No-Knead Rosemary Cranberry Bread
A rustic, crusty loaf with sweet dried cranberries, fragrant rosemary, and a soft, chewy center. This easy overnight bread requires no kneading and bakes beautifully in a Dutch oven.
Makes: 1 large loaf
Prep time: 15 minutes
Rise time: 12–18 hours
Bake time: 45–50 minutes
Total time: About 13–19 hours
Ingredients
- 3 cups (375 g) bread flour or all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- 1½ cups (360 ml) lukewarm water
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, optional
- ¾ cup (100 g) dried cranberries
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary, optional
- ½ cup (60 g) chopped walnuts or pecans, optional
- 1 teaspoon orange zest, optional but highly recommended
For the topping
- 1 tablespoon dried cranberries
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon flour, for dusting
Instructions
1. Combine the dry ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and yeast.
Add the dried cranberries, chopped rosemary, orange zest, and nuts if using.
Toss everything together so the cranberries and rosemary are evenly distributed.
2. Add the wet ingredients
Pour in the lukewarm water.
Add the honey and olive oil.
Using a wooden spoon or sturdy spatula, stir until everything is combined.
The dough should look shaggy, sticky, and somewhat wet.
Don’t add lots of extra flour—the high moisture is what helps create the beautiful open crumb.
3. Cover and let rise
Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, a lid, or a clean kitchen towel.
Leave it at room temperature for 12–18 hours.
Overnight is ideal.
After rising, the dough should have roughly doubled in size and have bubbles visible on the surface.
4. Prepare the dough
Lightly flour your work surface.
Turn the dough onto the surface.
Sprinkle a little flour over the top so you can handle it without it sticking excessively.
Gently fold the dough over itself several times.
Don’t knead it.
Shape it into a loose ball.
5. Let it rest
Place a piece of parchment paper on your counter and dust it lightly with flour.
Put the dough on the parchment, seam-side down.
Cover loosely with a clean towel.
Let it rest for 30–45 minutes.
While it rests, prepare the Dutch oven.
6. Preheat the Dutch oven
Place a 5–6 quart Dutch oven with its lid inside your oven.
Preheat to 450°F (230°C).
Allow the Dutch oven to heat for at least 30 minutes.
The extremely hot pot helps the bread rise quickly and creates a crisp crust.
7. Prepare the loaf
Just before baking, sprinkle the top with a little flour.
Scatter a few additional dried cranberries and chopped rosemary over the surface.
Using a sharp knife or bread lame, make one or two shallow cuts across the top.
This gives the bread a controlled place to expand while baking.
8. Bake covered
Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven.
Using the parchment paper as a sling, lower the dough into the pot.
Cover with the lid.
Bake at 450°F (230°C) for 30 minutes.
Don’t open the oven during this stage.
The covered pot traps steam, which helps produce a crisp, glossy crust.
9. Bake uncovered
Remove the lid.
Continue baking for 15–20 minutes, until the loaf is a deep golden brown.
For an extra-crispy crust, bake for a few additional minutes.
The internal temperature should be approximately 200–210°F (93–99°C).
10. Cool completely
Carefully remove the bread from the Dutch oven.
Transfer it to a wire rack.
Allow it to cool for at least 1 hour before slicing.
The interior continues to set as it cools, so cutting too early can make the crumb gummy.
Tips for the Best Loaf
Use fresh rosemary
Fresh rosemary gives the bread a much brighter, more fragrant flavor than dried rosemary.
Finely chop it so you don’t get large woody pieces in the bread.
Don’t add too much flour
The dough should be sticky.
Adding excessive flour during shaping can make the finished bread heavy instead of light and chewy.
Watch the cranberries
Dried cranberries can become quite sweet when concentrated on the outside of the loaf. Keeping most of them inside the dough gives you a better balance.
Add orange zest
Orange and cranberry are an excellent combination. Even 1 teaspoon of finely grated orange zest makes the bread taste more complex without making it taste strongly citrusy.
Cranberry Rosemary Walnut Version
For a more rustic loaf, use:
- ¾ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup toasted walnuts
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
The walnuts add crunch while the orange zest balances the sweetness of the cranberries.
Savory Version
For a less-sweet bread, omit the honey and use:
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 2 tablespoons rosemary
- ½ cup walnuts
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup grated Parmesan
This version is wonderful served alongside soup or roasted meat.
Serving Ideas
Slice the warm bread and serve with:
- Salted butter
- Honey butter
- Cream cheese
- Brie or goat cheese
- Apple or pear slices
- Turkey and cranberry sandwiches
- Chicken salad
- Tomato soup
- Butternut squash soup
For a delicious breakfast, toast a slice and spread it with cream cheese and a little honey.
Make-Ahead Instructions
You can prepare the dough the night before and let it rise overnight.
For even more flavor, the dough can be refrigerated after the initial rise for up to 24 hours.
Let it sit at room temperature for about 30–45 minutes before shaping and baking.
Storage
Once completely cooled, store the loaf in a paper bag or loosely wrapped kitchen towel at room temperature for 2–3 days.
For longer storage, slice the bread and freeze it in an airtight freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Toast slices directly from frozen.
A Little Extra Flavor
For a beautiful bakery-style loaf, brush the warm crust very lightly with melted butter immediately after baking and sprinkle with a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt.
The combination of crisp rosemary crust, chewy bread, tart-sweet cranberries, toasted nuts, and orange zest makes this loaf especially delicious for breakfast, brunch, or a holiday table. 🍞🌿
