Chewy, flavorful bread with a golden, crispy crust? YUP! This hearty cinnamon walnut raisin bread checks all the boxes, since it requires no kneading and rises in just 4 hours thanks to instant yeast. Let's dig in!
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Your New Go-To Loaf: No-Knead Bread with Nuts and Dried Fruit
For all those times when you want make homemade bread but can't be bothered to knead dough, I've got the perfect solution for you - no-knead bread! While a lot of no-knead bread recipes require an annoyingly long rise time (we're talking 12+ hours sometimes), I was able to cut it down to just around 4 hours, thanks to the power of instant yeast. So forget waiting overnight - you can bake this easy 7-ingredient loaf all in one day! Seriously, I'm kiiiind of obsessed with artisan no-knead breads, like my no-knead Dutch oven whole wheat bread.
Now listen, this rustic walnut raisin bread recipe is full of flavor, but it's not overly sweet. The raisins add tiny bursts of fruity flavor, but I wanted to keep this loaf pretty neutral. I love it slathered with my whipped strawberry butter for a sweet yet nourishing breakfast. But you can also use it for a savory sandwich with cream cheese, sliced meat, and veggies!
Tip for Baking with Raisins
I loveee adding raisins into yeast breads, like my fluffy raisins buns and my braided raisin bread wreath. They add moisture to the dough and little bursts of fruity goodness!
Normally I soak raisins in warm water or apple juice before adding them into the dough. But in this slowly fermented bread, the raisins can hydrate from the moisture in the dough as it rises, so we don’t need to soak them beforehand.
Ingredients You'll Need: bread flour, whole wheat flour, instant yeast, salt, cinnamon, water, walnuts, raisins, cornmeal.
Let's Bake Cinnamon Walnut Raisin Bread!
For the full step-by-step directions and ingredient quantities, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
1. Mix the bread flour, whole wheat flour, instant yeast, salt, and cinnamon.
2. Add the warm water and mix with a spoon until it forms a dense dough.
3. Mix in the raisins and chopped walnuts.
5. Shape the dough into a ball & place it on parchment paper sprinkled with cornmeal.
7. Bake for 30 minutes covered, then 10 to 15 minutes uncovered.
4. Cover and rise until it doubles in size.
6. Proof the dough while the oven preheats. Carefully transfer it to a hot Dutch oven.
8. Cool your bread for at least one hour, then slice & enjoy!
Carissa's Kitchen Tip
I tested this recipe without the cornmeal, and the bread unfortunately stuck to the parchment paper. Just a little sprinkled under the loaf prevents it from sticking, which is a total lifesaver!
Troubleshooting Your Dutch Oven Raisin Nut Bread
- Dense Bread - To create light, chewy bread, make sure you let it rise until it fully doubles in size.
- Flattened Bread - I’ve tested and tweaked this recipe multiple times to make sure the dough isn’t too wet, which could cause your bread to fall flat.
- Sticky Dough - Sprinkle juuust a little bread flour on your counter when you shape your bread into a boule (round shape) to prevent it from sticking.
- Hard Crust - Keep the lid on your Dutch oven for the first 30 minutes. Otherwise, the outside of the bread will become too crispy or even burnt.
- Bread Didn’t Rise - Now this is super, super important - make sure your yeast isn’t expired! Old yeast won’t allow our dough to rise properly.
- Gummy Slices - It’s worth the wait to allow your bread to cool for at least 30 minutes (even better if it’s a couple hours) before slicing your loaf with a serrated knife.
Suggested Baker's Schedule
Option 1 - All in One Day
Morning: Mix the dough & let it rise.
Afternoon: Shape & proof the dough.
Late afternoon: Bake the bread & enjoy fresh slices for a late afternoon snack.
Option 2 - Overnight
Late night: Mix the dough & let it rise overnight.
Early Morning: Shape & proof the dough.
Morning: Bake the bread & enjoy fresh slices for breakfast.
No-Knead Cinnamon Walnut Raisin Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups bread flour
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 cups warm water (around 105°F to 115°F)
- ¾ cup walnuts, chopped
- ¾ cup raisins
- 1 teaspoon cornmeal (to prevent the loaf from sticking)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the bread flour, whole wheat flour, instant yeast, salt, and cinnamon.
- Add the warm water and mix with a large spoon until it forms a dense dough and there are visible no pockets of dry flour.
- Add the chopped walnuts and raisins, and mix the dense dough until everything is well-combined.
- Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. Set aside at room temperature or in a warm draft-free spot to rise for about 4 to 6 hours, until the dough has doubled in size and looks a little bubbly on top.
- Sprinkle the cornmeal onto a large piece of parchment paper to prevent your loaf from sticking to the paper. Set aside.On a lightly floured surface, shape the dough into a ball. Use your hands to gently push the top of the dough down the sides and underneath to create tension. Push any exposed raisins on top into the dough so they don't burn on the surface.Place the dough ball seam-side-down on the parchment paper. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and allow it to proof at room temperature while the oven preheats.
- Place a Dutch oven with a lid in your oven, and preheat the oven to 450°F. Allow the oven to preheat for at least 20 minutes, to ensure your Dutch oven is really hot.
- Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven from the oven. Pick up your dough by the corners of the parchment paper and carefully place it inside the Dutch oven. Cover with the lid and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the crust is brown and crispy.Carefully lift the bread out of the Dutch oven by the corners of the parchment paper, and allow it to cool on a wire cooling rack for at least 1 hour before slicing. Enjoy!!
Notes
- Make sure your instant yeast isn't expired! Otherwise your bread won't rise.
- I think black raisins (the most common in grocery stores) provide the best flavor and color contrast in this bread, but you could swap in golden raisins if that's what you have on hand.
- Store your cooled loaf wrapped in a kitchen towel or in a large paper bag.
I'm eggcited to hear from you :)