Cranberry Pumpkin Seed Artisan Yeast Bread

Sep 24, 2018 · 33 Comments

Cranberry Pumpkin Seed Artisan Yeast Bread - a new twist on that holiday favorite - Cranberry Pumpkin Bread!

Cranberry Pumpkin Seed Artisan Yeast Bread makes an delicious addition to Thanksgiving dinner or any fall meal. Everyone thinks that making a yeast bread is a lot of work and incredibly time consuming. Years ago, before wonderful appliances like my KitchenAid stand mixer, it was a lot more work making bread. Just like a lot of things in the kitchen of "the good old days", new appliances really help make the work easier. God Bless the person who decided to put that dough hook on the stand mixer. That person has my eternal gratitude! My KitchenAid stand mixer makes bread making so easy.

Slice of Cranberry Pumpkin Seed Artisan Yeast Bread

Making Homemade Bread does not take a long time!

Now there is time involved in bread making but not "hands-on" time. You do have to wait for the dough to rise twice but you can be doing other things. Bread can rise alone without being watched! Just be sure to put your precious dough in an area that is warm and free of drafts and it will take care of itself.

Don't throw away those pumpkin seeds!

1 Whole pumpkin and one pumpkin cut in half with seeds exposed

After carving the Jack O lantern for the front porch or making the fresh puree for the pumpkin pie, why waste all those nutritious seeds when you can turn them into a tasty treat. The first step in the preparation is separating the seeds from the stringy pumpkin “guts”. As I scoop the seeds and guts from the pumpkin, I place them on a few layers of newspaper. Then I pick the larger clumps of pumpkin fiber from the seeds. Next I put the seeds in a large bowl of warm water. The seeds will float to the top. As they do, I rub them between my hands to remove the last of the pumpkin residue and place them in a saucepan full of water.

Close up of pumpkin seeds ready to be used in artisan bread recipe

Step 2 is removing the shells from the pumpkin “meats” inside. To do this I put the seeds in a large pot of water - 1 quart of water for every 2 cups of seeds is a pretty good ratio. Add 2 tbs. of salt to each quart of water. Bring the seeds and salted water to a boil and boil for 30 minutes. Drain the seeds in a colander and let them cool enough to be able to touch them. Then just pick up the seed in one hand and pull the shell off with your other hand. The shells will come off the seed fairly easily. At this point they are ready to use in the bread recipe below or you can toast them in the oven for a yummy and healthy snack. Oil a sheet pan and spread the pumpkin seed meats on it in a thin layer. You can salt them or sprinkle them with different seasonings like garlic powder. Cook in a 300 degree oven for 30-40 minutes.

loaf of cranberry pumpkin seed yeast bread on a wire rack on kitchen counter

The Perfect Bread for Thanksgiving Dinner

This recipe makes a tasty bread to serve with Thanksgiving dinner in place of dinner rolls, and makes a delightful and thoughtful Holiday hostess gift. Cranberry Pumpkin Quick Bread is an old holiday standard but this recipe adds a new twist - Pumpkin Seeds and Yeast. Cranberry Pumpkin Bread with the volume turned way up! Use the pumpkin seeds from your Halloween Jack O Lantern or from your pie pumpkin. Toasting instructions for making your own pumpkin seeds is above.

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