Mom's Cranberry Bread

Square side shot of slices of the best cranberry bread recipe on a red and white plate.

5 from 4 votes

This delicious and easy cranberry bread recipe only takes 15 minutes to prepare! Sweet and tangy cranberries paired with crunchy walnuts and a hint of orange make this moist loaf a perfectly sweet treat for the holidays or any time of year.

Course Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword cranberry bread, cranberry nut bread, cranberry orange bread, cranberry walnut bread

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1 10

Cooling Time 2

Total Time 3 25

Servings

Calories 263kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

2 cups (240 grams) all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar
Juice and zest from 1 orange
¼ cup salted butter, melted
½ cup milk
1 large egg, beaten
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, halved (if using frozen cranberries, do not thaw before adding to batter)
½ cup chopped nuts (such as walnuts or pecans) (increase to 1 cup of nuts if desired)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325°F (190°C). Grease an 8 ½ x 4 ½-inch loaf pan; set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, and sugar.
In a large measuring cup, whisk together the melted butter, orange juice, and milk, adding enough milk so that the wet mixture totals 1 cup.
Add the egg and orange zest to the wet ingredients. Whisk until completely combined.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients; stir until just combined, being careful not to overmix. The batter should be nice and thick, without any dry pockets of flour. Add a splash of extra milk, if necessary.
Gently fold in cranberries and nuts.
Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
Bake for about 65-75 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Properly measure the flour. Always spoon and level the flour or weigh it on a kitchen scale. Do not scoop it out of the package, as this packs the flour too tightly and results in dense, dry bread.
Zest the orange first, then juice it. The zest is where you'll find the most potent orange flavor. Be careful not to scrape off any of the bitter white pith.
Don't overmix the batter. Mixing too much activates the gluten in the flour, resulting in a dry, dense loaf. Gently fold together the ingredients just until everything is combined.
Use a light-colored loaf pan. Darker pans tend to brown or burn the outside of quick breads before the inside cooks through.
Toss the cranberries in a little flour before folding them into the batter to prevent them from sinking to the bottom.
To prevent sticking, use a baking spray that includes flour. It also helps to run a knife around the edges while the bread is still warm.
Optional orange glaze: Whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons orange juice. Drizzle over the cooled bread.
Make it nut-free by simply leaving out the nuts.
Storage: Wrap cooled bread in plastic wrap or foil. Keeps at room temperature for 1 to 2 days, refrigerated for up to 1 week, or frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition