Cranberry Nut Bread

Tart cranberries, zesty orange, and crunchy peans flavor this hearty and comforting bread. Plus, the aroma of baked bread will leave your house smelling extra cozy!

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I’m back with my first post of the new year, and boy is it a doozy. While I was visiting family over the holidays, I had the honor of trying this delightful cranberry nut bread that a family member had freshly baked the day I arrived. It was so good, I asked for the recipe and baked a loaf immediately once I was back home.

I don’t normally love cranberry and orange together because it tends to be a little too sweet for my taste, but this bread won me over!

Why you’ll love Cranberry Nut Bread

• Hearty & filling - nuts and cranberries make this bread great for snacking!

• Both tart & sweet - This bread is not too sweat which is exactly what I love about it! Using fresh ingredients like freshly grated orange zest and freshly squeezed orange juice rather than store bought orange juice (which often has added sugar) help to balance the tart cranberries, creating the perfect union. (Of course you can always use store bought orange juice in a pinch, but I would recommend finding one without added sugars).

• Easy to make - This is a one bowl operation and should only take about fifteen minutes to prepare, and because there are minimal dishes used, you can relax and enjoy the delicious smell of baked bread for the 45 - 50 minutes the bread spends in the oven.

Recipe Tips for the best Cranberry Nut Bread

• I always use parchment paper to line the bread pan. It makes it so much easier to remove the bread once it’s done baking.

• Because breads are dense, they can take a little longer to bake in the oven than other baked goods, and this can lead to the top browning too quickly. If you find that the edges of your bread are turning dark, cover the bread by loosely placing a piece of foil over the top, then let the bread finish baking.

• A great bake is the key to the perfect quick bread. The goal is to get the bread out of the oven right when it is ready - once the bread has risen and the top looks light golden brown, insert and remove a knife (or toothpick) into the center of the bread. If it comes out with dough still on it, bake another five minutes and check again. Once the knife (or toothpick) comes out clean, remove the bread immediately from the oven.

• Let the bread cool for 10 - 15 minutes, then loosen up the sides with a knife as needed and pull the bread out of the pan using the parchment paper walls as handles. Let the bread cool the rest of the way on a drying rack. The bread will continue to cook if left too long in the hot pan, and this can leave the edges of the bread thick and dry.

Cranberry Nut Bread FAQ

• Do you have to use pecans in this recipe?

  Absolutely not! You an use any kind of nut you like. Other nuts that are great for baking include almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts (I might have to try these next time!), or pistachios.

• Can I add chocolate chips to this recipe?

  Absolutely! In fact, I will have to try this next time because it sounds like an amazing combination.

• How do I keep cranberry nut bread moist?

  Getting the bake right is essential. If you over bake the cranberry nut bread, it will become dry. The key moment to remove the bread from the oven is when a knife is inserted into the center and comes out clean.

  To avoid over baking, try adding a piece of foil to the top of the bread half way through the bake. This will keep the edges from getting too brown which can add to dryness as well.

  Remove the bread from the pan as soon as the pan is cool enough to touch. This will prevent the bread from cooking too long in the hot pan which can cause dry edges.

• Can I make cranberry nut bread ahead of time?

  Absolutely! The bread will keep well in the refrigerator for up to five days, or in the freezer for up to three months. See directions below for how to store and freeze carrot cake bread.

  You can also make the batter ahead of time and keep it in the refrigerator for up to two days prior to baking. Just let it stand at room temperature for about 20 minutes before baking the batter.

Helpful Kitchen Tools

• Sharp knife and cutting board

• Microplane

• Orange press or orange juicer

• Mesh strainer

• Loaf pan

• Parchment paper

• Electric stand mixer with bowl and paddle attachment

• Spatula

• Measuring cups

• Measuring spoons

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter, softened

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 egg

• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (about two oranges)

• 1 tablespoon orange zest (grated rind from 1 orange)

• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 cups all purpose flour

• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (or nut of choice)

• 1 cup chopped fresh cranberries
  

How to make Cranberry Nut Bread

Prep

1. chop cranberries, and if you haven’t purchased pre-chopped nuts, chop the nuts into small bits as well. Set aside.

2. Zest 1 orange by grating the rind onto a microplane until you have 1 tablespoon of zest. Set aside.

3. Juice about two oranges, or 3/4 cup juice. Pour the juice through a mesh strainer to remove seeds and pulp. Set aside.

4. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

5. Preheat oven to 350℉.

Mix

1. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, 30 - 60 seconds.

2. Add egg and mix well, scraping down the sides of the bowl.

3. Add pure vanilla extract, orange juice, orange zest and mix until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl.

4. Add baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Mix until well combined.

5. Add flour and mix until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl.

6. Add nuts and cranberries and mix until incorporated throughout the batter evenly.

Bake

1. Pour and spread batter evenly into loaf pan.

2. Place pan in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes. Then Place a piece of foil over the pan and bake for another 20 minutes. Check the bread by inserting and removing a knife into the center of the bread. If there is still uncooked dough on the knife, bake for another 5 minutes and repeat the knife check. Continue until the knife comes out barely clean, then remove the bread from the oven.

3. Let stand to cool for about 10 minutes, then remove the bread and place it on a cooling rack to continue cooling the rest of the way.

4. Slice the bread once it has cooled completely, or about 1 hour.

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How to Store

Store cranberry nut bread at room temperature in an air tight container for up to two days, or store in the refrigerator for up to five days. If stored in the refrigerator, let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, or pop in the toaster for a freshly baked effect.

You can also freeze cranberry nut bread easily. Just place (fully baked and cooled) in an air tight freezer container and store in the freezer for up to three months. Remove from the freezer and place in the refrigerator 24 hours prior to serving.

→ Optional serving suggestion: after the bread has thawed, pop it into the toaster and spread a little butter on it.

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Servings: 12

Author: Jessie Cagliero

PRINT RECIPE

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Cranberry Nut Bread

Tart cranberries, zesty orange, and crunchy peans flavor this hearty and comforting bread. Plus, the aroma of baked bread will leave your house smelling extra cozy!

Prep time: 15 minutesCook time: 50 minutesTotal time: 1 H & 5 M

Cook modePrevent screen from turning off

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (about two oranges)
• 1 tablespoon orange zest (grated rind from 1 orange)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (or nut of choice)
• 1 cup chopped fresh cranberries

Directions

Prep

1. chop cranberries, and if you haven’t purchased pre-chopped nuts, chop the nuts into small bits as well. Set aside.
2. Zest 1 orange by grating the rind onto a microplane until you have 1 tablespoon of zest. Set aside.
3. Juice about two oranges, or 3/4 cup juice. Pour the juice through a mesh strainer to remove seeds and pulp. Set aside.
4. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
5. Preheat oven to 350℉.

Mix

1. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, 30 - 60 seconds.
2. Add egg and mix well, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
3. Add pure vanilla extract, orange juice, orange zest and mix until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
4. Add baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Mix until well combined.
5. Add flour and mix until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
6. Add nuts and cranberries and mix until incorporated throughout the batter evenly.

Bake

1. Pour and spread batter evenly into loaf pan.
2. Place pan in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes. Then Place a piece of foil over the pan and bake for another 20 minutes. Check the bread by inserting and removing a knife into the center of the bread. If there is still uncooked dough on the knife, bake for another 5 minutes and repeat the knife check. Continue until the knife comes out barely clean, then remove the bread from the oven.
3. Let stand to cool for about 10 minutes, then remove the bread and place it on a cooling rack to continue cooling the rest of the way.
4. Slice the bread once it has cooled completely, or about 1 hour.

*Nutrition is auto-calculated by recipes generator.

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