Cranberry Orange Bread for the Holidays

Cranberry orange bread is my holiday workhorse. It is festive, it uses fruit that is at its best from November through January, and it keeps beautifully, which makes it the loaf I bake in multiples for gifting. One bowl, no mixer, and a house that smells like the holidays.

The recipe leans on fresh orange juice and zest rather than butter. Oil keeps the crumb moist for days, while the tart cranberries break up the sweetness so every bite tastes bright instead of heavy. Once you bake it, you will understand why it shows up on so many holiday tables.

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Cranberry Orange Bread: the recipe

Prep: 15 min | Bake: 55 to 65 min | Makes: 1 loaf, 12 slices | Oven: 350 degrees F, 9 by 5 inch loaf pan

Ingredients

• 2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Zest of 1 large orange
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) orange juice
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) neutral oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, roughly chopped

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan.
2. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
3. In a second bowl whisk the zest, orange juice, oil and egg.
4. Pour the wet into the dry and fold until just combined. Fold in the cranberries.
5. Bake 55 to 65 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes in the pan.

Storage: Room temperature 3 days, refrigerated 1 week, frozen up to 3 months.

About the cranberries

Fresh or frozen cranberries both work, and frozen ones are actually easier to chop. Use them straight from the freezer so they hold their color. If you cannot find fresh berries, dried cranberries work too: use one cup, fold them in whole, and reduce the sugar by two tablespoons because dried berries are sweetened.

Use a fine zester to take the zest from the orange before you juice it. Zest first, juice second, always.

Tools

The loaf bakes in a 9 by 5 inch pan. I like the nonstick aluminized steel pan for its even browning and the stoneware loaf pan when I want to serve straight from the pan. Line either with parchment for a clean release. For a holiday tray of small loaves, use a mini loaf pan and bake 28 to 32 minutes.

Chop berries on a board and mix in a glass bowl. A whisk works for the dry ingredients, a silicone spatula for folding, and a set of measuring cups and spoons keeps quantities accurate. I weigh flour on a digital scale every time.

Tips

The batter will be thick and a little lumpy. That is correct. Overmixing makes quick breads tough. Because berries release juice, the center takes a while to set, so bake the full time and test with a skewer. Cool 15 minutes in the pan before slicing, then wait until the loaf is just warm so the berries do not smear.

If the top browns early, tent with foil. Always handle the pan with silicone oven mitts.

Variations

Add a half cup of toasted walnuts or pecans. Brush the warm loaf with two tablespoons of orange juice mixed with one tablespoon of sugar for a shiny top, or drizzle with a simple orange glaze made from powdered sugar and juice. Add a teaspoon of vanilla for warmth, or a pinch of cardamom for something a little different.

Serving and gifting

Slice it and stack it in a bread basket lined with a cotton kitchen towel for Christmas breakfast. It looks great on a serving board next to a bowl of whipped butter.

To gift, wrap a cooled loaf in parchment, tie it with twine and tuck in a sprig of rosemary, or use treat bags for individual slices. Keep at room temperature for three days or freeze up to three months. For hosting, set it beside a pretty set of candlesticks and a few eucalyptus stems for a simple brunch spread.

Free Sweet Bread Recipe eBook

Looking for more loaves to bake this season? Get ten quick bread recipes, including this cranberry orange bread, in my free Sweet Bread Recipe eBook.