Bake up a delicious loaf of cranberry orange bread for the holidays! The tart berries in the citrusy batter make juicy fruit bites in each slice. Perfect for breakfast, dessert, or as an edible gift.
Recipe Science
- Granulated and brown sugar balances the cranberry tartness and absorbs moisture to keep the bread tender, preventing toughness.
- For bold orange flavor, use both the zest and juice. The zest contains citrus oils that deliver extra aroma and flavor.
- Baking soda and powder create carbon dioxide bubbles, helping the bread rise and form a domed surface as it bakes.
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Featured Comment 16
“Just wanted to let you know that the bread was a HUGE success. I threw away my old recipe that I had for decades. Finally, heaven on a plate.”—Cynthia F.
Why It Works
Grab a bag to make this fall-inspired quick bread when fresh cranberries appear in the market. The tart berries have a unique taste, but when paired with citrus, they’re a winning combination. Warm slices of bread are perfect with a cup of coffee or tea in the morning or an easy dessert to share.
This cranberry orange bread recipe couldn’t get any easier! I bake whole berries in an orange-scented batter. When they pop, they release their juices, which infuse into the bread. I use two types of leavening agents. The extra lift ensures a perfectly domed top. Plus, I have a stunning orange glaze to drizzle over the loaf.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Flour: All-purpose flour is moderate in protein level, so it’s soft but sliceable. For a healthier option, you could use white whole wheat flour, like in these cranberry orange muffins.
- Cranberries: This quick bread recipe calls for whole fresh cranberries, available at the market around mid-October.
- Orange: To make the orange flavors pop, use the zest and juice of an orange. You can also use store-bought orange juice, but I wouldn’t skip the zest. It contains citrus oil that adds a lingering aroma and flavor.
- Leavening Agents: A pair of leaving agents gives a nicely domed surface. Baking soda and baking powder are used in equal amounts to create carbon dioxide bubbles. This process starts once the dry ingredients mix with the wet and continues as the batter heats up and traps the air for the sought-out dome shape.
- Eggs: When whipped, eggs trap air, emulsifying the mixture, and the proteins help to bind the ingredients together. It’s best to use room-temperature eggs because they are very viscous, making them easier to incorporate.
- Sweetener: I use a combination of granulated sugar and light brown sugar for a hint of molasses. This mix helps to balance the tartness of the berries. The sweetener absorbs some moisture from the ingredients, helping to reduce the amount of gluten formation and preventing a tough texture.
- Dairy: Sour cream adds fat and acidity to the batter, reacting with the baking soda to leaven it. Milk makes the batter pourable without diluting the flavor.
- Oil: Vegetable oil is neutral in flavor and helps coat the flour’s proteins for tender bites.
- Flavoring: Ground cinnamon provides a warm spice taste and makes your house smell fragrant. Vanilla extract rounds out the baked notes in the batter and adds dimension.
- Orange Glaze: A combination of powdered sugar and orange juice.
See the recipe card below for all ingredients and measurements (US and metric).
Ingredient Substitutions
This cranberry orange bread is easy to customize! Try these delicious options:
- Cranberry Swap: You can use fresh or frozen cranberries. If frozen, add them directly to the batter without defrosting. The bake time may increase do to the colder ingredients.
- Using Dried Cranberries: Reduce the amount by 25%—use 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons. Since they’re usually sweetened, they won’t be as tart. I recommend soaking them in hot water for 5 minutes to rehydrate and plump them up. For extra flavor, try soaking them in orange juice or Grand Marnier for about 20 minutes. Just drain them well before adding to the batter for the best results.
- Use Cranberry Sauce: If you have leftover cranberry sauce, add dollops to the batter and swirl it!
- Oil Substitution: Use light olive oil, avocado oil, or melted coconut oil.
- Make it Gluten-Free: Use 1:1 gluten-free baking flour instead of all-purpose wheat flour.
- Make it Dairy-Free: Swap cow’s milk for unsweetened cashew or almond milk. You can also replace regular sour cream or yogurt with dairy-free versions to keep the recipe creamy.
How to Make Cranberry Orange Bread
Step 1: Preheat the Oven
Place your oven rack in the center position and preheat to 350ºF (176ºC). This ensures even heat distribution for cranberry orange bread with a golden-brown crust and moist interior.
I use a metal 9×5-inch loaf pan for baking. This type of material heats up quickly but doesn’t retain heat very long after being removed from the oven. This is okay because we don’t rely on carryover cooking to complete baking. Grease the pan with baking spray, so removing the loaf later is easy.
Pro Tip: You can use a glass pan, but it takes longer to heat up and may need a slightly longer bake time.
Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients
Mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, such as flour, leavening agents, and spices. The particles are delicate, ensuring even distribution throughout the batter without worrying about overmixing later.
Step 3: Mix the Eggs and Sugars
In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until the mixture is smooth and turns a pale yellow.
This process helps dissolve the sugars and incorporates air, giving the bread a light, tender crumb.
Step 4: Mix in the Oil
Gradually whisk the vegetable oil into the egg mixture until fully combined. This step emulsifies the oil, ensuring the final bread’s smooth and moist texture.
Step 5: Mix in the Flavorings
Next, mix in the sour cream, orange juice, zest, and milk. The addition of milk enhances the flavor and helps with browning due to the caramelization of the milk solids during baking, giving the bread a beautiful golden crust.
Step 6: Make the Batter
Gently fold the dry and wet ingredients to hydrate the flour, but keep some visible. Finally, carefully fold in the cranberries, ensuring they’re evenly distributed throughout the batter. It’s critical not to overmix the batter. Otherwise, the texture will become tough and rubbery.
Ingredient Chemistry: The moment the flour proteins come into contact with moisture, gluten formation occurs. The more agitation and stirring, the tighter those bonds get, making a more robust protein structure that packs together and tastes tougher.
Step 7: Bake the Bread
Pour the batter into a greased pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the internal temperature reaches 195 to 200ºF (90 to 93ºC).
Tips for Perfect Execution: If needed, loosely cover the top with foil about 30 to 45 minutes into baking to prevent over-browning. This ensures the bread bakes evenly without burning the crust.
Step 8: Cool the Bread
Let the bread cool slightly in the pan for 10 minutes to make removing it easier and safer. Then, place it on a wire rack to allow the steam to release and the air to circulate without causing the bread to get soggy on the bottom.
Step 9: Make the Glaze
Now it’s time for the fun part! The glaze is a simple mixture of powdered sugar and orange juice. It doesn’t seem like much, but only a small amount of liquid is needed to hydrate the fine sugar particles.
The glaze should be the consistency of school glue so that it drizzles and sticks to the top. Add as much or as little as you like. Once it dries, it will harden and be easy to slice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Use 25% less dried cranberries unless you want a lot of cranberry pieces in each slice. Dried cranberries are concentrated in flavor and size, so add less than fresh. Hydrate the dried berries in hot water for 5 minutes to make them juicy.
Chocolate chips or chopped nuts like walnuts and pecans make for delicious additions. Add about ½ cup to the cranberry bread batter.
There are two ways to check the loaf for doneness. The first is when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. It’s ready. I also like to use an instant-read thermometer. It should read between 195 to 200ºF (90 to 93ºC).
If your cranberry bread turned green, it’s likely due to a reaction between the acidic cranberries and the alkaline baking soda. Cranberries contain anthocyanins, which can change color when exposed to different pH levels. When too much baking soda is used, or the cranberries are overly chopped or bruised, the pigments can shift to a blue-green hue. To avoid this, use the right amount of baking soda and gently fold in the cranberries.
More Bread Recipes
If you tried this Cranberry Orange Bread, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Cranberry Orange Bread
Ingredients
Bread
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup sour cream, or plain greek yogurt
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 ½ cups fresh cranberries
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 4 teaspoons orange juice
Instructions
- Heat the Oven – Set the oven rack to the center position—Preheat to 350ºF (176ºC). Lightly grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray or vegetable oil. Set aside.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients – In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon until combined.
- Mix the Eggs and Sugars – In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth and pale yellow, 1 minute.
- Mix in the Oil – Slowly whisk the vegetable oil into the egg mixture until thoroughly mixed, about 30 seconds.
- Mix in the Flavorings – Whisk in sour cream, whole milk, orange juice, vanilla extract, and orange zest into the egg mixture until smooth, about 30 seconds.
- Make the Batter – Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture. Gently fold the mixture until just moistened, scraping the bottom with lumps and flour spots remaining. Gently fold in the cranberries.
- Bake the Bread – Pour the batter into the greased pan and smooth top with a spatula. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or the internal temperature reaches 195 to 200ºF (90 to 93ºC), about 50 to 60 minutes. If needed, cover loosely with foil about 30 to 45 minutes into baking to prevent the top from getting too brown.
- Cool the Bread – Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife or small spatula around the sides of the pan, carefully remove the bread and transfer to a wire cooling rack. Once warm, make the glaze.
- Make the Glaze – In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and orange juice. Gradually add more powdered sugar or juice as needed to modify the thickness. Drizzle over the cooled bread. Let the glaze set and dry for a few minutes before slicing.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Storing: Store at room temperature for 4 to 5 days in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag.
- Freezing: Slices can be individually wrapped in plastic and stored in a bag in the freezer for up to 1 month. Reheat by wrapping in a paper towel and microwave on medium power for 60 to 90 seconds.
- Using Dried Cranberries: Substitute fresh cranberries for 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of dried cranberries. Soak in hot water for 5 to 10 minutes to plump up, then drain well before using.
- Make it Dairy-Free: Use unsweetened cashew or almond milk instead of cow’s milk. Use dairy-free sour cream or dairy-free yogurt.
- Make it Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free flour instead of wheat flour. I recommend Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 baking flour.
- How to Make Muffins: Line a 12-cup muffin pan with liners or lightly grease. Fill each cup about ⅔ full. Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F, then lower the oven temperature to 350°F degrees and bake for 13 to 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The total baking time is about 18 to 20 minutes. Carefully remove the muffins from the pan and place them on a cooling rack.
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
Recipe Resources
Michelle says
I haven’t tried it yet as I’m fresh out of orange zest, however, I’ve lost my old recipe that was dense and wonderful not like all the others I’ve tried which are more like a light fluffy muffin. I’ve read the other comments but don’t see where the texture is mentioned. Is this light and fluffy or dense and pound cake like?
Jessica Gavin says
I would say that the cranberry bread it’s similar to a banana bread texture, but not as dense as a pound cake.
Jenna says
This bread looks incredible! I would like to make mini loaves and gift them to friends and family for Christmas. Do you think they will ship well in the mail if wrapped in press n seal? Thanks so much for your help!
Jessica Gavin says
I think the mini loaves would ship well! if you don’t think they will eat them within 5 days, I would recommend freezing the loaves to extend the shelf life or tell the recipient to freeze if not eating right away.
Cynthia Fletcher says
Quick question, you wrote on the recipe to add powered sugar, oj, and oj zest for the glaze but I don’t see where it says how much zest to add. I’m at the glazing step right now so I’ll just use a little until I find out how much to use for next time.
Jessica Gavin says
Sorry for the confusion! I’ve updated the recipe. no orange zest in the glaze, but you can add 1/2 teaspoon if you’d like for a stronger citrus taste and aroma.
Cynthia Fletcher says
Thanks. Just wanted to let you know that the bread was a HUGE success. I threw away my old recipe that I had for decades. I was never a fan of the old one but everybody said it was good so I kept using it. I would try new ones that I came across but still didn’t like them (even Martha Stewart’s). Finally, heaven on a plate. Cranberries are on my top three fruits that I love and to find a recipe that everybody loves is the best Christmas present this year. Again, thanks!
Jessica Gavin says
Wow, what a huge compliment! Thank you for giving my cranberry bread recipe a try. I’m so happy that it is now your go-to recipe!
Kristine Carlson says
Made your cranberry orange quick bread. Made in 4 small gift loaf pans that come with clear lids that snap on. Left in pans n glazed tops. Of course I had to cut into one, n FABULOUS! Thank you. Put all 4 tins on cookie sheet to bake..30 mins was perfect. I am proud to gift them.
Jessica Gavin says
Wow, I’m impressed! Thank you for sharing how you made mini loaves out of the cranberry bread. I’m sure people will love your homemade gift!
Teresa Syring says
Hello Jessica.
This is a very yummy bread recipe thank you.
I made it today and used 1/2 fresh and 1/2 dried cranberries, and instead of whole milk I used 1 tablespoon of whipping cream and 1tablespoon of triple sec.
The whipped cream was what I had and the triple sec is because my orange was sour.
Anyway this bead is so delicious.
Thank you and happy Thanksgiving. Teresa.
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you for your feedback, Teresa! I love that you improvised with the ingredients you had and enjoyed the bread!
Teresa Syring says
I took this bread to a meeting and everyone loved it.
What we like best is the flavor gets better even three days old.
I will be making it again for Thanksgiving.
Thank you for all your wonderful recipes.
Teresa.
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you so much, Teresa! You are so sweet to share with others! Thanks for letting me know that it tastes even better a few days later!
Anne Bradbury says
Shouldn’t you add the flour mixture to the egg mixture instead of the opposite?
Jessica Gavin says
I didn’t have any issues over-mixing the batter when adding the egg mixture to the flour mixture.