Orange Cranberry Bread | Holiday bread

Orange Cranberry Bread is soft and moist, quick and easy to make, a sweet bread recipe bursting with orange and cranberry flavors. This mildly sweet, citrusy bread is perfect for Christmas holiday breakfasts, brunches, and gifting. This orange cranberry bread pairs very well with coffee or tea.

Don't miss double chocolate banana bread, cinnamon pear bread, or apple coffee cake.

Cranberries orange bread

This cranberry-orange bread with an orange glaze is a timeless holiday classic that combines the citrus aroma of freshly squeezed orange juice and zest with the pop of cranberries in a bakery-style loaf. Popular during Christmas and winter holidays, this quick no-yeast bread fills your kitchen with a warm, festive aroma.

Whether you are serving this bread for holiday breakfast, brunch, dessert, or as a gift, this cake loaf never fails to impress.

Don't miss our award-winning cranberry pesto pasta and cranberry fragipane tart.

Ingredients

Cranberries: I have used dried cranberries. You can use fresh or frozen cranberries.

Orange juice: Freshly squeezed for the citrusy flavor.

Orange zest: Intensifies the aroma of orange.

Eggs: Bind and add moisture to the bread

Flour: Holds the structure of the bread

Baking powder: Helps bread rise.

Butter: Keeps the bread moist and rich.

Sugar: Sweetens the bread and also keeps the crumb tender.

Check out the recipe card for the full list of ingredients.

For the cranberry orange bread

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees  F. Prepare the baking pan and keep it aside.
• Soak dried cranberries in hot water for 10 minutes.
• In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar.
• Add eggs, orange zest, and orange juice, and whisk well.
• Add flour and baking powder, and mix until combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl.

• Drain the cranberries and toss them with 1 tablespoon flour.
• Fold them into the batter.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared bread loaf pan.
• Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Let it sit for 10 minutes.
• Transfer it to a wire rack. Let it cool completely.

For the orange glaze

• In a bowl, mix well the powdered sugar, orange glaze, and orange juice.
• Drizzle on top of the cake.
• Slice, Serve, and Enjoy, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

Tips

• Do not overmix the batter.
• Zest the fresh oranges before taking out the juice.
• To prevent the cranberries from sinking, toss them in flour before folding in the batter.
• If the top browns faster, cover it with foil and continue baking.
• Rest the bread overnight for optimal flavor.
• Add walnuts or pecans for the crunch.
• To prevent the bread from becoming bitter, do not add the white pith from the oranges.
• You can bake the muffins using the same batter for about 18 to 22 minutes.

Storage instructions

• Store the bread at room temperature for 3 days.
• You can refrigerate upto 1 week.
• Freeze the whole loaf or slice upto 3 months.

More holiday bread recipes

Recipe card

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