Cranberry Orange Bread

4.76 from 25 votes

This cranberry orange bread is a zesty, sweet, and tangy treat bursting with festive flavors! Perfect for holiday breakfasts, cozy afternoons, or gifting, it’s easy to make and topped with a simple orange glaze for an extra touch of magic.

Prep Time20

Cook Time1

Cooling Time20

Total Time1 20

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: slices

Calories: 383kcal

Author: Nora from Savory Nothings

Ingredients

Dry ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt

Wet ingredients:

⅔ cup milk
⅓ cup orange juice
⅓ cup melted butter, cooled OR canola oil
1 large egg
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Other:

2 cups cranberries large ones halved
½ tablespoon white sugar
½ tablespoon white flour

Optional glaze:

2 tablespoons orange juice
¾ cup confectioner's sugar

Instructions

Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 5x9 inch loaf pan, or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
Combine dry ingredients: Add all dry ingredients to a large bowl and whisk well. Set aside.
Combine wet ingredients: Mix milk and orange juice in a large measuring jug and set aside for 5 minutes. The milk will curdle, which is exactly what we want - that way it behaves like buttermilk (you can prep the cranberries while you're waiting). Then whisk in the butter, and then the remaining wet ingredients.
Make batter: Add wet to dry ingredients and fold (using a spatula or wooden spoon) JUST until combined. Do not overmix. Toss cranberries in ½ tablespoon flour and ½ tablespoon sugar and fold into the batter.
Bake: Spread batter in prepared loaf pan and bake for 55-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out mostly clean. Loosely cover the bread with aluminum foil after around 40 minutes of baking time, to keep it from getting too brown.
Cool and glaze: Cool the bread in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack and cool completely. To glaze, combine orange juice and confectioner's sugar until smooth and spread over cooled bread.

Video

Notes

Ingredient notes:

Orange juice: Fresh or bottled is fine; fresh adds extra brightness.
Oil or butter: Oil is easy, butter adds richness – use what you love!
Cranberries: Rinse, dry, halve large ones, and coat in flour and sugar to keep them from sinking.

Recipe tips:

Don’t overmix: Gently fold wet and dry ingredients until just combined to keep the bread light and tender.
Baking time: Cover with foil after 40 minutes to prevent over-browning. Check every 5 minutes in the last 15 minutes; bread is done at 210°F internal temp.
Glazing: Cool bread completely before glazing to avoid melting and sliding.

Storage tips:

Room temp: Store airtight for up to 3 days; refrigerate for longer freshness.
Freezing: Freeze whole or in slices (separate with parchment). Thaw slices at room temp in 1-2 hours or microwave briefly. Glaze after thawing for best results.

Nutrition