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A glazed loaf of cranberry orange bread sliced on a wooden board, showing bright red cranberries in a tender crumb

Cranberry Orange Bread

A moist, tender quick bread with tart cranberries and fresh orange zest, finished with a simple orange glaze.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Cooling 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
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 9x5-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.