Moist and tender orange cranberry bread makes a tasty treat or quick snack. Loaded with plump, tart cranberries and flavored generously with fresh orange juice and zest, this quick bread is always a crowd-pleaser during the holiday season. The beauty of a quick bread is that it uses a leavener like baking powder to rise instead of yeast, so it’s incredibly fast and easy to make! In fact, this loaf takes just 10 minutes of hands-on prep time!
I updated this cranberry bread recipe after re-testing it to find the optimal balance between sweet orange and tangy cranberries. I think the ingredient ratio nails the perfect balance of sweet and tart flavor. I also chose to use liquid fat (vegetable oil) for a beyond soft, moist loaf.
A reader, Bala, says: “Followed recipe to the T and this turned out to be absolutely brilliant. Crisp on the outside and soft and pillowy on the inside.” ★★★★★
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients
These are the main ingredients you need to make this easy cranberry orange bread. You can find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.
Baking powder — baking powder gives cranberry orange bread the perfect rise for a fluffy interior. Make sure your baking powder hasn’t expired, or it won’t lift the loaf properly.
Milk — I use whole milk to add moisture to the batter. You don’t need to use buttermilk, since baking powder is self-reacting and does not need an acidic component to react. For a dairy-free option, feel free to swap in your favorite nondairy milk like almond milk or oat milk.
Oil — a neutral-flavored oil like vegetable oil gives cranberry orange bread an incredibly soft, moist crumb. Unlike butter, vegetable oil doesn’t firm up when it cools, so the bread stays tender even when it has fully cooled.
Orange — you need orange zest and orange juice, so use a fresh orange for the more robust flavor. To get more juice out of an orange, gently press and roll the whole orange on the countertop a few times to loosen the juices before cutting and squeezing.
Cranberries — I developed this recipe to work with both fresh and frozen cranberries, so you don’t need to wait until cranberries are in season to whip up this loaf! When they are in season, I opt for fresh cranberries. If using frozen, do not thaw them first— when thawed, they release a lot of pink liquid and will stain your batter.
Orange glaze — for the sweet, citrusy glaze, you need powdered sugar, orange juice, and vanilla extract. Feel free to add a few grates of orange zest to the glaze for a punchier flavor and pretty flecks of zest!
Can I use dried cranberries?
Yes, but remember that you won’t get the juicy pop of frozen or fresh cranberries if you opt for dried cranberries. Soak them in hot water for 20 minutes to rehydrate them, drain, and then use them in the recipe as directed.
Rub The Zest And Sugar For A Flavor Boost
Instead of adding the sugar to the bowl with the flour, rub the sugar and zest together between your fingers in a large bowl, then add the wet ingredients (eggs, milk, etc.) and whisk together. The coarseness of the sugar releases the oils from the orange zest to amplify the citrusy, floral flavor of the bread. While optional, I highly recommend this step. It just takes a few extra seconds!
Pro Tips For The Perfect Cranberry Orange Bread
Use a microplane to zest the orange. It’s the easiest way to zest an orange to get tiny strips of zest that won’t be hard or chewy in the bread! If you don’t have a microplane, use the small holes of a box grater. Remember to zest the orange before juicing it, as the orange will be much firmer and easier to handle.
Use room temperature ingredients. Room temperature ingredients, like eggs and milk, blend much more easily than cold ones. Set the egg and milk out about 30 minutes to an hour before you start baking this quick bread. The one exception is the cranberries, as previously mentioned; if they are frozen, use them straight from the freezer.
Do not overmix the batter. Mixing the batter too much will overdevelop the gluten, which will yield a dense loaf with large holes in the crumb. For this reason, I recommend mixing the batter together by hand with a spatula instead of using an electric hand mixer. It is much easier to accidentally over-mix this kind of batter using a hand or stand mixer.
Feel free to add other mix-ins! A handful of chopped nuts, chocolate chips, or chopped candied ginger or candied orange peel would be delicious additions. Fold them in along with the cranberries in Step 3.
How To Make Cranberry Orange Bread
Below, I’ve highlighted portions of the recipe in step-by-step process images along with instructions for making cranberry orange bread. You can find the full set of instructions in the recipe card below.
1. To a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt, and whisk to combine.
2. To a separate large bowl, add the milk, oil, orange juice, orange zest, egg, and vanilla extract.
3. Whisk the wet ingredients together to combine fully.
4. Add the wet ingredients mixture to the dry ingredients and stir together by hand with a spatula until just combined. (The flour streaks should have just disappeared when you stop.)
5. Gently fold the cranberries into the batter until they are evenly distributed.
6. Spoon the cranberry orange bread batter into a greased loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake at 350°F until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the quick bread comes out with a few moist crumbs. Set the bread pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes, then remove the loaf and let it cool completely on the wire rack before glazing.
7. To make the simple orange glaze, just whisk together the powdered sugar, orange juice, and vanilla extract in a small bowl.
8. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled loaf. You can garnish with orange zest before slicing and serving.
Cranberry Orange Bread Recipe
Equipment
- 9×5 inch loaf pan
Ingredients
Cranberry-Orange Bread
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (240g)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
- 1¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup whole milk room temperature (120mL)
- ½ cup vegetable oil (120mL)
- Zest of 1 orange
- 2 tablespoons orange juice (about ½ orange)
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries (95g)
Orange Glaze
- 1½ cups powdered sugar sifted (180g)
- 3 to 4 tablespoons orange juice
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Orange zest
Instructions
For the Cranberry-Orange Bread:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9×5-inch loaf pan or spray with baking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In another large bowl, whisk together milk, oil, orange zest and juice, egg, and vanilla until well combined.
- Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until combined. Fold in the cranberries. Transfer the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top off with the spatula.
- Bake for 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let the bread cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Carefully remove and let cool completely on the wire rack.
For the Glaze:
- In a small bowl, whisk together sugar, orange juice, and vanilla until smooth and desired consistency. Drizzle over the cooled bread. Garnish with orange zest before slicing, if desired.
Notes
- If you want to skip the glaze, sprinkle the top with sugar. This will add a lovely sugar crust to the top of the loaf! Evenly sprinkle one tablespoon of granulated or sparkling sugar over the batter after you have smoothed it in the loaf pan.
- If the top of the loaf is quite brown after 30 minutes, loosely cover the top with a sheet of aluminium foil. You can add this any time during baking if you see the top is taking on a lot of color and the center isn’t close to being done. This foil will shield it and slow down the browning process.
- No need to toss the cranberries with flour first. Some recipes call for tossing the cranberries with flour before mixing them into the batter to prevent them from sinking. The batter in my recipe is thick enough to keep the cranberries suspended, eliminating the need for this extra step!
Nutrition
Can I Make Muffins With This Recipe?
Use my cranberry muffin recipe instead. It has slightly different ingredient ratios for moist, tall muffins packed with juicy cranberries. If you want, you can use the sweet orange glaze from this recipe to drizzle over the top of the muffins after they have cooled for 20 minutes.
How To Store
Make-ahead: Since cranberry orange bread lasts for a few days at room temperature or in the refrigerator, feel free to make it a day or so ahead of time and store it in an airtight container or tightly wrapped in plastic wrap.
Storing leftovers: Leftovers will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezing Cranberry Orange Bread
You can freeze the whole loaf or slices of the bread. I also love slicing it before freezing so I can thaw a slice or two at a time! To freeze either one, wrap the loaf or individual slices tightly in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil, and store in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw the loaf or the slices for a few hours at room temperature before serving.
Reheating: While you can enjoy cranberry orange bread at room temperature, feel free to pop slices into the microwave for 15 seconds to warm them up. Or, place the whole loaf, unwrapped, in the air fryer at 350°F for 5 to 10 minutes to recrisp the crust.
More Quick Bread Recipes To Try
If you’re in the mood for more easy quick bread recipes, try one of these sweet, satisfying treats next.
My rich, moist banana bread recipe is a must-try for a loaf with a hint of cinnamon flavor and a mouthwateringly soft crumb. I love enjoying a slice or two with my coffee in the morning!
Pumpkin bread is a fall staple in my house — not only does it need just 10 minutes of prep time, but it’s also packed with cozy autumnal flavor.
Freezer-friendly zucchini bread is wonderful for the summertime, when zucchini is abundant. You can also make the recipe your own by adding mix-ins like chocolate chips and nuts.
Delicious blueberry bread has lots of juicy blueberries and a tender crumb. The batter is stirred together in no time without a mixer.
Chocolate chip banana bread is sweet, moist, and studded with melty chocolate chips. Put those over-ripe bananas on your kitchen counter to good use with this recipe!
If you’ve tried this cranberry-orange bread recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Phillip Soto says
Amazing like all the recipes from him ❤️🥰
Becky says
Made this for Thanksgiving. Not only was it easy to make but it was moist and delicious! May make another for Christmas!
Tammy Bozza says
This bread was quick and easy and the flavor and texture were awesome!
Jerry says
Easy to make and tastes great
Joyce Brady says
This is now my very favorite cranberry bread recipe. The subtle sweetness of the orange with the tang of the cranberries is delicious. My loaf took about 60-65 minutes to bake. The only regret I have is I didn’t make 2 loaves!
bala says
Followed recipe to the T and this turned out to be absolutely brilliant. Crisp in outside and soft and pillowy on the inside. Added pistachios on top to this recipe.
msp_PDX says
Prepared as directed, twice. Delicious and beautiful! Will make again.