Tart and sweet cranberry bread recipe with just a tiny bit of crispness that protects each soft and moist slice. The best cranberry bread you’ll ever eat.
Cranberry bread is one of my favorite holiday traditions in our house. When fresh cranberries arrive at the supermarket I know the holidays aren’t far away.
This cranberry bread recipe is so different from the bland dry stuff that comes on catering platters. This loaf is golden brown with vibrant bits of cranberry and orange zest in each slice. Even more than the beautiful slices is how incredibly moist it is. The outside has just a tiny bit of crispness that protects a soft and moist. It’s perfectly tart and sweet. It’s honestly the best cranberry bread you’ll ever eat.
Make sure you check the recipe notes at the end of the recipe. I’ve included a recipe to make your own buttermilk, which tastes the same and will cut down on your shopping list, as well as a link to my favorite bread pan!
Looking for more amazing holiday recipes? Try these:
Healthy Oven Baked Sweet Potatoes
Vegan Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Winter Salad with Roasted Cauliflower
Salted Caramel Apple Pie
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PrintAmazingly Moist Cranberry Bread Recipe
Tart and sweet cranberry bread recipe with just a tiny bit of crispness that protects each soft and moist slice. The best cranberry bread you’ll ever eat.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 70 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 slices 1x
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup orange juice
- Zest of one large orange
- 2/3 cup buttermilk*
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon iodized salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) coarsely chopped cranberries
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
Special Equipment
- Loaf Pan**
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit.
- In a small bowl, stir together the orange juice, orange zest, buttermilk*, butter and egg.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Stir in the liquid ingredients, mixing until just combined and dry streaks still remain.
- Stir in the chopped cranberries and nuts, if using.
- Pour mixture into a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan, and level using a spatula. Bake 25 minutes, then reduce heat to 350° Fahrenheit and bake for an additional 45-50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool at least an additional 30 minutes before slicing.
Notes
*If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can mix 1 cup of milk and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar and let sit for 5 minutes.
**I use a 1 pound (8.5 x 4.5-inch) loaf pan and this one is my absolute favorite. This recipe is very forgiving and any size pan should work.
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Question, are the cranberries used in this recipe fresh, cooked?
You can use frozen or raw cranberries for this recipe, not cooked.
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Thank you so much.
Is the butter to be melted or perhaps you are to cream it with a mixer?
It is melted and stirred in!
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Yes, what do you do with the butter. Is it softened or melted?
It is melted and stirred in!
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Thanks. That’s what I did while waiting for the response and it turned out perfectly! Yum! Thank you.
I tried another recipe like this a couple weeks ago which was good but this one with the orange zest and juice is suoerb! It’s a bit of citrus flavor with the cranberries and a little sweetness. For the flour I used a mixture of spelt, oat, white whole wheat, a bit of sorghum flour and the texture was so tender and moist! I had a slice this morning with peanut butter, and since I used walnuts in the batter I think I got all my nutrient bases covered. Thank you❣️
WOW – this is such high praise Ruth! I’m glad you enjoyed it and thank you so much for the flour tips.
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Can you use dried cranberries such as Ocean Spray Craisins?
I’ve never tried and I suspect you can’t, but can’t say for sure!
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I’d forever want to be update on new blog posts on this webb site, bookmarked!
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Can you use dry orange spice or do you have to use a grater for the orange zest and how much dry orange spice do you put in it it’s in the spice isle?
I think dry orange spice would be ok but I’ve personally never used it.
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I made this recipe today and it’s amazing. Will continue to make as
now it’s one of my favorite bread recipes.
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I agree Have not tasted the bread but a few triple the recipe which I love the Option that you provide. The triple recipe makes 11 Mini loaf pans at 1 time which is perfect That cooks a beautifully thank you so much I can’t wait to taste said the morning beautiful recipe chop all your cranberries 1st so they’re ready to go I made 2 triple batches and a double. I am giving these away for gifts. What a delicious treat thank you again for a fabulous recipe so easily so beautiful.
Hooray! I’m happy to be a part of your holiday gifting this year!
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Made it as loaves last year. Now mske it as muffins. Make jumbos for the men in the family. Thry love. Thanks for a recipe I can trust. Oh i am 80 years old andvlove trying new recipes
Wow that’s amazing idea! I’ll have to try a batch of muffins myself! 🙂 Thanks Jackie!
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I am 70 yrs. old, and still love trying new recipes and found your recipe for this absolutely delicious cranberry bread. I love moist quick breads and this one is excellent. I made a double batch for Thanksgiving and everyone who tried it just loved it and asked for the recipe.
I did a couple of modifications: added whole, frozen cranberries, used orange juice with pulp. Also, used salted butter (by accident) but bread still did not taste overly salty.
Many commented that the bread had a pound-cake consistency, and I agree. I next want to try making in a bundt pan, similar to some pound-cake recipes. All in all, absolutely loved this recipe and will be making many more loaves to come. Thank you for sharing!
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Hi Mary – Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on the cranberry bread! I’m really glad you enjoyed it and I love the idea of having it in a bundt pan!
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Making this now with dried cranberries as in Australia we can’t get fresh or frozen. I soaked them in the liquid part for 30 mins. Fingers crossed it turns out well. Smells good while cooking.
Fingers crossed for you too!
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Bread came out beautiful with the dried cranberries. I soaked them for 15 mins in the liquids then add them to dry ingredients;. Worked perfect.
Amazing!
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Beautiful,,delicious..thanks for the great recipe.
I’m glad you liked it!
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I cut the sugar back to 1/2 a cup and it was very nice. I did not have buttermilk, so I just added 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to the 2/3 cup of mile that the recipe called for. I used lactose free milk.
Next time I might try just cooking at one temperature for the whole time … just to make it even simpler!
Thank you for a yummy Christmas bread!
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Second time making this, the first was devoured immediately! No orange at home today so used tangerines as they are in season and have great flavor! Added a little vanilla, and some pulp from tangerines, I also soak my dried cranberries in the liquid, one other thing is I add an extra egg( I’m at 3,500 ft) I absolutely LOVE THIS BREAD! thanks for the great recipe, oh I also have no oven, cooks great in my cuisinart air fryer!!!
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Amazing! Thanks for all of the suggestions!
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Superb recipe! Made exactly as written with fresh cranberries and walnuts and it is sooooo delicious, moist and flavorful! I baked it in two mini ceramic loaf pans and had enough batter left to fill 4 regular muffins. Kept the heat the same but I just watched the time in the oven because of the smaller pans and the 4 muffins, about 35 minutes. Easy, quick and will definitely make again!
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Amazing! I’m glad you loved it as much as we do!
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