Cranberry Goat Cheese Sourdough

The tangy zip of cranberries mingles with the creamy richness of goat cheese in this extraordinary Cranberry Goat Cheese Sourdough creation. Each slice delivers a perfect balance of tangy, sweet, and savory flavors nestled within a crusty, chewy sourdough base that’s impossible to resist. This elevated bread transforms ordinary ingredients into something truly special that will impress both casual diners and culinary enthusiasts alike. You’ll learn how to perfectly incorporate cranberries and goat cheese into your sourdough for a showstopping bread that’s perfect for holiday gatherings or everyday indulgence.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This Cranberry Goat Cheese Sourdough is a sensory delight that will transform your bread-baking experience. The contrast between the tangy cranberries and the creamy, slightly funky goat cheese creates an irresistible flavor profile that dances on your palate. What makes this recipe truly special is how the slow fermentation of sourdough enhances these flavors, creating depth that store-bought bread simply cannot match.

The gorgeous ruby-red cranberries studded throughout the white sourdough crumb not only taste divine but create a stunning visual presentation that’s perfect for holiday tables. Yet despite its impressive appearance, this recipe is surprisingly forgiving for home bakers. The dough’s long fermentation means timing is flexible, fitting around your schedule rather than demanding precision to the minute.

Best of all, this bread offers incredible versatility—equally perfect for morning toast with butter, as a foundation for gourmet sandwiches, or alongside a festive dinner spread. The Cranberry Goat Cheese Sourdough offers that perfect balance of impressive results with manageable technique.

Ingredients

For the Cranberry Goat Cheese Sourdough, you’ll need:

• 150g (3/4 cup) active sourdough starter, fed and bubbly
• 300g (1 1/4 cups) filtered water at room temperature
• 450g (3 3/4 cups) bread flour
• 50g (1/3 cup) whole wheat flour
• 10g (1 3/4 tsp) fine sea salt
• 120g (1 cup) dried cranberries, preferably unsweetened
• 115g (4 oz) goat cheese, chilled and crumbled
• 15g (1 tbsp) honey
• 5g (1 tsp) orange zest (optional)

The success of your cranberry and goat cheese bread depends significantly on your sourdough starter—it should be active and at its peak when incorporated into the dough. Choose high-quality dried cranberries that aren’t overly sweetened to allow their natural tanginess to complement the goat cheese. Speaking of cheese, a soft, creamy chevre works beautifully in this recipe, bringing a rich creaminess without overpowering the other flavors.

Pro Tips

1. Master the Autolyse: Begin your Cranberry Goat Cheese Sourdough by combining just the flours and water (hold back the starter and salt) and letting this mixture rest for 30-45 minutes before adding the remaining ingredients. This autolyse period allows the flour to fully hydrate, developing better gluten structure and making your dough easier to handle during the folding process. You’ll notice significantly improved extensibility in the dough, which helps with incorporating the cranberries and goat cheese later.

2. Cold Proof for Superior Flavor: After shaping your final loaf, place it in the refrigerator for 12-18 hours before baking. This slow, cold fermentation develops complex flavors in your cranberry sourdough bread that simply can’t be achieved with a quick rise. The cold environment also firms up the goat cheese, preventing it from completely melting into the dough during baking, giving you those beautiful pockets of creamy cheese in the final loaf.

3. Strategic Add-ins: Add your cranberries and goat cheese during the final set of stretch and folds, not earlier. This prevents the cranberries from bleeding too much color into the dough and keeps the goat cheese in distinct pockets rather than being completely incorporated. For the most attractive Cranberry Goat Cheese Sourdough, chill the goat cheese thoroughly before crumbling and handle the dough gently when folding in these ingredients.

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare Your Starter
Begin by ensuring your sourdough starter is active and bubbly. Feed it 8-12 hours before you plan to mix your dough. A properly active starter should double in size and pass the float test – a small portion should float when dropped in water. This foundation is crucial for your Cranberry Goat Cheese Sourdough as it provides both leavening and that distinctive sourdough flavor.

Step 2: Autolyse the Dough
In a large mixing bowl, combine 300g water with both bread and whole wheat flours, mixing until no dry spots remain. Cover the bowl and let this mixture rest for 30-45 minutes. This crucial step allows the flour to fully hydrate, developing the gluten structure before you add the starter and salt.

Step 3: Add Starter and Salt
After the autolyse period, add your 150g active starter and 10g salt to the dough. Use wet hands to incorporate these ingredients by pinching and folding the dough until fully combined. The dough will initially feel sticky but will become smoother as you work with it. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.

Step 4: Develop the Dough Structure
Over the next 2-3 hours, perform 4-6 sets of stretch and folds spaced 30 minutes apart. For each set, grab the dough from underneath, stretch it upward, and fold it over itself. Rotate the bowl and repeat on all four sides. This technique builds strength in your cranberry goat cheese bread dough without aggressive kneading.

Step 5: Add Cranberries and Goat Cheese
During the final set of stretch and folds, gently incorporate the dried cranberries, chilled goat cheese crumbles, honey, and orange zest (if using). Spread half the dough out, scatter half the add-ins over the surface, fold the dough over, and repeat with the remaining ingredients. Be gentle to maintain the dough structure while ensuring even distribution.

Step 6: Bulk Fermentation
Allow the dough to rise at room temperature until it has increased in volume by about 50% and appears bubbly with a domed surface. This typically takes 1-2 hours after your final fold, depending on the temperature of your kitchen. The dough should feel puffy and alive.

Step 7: Shape the Loaf
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a round boule or oval batard, being careful not to deflate it completely. Create tension on the surface by pulling the dough toward you in a circular motion. Transfer the shaped loaf to a floured banneton basket or a bowl lined with a floured kitchen towel, seam side up.

Step 8: Final Proof
Cover the shaped loaf and refrigerate for 12-18 hours. This cold fermentation not only develops flavor but also makes your Cranberry Goat Cheese Sourdough easier to score and bake.

Step 9: Bake
Preheat your oven to 500°F (260°C) with a Dutch oven or baking stone inside. When ready to bake, turn the cold dough onto parchment paper, score the top with a sharp knife or lame, and transfer it to your preheated Dutch oven. Bake covered for 20 minutes, then remove the lid and reduce temperature to 450°F (230°C). Continue baking for another 20-25 minutes until deeply golden and the internal temperature reaches 205-210°F (96-99°C).

Step 10: Cool and Enjoy
Allow your freshly baked Cranberry Goat Cheese Sourdough to cool completely on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing. This cooling period is essential for the crumb to set properly and flavors to fully develop.

Variations

Cranberry Walnut Goat Cheese Sourdough: Add 80g (3/4 cup) of toasted and chopped walnuts along with the cranberries and goat cheese for a delightful textural contrast and nutty flavor that complements the Cranberry Goat Cheese Sourdough perfectly. The walnuts add a pleasant crunch and their slight bitterness balances the sweetness of the cranberries beautifully.

Herb-Infused Version: Incorporate 2 tablespoons of fresh chopped rosemary or thyme into your dough during the final fold. These herbs pair wonderfully with both cranberries and goat cheese, adding an aromatic complexity to your cranberry sourdough bread that makes it particularly wonderful for savory applications like sandwiches or alongside soups.

Honey Cranberry Goat Cheese Sourdough: For those with a sweeter palate, increase the honey to 30g (2 tbsp) and add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to the dough. This variation leans into the sweeter side of the flavor profile, making your Cranberry Goat Cheese Sourdough perfect for breakfast applications, especially when toasted and lightly buttered.

Storage and Serving

Your freshly baked Cranberry Goat Cheese Sourdough will stay fresh at room temperature for 2-3 days when stored properly. Keep it cut-side down on a cutting board or wrap it in a clean kitchen towel—avoid plastic bags which will soften the crust. For longer storage, slice the entire loaf once completely cooled and freeze in a ziplock bag for up to 3 months. Individual slices can be toasted directly from frozen.

This spectacular bread deserves to be showcased in various serving situations. For a simple yet elegant appetizer, serve thin slices lightly toasted alongside a cheese board featuring additional goat cheese, fig jam, and honey. The cranberry and goat cheese bread also makes exceptional grilled cheese sandwiches—try it with a touch of Gruyère mixed with the goat cheese for extra meltiness.

For breakfast, thick slices of Cranberry Goat Cheese Sourdough make divine French toast when soaked in a vanilla-cinnamon egg mixture and topped with maple syrup. During holiday meals, this bread deserves a place in your breadbasket where its festive appearance and flavors complement traditional dishes.

FAQs

Can I use fresh cranberries instead of dried?
Fresh cranberries contain significantly more moisture than dried and can make your Cranberry Goat Cheese Sourdough dough overly wet. If you must use fresh, reduce them to 80g and chop them coarsely, then pat them dry before incorporating. The flavor will be more tart, so consider increasing the honey slightly.

What if my goat cheese is melting into the dough?
For distinct pockets of goat cheese in your finished loaf, ensure your cheese is very cold before crumbling it into the dough. You can even freeze it for 15 minutes before adding. Also, add it during the final fold rather than earlier in the process.

Can I make this recipe without a Dutch oven?
Yes, you can bake your cranberry sourdough bread on a preheated baking stone or steel. To create steam (essential for a good crust), place a metal baking pan on the bottom rack and pour 1 cup of boiling water into it when you add the bread to the oven.

Why didn’t my cranberries distribute evenly?
Uneven distribution usually happens when the add-ins are incorporated too early. For the best distribution in your Cranberry Goat Cheese Sourdough, add cranberries and goat cheese during the final fold, and be thorough but gentle when incorporating them.

Can I substitute another cheese for goat cheese?
While goat cheese provides the signature flavor in this Cranberry Goat Cheese Sourdough, you can substitute with feta (for a similar tanginess) or cream cheese (for smoothness without the tang). Each will yield slightly different results but still delicious bread.

Conclusion

This Cranberry Goat Cheese Sourdough is comfort food at its finest — a perfect harmony of tangy, sweet, and savory notes wrapped in a crusty, artisanal package. It’s the kind of bread that transforms an ordinary meal into something memorable while showcasing your baking prowess. Whether served at holiday gatherings where its festive colors shine, or enjoyed as a special weekend treat, this sourdough creation proves that homemade bread can be both approachable and extraordinary. The combination of tart cranberries and creamy goat cheese creates a flavor experience that store-bought bread simply cannot match—making every moment spent crafting this loaf absolutely worthwhile.

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