Cranberry Orange Bread

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A combination of sweet oranges and tart cranberries make the perfect flavor in this Cranberry Orange Bread. Use freshly squeezed orange juice and zest for the glaze. 

Tart cranberries and sweet oranges just go together, right? Muffins, punch, Jello and cranberry sauce…there are so many options for this flavor combination and today we’re adding one more.

A close up of cranberry orange bread with glaze
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Cranberry Orange Bread Recipe

Looking for a breakfast bread to serve during the holiday season? You might like this cranberry orange quick bread. It’s sweet and bursting with orange flavor, but also a touch tangy from the cranberries. The bright berries give the bread a festive look. It’s beautiful for Christmas brunch and even for giving as a hostess gift.

What is a quick bread?

Quick bread is a bread that doesn’t have yeast. There is no rise time, therefore making it a “quick” bread. They are very similar to cake in texture and are sometimes called a “loaf cake”.

Are quick breads always sweet?

Quick breads are often sweet, but sometimes they are savory. We have two savory quick bread recipes. A bacon pineapple bread and a cottage cheese walnut bread.

spooning orange glaze on a loaf of cranberry bread

Fresh vs Frozen Cranberries

In our area, we can only find fresh cranberries during the holiday season. Other times of the year we have to buy frozen cranberries. Thankfully, there is not much difference between frozen and fresh cranberries. Cranberries freeze really well. If you use fresh cranberries, wash them, toss them with flour, then add them to the batter and fold them in gently.

How to Make Cranberry Orange Bread

  • In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar, milk, orange juice, zest, oil, eggs and vanilla.
  • In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
  • In a small bowl, toss the frozen cranberries with a tablespoon of flour to coat.
  • Gently fold the cranberries into the batter.
  • Pour the bread batter into a greased 9″x5″ bread pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center of the bread should come out clean.
  • Allow the bread to cool for 10 minutes, then remove the bread to a wire rack to cool completely.
sliced cranberry orange bread

How do you make orange glaze?

Powdered sugar glaze is simple to make. For this bread, you’ll need 1 cup of powdered sugar, freshly squeezed orange juice and the zest of an orange. Add a touch of  vanilla, then use a whisk until the glaze is smooth. For the smoothest results, run the powdered sugar through a sifter first to get any lumps out.

The glaze will form just a little crust so keep the glaze covered until you are ready to drizzle it on the bread.

closeup of cranberry orange bread
closeup of cranberry orange bread

Cranberry Orange Bread

4.64 from 249 votes
A combination of sweet oranges and tart cranberries make the perfect flavor in this Cranberry Orange Bread. Use freshly squeezed orange juice and zest for the glaze. 
Servings 10
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients
 

For the Bread:

  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup milk (2%)
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
  • Zest of 1 orange
  • 1/2 cup oil (canola or vegetable)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups frozen cranberries
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

For the Glaze:

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
  • Zest of 1 orange
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar, milk, orange juice, zest, oil, eggs and vanilla.
  • In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
  • In a small bowl, toss the frozen cranberries with a tablespoon of flour to coat.
  • Gently fold the cranberries into the batter.
  • Pour the bread batter into a greased 9″x5″ bread pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center of the bread should come out clean.
  • Allow the bread to cool for 10 minutes, then remove the bread to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • To make the glaze, combine the powdered sugar, orange juice and zest, and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Mix until it is smooth.
  • Once the bread is cool, spread the glaze on top of the bread. Slice and serve.
  • Freezes well!

Video

Notes

The calories shown are based on the bread being cut into 10 pieces, with 1 serving being 1 slice of bread. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information.**

Nutrition

Calories: 324kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 70mg | Potassium: 155mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 65IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 1.4mg
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Calories 324
Keyword cranberry bread, cranberry orange, orange bread, quick bread recipe

Other Quick Bread Recipes

Tools to Make Quick Bread

  • Wire Cooling Racks: This will help your cakes cool more quickly.
  • Citrus Squeezer: For juicing all of those fresh lemons and limes!
  • Zester: We have this zester. It’s long and easily sits on bowls for quick zesting.
  • 9×5 Loaf Pan: These are the pans I use for quick breads, yeast breads, fried mush and more!

About Julie Clark

I'm Julie Clark, CEO and recipe developer of Tastes of Lizzy T. With my B.A. in Education and over 30 years of cooking and baking, I want to teach YOU the best of our family recipes.

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Sarah L
3 years ago

5 stars
I made this using fresh cranberries, and it was wonderful! I cut 1 cup of the cranberries in half and left the other half whole, and it turned out nicely. I also substituted almond milk and it was still great. After reading some comments, I also wrapped my loaf in saran wrap shortly after taking it out of the oven to retain the moisture, and I feel like that really helped it. It is also a lot better without the frosting!

I will definitely be saving this recipe! 10/10 would recommend making this.

ALY
3 years ago

5 stars
I added about 2 tab. of sugar in with the cranberries and coarse chopped them in the food processor. I don’t like biting into large berries. Then stirred into the batter and made 12 muffins. Baked for 22 minutes until the edges were browned.
These were excellent and full of cranberry and orange flavor and they rose nicely.

Sherry Scott
4 years ago

5 stars
Used frozen huckleberries in place of cranberries! AMAZING!

mrs.dowler
1 year ago

5 stars
my only change was using melted butter in place of the oil, simply because the oil i have on hand is pretty cheap and tends to have a weird fishy taste?? anyways, the butter substitution still worked out fabulously. i would like to try this with dried cranberries next time!

does anyone have any suggestions on how long to cook these in muffin form? i was thinking about just eyeballing it but would love to know if anyone has already done this!

Nell
1 year ago

5 stars
This bread is absolutely delicious. I bake it into mini loaves to give as Christmas gifts every year. Don’t make more work for yourself; the cranberries DO NOT need to be chopped!! they literally burst open in the bread and are DELICIOUS!!! I did not alter the recipe, I only tripled it to make 24 mini loaves.

Dalrene Thahir
3 years ago

Instead of Oil & Milk, I used melted butter and plain yogurt. Turned out good.

patricia Capozza
3 years ago

My bread fell in the middle. What happened? I used frozen cranberries

Karla
3 years ago

5 stars
If I could give this recipe a star rating of 50 , I would ! We love it and my husband requests it at least three times a month ! It is just delicious in every way!

So on a scale of 1-10 – we’re giving it a “50”

Val
3 years ago

5 stars
I made this. Although it called for reg milk, I used buttermilk. I also chopped the cranberries in my food processor. I did not have oranges on hand, but had small clementines. This bread was beautiful and literally melted in your mouth. I will definitely be making this again and again!!

Thank you for this recipe!

Shayna
4 years ago

Can you use dried cranberries instead?

Tobin Cynthia
4 years ago

5 stars
Very good. I put a teaspoon of sugar and mix my orange zest in before adding to batter.

Bryan
3 years ago

5 stars
Made the bread for my wife and her family. It was excellent..I added chopped walnuts. Delish…

Glenda Kelly
4 years ago

I wonder why my brad took longer to cook. I know my oven is slow but it took 1/12 hrs.
I haven’t cut it yet. Hope it isn’t dry. Smells great.

Kay Loewen
4 years ago

I need this recipe but can’t see a print off sign. Please recipe to

Kaye
1 year ago

5 stars
This bread was excellent!!!! I added chopped pecans. Sooooo good!!