Cranberry Orange Bread

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.

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.

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

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.

Other Quick Bread Recipes

• Gingerbread Loaf
• Banana Bread Recipe
• Pistachio Bread
• Strawberry Bread
• Peach Bread
• Apple Bread

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!

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5 from 19 votes

Cranberry Orange Bread

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. 

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cranberry bread, cranberry orange, orange bread, quick bread recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Servings 10

Calories 324kcal

Author Julie Clark

Ingredients

For the Bread:

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
• Zest of 1 orange
• 1/2 cup oil
• 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

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• 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!

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