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Cranberry Orange Bread

This Cranberry Orange Bread is a moist, tender quick bread filled with tart cranberries and fresh orange flavor. Made with simple ingredients, orange zest, and fresh orange juice, this easy cranberry orange bread recipe is perfect for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon snack. If you love sweet bread recipes and homemade cranberry bread recipes, this fruity loaf is a delicious choice
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
  • ½ cup fresh orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon fresh orange zest
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1½ cups fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour optional, for coating cranberries
  • Optional Orange Glaze
  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 –2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

Method
 

  1. Preheat the Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9 × 5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper.
  2. Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  3. Mix the Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, whisk the eggs, melted butter, orange juice, orange zest, milk, and vanilla extract until well combined.
  4. Combine the Batter: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the bread tender.
  5. Add the Cranberries: If desired, toss the cranberries with 1 tablespoon of flour. Gently fold them into the batter.
  6. Fill the Pan: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly.
  7. Bake: Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If the top browns too quickly, loosely cover it with foil.
  8. Cool the Bread: Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
  9. Prepare the Glaze: If using, whisk the powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon of orange juice. Add more juice gradually until the glaze reaches your preferred consistency.
  10. Glaze and Serve: Drizzle the glaze over the completely cooled bread. Slice and serve.

Notes

 
Fresh or frozen cranberries: Both work well. If using frozen cranberries, add them directly to the batter without thawing.
Avoid overmixing: Stir just until the flour disappears to help keep the loaf soft.
Check for doneness: Baking times vary by oven, so begin checking around 50 minutes.
Storage: Store the cooled bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Freezing: Wrap individual slices or the whole cooled loaf tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw before serving.
Optional glaze: Allow the loaf to cool completely before adding the orange glaze.
Nutrition: Calories are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients, slice size, and whether the optional glaze is used.