Saving Room for Dessert

Delicious easy-to-follow recipes for food lovers!

  • Recipe Index
    • Appetizers
    • Breads & Muffins
    • Breakfast
    • Candy
    • Cookies
    • Cupcakes & Cakes
    • Desserts
    • Frozen Treats
    • Main Course
    • Other Yummy Stuff
    • Pies
    • Pizza
    • Salads
    • Sandwiches
    • Smoothies
    • Soups, Stews & Chili
    • Veges & Side Dishes
  • Travel
  • About Me
    • Disclosure and Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • facebook
  • pinterest
  • twitter
  • Instagram
  • Contact
Home
  • Recipe Index
    • Appetizers
    • Breads & Muffins
    • Breakfast
    • Candy
    • Cookies
    • Cupcakes & Cakes
    • Desserts
    • Frozen Treats
    • Main Course
    • Other Yummy Stuff
    • Pies
    • Pizza
    • Salads
    • Sandwiches
    • Smoothies
    • Soups, Stews & Chili
    • Veges & Side Dishes
  • Travel
  • About Me
    • Disclosure and Privacy Policy
  • Contact

Harvest Bread with fruit and nuts

  Jump to Recipe |    8 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Fruit and nut filled (almost no-knead) Harvest Bread

 

A golden brown loaf of Harvest Bread on a cooling rack

No mixer required and very little kneading

This Harvest Bread is one of the easiest bread recipes you’ll ever make! It comes out of the oven golden brown and crusty on the outside with a soft and chewy middle, and so darn delicious!

This homemade loaf is loaded with flavor from the dried cranberries, nuts, golden raisins, orange juice and orange zest. It’s not a sweet bread but you’ll enjoy little pops of chewy sweetness from the cranberries and raisins in every bite.

 

Bread mixture in a bowl before rising

Ingredients needed to make Harvest Bread:

  • dried cranberries
  • golden raisins
  • zest and juice from 1 large orange
  • all-purpose flour – or bread flour works well too
  • table salt
  • instant or rapid-rise yeast
  • pecans or walnuts – occasionally walnuts can cause the bread to have a slight purple hue. This does not affect the flavor of the loaf.
  • water – tepid or room temperature
  • vegetable cooking spray

Equipment needed:

  • large Dutch oven with lid, or a clay baker
  • firm spatula or wooden spoon
  • parchment paper
  • plastic wrap
  • large mixing bowl
  • instant-read thermometer

A rustic loaf of bread on a cooling rack

How to make easy homemade Harvest Bread:

This is a two day project with very little hands on time.

Day one:

  1. First, combine the cranberries, raisins and fresh orange juice in a small bowl. Cover and microwave then set aside to soften for 15 minutes.
  2. Drain the fruit, reserving the soaking liquid. Add enough tepid water to make 1 1/2 cups.
  3. Whisk together the flour and salt. TIP: You can actually kill yeast by mixing it directly with salt. That’s why I always mix the flour and salt together first, then add the yeast. Adding yeast directly to salt may cause it to deactivate or at the very least slow the rise time. Dilute salt by mixing with flour first!
  4. Next add the yeast, orange zest, nuts and drained fruit. Stir to combine. Add the water mixture and stir with a wooden spoon or firm spatula until all flour is incorporated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature (about 70 degrees F is best) for at least 12 hours or up to 20 hours.

Day 2 – Ready to bake:

  1. Cut a piece of parchment paper to a 12 inch square. Lay the parchment on a countertop and lightly coat with vegetable cooking spray.
  2. Turn the dough out onto a well floured, clean work surface. Sprinkle the top of the dough with more flour. Stretch a portion of the dough skyward, then fold over the top of the remaining dough. Turn the dough and repeat a few times, but take care to not over-work.
  3. Gently shape the dough into a ball by pulling the edges toward the middle and pinch together to seal. Transfer the dough, seam side down, to the prepared parchment. Lightly coat the surface of the dough with vegetable cooking spray.
  4. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and transfer to a warm, draft-free location. Let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
  5. Transfer the dough to a large Dutch oven.  Place the lid on top and put in a cold oven. Turn the oven on to 425F and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and continue baking until the bread is dark golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 205 to 210 F on an instant-read thermometer.
  6. Allow the bread to cool on a wire rack before slicing.

TIP: For a good rise, place the dough in a warm location, especially for the second rise. My house is cold in the winter so I use my microwave as a proofing oven. The bread is not exposed to cold drafts and will rise a bit easier. If your house is cold, like mine, you may need a longer second rise.

 

 

An overhead view of a slice loaf of rustic Harvest Bread with cranberries and raisins

Can you make this bread without a Dutch oven?

Using a covered Dutch oven to bake this bread is key to achieving a crispy crust. This method traps moisture from the dough and creates steam. It may seem counterintuitive, but steam is what creates that amazing crust.

However, if you don’t have a covered Dutch oven or clay-style baker, you can still make this bread with great results. Form the bread and place on a good quality, heavy weight, light-colored baking pan. Preheat the oven to 450F for at least 30-minutes. Place a pie pan with 1-inch of hot water on the bottom of the oven just before baking the bread.

Bake the bread uncovered until golden brown and done all the way through. The loaf should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. If it’s browning too quickly, tent with foil.

 

Can you freeze Harvest Bread?

Harvest Bread freezes well for up to 30 days. Thaw at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.

While Harvest Bread is best eaten the day it’s made, it keeps well at room temperature for up to 3 days sealed in an airtight container.

 

Harvest Bread sliced in half showing raisins and cranberries

Check out that amazing hole-filled structure!

Bread nerds are happy to tell you how important it is to have a lot of webbing and irregular sized holes in the structure of the bread. It’s also essential to have a crispy crust that’s been baked to dark golden brown perfection.

With very little effort, this loaf achieves all that and delivers amazing flavor, too!

 

 

A plate with a slice of buttered Harvest bread

Our favorite ways to serve this terrific Harvest Bread

  • Thick sliced and slathered with sweet, creamy butter is a perfect.
  • Smear on a little jam or honey and serve with a cup of tea.
  • This bread also toasts very well. Brown one side or two, under the broiler or in the toaster, it’s all good!
  • Use Harvest Bread to make the best grilled cheese sandwich, ever!
  • Our absolute favorite way to enjoy Harvest Bread is with sliced turkey, cheese, lettuce and tomato. Smear a little mayo or honey mustard on the bread to glue it all together. This is a fantastic sandwich you’ll want to make again and again.
  • And finally, another terrific sandwich combo includes thin sliced apples, deli turkey, cheese and hot pepper jelly. Brown in a skillet like a grilled cheese, or press like a Panini and serve. Wow!

 

Thanks for PINNING!

A round loaf of Harvest Bread sliced showing cranberries, nuts and raisins

Let’s be baking friends! If you make our recipe please feel free to leave a comment on this post. I’m sure your experience and insights will help all our readers, and it helps me too. If you’re on Pinterest feel free to leave a comment and photo there if you have one!

If you share on INSTAGRAM tag @savingroomfordessert so we can stop by and give your post some love. FOLLOW Saving Room for Dessert on FACEBOOK| INSTAGRAM| PINTEREST | TWITTER  and subscribe to our YOUTUBE channel for all the latest recipes, videos and updates.

 

A sliced loaf of cranberry raisin bread
5 from 2 votes

Harvest Bread

Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 1 hr
Total Time: 13 hrs 20 mins
Yield: 10
Course: Bread
Author: Tricia
PRINT RECIPE
an easy, almost no-knead bread loaded with fruit, nuts and flavor!

Equipment

  • Covered large Dutch oven

Ingredients

  • 1 cup dried cranberries (4 1/2 oz or 130g)
  • ¾ cup golden raisins 4oz or 100g
  • zest and juice from 1 orange
  • 3 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour or bread flour (445g)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • ½ teaspoon instant or rapid-rise yeast
  • ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts (50g)
  • tepid water

Instructions

  • Combine the cranberries, raisins and orange juice in a small bowl. Cover and microwave until steaming, about 1 minute. Set aside until softened, about 15 minutes. Drain the cranberries reserving the orange juice. Add enough room temperature water to the soaking liquid to measure 1 ½ cups.
  • In a large bowl whisk together the flour and salt. Add the yeast, orange zest, cranberries, raisins and nuts. Stir to combine. Add the water and stir with a firm spatula or wooden spoon until all flour is incorporated.
  • Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature (about 70°F) for at least 12 or up to 20 hours. The dough is ready when it’s well risen and the surface is a little bubbly.
  • Cut a piece of parchment paper to a 12 by 12 square. Lay the parchment on a countertop and lightly coat with vegetable cooking spray.
  • Turn the dough out onto a well floured, clean work surface. Sprinkle the top of the dough with more flour. Stretch the dough skyward and fold it over a few times. Don’t overwork the dough.
  • Gently shape the dough into a ball by pulling the edges toward the middle. Transfer the dough, seam side down, to the middle of the prepared parchment. Lightly coat the surface of the dough with vegetable cooking spray.
  • Lift the dough using the four corners of the parchment and lower it into a large Dutch oven. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm location until the dough has doubled in size, about 2 hours. Test by gently pressing a finger or knuckle into the dough. If a slight indentation remains, it’s ready.
  • Adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Remove the plastic wrap and discard. Lightly dust the top of the dough with flour. Cut a 6-inch long, 1/2-inch deep slit along the top of the dough. Place the lid on the Dutch oven and put in the cold oven.
  • Heat the oven to 450°F and bake the bread for 30 minutes. Start the timer as soon as you put the dough in the cold oven.
  • Remove the lid and continue baking for 25 to 35 minutes longer or until the bread is deep golden brown and the internal temperature registers 205 to 210°F on an instant-read thermometer. Tent with foil if needed to prevent over-browning.
  • Remove from the pot and transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely before slicing.

Recipe Notes

Bread is best eaten the day it’s made but will keep at room temperature for several days, well wrapped. Freeze for longer storage.

Nutrition

Calories: 261kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 352mg | Potassium: 159mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 3IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 2mg
  • Share
  • Yum
  • Tweet

Before you leave

Join my free email list and get a FREE e-cookbook!
Never miss a recipe - sign up today!

You may also like these

Easy 90-Minute RollsParker House RollsChocolate Hazelnut BreadChocolate Marbled Pumpkin Bread RecipeA toasted slice of cinnamon swirl breadCinnamon Swirl Bread

Delicious Dinner Inspiration!

from quick & easy to company worthy

Previous Post: Chocolate Walnut Cookies
Next Post: Homemade Vanilla Pudding

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

8 Comments

  1. b says

    March 1, 2021 at 1:27 pm

    5 stars
    Going to make this for the second time.
    First time turned out great!
    Love it toasted for breakfast with butter.
    Going to try as chicken sandwich.
    Love it!

    reply to this comment >
    • Tricia Buice says

      March 1, 2021 at 1:46 pm

      Thanks so much B! My husband is absolutely nuts for this bread. We make it often and especially love it as a base for sandwiches. Enjoy!

      reply to this comment >
  2. Val says

    February 19, 2021 at 3:17 pm

    5 stars
    Just made this bread,,,omg so delicious,,I have some fruit peel left from Christmas so added that in ,in place of the cranberries very nice and easy recipe
    Thanks for sharing

    reply to this comment >
    • Tricia Buice says

      February 20, 2021 at 12:35 pm

      That’s terrific Val! So glad you tried this recipe. Leftover fruit peel is a terrific substitution for the cranberries. I hope you’ll try this as a sandwich bread, too. What a fantastic lunch!

      reply to this comment >
  3. J E says

    February 18, 2021 at 1:00 pm

    Is it possible to omit the nuts as I am not suppose to eat any nuts or seeds?

    reply to this comment >
    • Tricia Buice says

      February 19, 2021 at 8:24 am

      Hi Jenn. Yes you can skip the nuts and no other adjustments are needed. If you want, you can add a few more raisins or cranberries. Enjoy!

      reply to this comment >
  4. angiesrecipes says

    February 16, 2021 at 10:38 pm

    My husband loves bread loaded with nuts and fruits…this is a perfect one for him. Love that golden crust!
    angiesrecipes
    http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

    reply to this comment >
    • Tricia Buice says

      February 17, 2021 at 12:46 pm

      Thank you Angie. Hope he loves it as much as we do 🙂

      reply to this comment >

NEVER MISS A RECIPE

Join my free email list and receive a free e-cookbook!

Trending Now!

Skillet Chicken and Mushroom Wine Sauce

Skillet Chicken and Mushroom Wine Sauce

Old fashioned peach cobbler with shortcake crust

Old fashioned peach cobbler with shortcake crust

Pioneer Woman’s Cinnamon Rolls

Pioneer Woman’s Cinnamon Rolls

All Content Copyright Saving Room For Dessert © 2021 • Privacy Policy • Site Design by Emily White Designs

  • Pin
  • Share
  • Yum
  • Tweet
204shares