Description
This Easy Cranberry Nut Bread Recipe features a perfectly moist crumb studded with tart cranberries, crunchy nuts, and bright orange zest, topped with sweet orange glaze. Ready in just 75 minutes, it makes two beautiful loaves perfect for gift-giving, holiday breakfasts, or freezing ahead. Simple mixing method with foolproof results every time.
Ingredients
For the Bread:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons orange zest (about 2 oranges)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, roughly chopped
3/4 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped
For the Orange Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
2–3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon orange zest
Pinch of salt
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 8×4-inch loaf pans or line with parchment paper.
2. In large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
3. Roughly chop cranberries into halves or thirds. Toss with 1 tablespoon flour to prevent sinking. Set aside.
4. Chop pecans or walnuts into small, uniform pieces. Set aside.
5. In separate medium bowl, whisk eggs until light and frothy.
6. Add orange juice, vegetable oil, orange zest, and vanilla extract to eggs. Whisk until well combined.
7. Create well in center of dry ingredients.
8. Pour wet ingredients all at once into well in dry ingredients.
9. Fold gently with rubber spatula just until dry ingredients are moistened – batter will be lumpy. Don’t overmix.
10. Fold in chopped cranberries and nuts with minimal stirring, just until evenly distributed.
11. Divide batter evenly between two prepared loaf pans.
12. Smooth tops gently with spatula but don’t compact batter.
13. Bake on middle oven rack for 50-60 minutes until golden brown.
14. Rotate pans halfway through baking for even browning.
15. Test for doneness – toothpick inserted in center should come out with few moist crumbs, not wet batter.
16. If edges brown too quickly, tent loosely with aluminum foil after 40 minutes.
17. Remove from oven and cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes.
18. Run knife around edges to loosen, then turn out onto wire rack.
19. Cool completely before glazing, at least 30 minutes to 1 hour.
20. Make orange glaze: Whisk together sifted powdered sugar, orange juice (add gradually), orange zest, and pinch of salt until smooth.
21. Drizzle glaze over cooled loaves using spoon or fork in zigzag pattern.
22. Let glaze set for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
23. Slice with serrated knife using gentle sawing motion for cleanest cuts.
Notes
Use room temperature eggs for better incorporation – set out 30 minutes before baking.
Don’t overmix batter – stir just until combined. Lumps are normal and create tender texture.
Toss chopped cranberries with flour before adding to prevent sinking to bottom during baking.
Frozen cranberries work perfectly – use straight from freezer without thawing.
Check doneness at 50 minutes – baking time varies by oven. Don’t overbake or bread will be dry.
For mini loaves (5.75×3 inch), reduce baking time to 30-40 minutes.
Bread tastes even better the next day as flavors develop and texture settles.
Store wrapped at room temperature up to 3 days, refrigerated up to 1 week.
Freeze unglazed bread up to 3 months. Thaw and glaze before serving.
Can omit nuts for nut-free version or substitute with sunflower seeds.
For sweeter bread, add 2 tablespoons more sugar to batter.
Orange glaze is optional but highly recommended for beautiful presentation and extra flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 185
- Sugar: 16g
- Sodium: 125mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 23mg
Keywords: cranberry bread, nut bread, quick bread, orange cranberry bread, holiday bread