This Orange Cranberry Bread is the perfect Fall treat. It’s a quick, 10 minute sweet bread with just the right amount of cranberry and orange flavor. This bread is so easy to make, moist, and mouthwateringly good!
Is there anything more uniquely versatile in the fall than cranberry? I mean, you can whip up a batch of Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies to serve after your dinner of Turkey Cranberry Sliders with a side of Homemade Cranberry Sauce.
If you’re. a cranberry lover like I am, then this Orange Cranberry Bread is a recipe for you! Not only is it simple, but it comes out so moist, sweet, and perfectly flavored every time.
Enjoy for breakfast, as a snack, as dessert, you name it!
Why I LOVE this recipe!
- Quick and easy – Just 10 minutes of prep required before you’re popping these sweet loaves into the oven.
- Perfect breakfast, snack, or dessert – Enjoy this bread as a sweet way to start the day, a mid-day snack, or even as an after-dinner dessert. It’s so versatile!
- Mouthwatering flavor combination – Really, though. What’s better than the tart flavor of cranberry and the sweetness of orange infused into a deliciously moist and sweet bread.
Recipe Notes
This cranberry orange bread recipe is as simple as promised! Just a 10 minutes of prep for a family friendly treat.
In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use for how to make the best cranberry orange bread recipe.
Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.
Ingredients + Substitutions
- Vegetable Oil – Vegetable oil adds tons of moisture to the batter without altering the flavor at all.
- Sugar
- Orange Zest – You can easily zest an orange using a cheese grater. Be sure to zest just the very outer layer of the peel (the orange part.) Avoid the bitter pith (the whiter part.)
- Eggs – Add moisture and bind the ingredients so that the bread can hold its shape.
- Vanilla Extract
- All-Purpose Flour
- Baking Soda – Check your baking soda to make sure it’s fresh. Expired baking soda won’t serve its intended purpose.
- Salt
- Sour Cream – Sour cream is a great way to add extra moisture to the bread without thinning it out too much.
- Orange Juice – Use your favorite variety of orange juice to infuse the bread with the perfect amount of orange flavor.
- Cranberries – I use fresh cranberries in this recipe, but dried will work too!
Make sure to see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full quantities and ingredients list.
Recipe Variations
If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!
- Cranberry Orange Bread with Dried Cranberries – Swap the fresh cranberries out for a scoop of dried cranberries instead. They will add a different texture, but will still be delicious.
- Cranberry Orange Nut Bread – Add a nutty crunch with any chopped nuts of your choice. Try pecans, almonds, macadamia nuts, you name it. You can also do walnuts—orange cranberry walnut bread is a classic!
- Cranberry Orange Bread with Glaze – Top the bread loaf off with a sweet layer of classic glaze or cinnamon glaze.
- Cranberry Orange Bread with Orange Glaze – Give your cranberry orange bread an even stronger orange flavor by using orange juice as the liquid in your glaze. Alternatively, add a more subtle orange flavor with a sprinkle of orange zest.
Recipe Step by Step
I am going to highlight a few key steps in the recipe here, but make sure to jump down to the recipe card for comprehensive instructions on how to make cranberry orange bread.
- In a mixing bowl, combine oil and sugar. Add in the orange zest, eggs, and vanilla, then mix until smooth.
2. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Add that into the sugar mixture, then mix until smooth. Fold in the cranberries.
3. Transfer the batter to two greased loaf pans, then top with additional cranberries.
4. Bake at 350ºF for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out of the center clean. Cool for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
Recipe Tips
- Grease the loaf pans – A layer of cooking spray, melted butter, or vegetable oil makes it super easy to get the loaves out of the pans. Without it, the bread will likely stick to the pan when you try to take it out.
- Check for doneness – Before removing your bread from the oven, test that it’s done by inserting a toothpick into the center. If the toothpick comes out clean, then it’s ready to go! If it comes out with moist crumbs or batter still on it, then the bread needs a few more minutes.
- Cool before slicing – Cutting into the bread while it’s still too hot can cause it to crumble! I recommend cooling for 10 minutes in the pan, then transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. This gives the bread plenty of time to set up.
Recipe Short Cuts
If you need to make this recipe, but are extra short on time, here are a few ideas that can help make this recipe even faster!
- Make the batter in advance – Get ahead by whipping the batter up up to a day ahead of time before baking. When you’re ready to bake, all you need to do is transfer to loaf pans and pop them in the oven.
- Bake and save for later – Bake the bread completely, then let it cool and store it in the fridge or the freezer.
Freezer Instructions
Making this cranberry orange quick bread recipe into a freezer recipe is simple! Follow the steps below and you can store this recipe in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To freeze after cooking
- Bake the bread, then let it cool completely.
- Wrap each loaf tightly in two layers of plastic wrap, then transfer to a freezer bag.
- Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- When you’re ready to enjoy again, simply thaw in the fridge or on the counter, then slice and serve.
Orange Cranberry Bread Leftovers
If you have leftovers after making this recipe, then it is your lucky day! They save and reheat well, and can make the start of another delicious dish.
To save leftovers, separate into meal sized portions and then place in an airtight container and store:
- at room temperature for 2-3 days
- in the refrigerator for up to 1 week
- in the freezer up to 3 months
Recipe FAQ’s
What season is cranberry orange?
Cranberry orange is a classic fall flavor combination! However, this bread can be enjoyed all year round – it hits the spot no matter the time of year.
Do I need to cook cranberries before baking?
Nope, no need! The fresh cranberries go straight into the batter to add a delicious tart flavor and burst of moisture.
Why is my cranberry orange bread crumbly?
There could be a couple of reasons that the cranberry orange bread comes out crumbly.
1. It’s over-baked. Baking too long can zap the moisture out of the bread. Dry bread can be crumbly. Bake only until a toothpick comes out clean, then remove from the oven.
2. You sliced into it too soon. I recommend letting the bread cool for a while before slicing into it. Bread that is still hot from the oven is much more crumbly.
More EASY Sweet Bread Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more easy recipes for another busy night!
You can check out all of my easy sweet treat recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite recipes below.
Orange Cranberry Bread
Ingredients
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 tablespoons orange zest
- 2 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup orange juice
- 1 ½ cup fresh cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚F.
- Combine the oil and sugar. Add the Sour cream, orange juice, orange zest, eggs, and vanilla extract and mix until smooth.
- Comine the flour, baking soda, and salt, and stir into the sugar mixture mixing until smooth. Then fold in the cranberries.
- Grease two bread loaf pans (9.25 long x 5.25 wide x 2.75 deep) and then pour half of the batter in each one. Top with additional cranberries.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool 10 minutes, then remove from pan and continue to cool on a wire rack.
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