Apple Cranberry Bread
This yeast-raised apple cranberry bread is so soft, tender and delicious. It’s slightly sweet, with a bit of crunch pecans, pieces of dried cranberries and chopped apple throughout, and hints of cinnamon and vanilla.
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 envelope, 7 grams)
- 2 ½-3 cups bread flour , as needed (300-360 grams)
- ¼ cup packed light or dark brown sugar (53 grams)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup milk , whole or 2% preferred (113 grams)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (30 grams)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 apple , peeled and diced (about 125 grams)
- ¼ cup chopped dried cranberries (28 grams)
- ¼ cup chopped pecans (28 grams)
- 1 large egg + 1 tablespoon water , for egg wash (optional)
Instructions
- Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add milk and heat for just a minute until warmed (an instant read thermometer should read 120-130°). Do not heat too much or mixture will be too hot and kill the yeast.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, or a large bowl if mixing by hand, combine 2 cups of the bread flour with yeast, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Add the warm milk and butter mixture, egg, and vanilla extract. Stir with a dough whisk or spatula to form a wet shaggy dough.
- Begin working the dough, either by hand or with a mixer and dough hook on low speed, adding more flour a few tablespoons at a time until the dough is smooth, elastic and mostly clears the bowl. It should still feel very soft and tacky to the touch. You’ll need between 2 ½ to 3 cups flour, though the exact amount will vary. (Don’t add too much or your dough will be dense and dry. Always error on the side of adding too little; more can be added when you roll it out if it's too sticky.)
- Shape the dough into a round, cover the bowl, and let it rise in a warm place for about an hour until the dough has almost doubled in size.
- Gently punch down the dough and knead it a few times. Let it rest for about 10 minutes, then roll out to a large rectangle about 8×14 inches. Top with chopped apples, dried cranberries and pecans.
- Starting at one long end, tightly roll up the bread (don’t let the toppings get squished out!). Either tuck ends under and transfer to a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan for a traditional loaf, or shape into a braid.
- To shape into a braid (optional): Cut the roll of dough down the middle, exposing the inside. Set 2 strands into an “x” and then twist ends over each other from the center outward. Tuck ends under and place in loaf pan.
- Cover the shaped loaf and let it rise more while you preheat the oven to 350°F, about 30 minutes. The bread is ready to bake when it looks slightly puffy (it won’t exactly double in size).
- If you want a shiny golden crust (as shown in these photos), brush the dough with an egg wash before baking. Then, bake for about 30-40 minutes until golden brown. Test for doneness with a toothpick, if it’s clean then the bread is done.
- Let the loaf finish setting up in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then remove it and let it cool completely on a wire rack. (If you let the bread cool completely in the pan it creates condensation and actually makes the bottom a bit soggy.) Once the bread is cool, slice and serve as desired.
Calories: 209kcal, Carbohydrates: 35g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 24mg, Sodium: 14mg, Potassium: 104mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 126IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 33mg, Iron: 1mg
Have you tried this recipe?I’d love to hear about it! Leave a rating and review below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram @completelydelicious with #completelydelicious.
