Cranberry Orange Quick Bread: An Easy Holiday Bread Recipe

Cranberry Orange Quick Bread is an easy recipe to make when fresh cranberries begin appearing in grocery stores. The tart berries and fresh orange flavor come together in a moist loaf that is perfect for Thanksgiving breakfast, Christmas brunch or an afternoon snack.

Although cranberries can be quite tart when eaten on their own, they work extremely well in sweet bread. The sugar in the batter balances their sharp flavor while fresh orange juice and zest add a bright citrus taste.

This bread also makes a great homemade gift during the holidays. Once it has cooled, wrap the loaf in plastic wrap and place it in a decorative gift bag or box. You can make one large loaf or divide the batter between several mini loaf pans.

Best of all, this is a quick bread recipe, which means there is no yeast and no rising time required. Mix the wet and dry ingredients, fold in the cranberries and put the loaf in the oven.

You can serve the bread plain or add a simple orange glaze after it cools. The glaze is optional, but it provides another layer of orange flavor and gives the loaf a pretty finish for the holiday table.

Cranberry Orange Quick Bread

Quick bread gets its rise from baking powder and baking soda instead of yeast. This makes it much easier to prepare than traditional homemade bread.

The batter will be thick, which is exactly what you want. A thick batter helps hold the chopped cranberries throughout the loaf instead of letting them sink to the bottom.

If you enjoy making easy seasonal breads, be sure to try this Easy Pumpkin Bread. It is another simple loaf that works well for breakfast, dessert or a homemade holiday gift.

Ingredients For Cranberry Orange Bread

The complete ingredient amounts and instructions are in the printable recipe card below. However, there are a few helpful tips about the ingredients that will give you the best results.

All-Purpose Flour

Standard all-purpose flour provides the structure for the bread. Measure it by spooning the flour into a dry measuring cup and leveling the top with a knife.

Do not scoop the measuring cup directly into the flour container. This packs too much flour into the cup and can make the bread dry.

Granulated Sugar

Granulated sugar balances the tart flavor of the cranberries. Three-fourths cup gives the loaf a pleasant sweetness without making it taste like cake.

Baking Powder And Baking Soda

This recipe uses both baking powder and baking soda. The baking powder provides lift, while the baking soda reacts with the orange juice and sour cream.

Make sure both ingredients are fresh. Older leavening agents may not provide enough lift, leaving you with a short, dense loaf.

Salt

A small amount of salt helps balance the sweetness and brings out the orange flavor. Use regular table salt or fine sea salt so it distributes evenly throughout the batter.

Orange Zest

Orange zest provides much more concentrated citrus flavor than orange juice alone. Use a fine grater or microplane to remove only the bright orange portion of the peel.

Avoid grating into the white layer underneath. That portion of the peel can taste bitter.

One large orange should provide enough zest and juice for the batter and glaze. Zest the orange before cutting and squeezing it.

Fresh Orange Juice

Freshly squeezed orange juice gives this quick bread its best flavor. If necessary, bottled orange juice can be used.

Avoid orange juice with a lot of pulp because it may change the texture of the batter. Strain the juice if needed before measuring it.

Sour Cream

Sour cream adds moisture and helps create a tender texture. Full-fat sour cream produces the best results, but reduced-fat sour cream can also be used.

Plain Greek yogurt can be substituted in an equal amount. Avoid flavored or sweetened yogurt because it can change the taste of the bread.

Egg

One large egg helps bind the ingredients and gives the bread structure. Let the egg sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before mixing if possible.

Oil

Neutral oil keeps the bread moist even after it has been refrigerated. Vegetable, canola or avocado oil will all work.

Vanilla Extract

Use pure vanilla extract if available. However, imitation vanilla can also be used in this recipe.

Fresh Cranberries

Fresh cranberries provide the best color and texture. Rinse and dry them, then coarsely chop the berries before folding them into the batter.

Chopping them allows the tart cranberry flavor to be spread throughout the bread. It also makes the loaf easier to slice.

You can use frozen cranberries without thawing them. Chop the frozen berries carefully and add them directly to the batter. The loaf may require a few additional minutes in the oven.

Dried cranberries can also be used, but they will produce a sweeter bread without the pockets of tart flavor that you get from fresh berries. If using dried cranberries, reduce the amount to one cup.

How To Make Cranberry Orange Quick Bread

Begin by preheating the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.

For easy removal, line the pan with a strip of parchment paper that extends over the two long sides. The parchment will act as handles after the bread cools.

Place the chopped cranberries in a small bowl. Add one tablespoon of the measured flour and toss until the berries are lightly coated.

In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the orange zest and whisk again to distribute it throughout the dry ingredients.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg. Then add the orange juice, sour cream, oil and vanilla extract. Continue whisking until the mixture is smooth.

Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Use a silicone spatula to fold the mixtures together.

Stop mixing when you can no longer see large streaks of dry flour. A few small lumps in the batter are fine.

Fold in the flour-coated cranberries and chopped nuts, if using. Be gentle and stir only until they are distributed throughout the batter.

Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan. Use the spatula to spread it toward the corners and lightly smooth the top.

How Long To Bake Cranberry Orange Bread

Place the loaf pan on the center rack of the preheated oven. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes.

Begin checking the bread after 50 minutes. Insert a toothpick into the center. The loaf is finished when the toothpick comes out clean or with only a few moist crumbs attached.

If the top begins becoming too brown before the center is done, loosely cover the loaf with aluminum foil. Continue baking until the center is set.

Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a cooling rack. Let the bread cool inside the pan for 15 minutes.

Run a knife along the short ends of the loaf. Then use the parchment paper to lift the bread out of the pan.

Place the loaf directly on the cooling rack and allow it to cool completely before adding the glaze or slicing.

Cutting warm quick bread can cause it to crumble. Cooling also gives the interior time to finish setting.

How To Make The Orange Glaze

To make the glaze for your cranberry orange quick bread, combine powdered sugar with fresh orange juice. Begin with a small amount of juice and add more only as needed.

The glaze should be thin enough to drizzle from a spoon but thick enough to remain visible on the loaf.

Drizzle it over the completely cooled bread. If the bread is still warm, the glaze will melt and soak into the surface.

For a lighter finish, make half the glaze and drizzle it in thin lines over the top. You can also leave the glaze off and sprinkle the loaf with coarse sugar before baking.

How To Keep Cranberries From Sinking

A thick batter is the first defense against cranberries sinking to the bottom. Do not add extra orange juice to thin the batter.

Coating the chopped berries in flour also helps. The flour absorbs some of the moisture on the outside of the cranberries and helps the batter hold them in place.

Be sure to chop the berries into smaller pieces. Large whole cranberries are heavier and more likely to settle as the bread bakes.

Finally, transfer the batter to the pan as soon as the cranberries are folded in. Do not let the mixed batter sit on the counter for an extended period.

Storing Cranberry Orange Quick Bread

Store unglazed cranberry orange bread in a covered container at room temperature for up to three days.

If the loaf has an orange glaze, refrigerate it in a covered container. Let individual slices come to room temperature before serving, or warm them briefly in the microwave.

For longer storage, wrap the unglazed loaf tightly in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer-safe bag. Freeze it for up to three months.

You can also freeze individual slices. Place a small piece of parchment paper between each slice so you can remove only what you need.

Thaw the bread overnight in the refrigerator or for several hours at room temperature. Add the orange glaze after the loaf has thawed.

Enjoy!

Mary and Jim

Jim and Mary Competti have been writing gardening, DIY and recipe articles and books for over 16 years from their 46 acre Ohio farm. The two are frequent speakers on all things gardening and love to travel in their spare time.

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