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 this loaf stays moist for a few days (in case you needed a homemade Christmas gift idea).
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Cranberry Bread Video
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Cranberry Bread Recipe
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 make it truly special. As a copycat recipe, I think it’s even better than Starbucks’ Cranberry Bliss Bread. You’ll love every bite.
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! P.S. You can also change it up and add nuts to make it a cranberry nut bread, as I did with my famous Banana Bread.
Cranberry Orange Bread Ingredients
- Baking Basics – All-purpose flour gives the bread structure, baking powder is the primary leavening, and salt balances the sweetness.
- Milk – I use whole milk, but skim milk will work. It’s best at room temperature.
- Orange zest and juice – In case it’s not intuitive for everyone, use a zester 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
- Fresh Cranberries – rinsed and dried, then tossed in 1/2 Tbsp of flour to keep them from sinking in the batter. You can use frozen cranberries and add them frozen (do not thaw) and bake a few minutes longer, or substitute 2/3 cup dried cranberries and reduce the sugar in the recipe to 2/3 cup since dried cranberries aren’t as tart. Soak dried cranberries in very warm water for 10 minutes, then drain and pat dry before using.
When Shopping for Cranberries…
Cranberries are only available for a season in grocery stores, so buy extra and store them in the freezer so you can enjoy cranberry bread year-round. To Freeze Cranberries: Set the original bag inside a freezer-safe bag to protect them from freezer burn. I rinse frozen cranberries right before using them. If you’d rather rinse before freezing, just dry them really well first.
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 with an electric mixer, 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 wire rack to cool completely.
Natasha’s 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.
To Bake Mini Cranberry Loaves
If you want to gift mini cranberry loaves. Divide into 3 mini loaf pans (5.5 x 3-inch each). Divide evenly among the pans, filling them 1/2 to 2/3 full. Bake at 350˚F for 22-28 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Glaze once fully cooled.
The Best Glaze for Cranberry Bread
Orange and cranberry are complementary flavors, 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.
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
- 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.
This sweet bread is total comfort food. All you need is a steamy mug of tea or coffee to go with a thick, fresh slice of homemade Cranberry Bread.
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 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
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 Cookies
Some liked it and some didn’t. It was to tart for some. It was addicting to me I couldn’t stop eating it.
Moist bread packed with max flavor. Easy to make this bread
Thank you, Dinah! We think so too!
Can you use this recipe for muffins instead of loaf of bread?
Yes, it will work for muffins too. Just check them a lot sooner since they will bake faster, likely around 18-22mins.
Rarely am I as pleased with a new recipe as I am with this one. Robust orange and cranberry flavor, moist and rich yet not too dense.
Thank you for the wonderful review, Cathy.
Yummy! So easy and delicious 😋 used frozen cranberries. Made with Christmas breakfast
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Could you substitute buttermilk for the milk ?
Hi Mary Ann, I haven’t tested that to advise. In the comments section one of my readers wrote “Hello yes I tried it with buttermilk and it came out delicious”. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
This is a delicious bread! Almost like a poundcake, so dense and moist. The glaze was outstanding on top of it, but the bread doesn’t need it. I also love that it makes two loaves, so it’s less work.
Hi Patricia! I’m so happy you loved the recipe. Thank you for the feedback.
Hi Natasha,
Can you use 5×3 pans and how long to bake them. Do you fill them half full or more.
Hi Eulah! I haven’t tested it to be able to provide the exact timing. You’ll have to watch them in the oven. One of my viewers said: “I used 4 mini loaf pans (1 1/2 cups each, about 2 1/2x 5 1/2 x 1 1/2 inches). Baked for 22 minutes at 350°.“ I hope that helps.
I made this last night and it was the best cranberry bread I have ever had. The glaze is next level 🙂
The recipe did not double everything, and it came out like tar. I added more milk and 2 more eggs because it told me when I doubled the recipe to only add 2 eggs. And then I saw that I needed to put four anyway, I will never use her again
Hi Sheri! I’m sorry for the frustration. The notes in the instructions don’t change, but the ingredient list will update when you increase the recipe. Unfortunately that is not a feature available on the blog at the moment. Hopefully in the future, it can be something our tech team can create.
Loved it! Could you create some recipes without sugar but with honey instead?
Hi Loni! Thank you for the suggestion. My Banana Bread Recipe can be made with honey in place of sugar.
I’ve made this every Christmas for the last few years and it’s always well received. It never fails that I’m asked for the recipe. Thank you!
This bread is amazing! The only thing I did different was cook it for 6 minutes longer! The glaze is awesome and so is the bread. Thanks for sharing.
I just made this cranberry bread for a Christmas brunch that I hosted yesterday. I made it the day before and glassed it just before serving. It was the perfect dessert! Natasha’s video was easy to follow as are all of her cooking videos. (I’m a huge fan! 🪭)
My bread came out slightly dense and dry, though. What can I do to make it a little moister and lighter next time?
Hi Robert! Thank you so much. It makes me very happy to know you’re enjoying the recipes.
The two most common reasons for a dry cake crumb is due to using too much flour or baking too long causing it to dry it. Serving it at room temperature is also best, this helps the crumb stay soft. Be sure to measure your flour correctly. I have a tutorial on How to Measure Ingredients (Wet and Dry) .
I made 6 loaves of this recipe yesterday and they turned out sooooo good! I wrapped them loosely in Saran Wrap and put them in the fridge but I checked them this morning and the icing is turning white and the edges of the bread are hard… I hope they aren’t stale now!
Hi Haley, you can leave this at room temperature overnight but if it’s already refrigerated, I would suggest leaving it at room temperature for 30-60 minutes for it to soften up before serving.
Love this receipe. I think i need a tweet on it for high altitude. I’m 6000 ft above sea level
Do you think i can used dried cranberries vs. fresh?
Yes you can use dried cranberries. Please go to this part of the recipe “Can I Substitute Dried Cranberries?” for tips.
Hi I just made your cranberry bread. It was delicious! I made 8 to 20 breads to share at Christmas time. My sister years ago gave ocean spray her recipe. They had it on the cranberry,s bag . This year I’m going to make your to give to love ones and friends. I really enjoyed yours. Thank you Veronica Merry Christmas 🌲
If using frozen cranberries should I still coat them in flour?
Hi Kay, yes, you should still coat them in flour.
Cranberry Orange one of my favorite flavour combinations! This recipe is so moist. It’s the perfect loaf. I am always asked for this recipe. It’s that good!
Hi Lori! I’m so glad you love this recipe! Thank you for the feedback.