Thanksgiving Cranberry Corn Bread
It will soon be American Thanksgiving, so I thought I’d re-post our Thanksgiving Cranberry Corn bread. It’s based on the Portuguese Broa style (page 151 in the book)—it’s the regular Master Recipe, but with 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour taken out and replaced with an equal amount of cornmeal.
Here’s what you need to do. Take about 2 pounds of the Broa dough mentioned above and shape it into a ball; then flatten it with your hands and a rolling pin until it’s about 1/2-inch thick. Sprinkle the dough with 1/3 of a cup of dried cranberries (or 1/2 cup fresh):
Now break out your microzester, and use it to scrape the zest from half an orange…
… now sprinkle that over the cranberries, and then sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of granulated sugar over that…
Now roll it up like a jelly roll… If it sticks to the board as you’re rolling, nudge it off with a dough scraper.
Tuck the ends under to form a ball, flatten it on a work surface, and then, using your hands and a rolling pin, make a disk the right size for a 12-inch cast iron pan. It should be about an inch or inch and a half thick. If you don’t have a cast-iron pan, see below.** This instruction applies to this flattened thanksgiving bread only; you can make loaf breads this way too (freeform or in a pan).
Grease the pan well with butter, lard, bacon grease, or oil (I used olive oil today), and place the dough round in it.
Allow to rest for at least 1 hour and 20 minutes. You’ll get a more open hole structure if you wait two hours.
Put a broiler tray in the oven to dump water to make steam. 20 minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F if you keep a baking stone in the oven. If you don’ t use a stone, a 5-minute pre-heat is adequate (the stone isn’t required since you’ll bake in the cast-iron).
Just before baking, heat the cast-iron pan over medium heat for 1 or 2 minutes to jump-start the baking process and promote caramelization of the bottom crust. Don’t overdo it–no more than 2 minutes. It will start to sizzle.
Place the pan on a rack near the center of the oven. Pour 1 cup of water into the broiler tray and quickly close the oven door. Depending on the thickness of your loaf and the weight of the pan, baking time will be about 25 minutes.
Carefully turn the hot loaf out of the pan onto a serving plate or cooling rack, or just cut wedges directly out of the pan once it cools. Be careful with the hot cast-iron pan!
You should get a result just like the cover photo. Happy Thanksgiving! Other Thanksgiving recipes:
Stuffing from homemade bread: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=1228
Thanksgiving buns: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=443
Thanksgiving Pumpkin Pie Brioche: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=1209
Roasting Your Own Pumpkins: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=50
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** This bread can be done as a simple free-form loaf right on a baking stone, cookie sheet, or silicone mat (about the same baking time, or in a loaf pan (longer baking time needed). Either way, it’s done at 425 degrees.
Living in Texas and making cornbread at least three times a week, this recipe sounded so good and a nice twist. Thanks!
I now know what I’ll be taking to Thanksgiving!
I would love to be entered, please. Thank you!
A danish dough wisk…how cool! Thanks
what fun! I love the square bucket, but can always use more flour! 🙂
Just tried some of your bread at a friends house today, wow, its great! Excited to try making it myself- thanks for the info-
Love this method for making bread!
feeling inspired to bake more bread!!
I’m really looking forward to trying this recipe – looks wonderful! Thanks!
At times I think my wife thinks more about artisan bread in 5 than she thinks about me! But, the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. And this bread can make it worth it.
KAF has been my flour of choice since I was introduced to it years ago. When we were in New England, KAF was a destination for us!
ABin5 has changed my life! Nothing better than the smell of fresh baked bread coming from my kitchen. Always use KAF too…I’m thankful for both!
Love your breads, cookbook and KAF!!!! Their sourdough starter rocks!
I love ABin5!!! I found the recipe online while looking for recipes to remind of bread from a recent trip to Germany. I’m looking forward to baking this Thanksgiving! I
Broa is our favorite dough from your first book. The satisfying crunch of the cornmeal combined and the complex sourness of the dough after one week of storage makes this recipe our go-to for all lean dough recipes. Thank you Zoe and Jeff!
I love KAF and I can’t wait to bake some bread!
I love the way I feel when I make your bread and it turns out perfectly every time.It makes me feel like a bread making diva. This artisan corn bread recipe looks to be so doable.I have to make some and share with my family asap..
Looks so good!
Love your books and have already told my friends about the wonderful bread I can make. This would make a great gift! Although I have my eye on the red lid for the plastic container.
I just bought two copies of the book [one for my Mom]. My daughters and I are going to make our first batch this morning!
I just received my order and now you have something else I should have ordered, as always:) Something different from my usual southern cornbread. Cannot wait to try it.
I love all the recipes in ABin5. This kit is perfect holiday gift. Happy Holidays to Everyone!
I got one of the basic recipes from a friend at a play date and tried it for the first time last week and my family loved it! I am not asking for the books and a stone for Christmas so I can do more. This recipe looks great and I was looking for something to make for Turkey Day…I think this one may be it! Can’t wait to try it!! Thanks!
ooops! I meant I AM asking for them for Christmas!! That is what I get for typing with a toddler in my lap 🙂
Just found this after looking online to buy the book. My friend made and served your bread on a cheese platter at our last book club. Everyone loved it.
Thanks for the awesome contest!
That corn bread looks fantastic! Guess I know what I’ll be doing this afternoon 🙂
Thanks for another great recipe. This could be the start of a new Thanksgiving tradition.
I would love that container and I still have not bought your book, so it would be great.
I just tried a loaf of 5 min bread for the first time yesterday when a friend brought it over..delicious! Now I have your basic dough rising on the counter and both books on my Christmas list!
This give-away is so exciting and this bread looks so delicious! I am adding it to my list of dishes to make. I know there are quite a few things from the King Arthur Catalog on my wishlist for Xmas. 🙂
In for the giveaway.. Baking my bread as we speak.!
Bought your books last year and we have rarely purchased bread at the store since. For Christmas I am putting together the kit for my son. Now my niece is interested also, as she sets up her first apartment. Fun family activity that we share even though we all live in different cities.
I love this bread method and have been making all our family bread since the first book came out. I have told so many people about it. Love it.
Love to Bake.
This looks so good!!!!!!!
Just heard about you this week! So excited to dig in and make some bread!
These breads have been a total revelation. After years of kneading this method makes home made bread do-able again.
That cornbread looks so good!
I can not wait to try this recipe! I have been cooking up a storm with my new (to me) cast iron skillet and this looks like a great way to test it to the fullest.
It would also be wonderful to win this contest, I have a huge stack of Christmas storage containers waiting for me to fill with goodies to send to the soldiers down range for the holidays; this would just give me more to fill them with- 🙂
I have already given two of your books to my family members for Christmas, so another book would mean one more happy family enjoying fresh bread daily.
Just what I was looking for–something special to try for Thanksgiving. Perfect, since the holiday marks a year since I started (inspired by the King Arthur blog) making & loving your bread! Thanks to all of you.
I hope to use one of your recipes for our Thanksgiving feast!
Great giveaway and beautiful and interesting cornbread!
Just love all your recipes and love King Arthur products! Hope I win!
I love the recipes! Making artisan bread is the only way to go! I would love to be the winner of the contest/giveaway. Great bread gifts for anyone at anytime of the year! Good ole healthy comfort food breads. Kind Arthur Flour is Awesome!
This sounds like a perfect bread for turkey day!
Thank you for sharing.
That cornbread sounds delish. I heart King Arthur!
Wow, a cornbread that doesn’t look heavy! Hmmm. Can’t wait to try it! I love King Arthur products and your recipes!
Thanks for all the information on your website. I bought your books and plan to make bread for Thanksgiving. The give away is wonderful.
Happy Holidays
I’m on vacation this week and can’t wait to spend time in the kitchen. Thanks for the great recipe.
The books are great…and then your online recipes, tips, comments…it”s just such a wonderful resource!