Fresh Cranberry Bread
This cranberry bread recipe has fresh orange juice and whole fresh cranberries in a light and airy quick bread with a sparkling sugar topping. Prep the batter in just 10 minutes and have a perfect holiday breakfast ready to go in no time.
Of all the quick bread recipes I've baked over the years, this fresh cranberry bread might just be my new favorite.
A sweet orange juice flavored quick bread with whole fresh cranberries that burst in every juicy bite with a crunchy sugar topping is hard to resist.
While I made it for a regular week "just because" I regret not baking one for Thanksgiving morning. I just might have to add it to our Christmas breakfast menu in a few weeks!
You could bake a loaf now and freeze it for later if you want to get a jump start on your holiday baking. While you're at it, bake 2 and give one to a friend!
Jump to:
- Why This is the Best Recipe
- Ingredients
- Whisk the Dry Ingredients First
- Whisk the Wet Ingredients Together
- Fold the Batter Together
- Baking Instructions
- Variations
- Make Ahead Tips
- Serving Suggestions
- More Cranberry Recipes
- 20 Fresh Cranberry Recipes
- Cranberry Brie Bites
- Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip
- Cranberry Orange Muffins with Streusel Topping
- More Quick Bread Recipes
- Almond Poppy Seed Bread
- Lemon Poppy Seed Bread
- Easy Pumpkin Bread Recipe: 3 Loaves
- Mix & Match Zucchini Bread
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Why This is the Best Recipe
I love baking sweet quick breads for a delicious breakfast treat but I think this is the best cranberry bread recipe because:
- Easy to Prep: The quick bread batter comes together really quickly and has a perfect light and airy texture.
- Whole Fresh Cranberries: I love the juicy burst of cranberry in each bite, the flavor and texture is so wonderful compared to dried cranberries which can be overly chewy in some baked goods.
- Festive Sparkling Sugar Topping: As delicious as a vanilla glaze can be on a quick bread, I love the quick ease of using sparkling sugar for the topping on quick breads and muffins. The sparkle top is perfect for the holiday season.
Ingredients
This easy quick bread only needs a few ingredients:
- Fresh Cranberries: Whole fresh cranberries are essential. Dried cranberries will not have the same flavor or texture. If cranberries are out of season, you can use frozen cranberries, no need to thaw them first. You just might need a little more baking time.
- Flour
- Sugar
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Egg
- Orange Juice: I just used a regular prepared orange juice but if you have a fresh orange that is even better. You might consider adding some orange zest to the batter while you're at it, too.
- Butter
OPTIONAL: I love using sparkling sugar for the top of baked goods because they end up looking so pretty and I avoid the need for a glazed topping.
Sparkling sugar doesn't dissolve into the baked good like normal sugar does, instead it leaves sparkly in-tact sugar crystals over the top. If you can't find it at your grocery store, you can order an affordable bottle of it here.
Whisk the Dry Ingredients First
The key to a light and airy quick bread is all in how you layer the ingredients.
It is important to start by whisking just the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the bowl and whisk them together.
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Whisk the Wet Ingredients Together
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the melted butter and orange juice first.
Add the egg to the butter mixture and whisk it in until smooth.
Fold the Batter Together
Pour the butter mixture into the flour and gently fold it all together with a spatula.
Do not over mix the batter. Just stir it enough times for there to be no more dry pockets of flour and then stop.
Add the whole fresh cranberries to the batter and gently fold them in.
Baking Instructions
Rub softened butter along the inside of an 8x4-inch bread pan. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of flour into the pan and shake it around to coat.
Spoon the quick bread batter into the pan and smooth it out into an even layer. The batter will be quite thick at this point.
Preheat the oven to 350°F and bake for 45 - 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Variations
I love the simplicity of this classic cranberry bread but there are definitely fun ways you could make easy variations:
Cranberry Nut Bread: Add 1/2 cup of chopped pecans, walnuts, pistachios, or hazelnuts to the bread batter along with the cranberries.
White Chocolate Cranberry Bread: Add 1/2 cup white chocolate chips along with the cranberries.
Lemon Cranberry Bread: Substitute Meyer lemon juice for the orange juice.
Glazed Cranberry Bread: Skip the sparkling sugar and coat the bread with this easy vanilla glaze.
Make Ahead Tips
You can store the unsliced cranberry bread at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
It would taste great if you gently warmed it in the oven before serving.
Quick breads freeze really well, too.
Let the cranberry bread cool completely before wrapping tightly in aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 6 months.
Let the bread thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat it gently in the oven before serving if desired.
Serving Suggestions
We enjoyed this cranberry bread as a sweet breakfast treat during a busy week in December but it would make an incredible Thanksgiving morning breakfast or make ahead Christmas breakfast item, too.
If you want to dress it up a little for the holiday, you could make a batch of sugared cranberries for garnishing the top of the bread or scattering on the serving platter.
More Cranberry Recipes
If you love baking with fresh cranberries like I do, you won't want to miss these other delicious recipes:
More Quick Bread Recipes
Looking for more quick breads for your weekend brunch? Here are a few of my favorites:
📖 Recipe
Cranberry Bread
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups flour plus 1 tablespoon for the bread pan
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 2 tbsp butter melted
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
- 1 tbsp sparkling sugar optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8x4-inch bread pan with softened butter and sprinkle with a tablespoon of flour. Set aside.
- Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda to a large bowl and whisk them together.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the egg, orange juice, melted butter and water until smooth.
- Add the liquid to the dry flour mixture and fold together until just combined. Add the fresh cranberries and fold them into the bread batter.
- Spoon the bread batter into the prepared bread pan and smooth it into an even layer. Sprinkle the sparkling sugar, if using, evenly over the top.
- Bake for 45 - 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Recipe Notes
Variations
I love the simplicity of this classic cranberry bread but there are definitely fun ways you could make easy variations: Cranberry Nut Bread: Add 1/2 cup of chopped pecans, walnuts, pistachios, or hazelnuts to the bread batter along with the cranberries. White Chocolate Cranberry Bread: Add 1/2 cup white chocolate chips along with the cranberries. Lemon Cranberry Bread: Substitute Meyer lemon juice for the orange juice. Glazed Cranberry Bread: Skip the sparkling sugar and coat the bread with this easy vanilla glaze.Save This Recipe to Your Recipe Box
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