Description
A delightful and festive bread perfect for the holiday season, filled with cranberries and nuts.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 packet (2 ¼ teaspoons) active dry yeast
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ cup whole milk, warmed to 110°F
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg (for egg wash)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups of flour, yeast, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir until well mixed.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the warmed milk, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract.
- Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing until combined.
- Add the remaining flour, ½ cup at a time, until a soft dough forms.
- Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 5-7 minutes until smooth and elastic, incorporating the dried cranberries and nuts during the last minute of kneading.
- Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise in a warm area for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Punch down the risen dough and shape it into a loaf. Place the loaf in a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan.
- Cover and let it rise again for 30-45 minutes.
- Beat the additional egg and brush it over the top of the loaf for a golden finish.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.
- Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- For a sweeter bread, add ½ cup of brown sugar instead of granulated sugar.
- You can substitute the cranberries with raisins or dried cherries for a different flavor.
- For a festive touch, sprinkle powdered sugar on top after cooling.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 50mg
Keywords: Festive Christmas Bread, Holiday Bread, Christmas Recipe