 grams dried cranberries, roughly chopped see notes

Instructions

  • Mix the Dough. Stir together your starter and water until it looks milky. Add both flours and the salt. Mix until everything is fully combined and no dry flour remains. Really make sure there's nothing dry hiding at the bottom of the bowl. The dough will feel sticky, but that's exactly right. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes. While it rests, feed your starter.
  • First Stretch + Fold (Add Inclusions). Sprinkle a third of the cranberries and pecans over the dough. Dampen your hands, lift one side of the dough up and fold it over to tuck them in. Repeat twice more with the remaining inclusions, folding and rotating the bowl between each addition, until you've gone all the way around and everything is evenly distributed. Cover and rest 30 minutes.
  • Second + Third Stretch + Folds. Do two more rounds of folds, about 30 minutes apart, to strengthen the dough and finish distributing the inclusions. After the third round, cover the dough and move into bulk fermentation.
  • Bulk Ferment. Let the dough rise, covered at room temperature, until it's soft, airy, lighter to the touch, and no longer sticky. It will also have a domed top. At 70°F, this takes about 8 to 10 hours. I usually mix in the evening and let it rise overnight, but you can mix in the morning and let it rise through the day instead, if that works better for your schedule (see notes).
  • Pre-shape. Once bulk fermentation is done, turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Fold it in toward the center a few times to create a round, then flip it over so it is seam side down, and let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes, uncovered, so the gluten can relax.
    * Alternatively, you can use the 'candy cane' method of preshaping (video shown). This is much faster especially when bulk baking! But, just use whichever method seems most natural to you.
  • Final Shape. Flip the dough so the seam faces up. Take two opposite sides, lift and clasp them over each other in the center, then rotate the dough 90° and clasp the other two sides the same way (the Caddy Clasp). Tuck any exposed cranberries back into the dough, then place seam-side up into a floured proofing basket or floured towel-lined bowl.
  • Second Rise. Let the dough rise for 1 to 2 hours at room temperature, or transfer to the fridge for a cold proof. I usually choose the fridge, the dough is easier to score when cold and you can bake anytime within the next 2 days, straight from the fridge.
  • Bake. Preheat your oven to 450°F with your Dutch oven inside for at least 30 minutes. Flip the dough out of the basket onto a piece of parchment, score with a bread lame or sharp knife, and use the parchment as a sling to lower it into the Dutch oven. Bake for 20 minutes covered, then 25 to 30 minutes uncovered, until the crust is deeply golden. Cool on a wire rack for at least one hour before slicing. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Slice and freeze for easy breakfasts. A day after baking, slice the loaf and freeze the slices in a ziplock bag. The crumb is fully set by then so it slices cleanly, and you can toast straight from frozen.
  • Tuck in exposed cranberries. Any cranberries sitting on the surface of the dough will scorch in the oven. Poke them back inside during shaping for a clean, golden crust.
  • Toasting the pecans? I use fresh pecans straight in. If yours have been in the pantry a while, a quick 5 minute toast at 350°F will wake the flavor back up, just let them cool completely before adding.
  • Soaking the cranberries is optional. If your dried cranberries are very firm, soak them in hot water for 10 minutes and drain well before adding. Skip this if they're already soft and plump. I've heard of bakers soaking theirs in orange juice for a cranberry-orange twist, and it's on my list to try!
  • Cold proof flexibility. The shaped dough holds beautifully in the fridge for up to 2 days, so you can bake on whatever morning suits you.
  • Nighttime schedule. This is usually what I do. Mix in the evening, bulk through the night, shape in the morning, and bake after the second rise, or store in the fridge after shaping (cold proof) to bake anytime within the next 2 days.
  • Daytime schedule. This recipe flips easily. Mix in the morning, bulk through the day, shape in the evening, then bake that night or cold proof overnight. Daytime kitchens run warmer, so bulk may finish closer to 6 to 8 hours. Watch the dough, not the clock.