Easy Cranberry Bread with Fresh Cranberries
This easy cranberry bread with fresh cranberries is a festive holiday quick bread with a light, tender crumb, a hint of fresh orange juice, and a pretty sprinkling of sugar on top. The batter comes together in just 10 minutes, making it a simple homemade treat for a Thanksgiving breakfast, Christmas brunch, or holiday gifting.
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!
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.
- Moist Quick Bread: Each slice is tender and moist thanks to the orange juice and cranberries.
- 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 You’ll Need
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.
- 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.
- All-Purpose Flour
- Sugar
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Egg
- 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.
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.
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Baking Instructions
Rub softened butter along the inside of an 8×4-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.
Glaze the Top (Optional)
If you prefer to make a homemade glaze instead of using the sparkling sugar, I have several delicious options:
- Vanilla Glaze: My thick vanilla glaze would look stunning dripping down the sides of the loaf.
- Citrus Glaze: You could make my fresh lemon glaze with either lemons or oranges as you prefer.
- Maple Glaze: For an extra boost of fall flavor, try my sweet maple glaze.
- Browned Butter Glaze: If you want just a hit of nuttiness and a pinch more saltiness, try my easy browned butter glaze on top.
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 Fresh 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? I love this easy apple bread and here are a few of my favorites:
Easy Cranberry Bread with Fresh Cranberries
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups flour plus 1 tablespoon for the bread pan
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
- 1 tablespoon sparkling sugar optional
Instructions Start Cooking
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8×4-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.1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the egg, orange juice, melted butter and water until smooth.1 egg, 1/2 cup orange juice, 2 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon water
- 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.1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
- 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.1 tablespoon sparkling sugar
- 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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About Tiffany
Tiffany is a home-cooking enthusiast, three-time cookbook author, and creator of the sites Peanut Blossom, Peanut Blossom Book Club, and Don’t Just Fly. She believes that family dinner can be manageable, fun, and — most importantly — tasty. She lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her husband and two daughters and can often be found baking a loaf of bread with her beloved bread machine, reading a good book, or planning her family’s next adventure.
This recipe is so good!! On my favorites list and my friends are so excited when I make it for them! For sure winner!!