Cranberry Orange Bread
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Sweet, orange-scented, and packed with cranberries and walnuts, this cranberry orange bread is the perfect festive treat for the holidays.
Sweet, orange-scented, and packed with tart cranberries and walnuts, this cranberry orange bread recipe is tailor-made for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. As a classic quick bread, it’s incredibly easy to throw together. The trickiest part? Chopping up the fresh cranberries—they tend to roll everywhere! But don’t be tempted to use dried cranberries; the fresh ones burst as they bake, mingling with the batter to create jammy, tart-sweet pockets throughout.
Since cranberries are abundant during the holiday season, be sure to check out my Nantucket cranberry pie, fresh cranberry sauce, and cranberry chutney for even more festive inspiration.
Table of Contents
What You’ll Need to Make Cranberry Orange Bread
- Buttermilk: Adds a tangy flavor and keeps the bread super moist.
- Orange zest: Brightens up the bread with a fresh citrusy kick.
- Orange juice: Enhances the sweet orange flavor and adds natural sweetness.
- Unsalted butter: Makes the bread rich and tender.
- Egg: Holds everything together and gives the bread structure.
- All-purpose flour: The foundation of the cranberry bread. Always measure flour using the spoon-and-level method to ensure accuracy.
- Sugar: Sweetens things up and balances the tart cranberries.
- Salt: A pinch to bring out all the flavors.
- Ground cinnamon: Adds warmth and coziness that pairs perfectly with the orange and cranberries.
- Baking powder & baking soda: Give the bread a nice rise, making it light and fluffy.
- Fresh or frozen cranberries: Bursts of tart, juicy flavor in every bite.
- Chopped walnuts or pecans: Add a bit of crunch and a delicious nutty flavor.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by combining the buttermilk, orange zest, orange juice, melted butter and egg in a small bowl.
Since the recipe calls for only 2/3 cup of buttermilk, you might not want to buy a whole carton. It’s easy to make your own by combining regular milk with a bit of lemon juice or vinegar (see recipe below for exact quantities). Whisk well to combine and set aside.
Next, combine the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
Whisk well.
Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture.
Stir gently with a rubber spatula until just combined.
Add the halved cranberries and nuts.
Mix again to incorporate.
Scrape the batter into a greased loaf pan.
Bake for about one hour, then cool in the pan on a rack for ten minutes.
Turn the cranberry loaf out onto the rack to cool completely.
Slice the cranberry orange bread, serve and enjoy!
Freezer-Friendly Instructions
After the bread is completely cooled, wrap it securely in aluminum foil, freezer wrap or place in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
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Cranberry Orange Bread
Sweet, orange-scented, and packed with cranberries and walnuts, this cranberry orange bread is the perfect festive treat for the holidays.
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup buttermilk (see note)
- 2 teaspoons grated orange zest, from 1 orange
- ⅓ cup orange juice, from 1 orange
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, halved (see note)
- ½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F and set an oven rack to the middle position. Spray a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, stir together buttermilk, orange zest and juice, melted butter and egg. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda. Stir the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients with rubber spatula until just moistened. Gently stir in cranberries and nuts. Do not overmix.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread evenly with a rubber spatula. Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350° F. Continue to bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean, about 45 minutes longer. Cool the loaf in the pan for about 10 minutes, then turn out onto the rack and cool at least 30 minutes before serving.
- Note: If you’d like to make your own buttermilk, check out the easy method here.
- Note: Cranberries are a bit tricky to chop because they roll all over the place. I cut them in half one at a time -- seems tedious, I know, but there aren't that many so it doesn't take long. If you're using frozen cranberries, be sure to slice them while they're still frozen.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The bread can be frozen for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, wrap it securely in aluminum foil, freezer wrap or place in a freezer bag. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (12 servings)
- Serving size: 1 slice
- Calories: 227
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated fat: 4 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Sugar: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Sodium: 224 mg
- Cholesterol: 31 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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When I made this bread I didn’t have cranberries so I used craisins. It was still delicious without the tartness.
I have made this delicious loaf a few times and given it as gifts as well. It is always well received. The last time I used blueberries instead of cranberries and it was equally delicious.
Just might eat the whole loaf myself tonight…make another and pretend nothing happened. Delicious!
I made them into muffins, cut back the salt to 1/2 t. & used lemon zest because I didn’t have an orange on hand & we were having a snowstorm, so I couldn’t get out. They turned out great! This batter made 12 exact muffins filling cups near full. As in another review, I checked them after 12-15 min.
Salt needs to be reduced to 1/2 teaspoon, totally ruined bread. Everyone commented it would be perfect with less salt. Tossed it out, but will change for next time. First recipe from this site that was a disappointment…
Could I substitute ricotta cheese for the buttermilk? I have some that I need to use. Thanks!
Hi Emily, Ricotta won’t work in place of he buttermilk – sorry!
I have been leery about cranberry/orange quick breads since the last one I tried from the internet claimed it was a “family favorite” and yet the ingredient combination made the batter turn bluish/green. (With lovely red cranberry dots, I could have made a faux evergreen wreath out of it :D)
But today I was looking for something new and I’m very happy I tried this recipe. I made it as recommended, using pecans since I had them on hand, and buttermilk made from milk and lemon as suggested.
It was delightful. Everyone enjoyed it, even my fairly picky father-in-law, who claims to not like cranberries.
All my houseguests keep wandering into the kitchen to cut another slice and I don’t expect this loaf to make it through the day. So my only suggestion is make two loaves.
I am interested in trying greek yogurt, thinned with a bit of milk, as a substitution for the buttermilk.
The initial bread Made had the same color (not this recipe). D/W my sister (the chef)–I mistakenly put the walnuts AND cranberries together with batter and mixed. I should’ve stirred them manually rather than using my Kitchen-Aid.
I also always double the nuts and cranberries because I love both of them. Sometimes sprinkle a little coarse sugar on top which adds a nice touch for muffins.
Just made this lovely bread today….house smells of Christmas! Recipe was perfect with no tweaks….and, the bonus….I never knew I could make buttermilk from lemon and milk before today….thank you for that very helpful information!
You’re welcome, Ellen. So glad you enjoyed it and Merry Christmas!
This is by far the best cranberry bread I’ve ever tried……moist and delicious. Wonderful job, Jenn.
Love this bread moist and delicious. love cranberry and orange togerther. I would love to do it as muffins. What would I need to change if anything?
Hi Louise, Only the cooking time would change. I’d start checking around 25 minutes. Hope they turn out well!