Cranberry Wild Rice Bread Recipe

Cranberry wild rice bread is a hearty and lightly whole grain bread perfect for toast and more.

This homemade bread is lightly sweet and full of texture from wild rice, dried cranberries, and chopped nuts all baked into a rustic loaf that’s as beautiful as it is satisfying. I make this once or twice a year, usually when wild rice is on sale, and it always feels like a bit of an occasion. Wild rice isn’t cheap, but a loaf of this bread is worth every penny.

This homemade bread is satisfying and delightful for keeping and sharing with loved ones.

Lightly Whole Grain

There is just 2 cups of whole grain flour in these loaves, mixed with regular white bread flour. This is enough to give it some heartiness without making it too heavy.

I used a mixture of medium rye and whole-wheat flour. Feel free to mix it up according to your own tastes and what is hand.

Should you use all bread flour, you may need to add more than the recipe states as rye and whole wheat flours tend to absorb more water.

Fruit & Nuts

The original recipe uses dried cranberries. However, most any dried fruit can be substituted. Consider using dried sour cherries, raisins, dried apples, etc. Use whatever you have on hand or even a mixture for tasty loaves. My dried cranberry muffins are another great way to bake with dried cranberries if you have extras.

I use walnuts most often in this bread, simply because I generally have some in the pantry. Feel free to use any other nut you prefer or have around. Also, skip the nuts if it’s simply not your favorite.

A Bit of Fat

A little olive oil gives the bread just a hint of flavor and fat that is quite delightful.

Don’t want to use olive oil, use melted butter or melted margarine instead.

Wild Rice

Cooked wild rice is needed for this recipe. I generally make extra rice when cooking it for dinner and save the leftovers for bread baking. It’s a practical way to justify the cost since wild rice can be expensive.

If you want to cook it specifically for this recipe, combine ⅓ cup wild rice with 1⅓ cups water in a small saucepan, cover, and simmer over medium-low heat until tender and the water is absorbed, about an hour.

Other rice or a wild rice blend could be likely substituted for straight wild rice but I have not tested it.

Difficulty Level : Intermediate

This is a great recipe for a bread baker looking to build skills. There is a modest amount of whole grain flour to get comfortable with, and the free-form rustic loaf shape is a nice change from the standard loaf pan. The dough is heavier than a basic white bread dough, which is normal. Trust the process and give it plenty of kneading time.

Troubleshooting

The dough is very stiff and hard to knead. This is a naturally heavier dough because of the whole grain flours, wild rice, and fruit. Make sure you’re not adding too much extra flour, knead firmly and give it time. If it’s genuinely unworkable, add warm water a tablespoon at a time.

The bread didn’t rise well. Check that your yeast foamed properly in the first step. Also make sure your water temperature is warm but not hot. Dense add-ins like wild rice and cranberries can slow the rise slightly, so give it a little extra time if needed rather than rushing it along.

The loaves spread out instead of rising up. This is common with free-form loaves, especially with heavier doughs. Make sure to shape the loaves tightly before the second rise and place them on a greased or lined baking sheet. Slash the tops just before baking to give the bread a direction to expand.

The cranberries are burning on the surface. If cranberries are exposed on the top of the loaf they can scorch before the bread is fully baked. Tent loosely with foil after the first 20 minutes if you notice browning happening too fast.

The interior is gummy or underbaked. With a dense, add-in-heavy dough, baking time can run toward the longer end. Tap the bottom of each loaf — it should sound fully hollow. An instant read thermometer should read 190 to 200°F in the center when done.

How to Store

Store cooled loaves in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. The dried cranberries help keep the loaf moist longer than a plain bread.

These loaves of bread freeze delightfully. Let baked loaves cool completely on a wire rack.

Once cool place the loaves into air tight bags and freeze until needed.

Alternatively, slice the cooled loaves and place slices into bags and freeze. This way you can just remove a couple slices at a time, if desired.

Use up frozen bread within 6 months for best flavor and to prevent freezer burn.