Orange Cranberry Bread Recipe
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Fresh cranberries and oranges give this quick bread a delightful blend of tart and sweet flavors. It makes the perfect holiday gift!
One of my favorite gifts to give during the holiday season is something homemade from my kitchen. Not only is it a totally budget-friendly Christmas gift, but I think the receiver appreciates that effort was made, and time was spent. This recipe is so easy, and doesn’t use any odd ingredients. Plus it’s delicious!
Why This Recipe Works
This orange cranberry bread recipe is easy, quick to make, and uses basic pantry ingredients. It’s so moist, and although it’s sweet, the cranberries add just the right about of tartness.
Ingredients
Substitutes
- Lemon zest can be substituted for the orange zest. A mixture of both is delicious as well.
- Canola or vegetable oil can be used in place of the refined coconut oil. Butter can also be used, but the bread will have a flatter texture.
- Dried cranberries, or Craisins, are a good substitute for the fresh cranberries.
- Any kind of orange juice can be used. Fresh-squeezed, canned, bottled, frozen. Just use what you have! (I used Trop50.)
Baking Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a medium bowl stir together cranberries, orange zest, and 1/4 c. sugar. Set aside.
- In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together flour, 1/2 c. sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the refined coconut oil, orange juice, and eggs until well mixed.
- All at once add the wet ingredients (oil/juice/egg) to the dry ingredients.
- Beat until combined, scraping sides of the bowl until it’s all incorporated.
- Gently fold in cranberry/orange zest/sugar mixture.
- Pour into 3 small prepared loaf pans.
- Bake 30 – 35 minutes or until lightly browned, and knife or toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cool in pans for 5 minutes on a wire rack. Remove from pans and serve or store.
Variations
- Add an optional orange glaze. Just mix 1 cup of powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons of orange juice. Mix together. The glaze should pour, but it should not be runny. To get he desired consistency, add more powdered sugar if it’s too thin, and add more orange juice if it’s too thick. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled loaves. A teaspoon of fresh orange zest would be a delicious addition!
- This recipe can also be made into cranberry orange muffins.
- A teaspoon of cinnamon or a teaspoon of pure vanilla extract can be added for an extra bit of spice.
TIPS
- If you want more than 3 small loaves of this delicious cranberry orange bread, the recipe can be easily doubled.
- When zesting, make one pass over a section of the fruit with the zester. If you pass the zester twice, the bitterness of the pith will affect the taste of the batter.
- Take your time when you are zesting the orange, and chopping the cranberries. Enjoy the fresh scent of the zest, and the popping noise the cranberries make when they are sliced!
- Use a large cookie scoop to fill the loaf pans with the batter.
Frequently Asked Questions
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More Quick Bread Recipes
Orange Cranberry Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup roughly chopped fresh cranberries
- 2 teaspoons fresh orange zest (2 medium naval oranges)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup refined coconut oil
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a medium bowl mix together cranberries, orange zest, and 1/4 c. sugar. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together flour, 1/2 c. sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, orange juice, and eggs until well mixed.
- All at once add the oil/juice/egg mixture to the flour mixture.
- Beat until combined, scraping sides of the bowl until it's all incorporated.
- Gently fold in cranberry/lemon zest/sugar mixture.
- Pour into prepared 3 small loaf pans.
- Bake 30 – 35 minutes, until lightly browned, and knife inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cool in pans for 5 minutes. Remove from pans and serve.
Notes
My small loaf pans measure approximately 5.5 in. x 3 in. x 2 in.
The nutrition information is per small loaf. You will get 6-8 slices per loaf depending on how thick you make the slices.
Nutrition
I made this bread exactly as written for Christmas morning and it was delicious. Will definitely make it again.
Hi Ann! Another question about the oil but just wondering if you melted the coconut oil first and then measured 1/2 cup in a liquid measure? Thanks and Merry Christmas!
Hi Karen…the refined coconut oil that I buy is liquid and comes in a bottle. Here is the link to what I get at Kroger: https://www.kroger.com/p/simple-truth-organic-100-refined-liquid-coconut-oil/0001111078663 If your coconut oil isn’t liquid, just melt it in the microwave and then measure it as a liquid.
Printed the recipe. Gathered my supplies. Mixed the ingredients and baked away! I wrapped them in wax paper then added a ribbon and bow. We gifted them to neighbors who were appreciative and sang praises for this delightful recipe. Thanks so much! It is delicious!
ps – I used Canola oil as advised somewhere in the recipe tips.
I’m so glad you liked it! Thank you so much for the rating. I truly appreciate it! Merry Christmas!
I made the Cranberry Orange Bread for Christmas gifts. I also made it gluten free. It is absolutely delicious! I was impressed at how moist it is and the flavor is wonderful! I definitely recommend you make this bread!
I also made the Snickerdoodle Bread. My husband loves it! I’m going to try it gluten free as well. I also made the Egg Nog Bread. So easy. Going to make it gluten free too! Thank you for the wonderful recipes. Used your Christmas tags on the loaves for gifts! They were beautiful!
Thank you so much for this lovely comment. It totally made my day!
Thank you Ann! I am trying this recipe this morning! Thank you for such detailed instructions. Smells good.
Just wondering – the ingredients call for refined coconut oil, however the directions call for canola oil…which type of oil should be used?
Hi Jan…thank you for catching that! In the past, I always used canola oil, and the bread was delicious. I recently started using refined coconut oil in my baked goods. Either one works great!
The ingredient section states coconut oil but the instruction section states canola oil, can you use either one?
Yes…I’m sorry for the error! I corrected it. Either oil works great. Thanks!
Ann, I love looking to you for ideas – crafts, food, decorating. I so appreciate your cost-friendly imagination. Thank you for what you do for the blogging community. Don’t ever retire :)
Merry Christmas!
In the ingredients list, it has “refined coconut oil.”
The recipe itself lists canola oil.
Will either work?
Yes…I’m sorry for the error! I corrected it. Either oil works great. Thanks!