Cranberry Orange Bread with Sweet Orange Glaze

When fresh cranberries show up in the produce aisle, a loaf of cranberry orange bread is the first thing I bake. The tart red berries burst in the oven against a soft, buttery crumb perfumed with orange zest, and a drizzle of sweet orange glaze ties it all together.

In this post I explain why the recipe works, which ingredients matter most, and how to mix and bake the loaf so it rises tall without sinking. You will also find tips on fresh, frozen and dried cranberries, variations, a troubleshooting table, storage and freezing advice and quick answers to common questions. The printable recipe card is at the bottom of the post.

Why This Cranberry Orange Bread Works

Quick breads are forgiving, but a few small choices separate a dry, crumbly loaf from one that stays moist for days. This recipe is built around fresh orange flavor and the right balance of fat, liquid and leavening.

• Orange zest rubbed into sugar. Rubbing the zest into the sugar with your fingertips releases the fragrant oils, so the orange flavor runs through every bite.
• Fresh orange juice as the liquid. Juice replaces most of the milk you would find in a basic quick bread, adding flavor and a little acidity that keeps the crumb tender.
• Melted butter. It is easy to stir in by hand and gives a rich, buttery taste without a mixer.
• Baking powder plus baking soda. The soda reacts with the acidic juice for a good rise, while the powder keeps the loaf tall and even.
• Chopped cranberries tossed in flour. Halving the berries spreads their tartness around, and the light coating of flour helps keep them from sinking.

The result is a sweet-tart loaf that works for breakfast, an afternoon snack with coffee or a holiday brunch spread. It is also a lovely homemade gift, since it slices neatly and keeps well. Best of all, you do not need a mixer, a proofing step or any special equipment beyond a loaf pan and a whisk.

Ingredients You Will Need

You need just one large bowl, one small bowl and a few pantry staples, plus fresh oranges and cranberries.

• All-purpose flour: Spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off. Too much flour makes quick bread dense and dry.
• Granulated sugar: Sweetens the loaf and balances the tart berries.
• Baking powder, baking soda and salt: For lift and balanced flavor.
• Fresh oranges: You need about 2 medium oranges for 1 tablespoon of zest and 3/4 cup of juice. Bottled juice works, but fresh zest is a must.
• Unsalted butter: Melted and slightly cooled.
• Egg and vanilla: One large egg binds the batter, and vanilla rounds out the citrus.
• Cranberries: Fresh or frozen, coarsely chopped. Do not thaw frozen berries first.
• Powdered sugar: For the simple orange glaze on top.

How to Make Cranberry Orange Bread

This is a classic muffin-method quick bread: dry ingredients in one bowl, wet ingredients in another, then a gentle stir to combine. The whole batter is ready in about 15 minutes.

1. Prepare the pan. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line it with a strip of parchment, leaving an overhang on the long sides for lifting.
2. Flavor the sugar. In a large bowl, rub the orange zest into the sugar with your fingertips until it looks damp and smells fragrant.
3. Add the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into the orange sugar.
4. Mix the wet ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk the orange juice, melted butter, egg and vanilla until smooth.
5. Combine gently. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir with a spatula just until a few streaks of flour remain.
6. Fold in the cranberries. Toss the chopped cranberries with 1 tablespoon of flour, then fold them into the batter until evenly distributed.
7. Bake. Scrape the batter into the pan, smooth the top and bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Tent loosely with foil after 40 minutes if the top browns quickly.
8. Cool and glaze. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, lift the loaf onto a wire rack and cool completely. Whisk the powdered sugar with orange juice and drizzle over the top.

For the most reliable doneness test, an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the loaf should read about 200°F (93°C). That way you never pull a loaf with a gummy middle.

Tips for the Best Cranberry Bread

• Stop stirring as soon as the flour is mostly incorporated. Overmixing builds gluten and gives the bread tunnels and a tough texture.
• Chop the cranberries coarsely in a food processor with a few quick pulses, or halve them with a knife. Whole berries can leave pockets of sourness.
• Use a metal loaf pan for the most even browning. Glass pans bake slower and may need an extra 5 to 10 minutes.
• Let the loaf cool completely before glazing, or the glaze will soak in rather than set on top.
• Slice with a serrated knife using a gentle sawing motion for clean slices that show off the berries.
• Bring the egg to room temperature before mixing. A cold egg can firm up the melted butter into little lumps.
• Measure the orange juice after squeezing and top it up with bottled juice if your oranges are not very juicy.

If you love quick breads as much as I do, bake a loaf of my moist spiced pumpkin bread or my classic ripe banana bread next, and spoon leftover homemade cranberry sauce over toasted slices. You can find plenty more loaves in my easy bread recipes collection.

Fresh, Frozen or Dried Cranberries

Fresh cranberries are in season from fall through the holidays, and they are the best choice for this loaf. Look for firm, glossy, deep red berries and pick out any soft or shriveled ones.

• Fresh: Rinse, pat dry and chop. They give the brightest tart pop.
• Frozen: Use them straight from the freezer and chop while frozen. Thawed berries bleed and turn the batter pink. Add about 5 minutes to the baking time.
• Dried: Use 1 cup of sweetened dried cranberries instead of fresh. The bread will be sweeter and chewier, so you may want to cut the sugar by 2 tablespoons.

Cranberries freeze beautifully in their original bag, so I buy a few extra packages in November. That way I can bake this bread well into spring.

Easy Variations

• Cranberry orange nut bread: Fold in 1/2 cup of toasted chopped pecans or walnuts with the cranberries.
• Sparkling top: Skip the glaze and sprinkle 2 tablespoons of coarse sugar over the batter before baking.
• Muffins: Divide the batter among 12 lined muffin cups and bake for 20 to 24 minutes.
• Mini loaves: Bake in four small 5×3-inch pans for 30 to 40 minutes. They make wonderful holiday gifts.
• Buttermilk version: Replace 1/4 cup of the orange juice with buttermilk for an even softer crumb.
• White chocolate cranberry: Fold in 1/2 cup of white chocolate chips for a sweeter, festive treat.

Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Make Ahead, Storage and Freezing

This bread actually tastes better the next day, once the orange flavor has had time to settle into the crumb. Wrap the cooled loaf tightly in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

To freeze, wrap the unglazed loaf, or individual slices, in plastic wrap and then foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight on the counter and glaze before serving. The batter contains raw egg and raw flour, so please do not taste it before baking; the FDA explains the risks of raw dough and batter.

Serving and Gifting Ideas

A thick slice of cranberry orange bread is lovely on its own, but it also dresses up a holiday breakfast table. Toast slices lightly and spread them with salted butter, honey butter or whipped cream cheese.

• Holiday brunch: Serve slices alongside a breakfast casserole, a bowl of fresh fruit and a pot of hot coffee or tea.
• Afternoon snack: A warm slice with a mug of spiced apple cider is a cozy treat on a chilly fall day.
• Dessert: Top a lightly toasted slice with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and an extra drizzle of orange glaze.
• Thanksgiving morning: Bake the loaf a day ahead so you have an easy breakfast ready while the turkey roasts.

For gifting, bake the loaf a day ahead, let it cool completely and add the glaze. Once it sets, wrap the loaf in parchment, tie it with kitchen twine and tuck in a sprig of rosemary and a few fresh cranberries for a festive touch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ready to bake? Here is the full printable cranberry orange bread recipe with exact measurements, baking times and estimated nutrition.

Cranberry Orange Bread

A moist, tender quick bread with tart cranberries and fresh orange zest, finished with a simple orange glaze.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Cooling 1 hour hr

Total Time 2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Servings: 10 slices

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 280

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Bread

• 1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
• 1 tablespoon orange zest from about 2 oranges
• 2 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled (250 g), plus 1 tablespoon for the berries
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 3/4 cup fresh orange juice (180 ml)
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled (57 g)
• 1 large egg room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries coarsely chopped (150 g)

Orange glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar (120 g)
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice plus more as needed

Method

 

Make the bread

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment, leaving an overhang on the long sides.
2. In a large bowl, rub the orange zest into the sugar with your fingertips until fragrant.
3. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into the orange sugar.
4. In a small bowl, whisk the orange juice, melted butter, egg and vanilla until smooth.
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently just until a few streaks of flour remain.
6. Toss the chopped cranberries with 1 tablespoon of flour and fold them into the batter.
7. Spread the batter in the pan and bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or the center reaches about 200°F (93°C). Tent with foil after 40 minutes if browning quickly.

Cool and glaze

1. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift the loaf onto a wire rack and cool completely, about 1 hour.
2. Whisk the powdered sugar and orange juice until thick but pourable, drizzle over the loaf and let it set before slicing.

Notes

Frozen cranberries: Chop while frozen, do not thaw, and add about 5 minutes to the baking time.

Storage: Keep wrapped at room temperature for 3 days, refrigerated for 1 week, or frozen unglazed for 3 months.

Nutrition is an estimate per slice with glaze.

I hope this cranberry orange bread brings a little brightness to your kitchen this season. If you bake it, please leave a comment and a star rating below and let me know whether you added nuts. Happy baking, friends. Chef Amber