Orange-glazed Cranberry bread has a moist and tender crumb and is loaded with juicy cranberries. It has the perfect balance of sweet and tangy and just like our famous Banana Bread, this loaf stays moist for a few days (in case you needed a homemade Christmas gift idea).
This is a copycat version of my favorite bakery’s cranberry loaf and this one turned out even better – more cranberries and the orange glaze makes it truly special. You’ll love every bite.
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We love cranberry recipes during the holidays like Sugared Cranberries, Cranberry Bundt Cake, and of course this Cranberry Bread recipe. If you love tangy and juicy cranberries, this recipe is a must-try!
Cranberry Bread Video Tutorial
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Ingredients for Cranberry Orange Bread
- Flour – use all-purpose to give the bread structure
- Baking powder – leavening to make the loaf rise
- Salt – balances the sweetness
- Milk – best at room temperature
- Orange zest and juice – be sure to zest the orange before juicing it. Reserve a teaspoon of zest for the glaze.
- Butter – Adds moisture to the loaf. Use unsalted butter softened at room temperature.
- Sugar – to balance the tanginess of the cranberries
- Eggs – give the bread a moist, tender crumb
- Cranberries – rinsed and dried then tossed in 1/2 Tbsp of flour to keep them from sinking in the batter (see substitution options in common questions section)
How to Make Cranberry Bread
- Whisk dry ingredients – whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
- Combine wet ingredients – in a measuring cup, stir together milk, orange juice and zest.
- Cream butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl then beat in eggs until well combined.
- Combine batter – Add flour mixture in 2 additions, alternating with the milk mixture, mixing just until combined.
- Flour cranberries – rinse and dry cranberries then toss them with 1/2 Tbsp flour to coat. Fold in cranberries just until incorporated. Spread batter into buttered and floured 8.5×4.5 bread pan.
- Bake the bread for 45-50 minutes until golden on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Pro Tip: Tossing cranberries in a little flour coats them lightly and prevents them from sinking to the bottom of the loaf as it bakes. This ensures cranberries are evenly disbursed in the finished loaf.
The Best Glaze for Cranberry Bread
Orange and cranberry are complimentarily flavored just like peanut butter and jelly. Topping the cranberry bread with orange juice and the orange zest-infused glaze makes this bread irresistible. I’m not sure if it’s breakfast or dessert but I’ve served it both ways. All you need for this easy 3-ingredient glaze is:
- Powdered sugar – I spoon it into the cup and level the top for a consistent measure.
- Orange juice – Freshly squeezed is best and don’t worry about straining. A little pulp won’t hurt the bread.
- Orange zest – do not skip the zest. It adds deep orange floral notes to the glaze.
Common Questions
Yes, you can use frozen cranberries in the same quantity and add them frozen (do not thaw). You may need to bake just a few minutes longer or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
You can substitute with 2/3 cup dried cranberries and reduce the sugar in the recipe to 2/3 cup since dried cranberries aren’t as tart. The dried cranberries will be juicer if you soak them in very warm water for 10 minutes then drain and pat dry before using.
You can make this a cranberry nut bread by folding in 1/2 cup of coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans when adding the cranberries to the batter.
This sweet bread is total comfort food. All you need is a mug of tea or coffee to go with a thick, fresh slice of cranberry bread.
Make-Ahead
- Room Temperature – wrap cranberry bread loosely in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Refrigerate – you can cover and store the loaf in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Freezing – cool the loaf completely to room temperature then place in a freezer-safe zip bag, removing any excess air. Freeze up to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
Pro Tip: Cranberries are only available for a season in grocery stores so buy extra and store them in the freezer so you can keep enjoying this cranberry bread year-round.
More Cranberry Recipes
These are our best cranberry recipes using both fresh and dried cranberries.
- Cranberry Sauce
- Sparkling Cranberry Pineapple Punch
- Cranberry Orange Scones
- Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Cranberries
- Cranberry Apple Danish
Cranberry Bread with Orange Glaze
Ingredients
Cranberry Bread Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup milk, room temperature
- Zest of 1 large orange, divided
- 1/4 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries, rinsed and patted dry
- 1/2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
Orange Glaze Ingredients:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice, or to reach desired consistency
- 1 tsp orange zest, reserved from the orange above
Instructions
How to Make Cranberry Orange Bread:
- Prep: Preheat oven to 350˚F. Butter a 6 cup (8 1/2 by 4 1/2 bread loaf pan)* then dust with flour, tapping out the excess flour.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together: flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a measuring cup, combine together milk, zest of 1 orange (Reserve 1 tsp zest for the glaze), and orange juice. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and granulated sugar on medium/high speed (2-3 minutes on high speed). It won’t be smooth, just combined. Beat in 2 large eggs, mixing until well incorporated.
- Add flour mixture in 2 parts, alternating with the milk mixture and mixing on medium/low speed just until incorporated with each addition. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed.
- Toss cranberries with 1/2 Tbsp flour then fold them into the batter just until incorporated. Spread the batter into your prepared pan and bake for 45-50 min at 350˚F until golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan 10-15 minutes then run a cake release tool or knife around the edges and transfer the loaf to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
To Make the Glaze:
- In a separate bowl, stir together powdered sugar, orange juice and reserved teaspoon of zest. Stir until smooth. It should have a drizzling consistency. Add more orange juice to thin it out or powdered sugar to make it thicker.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
Hi Natasha, Thank you for the wonderful recipe! I loved this Orange Cranberry bread when I made it the first time, but unfortunately, I had to throw it away the second time. 🙁 I used frozen cranberry because I couldn’t find fresh ones at any grocery stores due to being out of the holiday season. And it turned out a bad decision! The outside was very well-baked, but when I cut into it, the mushy batter inside began to flow out. How can I fix this problem? I want to try it again!
Hi Mia! Yes, you can use frozen cranberries in the same quantity and add them frozen (do not thaw). I have had great results with frozen cranberries. You may need to bake just a few minutes longer or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Did you make any other changes in the recipe or use a smaller pan by chance? If it was cooked well on the outside and raw in the middle, it could be that the pan was too small for the amount of batter, causing the outside to bake too fast and not finish baking in the middle. I would also recommend using internal oven thermometer (amazon affiliate link) to ensure your oven is heating correctly and not overheating. I hope that helps.
Thank you for your detailed explanation. Following your instructions, I baked it a little longer this time. This time, it turned out very delicious! Everyone in my family loves this cake. Thank you for the great recipe!
You’re very welcome, Mia! So glad it turned out.
Super delicious orange cranberry bread. It almost didn’t make it to the second day!
Very moist, nice tartness, then the excellent glaze. A star all around. Thank you.
Great to hear that it was a huge succes! Thanks for sharing, Janet.
It has been a minute that I have made a bread from scratch. I doubled the recipe to make 2 breads. I did not use a mixer; I did the mixing by hand. The batter was very dense so I just was not sure how it would turn out. It is beautiful and delish.
Good to know that you enjoyed the result! It should out a bit moist and not dense, I recommend using the exact ingredients listed.
This looks so good. Can this recipe be made in bread machine?
Hi Malissa! I have not tested that to advise.
This was delicious and it didn’t last long, lol. Definitely making again!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Tammy!
I made this for Christmas and everyone loved it. It will be my new holiday bread.
I’m so glad to hear that!
Simple recipe to follow! Very delicious! Made 2 loaves! It was a hit! Will definitely make again!
So glad you loved it, Amy!
Thank you for this recipe it’s absolutely delicious! I have made this recipe 5 times for the holidays and everyone loved it.
One loaf I had to use plant butter because of dairy allergies and it was delicious as well. I followed the exact instructions and it came out perfect!!
Thank you for sharing that with us, Valerie! I’m so glad it was a hit!
Made this today for my family and they LOVED IT!!!! The tarte cranberries with the sweet orange glaze was perfection!
Thank you for your good comments and feedback for this recipe. We’re so glad your family loves it too!
Loved this! Made it for Christmas last year and again today. I used frozen cranberries and it still came out tasting amazing. Thank you!!
You’re welcome, we’re glad you loved this recipe!
Love this so much! It’s been a big hit with everyone. The only suggestion/comment I have is to make sure you have enough orange juice beforehand. Using naval oranges, I’ve only gotten about 1/4 juice per orange and have had to supplement it with bottled juice to make the glaze.
We made this bread and gave it out as Christmas gifts. Everyone love it.
This loaf makes a wonderful gift! So glad it was enjoyed!
It was ok. I thought the cranberries were a bit tart. I prefer a recipe that I have with cranberries, orange, nuts and mini chocolate chips.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
I’m wondering whether almond milk can be substituted for dairy milk (it’s all I have available)? If so, what would be the amount of almond milk? Thanks!
Hi Jessica! I haven’t tried using almond milk but one of readers shared this “Just made this today swapping out almond milk for regular milk due to an allergy. Also after reading the other comments, I halved the icing with exceptional yummy results! I will be making this again to give as gifts.” I hope that helps.
Yummy! Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe. I followed it and added the 1/2 cup of nuts as well. I made muffins in a standard pan, 1/4 batter in each, it made 10 scrumptious muffins. It took 35 minutes for mine to bake through. Thank you again for this recipe, it’s certainly a keeper. So good!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Lisa! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
So Good!
I made two loves of this bread at Christmas time and gave some to the neighbors. We Loved it, they LOVED it!
I made 2 more loaves! This time increasing the cranberries to 2 cups per loaf.
Thank you, Natasha for another wonderful recipe!
You’re very welcome, Donna! So glad it’s being enjoyed.
Made loaf for Christmas with other treats. Loaf was amazing! Big hit. Going to make more today.
That’s wonderful, Maggie!
Fantastic recipe!!! I made 18 of the cranberry (with dried cranberries) and 12 of the banana bread (without the nuts and raisins). Family and friends loved it! It was a Homemade Christmas and brought joy to all!!!
Hello! Thank you for sharing that with us, glad to hear that you loved it!
Absolutely delicious!
I’ve made my mother’s cranberry bread recipe all my adult life until I tried your recipe!
My husband was over the top thrilled with your cranberry bread recipe!! And me too!!!
So now it’s on the top of my list to make every Christmas!!!
I used frozen cranberries because that’s all I had in my house!!
Thank you Natasha ! God bless you and your family!!
Natasha I love your recipes and your videos! Your videos are absolutely fun too!!
And delicious recipes!!
I hope that you and your family have a blessed and wonderful Christmas!!
Thank you so much! Thanks for your wonderful comments and feedback. Merry Christmas too.
Hi there, Natasha: First of all I want to say that I love watching your videos. You make me smile! I am a recent subscriber and I have this cranberry bread in my oven now and I cannot wait to try it!!! My home smells so wonderful!
Thank you so much for all that you generously share with us!
I can almost smell it! I hope you love this Cranberry Bread, Melissa! Thank you for your wonderful review. Happy Holidays.
Hi Natasha: I just wanted to let you know that the cranberry bread was absolutely amazing! I had never had it before, and I was very pleased with the texture and the flavors.
Thank you again!
Melissa
P.S. this recipe brightened or breakfasts so much and is so festive!
Hi Melissa, thank you for sharing that with me and for your good feedback!
Hi Natasha
Could this be made with leftover cranberry sauce.
Merry Christmas
Hi Debbie, that sounds yummy but I haven’t tested it that way so I’m not sure how the extra moisture will affect the texture and rise of the bread. If you experiment, please let me know how it goes.