This cranberry bread recipe is packed with fresh cranberries and topped with a zesty orange glaze. It's a perfect easy treat for the holiday season!
I love keeping this cranberry orange bread around the house during the holidays. Packed with tart, juicy cranberries, this loaf is perfectly moist and tender. Orange juice and zest give it a lovely bright flavor, and a simple orange glaze takes it over the top.
This cranberry orange bread is sweet enough to pass as dessert, but it’s not so sweet that you can’t enjoy it with an afternoon coffee or for breakfast with holiday guests.
Easy to make with 10 basic ingredients, this recipe will be on repeat in my kitchen this season. I hope it will be in yours too!
Cranberry Orange Bread Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this cranberry bread recipe:
- Cranberries, of course! Fresh and frozen cranberries both work well here. You don’t even have to thaw the frozen berries before adding them to the batter!
- Orange juice and zest – For bright, citrusy flavor. I recommend using freshly squeezed juice. You’ll need about 3 oranges to make the loaf and glaze.
- All-purpose flour – Spoon and level it to avoid packing too much into your measuring cup.
- Vegetable oil and milk – They add moisture. Any kind of milk is fair game here—regular, almond, and oat milk all work well!
- Cane sugar – For sweetness.
- Baking powder and eggs – They help the loaf puff up as it bakes.
- Vanilla extract – For warm depth of flavor.
- And sea salt – To make all the flavors pop!
Making the glaze? Add powdered sugar to your grocery list too.
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
Cranberry Bread Variations
- Make cranberry nut bread. Fold 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans into the batter.
- Use dried cranberries. Since dried cranberries are smaller and sweeter than fresh ones, you’ll just need 1/2 cup.
How to Make Cranberry Orange Bread
You can find the complete recipe with measurements at the bottom of this post. For now, here’s a quick overview of how it goes:
Start by making the batter. I borrow a trick from my lemon blueberry bread recipe here. Instead of combining all the wet ingredients right away, you combine the orange zest and sugar first. Rub them together with your fingers to help the zest release its fragrant oils!
Then, add the remaining wet ingredients, followed by the dry ingredients.
Next, toss the cranberries with a little flour. This helps them stay suspended in the batter—you don’t want them to sink to the bottom of the loaf!
Fold the berries into the batter, then transfer it to a greased loaf pan and smooth the top.
Bake at 350°F until the top springs back to the touch and a toothpick inserted comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes.
Let cool completely before topping with the orange glaze, slicing, and serving.
How to Store
This cranberry bread keeps well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
For longer storage, keep it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months.
- Tip: I like to slice the loaf before freezing so that I can thaw slices individually! Pair one with a cup of coffee for a perfect quick breakfast or snack.
More Easy Quick Bread Recipes
If you love this orange cranberry bread, try one of these easy quick bread recipes next:
Cranberry Orange Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, plus 1 teaspoon for dusting the cranberries
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- ¾ cup cane sugar
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup fresh orange juice
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups cranberries, fresh or frozen
Orange Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease an 8x4-inch loaf pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl, place the cane sugar and orange zest. Use your fingers to work the zest into the sugar until well combined. This helps the zest release its fragrant oils. Add the oil and eggs and whisk until well combined, then add the orange juice, milk, and vanilla and whisk until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
- In a medium bowl, combine the cranberries and the 1 teaspoon flour. Toss to coat, then fold into the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the top springs back to the touch and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool completely in the pan.
- Make the orange glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon orange juice. The glaze should have a thick, pourable consistency. If needed, add more orange juice, 1 teaspoon at a time, to help it come together.
- Drizzle over the cooled loaf. Allow the glaze to set for a few minutes before slicing and serving.
