Sourdough Fruit Bread: Walnut, Raisin, and Cranberry

Short answer: add 100g toasted walnuts, 80g raisins, and 60g dried cranberries to a basic sourdough at fold 2. Soak the dried fruit in warm water for 10 minutes first to prevent dryness in the crumb.

The recipe

For one boule:

• 500g bread flour
• 350g water (70%)
• 100g active starter
• 10g salt
• 100g walnuts, toasted and chopped
• 80g raisins (soaked in warm water 10 min, drained)
• 60g dried cranberries (soaked in warm water 10 min, drained)
• Optional: 1 tbsp honey for sweetness

Method

Toast walnuts

Spread walnuts on a sheet pan. Toast at 350°F for 8–10 min, until fragrant. Cool.

Soak fruit

Cover raisins and cranberries with warm water. Soak 10 min. Drain well, pat dry.

Mix

Combine flour, water, starter, salt, honey if using. Mix shaggy. Autolyse 30 min.

Bulk

Bulk 4–5 hours at 75°F.

Folds:

• Fold 1 (30 min): standard
• Fold 2 (60 min): add walnuts + raisins + cranberries, distribute evenly
• Fold 3 (90 min): standard
• Fold 4 (120 min): standard

Shape and retard

Pre-shape, rest 30 min. Final shape.

Cold retard 12–18 hours.

Bake

Preheat Dutch oven 475°F for 60 min.

Score lightly. Bake covered 18 min. Uncover, bake 22 min until deep amber.

Why soak the dried fruit

Dry raisins and cranberries:

• Pull moisture from the dough
• Stay tough in the bread
• Sometimes burn at exposed surfaces

Soaked fruit:

• Plump and juicy in the crumb
• Doesn't dry the dough
• More tender bite

Don't skip the soak.

Why toast the walnuts

Toasted walnuts:

• More aromatic
• Better texture
• Less oily aftertaste
• Better integration with the bread

Raw walnuts in bread are fine but flat-tasting compared to toasted.

Variations

Cinnamon raisin walnut

Add 1 tbsp cinnamon to the dough. Skip cranberries.

Cherry pecan

Replace cranberries with dried cherries. Replace walnuts with pecans.

Apricot almond

Replace fruit with chopped dried apricots and slivered almonds.

Date and walnut

Replace cranberries with chopped Medjool dates. Sweeter, denser.

Rye and fruit

Replace 100g bread flour with rye. Earthier base for the fruit.

Holiday loaf

Add 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp clove. Add zest of 1 orange.

Storage

Fruit bread keeps:

• Counter, cloth bag: 4 days (the fruit and nuts extend life)
• Refrigerated: 1 week
• Frozen, wrapped: 2 months

Toasts beautifully on day 2+.

What to serve with

Fruit bread is built for:

• Cheese (especially aged cheddar, blue cheese, brie)
• Butter (sweet cream)
• Honey
• Coffee or tea
• Fruit (fresh apple, pear)

It's a snack, not a sandwich bread.

A cheese board essential

A wedge of fruit bread on a cheese board:

• Sweet, fruity, nutty
• Pairs with sharp cheeses
• Better than store-bought crackers
• Conversation starter

Slice thin. Arrange around cheeses.

A breakfast bread

Toast thick slices. Top with:

• Cream cheese
• Or salted butter
• Or almond butter
• Or yogurt and honey

A satisfying breakfast that feels like dessert.

Why this is a "wow" bread

When you slice a fruit-and-nut sourdough:

• Bright cranberry pieces
• Plump amber raisins
• Toasted walnut chunks
• Distributed throughout

It looks impressive and tastes complex.

A holiday bake

For Thanksgiving or Christmas:

• Bake this bread the day before
• Serve with a cheese plate before dinner
• Or pair with the meal

It elevates a basic dinner spread.

Why home beats store

Store-bought fruit bread:

• Often dry
• Sparse fruit and nuts
• Lacks sourdough complexity
• Expensive ($8–15 per small loaf)

Homemade:

• Generously studded
• Fresh, soft fruit
• Real toasted nuts
• Sourdough depth
• $5 total

The difference is dramatic.

A pan-version for sandwiches

For a sliceable fruit bread:

• Same recipe
• Shape as a log
• Use 9x5 pan
• Proof 90 min
• Bake at 425°F for 35–40 min

Now you can make fruit bread sandwiches:

• Brie + apple
• Goat cheese + honey + walnut
• Almond butter + sliced banana

Cost per loaf

Ingredients:

• Bread flour: $1
• Walnuts: $2
• Dried fruit: $2
• Total: $5

Bakery equivalent: $12–18.

A weekend bake

Friday night:

• Feed starter
• Soak fruit overnight (just water)

Saturday morning:

• Mix and bulk

Saturday evening:

• Shape and retard

Sunday morning:

• Bake fresh
• Eat with weekend brunch

This becomes a weekend tradition.

A fruit-and-nut formula

For experimentation, the formula:

• 500g flour
• 240g add-ins total (nuts + dried fruit, in any combination)
• 70% hydration
• Standard sourdough method

Within 240g, mix and match:

• 100g nuts + 140g dried fruit (sweeter)
• 140g nuts + 100g dried fruit (nuttier)
• 60g chocolate + 80g cherry + 100g almond (decadent)

The formula is forgiving.

A final note

Fruit-and-nut sourdough is one of the most satisfying breads to bake.

The dough is easy to work with. The bake is forgiving. The presentation is beautiful. The flavor is complex.

Bake one for a special occasion. Slice it for guests. They'll ask for the recipe.

Make it a regular weekend bake and you'll always have a special bread on hand.