Holiday Gift Idea - Mini Artisan Loaves

These miniature cranberry and orange artisan loaves are the perfect way to make someone smile for the holiday season. This is a simple, sweet, and delicious homemade gift that takes the skill of sourdough and turns it into something really special! I have all the recipe details and gifting ideas here.

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❤️ Why You’ll Love Mini Artisan Loaves

Mini loaves are relatively easy to bake, requiring fewer ingredients and less time than larger cakes. This makes them a great option for beginning bakers or those looking for a quick and rewarding baking project. In addition to these being convenient to bake and share, they are also charming and festive. So really, what’s not to love?

🍲 Ingredients

Sourdough starter – Bubbly, active sourdough starter that’s been previous fed and it its peak.

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Water – Filtered water is always best for sourdough recipes.

Cranberry relish – My favorite cranberry relish is from Trader Joes, but it does have quite a mix of liquid, so I have adjusted the recipe accordingly. If you want to use regular jellied cranberry that would work also!

Flour – I use Kirkland’s unbleached all-purpose flour for my recipes, but you can use what you have on hand so long as it is unbleached. Organic is a personal preference.

Salt – Good quality salt goes a long way in recipes, I like to use pink Himalayan.

Orange zest – The zest of one full orange.

👩‍🍳 How to Make Mini Artisan Loaves

In the morning, feed your starter.
In the afternoon when your starter has doubled and is bubbly, assemble your dough.

Dough Assembly

In a mixing bowl, whisk together your starter, water, and cranberry relish until the starter has dissolved and all the ingredients are combined.
Add flour and salt and mix until a shaggy sough forms. Cover and let rest for 45 minutes.
After resting perform your first set of stretch and folds by taking pulling one side of the dough up and towards the middle. Repeat and rotate the bowl each time until a semi – smooth ball forms.
Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
Perform 2 – 4 more sets of stretch and folds anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour apart. After your last stretch and fold, cover your dough with a damp tea towel or bowl cover and let rest overnight on the counter for the bulk fermentation. 8 – 10 hours depending on how cold your home is.
In the morning, turn your dough over onto a lightly floured work surface. Using your bench scraper, split your dough into 2 equal sized pieces.
Shape your dough into an oval shape (a Batard banneton will be easier to use than a boule, for splitting purposes). Place your dough seam side up into your banneton and stitch the middle together. Cover and place your two doughs in the fridge for 2 hours or up to 3 days.
When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 450 degrees, turn your dough over onto a piece of lightly floured parchment paper. Using your bench scraper, cut the dough down the middle, then cut each half piece into 3 pieces, repeat with the other side making 6 miniature artisan loaves total.
If you want 20 make 12 miniature artisan loaves, cut the second loaf the same way, or you can keep it whole and bake it normally!
Transfer your loaves with the parchment paper onto a baking sheet (6 loaves should fit onto one sheet)
Place an oven-safe shallow dish (I use my cast iron skillet) on the bottom rack of the oven. Pour boiling water in the dish and close the oven immediately to trap in the steam.
Bake at 450 degrees for 18 minutes with steam, then remove the dish with water and bake for an additional 18-20 minutes until golden and crispy.
Let your loaves cool completely before packaging them. I package 2 per person with parchment paper, a butcher’s twine bow and a flower tucked into the string for decorating and sweetness.
I hope this makes someone you love smile!

🪄 Tips and Tricks

When making substitutions, especially with liquids and dried ingredients, you may need to adjust the amounts slightly to maintain the right texture of your loaf. Don’t be afraid to experiment a little to find combinations that fit your tastes and dietary needs! Enjoy your baking!
Make sure your starter is very active and bubbly to ensure proper rise.
You can use this method with any of your artisan loaves, the good thing about these breads, is that you don’t need the mini bannetons to shape them.

🗒 Variations

Combining both a mini loaf and an inclusion loaf is such a special way to make bread! Especially as gifts. I have so many options for you, including my viral “tiny turkeys” that you have to give a try –

🗒 Substitutions

You can substitute the cranberry relish with jellied cranberry or use dried cranberries instead for a bit more texture. You can also follow this method of “mini loaves” with any Artisan recipe you love best!

Other Citrus Fruits: Substitute orange juice and zest with lemon, lime, or grapefruit for a different citrus twist.
Whole Wheat Flour: For a healthier option, replace all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour. You may need to add extra liquid, as whole wheat absorbs more moisture. Or substitute a portion of the all-purpose flour for whole wheat flour for the flavor.
Honey or Maple Syrup: Use a liquid sweetener like honey or maple syrup. Reduce the liquid slightly in the recipe to account for the added moisture.

🗒 Best served

As holiday gifts, wrapped in parchment paper with a bow.
With a holiday brunch spread as a side dish.

👝 How to Store Leftovers

Cool Completely: Allow the loaves to cool completely on a wire rack. This prevents condensation from forming inside the storage container, which can make the bread soggy.
Paper Bag: For short-term storage, place each mini loaf in a paper bag. This allows the bread to breathe while limiting moisture loss and crust softening.
Plastic Wrap: If you prefer keeping the crust softer, wrap the loaves tightly in plastic wrap or place them in an airtight container. However, note this may soften the crust.
Cloth Bag: Another option is to store in a cloth bag, which allows some air exchange while decreasing moisture levels.
Wrap Individually: For long-term storage, wrap each mini sourdough loaf tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. This helps prevent freezer burn.
Freezer Bag: Place the wrapped loaves in a resealable freezer bag, squeezing out as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn.

🤔 Common Questions

Can I keep these as regular sized loaves?

Absolutely yes! Just don’t cut them and bake them in a Dutch oven as you normally would. If you would like to just make 1 large loaf or 6 mini loaves, split the recipe directly in half.

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Holiday Artisan Loaves

Print recipe

Prep Time:4

Cook Time:38

Fermenting time:10

Total Time:14 38

Equipment

food scale
mixing bowl
dough whisk
zester
bench scraper
Baking Sheet
cast iron/ oven safe dish
Parchment Paper
Butchers twine

Ingredients

100 grams active, bubbly starter
150 grams cranberry relish
650 grams filtered water
1,000 grams all purpose flour
18 grams salt
zest of orange zest