Cranberry Orange Bread
This easy recipe for Cranberry orange bread packs crunchy walnuts, tart cranberries, and sweet orange into a holiday quick bread that makes a great breakfast or dessert.
We love quick bread. Moist, sweet and perfect for breakfast. While our peanut butter chocolate chip banana bread is a delicious treat anytime of the year, during the winter months we love this easy recipe because it has some of our favorite flavors of the season.
Fresh cranberries, orange zest, and crunchy walnuts are packed into this simple cranberry bread with buttermilk making a sweet, slightly tart bright bread that bursts with orange notes. It’s delicious to enjoy for breakfast or as an afternoon sweet snack with a warm cup of tea or coffee.
We know you’ll love this moist, flavorful quick bread to help get you into the holiday spirit or keep it going through the New Year. If you’re looking for fal flavors make sure you try our Caramel Apple Bread!
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Ingredients You’ll Need
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this sweet quick bread:
- All purpose flour – We highly recommend all purpose flour instead whole wheat as that can change the texture and flavor of the bread.
- Sugar – Sugar helps to provide sweetness to the bread.
- Salt – Salt helps bring out the flavors a bit and balances the sweetness.
- Leavening agents – You’ll need both baking soda and baking powder.
- Eggs – Eggs provide some rise and structure for the bread.
- Butter – Butter adds some flavor and helps to moisten the bread.
- Buttermilk– Go for buttermilk over regular milk. It will help the bread rise and also make it super tender.
- Vanilla – We use vanilla extract for best flavor. Try to avoid imitation vanilla.
- Orange zest– Freshly grated orange zest adds the bright citrus pop.
- Fresh cranberries – Fresh cranberries are seasonal, but you can almost always find them starting around October depending on where you live.
- Walnuts – You can omit the nuts if you prefer or are allergic to them.
- White chocolate melts – We use white chocolate melts for the drizzle, but you use chips or bar versions.
Instructions
Step 1 – Mix the ingredients. Before starting, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
As it heats, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
In a stand mixer bowl, cream together the butter and sugar then add the eggs to the butter mixture one at a time. Make sure each is mixed in before adding the next egg. Once the eggs are added, pour in the vanilla extract and add in the orange zest to the egg and butter mixture.
Step 2 – Finish the batter. Once the vanilla and orange zest are added, slowly add the flour mixture to the eggs and butter and mix until combined. Then, slowly pour in the buttermilk until it is fully incorporated.
Fold in the cranberries and chopped walnuts. Try not to over mix the batter at this point because it can become tougher the more you mix it.
Step 3 – Prep the pan and bake. Grease your 9×5 inch loaf pan. Either flour the bottom or line it with parchment paper to help prevent it from sticking to the bottom. Once it is lined, pour the batter into the loaf pan.
Bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Make sure to check it early and often so it doesn’t over-bake. If it bakes too long, it can become dry.
Step 4 – Cool, drizzle, and serve. Once the bread has come out of the oven, let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes before removing it. Allow it to cool completely on a wire rack.
When the bread has cooled, melt the white chocolate melts in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time until they are fully melted and smooth. Drizzle the chocolate over the top of the bread.
Allow the chocolate cool and firm up before slicing it and serving it to your family or guests.
How to Store It
Cranberry orange bread stores well on the counter or in the fridge.
To store, allow the bread to cool completely. Tightly wrap it in plastic wrap and store it in at room temperature for about 2 to 3 days.
If you would like it to last a little bit longer, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then store it in the refrigerator for up to one week. You may want to allow it to come up to room temperature again before serving.
Can It Be Frozen?
Yes, you can freeze the bread. Before freezing, let the bread cool completely. Do not add the white chocolate if you intend to freeze the bread!
Wrap up the bread tightly in two layers of plastic wrap and then wrap in two layers of aluminum foil. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
When ready you are ready to serve, remove from the freezer, unwrap, and let thaw on the counter. Once it reaches room temperature, drizzle with white chocolate, cut, and serve.
Looking for More Easy Holiday Baking Recipes?
- Holiday Crescent Roll Breakfast Ring
- Overnight French Toast Bake
- Overnight Refrigerator Yeast Rolls
- Chocolate Chess Pie
- Gruyere Popovers
- Portuguese Milk Tarts {Queijadas de Leite}
- Sock it to Me Cake
- The Best Coconut Cake You’ll Ever Make
- Cinnamon Roll French Toast Casserole {Overnight}
- More Baking Recipes…
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Cranberry Orange Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups All purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups Sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking powder
- 2 large Eggs
- ½ cup Butter
- 1/2 cup Buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 tablespoons Orange zest
- 1 cup Fresh cranberries
- 1/2 cup Walnuts
- 1/2 cup White chocolate melts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
- Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in one bowl.
- Using your mixer cream together the butter and sugar.
- Add eggs to the butter mixture one at a time making sure each is mixed in before adding the next.
- Add the vanilla extract and orange zest to the egg and butter mixture.
- Add the flour mixture to the eggs and butter and mix until combined.
- Slowly pour in the buttermilk until it is fully incorporated.
- Fold in the cranberries and chopped walnuts.
- Grease your 9×5 inch loaf pan and either flour the bottom or line it with parchment paper.
- Pour the batter into the loaf pan.
- Bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Make sure to check it early and often so it doesn’t over-bake.
- Once it has finished baking remove it from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes before removing it from the pan and letting it cool completely.
- Once the bread has cooled melt the while chocolate melts in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time until they are fully melted and smooth. Then drizzle over the top of the bread.
- Let the chocolate cool and firm up and then slice and serve.
Nutrition
G’day Looks great! All blog comments appreciated and sharing is caring today!
Cheers! Joanne @ What’s On The List #SayGdayParty pinned
Oh, I could certainly tuck into this at my morning or afternoon tea. Looks delish!
Thanks for linking up to Marvelous Monday on Smart Party Planning.
Looks so beautiful and really tasty!
Found you at bewitchin projects.
Love all the different berries used in this bread – “bliss” is totally right! 🙂
Love quick breads and this looks so delicious! Thanks for sharing! Pinned and Twittered! Stopping by from the Friendship Friday Blog Party! 🙂
You seriously share way too many good recipes… this looks delicious and perfect for Christmas morning!
Hello!! Just wanted to let you know I will be using this in a round up (posting soon) from the Teach Me Tuesday party! Very much appreciate you linking up with us 😉
This looks absolutely amazing! I am doing this tonight! Such a great idea! Thanks for sharing!