A lovely fresh cherry yeast bread, with raisins and walnuts. You can start with fresh sweet cherries or frozen cherries.

fresh cherry yeast bread sliced

I love to bake bread year round, even in my warmer summer kitchen. I will often bake in the evening though, when things cool down a bit. And in the summer, I love to add fresh fruit into my yeast bread.

This cherry yeast bread is a great example, needing only a handful of fresh cherries or some thawed frozen cherries. Add in the raisins and walnuts and it’s a wonderfully, flavourful bread. This bread is lovely eaten warm or toasted with butter, but you haven’t really lived until you’ve tried it paired up with turkey and havarti for a great sandwich!

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Ingredients and Substitutions

  • Instant yeast – regular instant yeast such as SAF brand, not rapid or quick rise yeast. You can also use active dry yeast. See the recipe card Notes for how to substitute active dry yeast.
  • Fresh sweet cherries – or frozen cherries, thawed completely and dried well

Recipe Tips

  • As with all yeast bread recipes, the flour amount you will need to add is “approximate”. Simply add as much as you need to make a smooth, moist dough. The dough should not be sticky, but will be quite moist.
  • If you are new to yeast bread baking, you may wish to read my resource page “Getting Started with Yeast Bread Baking“, for my best tips on baking bread.
  • Be sure to cover the top of the loaf loosely with foil after about 25 minutes of baking, so the loaf doesn’t over-brown. This large, fruit filled loaf will need a total of 50-60 minutes in the oven. Use an instant read thermometer to test it for done-ness. It should reach at least 190F.

cherry yeast bread sliced on cooling rack

Storing and Freezing

Store cooled bread in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

This bread will freeze well up to 2 months.

fresh cherry yeast bread sliced on cooling rack

Get the Recipe: Sweet Cherry Yeast Bread

This Sweet Cherry Yeast Bread combines sweet cherries (fresh or frozen), with raisins and walnuts, for a delicious loaf.
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Rising Time:: 2 hours
Total Time: 3 hours
Yield: 14 servings

Ingredients

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and levelled, approximately
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons Instant yeast, *see Note 1 below for Active Dry Yeast
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil, or room temperature butter
  • 1 cup water, lukewarm
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
  • 1 1/2 cup fresh cherries, pitted and halved, then lightly floured *See Note 2

Instructions
 

  • In a large mixing bowl (or bowl of a stand mixer), mix together 2 cups of the flour, the salt, instant yeast, sugar, oil and water. Mix into a soft dough. Continue adding additional flour, in small increments and kneading well between additions, until you have a moist dough that cleans the sides of the bowl.
  • Add the raisins and walnuts and knead in with a bit more flour. Remove dough to a floured surface and knead slightly. Form into a ball and place in a greased, covered bowl to rise until doubled, about 60 minutes.
  • Remove the dough to a lightly floured surface and deflate gently. Roll the dough out into a rectangle about 8 inches wide by 16 inches long. Scatter the floured cherries over the dough, then roll up jelly-roll style, starting from the short end. Place into a greased 9x5 or 4x11-inch loaf pan. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30-45 minutes
  • Preheat the oven to 375° F. (regular bake setting/not fan assisted)
  • Bake the cherry bread for 50-60 minutes (**Check at about 25 minutes and cover loosely with foil so top of loaf doesn't over-brown) and it reaches an internal temperature of around 190° F (if you have a thermometer). Remove loaf to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before slicing.

Notes

  1. For active dry yeast, proof the yeast in 1/4 of the lukewarm water, before adding to the bowl, then add the remaining 3/4 warm water.
  2. For frozen cherries, thaw completely in a strainer, then dry well before using.
Cuisine: American, Canadian
Course: Bread
Author: Jennifer Maloney
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 196kcal, Carbohydrates: 31g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 336mg, Potassium: 118mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 6IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 11mg, Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @seasonsandsuppers on Instagram or tag #seasonsandsuppers.

More Cherry Recipes to Love!

Cherry French Toast

Sweet Cherry Coffee Cake

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