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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Can I use frozen cranberries for this loaf?
Marian
Hi Marian, Yes frozen will work. Enjoy!
Can I use a bundt cake pan instead of a loaf pan?
I’ve never made it in a bundt pan but I think it should work. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you try it!
This is one of my favorite recipes and I would like to use this recipe to make muffins. How many muffins would this recipe make and what temperature and length of time would you bake this for? Thank you for your help.
Hi Edith, So glad you like this! Yes, you can turn this into muffins – I anticipate it should make a dozen. I’d keep the oven temp the same and start checking them for doneness at 20 to 25 minutes. Please LMK how they turn out!
I have made this recipe before and it is a definite winner! Jenn do you think I could replace the cranberries with gooseberries? I have some on hand, they are on the smaller side. I thought I might cut some in half and just leave the rest whole. They have a tartness, similar to cranberries… thank you!
Hi Irina, I’ve never used gooseberries in any form so it’s hard to say for sure, but based on what I read online, I suspect it should work. Please LMK how the bread turns out if you try it!
Tonight is the second time I am making these with gooseberries ( my garden was prolific this year). It is a definite hit! The variety we grow here is quite a bit smaller than the gooseberries sold in stores or the European ones (we live in the great white north!). I would say they are about the size of blueberries but definitely have the tartness and consistency of the cranberries. Both versions are delicious; thanks for another crowd pleaser Jenn- my family loves it!! xo
Is this recipe sufficient to make 3 mini loaves and if so how long would you bake. How do you decide how much dough would work for mini loves? This recipe looks delicious and will bake for myself if won’t work for mini loaves ! Love your recipes
Hi Viki, I’d guesstimate that the batter would make 3 to 4 minis. I’m not sure how long they’ll take but I’d keep the temperature the same (start at 375 and reduce to 350) and check after about 25 minutes (and keep checking once every 5 minutes until done). Hope that helps!
Definitely a keeper!! The only change I made was that I didn’t include the cinnamon, thus allowing the cranberry and orange to shine. It was delicious!!!
I love pecans but for the holiday season do you think I could substitute pistachio nuts for a holiday colour? Would the flavour be fine?
Sure, Linda, pistachios will work (just make sure to use unsalted). 🙂
Can you make muffins from this recipe? If so, what would you recommend for the cook time and temperature?
Hi Philip, Yes, you can turn this into muffins. I’d keep the oven temp the same and start checking them for doneness at 20 to 25 minutes. Please LMK how they turn out!
Hi Jenn. I tried the recipe to make muffins and it worked well. I baked at 375 degrees and they were done in 25 minutes. The yield was 12 muffins. Very good. I liked the idea of halving the cranberries so they burst in the batter. Created a delicious combination of tart and sweet. I think one of the greatest strengths you have is the creation of complex flavors in so many of your recipes.
They also freeze well. To reheat, I wrapped each individual muffin loosely in a paper towel and microwaved for 45 seconds. This technique also works for your pumpkin muffins.
We had some fresh cranberries left from the holidays. Cranberry bread did not sound like my favorite but tried it to use up the fresh berries.
Wow! That is all I can say. This is going on the regular holiday rotation. We might even stock up on fresh berries & freeze them to enjoy this bread later in the year. Followed the recipe exactly. I’ve come to trust your recipes after scones, cakes, breads, entrees, etc. always stellar. Thank you 🙂
Two weeks ago, a friend brought me three slices of her Cranberry Nut Bread, a recipe which she derived from the 1980’s. She admitted: “it’s a bit dry and burned, but suggested adding a bit of butter, prior to eating it.” It seemed nutritious enough, that I was prompted to locate a more current version of that recipe, when I bumped into “Once Upon a Chef.” I was simply elated and tried it immediately! It was fit for a King, but it was nonetheless consumed by two peasants–my husband and I. However, I must confess the following: I discovered how to make buttermilk; I deviated from the baking temperature to 350d all together; used a Pyrex Loafer; used Whole Wheat Flour; used packaged Cranberry (crushed at home), fresh unavailable.