Seasonal Cranberry Orange Bread (Print Version)

Moist loaf featuring tart cranberries and vibrant orange zest, ideal for morning or festive treats.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1½ teaspoons baking powder
04 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
05 - ½ teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

06 - ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - ¾ cup fresh orange juice
09 - 1 tablespoon orange zest
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Add-ins

11 - 1½ cups fresh or frozen cranberries
12 - ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan or line with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk melted butter, eggs, orange juice, orange zest, and vanilla extract until smooth.
04 - Add wet mixture to dry ingredients and gently stir until just combined; avoid overmixing.
05 - Carefully fold in cranberries and nuts, if using, until evenly distributed.
06 - Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and smooth the surface. Bake 45–55 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
07 - Allow bread to cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • Easy to prepare
  • Perfect balance of tart and sweet flavors
02 -
  • For extra citrus flavor glaze the cooled bread with a simple mixture of powdered sugar and orange juice
  • Substitute dried cranberries if fresh or frozen are unavailable (use 1 cup and soak briefly in warm water)
03 -
  • Do not overmix the batter to keep the bread light and tender
  • If using frozen cranberries add them directly to the batter without thawing to prevent color bleed
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