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
Absolutely delicious. Was totally worth the extra effort of not using boxed!
So glad to hear that, Beth! Thank you for trying my recipe.
This turned out delicious, everyone at Thanksgiving enjoyed it and it got gobbled up super quickly! The only change I will make in the future is to halve the powdered sugar for the glaze, I ended up dumping most of the glaze because it just made so much (also used more OJ to get a drizzling consistency)
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Shannon! I’m glad you enjoyed the bread!
Hi Natasha, I made this bread multiple times and it’s amazing! Can I use frozen cranberries? If so, does it change cooking time or recipe in any way? Thank you!
Hi! Yes, you can. See my notes above in “common questions” for instructions.
I have this in the oven now so it’ll be ready for the Thanksgiving family-feast. It smells amazing! I’m not usually a bowl/spoon/whisk licker, but I made an exception for this batter. It already tastes amazing! Can’t wait to taste the finished product tomorrow!
I bet everyone will love it! Thank you for sharing that with me, KM!
This is absolutely delicious! It was so good that I made it again and gave it to my new neighbor as a “welcome” happy! On the second loaf I did adjust a tad by adding a full cup of sugar and decreased the powder sugar in the glaze to 1/2 cup. I also thinned out my glaze with more orange juice. When purchasing your oranges, make sure you can really smell the orange essence, it will make for a more fragrant zest.
That’s great, Marie! Thank you for the feedback.
Would dried cranberries work?
I just found your channel and absolutely love your videos!
Hi Kimberly, yes, you can. Please check this part of the recipe “Can I Substitute Dried Cranberries” for more tips.
Around the holidays I love to bake and decided to try this, it was delicious and will become a new favorite in our house.
I’m glad to hear that you love this!
Mine was very dry. Could use some moisture. Maybe some
Pudding in the mix or sour cream next time
Hi Colleen, this recipe has always turned out moist and should be moist and not dry. Were there any changes made in the recipe or perhaps any substituted ingredients? Also, be sure to measure by fluffing the flour first with a spoon, then spoon it into a dry ingredient measuring cup and scrape off the top. If you push your measuring cup into a flour bin, you will get up to 25% too much flour. Also, do not tap the flour down in the measuring cup. I hope this is helpful!
I knew when I saw cranberry and orange that I had to make it. It’s in the oven now in two mini loaf pans. I wanted to keep one and give my neighbor one. I’m watching it since I’ve never baked in my mini loaf.
I hope it becomes your new favorite, Sandra!
Hi, really want to make this today. Can this recipe be doubled or tripled easily?
Hi Claudette, I haven’t tried but one of readers shared this “I made this recipe, doubled it in fact. I used frozen Cranberries and the bread is delicious! I wasn’t going to put the glaze, but I’m so glad I did, it just adds the perfect compliment.” I hope that helps.
I just made one loaf, ate half of it with my kids, and decided to go ahead and make 2 more for later.
Now my question is, if I am freezing the bread, should I add the frosting now or when I take it out of the freezer?
Hi Inna! I’ve frozen it with the glaze, but either way will work. 🙂
I’ve been using an old cranberry nut bread recipe for years. I decided to try yours as mine was more complicated and always came out heavier. This is by far the best recipe: very moist and flarorful. I doubled it and added nuts. Perfect!
I’ll be using this one from now on.
I’m on my third (ok, fourth) piece of this delicious bread! It’s such a wonderful blend of sweet, tart and citrus. Another win for Natasha. Thank you!
It’s addicting, isn’t it? I’m so glad you loved it also, Jill!
I do! Wanted to also just take a moment to tell you how refreshingly lovely it is that you take the time and make the effort to respond to comments, answer questions, etc. There’s a reason yours is my favorite food blog! 🙂
I made this today and will need to give away or freeze half so I don’t eat the whole thing! So yummy! Thanks!
Glad you enjoyed this, Jennifer!
I’m going to make this recipe but using mini pans about how long would you bake them?
Hi Dee, I haven’t tested them to provide specific instructions on baking time. You’d have to experiment with it and watch them closely to ensure they don’t over-bake.
This looks like a wonderful recipe I am wondering if this bread be frozen?!
Hi Diane! You’re going to love it! Yes, it does freeze well. See the “Make-Ahead” section in the recipe on all the storing tips.
I love this recipe and it was so easy.
When you use all purpose flour is it better to use unbleached or bleached?
Hi Ellen, I usually use unbleached.
I made this cranberry bread first time and it turned out really good! My family loved it! Yumm! I will make it again for sure. Thank you for the great and simple recipe, Natasha!
You’re welcome! I hope you’ll love all the recipes that you will try.
Can’t wait to try this one. Going to also try it with blueberries and lemon.
Sounds great, I hope you love this recipe!
Just made your Cranberry Bread. It is absolutely the best bread ever! I can’t say enough good about the texture and flavor. I’ll be making this for friends and relatives during the holidays.
Thank you, Natasha
Love this feedback, thank you so much for sharing that with us!
Thank you, thank you! I lost a similar recipe several years ago and I was so happy to see this one today. I always look for your recipes. I will surely bake this one very soon..
As I was reading this recipe I was hoping to see that you put orange zest and juice in it? you did!!
Hi Carole! I hope you love this recipe! 🙂