Cranberry Orange Bread (Print Version)

Tart cranberries and zesty orange meld into a tender, sliceable loaf with optional nuts and a sweet glaze.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

06 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
09 - 1 tablespoon orange zest (from about 1 large orange)
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Add-ins

11 - 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, coarsely chopped
12 - 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper or grease thoroughly.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - In a separate bowl, combine the melted butter, eggs, orange juice, orange zest, and vanilla extract. Whisk until fully blended.
04 - Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir gently until just combined — do not overmix.
05 - Gently fold in the chopped cranberries and nuts (if using) with a spatula, distributing evenly throughout the batter.
06 - Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula for an even surface.
07 - Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
08 - Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The orange zest perfumes the entire loaf so your kitchen smells incredible for hours.
  • It uses one bowl strategy for wet and one for dry, so cleanup is almost too easy.
  • Fresh cranberries burst into little pockets of tartness that balance the sweetness perfectly.
02 -
  • Overmixing the batter is the fastest way to turn this tender bread into something rubbery and tough.
  • If you only have dried cranberries, soak them in orange juice for 10 minutes before folding them in and reduce the amount to 1 cup.
03 -
  • Toss the chopped cranberries in a teaspoon of flour before folding them in to prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the loaf.
  • The secret to the most fragrant bread is rubbing the orange zest into the sugar with your fingertips before mixing, which releases the essential oils directly into the sweet base.

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