Portuguese Honey Bread

A rich, spiced holiday bread made with honey, molasses, and Port-soaked dried fruits. This traditional Portuguese bread features a delightful mix of cranberries, candied fruits, and walnuts, making it perfect for special occasions.

6 servings

1 hr 50 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•2½ sticks unsalted butter
•¾ cup dried cranberries or dried sour cherries
•¾ cup mixed candied fruit
•¼ cup Port
•1¼ cups walnuts
•4½ cups all-purpose flour
•1 teaspoon salt
•1 teaspoon baking soda
•½ teaspoon ground ginger
•½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
•¼ teaspoon ground cloves
•1 cup sugar
•3 large eggs
•3 teaspoons active dry yeast
•¼ cup warm water
•¾ cup molasses
•½ cup mild honey
•6 pieces metal loaf pans

Cooking Instructions

1.
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325°F. Butter loaf pans.
10 min
2.
Bring cranberries, candied fruit, and Port to a simmer in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and set aside, covered.
5 min
3.
Pulse walnuts in a food processor until just coarsely chopped. Add flour, salt, baking soda, and spices and pulse to combine.
5 min
4.
Beat together butter (2 1/2 sticks) and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes in a stand mixer or 6 with a handheld. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
10 min
5.
Stir together yeast and warm water in a small bowl and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn't foam, discard and start over with new yeast.)
5 min
6.
Add one third of flour mixture to butter mixture and mix at low speed until combined, then add molasses and mix until incorporated. Add half of remaining flour mixture and mix until combined, then add honey and mix until incorporated. Add yeast mixture and remaining flour mixture and mix until combined, then stir in candied-fruit mixture.
15 min
7.
Divide batter among pans, smoothing tops. (Do not let batter rise.) Bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in centers of loaves comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool in pans on a rack 10 minutes, then remove loaves from pans and cool completely on rack.
60 min

Ingredients

•2½ sticks unsalted butter

•¾ cup dried cranberries or dried sour cherries

•¾ cup mixed candied fruit

•¼ cup Port

•1¼ cups walnuts

•4½ cups all-purpose flour

•1 teaspoon salt

•1 teaspoon baking soda

•½ teaspoon ground ginger

•½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

•¼ teaspoon ground cloves

•1 cup sugar

•3 large eggs

•3 teaspoons active dry yeast

•¼ cup warm water

•¾ cup molasses

•½ cup mild honey

•6 pieces metal loaf pans

Cooking Instructions

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325°F. Butter loaf pans.

10 min

Bring cranberries, candied fruit, and Port to a simmer in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and set aside, covered.

5 min

Pulse walnuts in a food processor until just coarsely chopped. Add flour, salt, baking soda, and spices and pulse to combine.

5 min

Beat together butter (2 1/2 sticks) and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes in a stand mixer or 6 with a handheld. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

10 min

Stir together yeast and warm water in a small bowl and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn't foam, discard and start over with new yeast.)

5 min

Add one third of flour mixture to butter mixture and mix at low speed until combined, then add molasses and mix until incorporated. Add half of remaining flour mixture and mix until combined, then add honey and mix until incorporated. Add yeast mixture and remaining flour mixture and mix until combined, then stir in candied-fruit mixture.

15 min

Divide batter among pans, smoothing tops. (Do not let batter rise.) Bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in centers of loaves comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool in pans on a rack 10 minutes, then remove loaves from pans and cool completely on rack.

60 min