Pumpkin Cranberry Bread | Pumpkin Nut Bread | Quick Holiday Bread Recipe

Pumpkin Cranberry Bread or Holiday Bread is a quick and delicious, moist bread recipe where the crunchiness of the nuts is combined with the tanginess of cranberries and the aromatic, sweet fall flavors, making it one of the best desserts to try for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.

Check out best Christmas recipes and popular Thanksgiving desserts.

Jump to:

• About the recipe
• Ingredients
• Step-by-step instructions
• Tips
• Variations
• Recipe FAQs
• More cranberry and pumpkin recipes
• Recipe card
• User Reviews

About the recipe

This pumpkin bread with cranberries and cashew nuts is one of the best bread loaves you will bake this fall and holiday season. The batter is ready in less than 10 minutes. Your entire house is going to smell amazing with the fall flavors.

You can also make a cream cheese frosting to top this bread for a white Christmas. A total crowd-pleaser at your dinner table.

Check out the best bread recipes to try this holiday season.

Ingredients

Pumpkin: Use homemade or store-bought canned pumpkin puree to make this bread.
Baking powder and soda: Helps the bread rise.
Spices: Cinnamon, ginger, and pumpkin spice (mixture of cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger). You can skip the ginger and pumpkin spice but do add the cinnamon for a cozy flavor.
Egg: Makes your bread moist.
Cranberries: The tartness compliments very well with the sweetness of the Pumpkin.
Nuts: Gives a crunchy texture in every bite.
Orange: Orange juice and zest add a delicious flavor and keep the bread from tasting dense.

See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

Step-by-step instructions

Preparation

• In a small pan, dry roast the cashews or walnuts till you get a nice aroma. (optional, but tastes really good)
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the bread loaf pan or line it with parchment paper and keep it aside. 

Making of the batter

• Add butter and sugar in a large bowl and mix using an electric or hand mixer until butter becomes light.
• Add the egg and mix until it is well combined with the butter.
• Now add orange zest (outer skin of orange), orange juice, vanilla extract, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon powder, ginger powder, pumpkin puree, and mix.
• Add the all-purpose flour and mix just until the batter is smooth.
• Fold in the cranberries and roasted cashews.
• Spoon the batter into the loaf pan. Spread the batter evenly.

Bake the bread

• Bake for about 60 to 70 minutes or until the toothpick inserted comes out clean. 
• Let it cool down completely even before you slice. Serve and enjoy. 

Tips

Leftover bread can be wrapped and stored at room temperature for 3 to days or in the refrigerator for ten days. You can also freeze the bread for upto three months. Thaw and reheat in the microwave before serving.

Variations

• You can add pecans, pistachios, and almonds instead of cashew nuts or walnuts.
• Cranberries can be substituted with raisins, currants, dried and chopped apricots, fig, cherries etc.
• Chocolate chips can be added instead of nuts.
• I have kept the bread simple. For a festive look, you can have streusel topping, orange glaze, cream cheese icing, or just top it with powdered sugar.

Recipe FAQs

More cranberry and pumpkin recipes

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Recipe card

Note: We originally posted this recipe in Dec 2015. It has now been modified in Sep 2023 with Expert Chef Tips, FAQs, Storage Instructions, etc.