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Orange Cranberry Pecan Wreath Bread

This Orange Cranberry Pecan Wreath Bread is made from soft yeast orange zested dough. And it’s filled with cinnamon, sugar, cranberries and pecans. The best holiday bread!
Course Dessert
Keyword cranberries, wreath, wreath bread
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 10 servings

Ingredients

Dough

  • 2 tsp active dry yeast
  • 1/4 cup warm water
  • 1 egg, large
  • 1/3 cup warm whole milk
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 cups  all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup bread flour
  • 5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 tsp orange zest

Filling

  • 2 cups cranberries
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2/3 cup orange juice
  • 1 tsp orange zest
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Instructions

Dough

  • Sprinkle yeast over water in the bowl of a stand mixer for about 5 minutes. Add egg, milk, sugar, salt, both flours, orange zest and butter. Attach bowl to the stand mixer with the dough hook attachment and mix until a slightly tacky dough forms. Keep kneading until smooth for about 5 minutes.
    Transfer to a buttered or oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand in a warm area until doubled in volume, about 1 hour. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Filling

  • In a small saucepan add cranberries, sugar, orange juice, orange zest, cinnamon, and cornstarch. Bring to a boil and cook for about 5-10 minutes or until the cranberries start to burst and the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and cool.

 Assembly

  • Line a baking sheet with parchment. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out to a 17-by-10-inch rectangle. Spread cranberry filling evenly over surface. Sprinkle with chopped pecans.
    Starting at a long end, roll dough into a tight cylinder, pinching the seam to seal. Transfer to baking sheet and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes to an hour. 


    Cut lengthwise through dough down center of log, leaving about 1/2 inch intact at one end. Turn cut-sides face up so you can see the inside of the loaf. Lift one length up and over the other, so that you are making the dough into a twist, while still keeping the cut sides face up. Continue to overlap pieces to form a log. It should be about 20-22 inches long. If it’s not that long, stretch it a bit to lengthen. Shape into a 9 1/2-inch-diameter circle, and pinch ends to seal. Add a round metal pastry ring or cookie cutter in the center to keep the round middle shape. Cover loosely with plastic. Let it rise until nearly doubled in volume, about 30 minutes.
    Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake wreath until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.