Seasonal Cranberry Orange Bread (Printable)

A fragrant quick bread with tart cranberries and bright orange zest, ideal for breakfast or a festive snack.

# What You Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1½ teaspoons baking powder
04 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
05 - ½ teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

06 - ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - ¾ cup fresh orange juice (about 2 oranges)
09 - 1 tablespoon orange zest (from 1–2 oranges)
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Add-ins

11 - 1½ cups fresh or frozen cranberries (do not thaw if frozen)
12 - ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

# How-To:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk the melted butter, eggs, orange juice, orange zest, and vanilla extract until smooth.
04 - Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
05 - Carefully fold in the cranberries and nuts if using, ensuring even distribution.
06 - Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the surface evenly.
07 - Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean.
08 - Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Moist and fragrant quick bread
  • Filled with tart cranberries and bright orange zest
02 -
  • For extra citrus flavor, glaze the cooled bread with a simple mixture of powdered sugar and orange juice
  • Substitute dried cranberries if fresh or frozen are unavailable (use 1 cup and soak briefly in warm water)
03 -
  • Do not overmix the batter to keep the bread tender
  • Use fresh orange zest for the brightest flavor
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