Classic Cranberry Nut Bread recipe! This quick and easy cranberry bread recipe makes a loaf of moist and tasty quick bread.
Is it too soon to break out the cranberries? I love cranberries, so it’s never too soon for me.
And this Cranberry Nut Bread recipe is one of my favorite things to make during the holidays. I look forward to the fresh cranberries hitting the stores each fall, so when I saw some the other day, I knew it was time to make this bread.
I adapted this recipe from the one on the back of the Ocean Spray bag.
It’s just such a classic recipe. I made a few modifications but still wanted to keep the overall taste of the bread the same. Even if you think that you’re not a cranberry person, give this recipe a try!
How to make cranberry nut bread
Step 1: In a large bowl, whisk the orange juice and oil together until combined. Add the egg and vanilla and whisk together.
Step 2: Whisk in orange zest if using.
Step 3: Add dry ingredients and whisk just until combined.
Tip >> Don’t overmix or the bread with be heavy or tough.
Step 4: Whisk in the cranberries and part of the pecans.
Step 5: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the remaining pecans over the batter.
Tip >> The pecans should be chopped finely. Otherwise, they can weigh down the top of the bread and prevent it from rising properly.
Step 6: Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Tips
- Orange juice: I recommend using freshly-squeezed orange juice. However, in a pinch, I’ve used orange juice from a carton. If you do this, just be sure to use 100% orange juice (and not orange drink).
- Nuts: You can omit the nut if need be.
- Flour: You can use just all-purpose flour or a mix of all-purpose and whole-wheat flours.
- Baking: If the bread is browning too quickly, tent with aluminum foil.
How to serve cranberry nut bread
This bread can be served as-is. It can also be served topped with butter or cream cheese spread on top.
Storage
Store any leftover cranberry nut bread in an airtight container at room temperature. The bread will keep for about 3-4 days when properly stored.
The bread can also be frozen. To freeze, bake as directed and let the bread cool to room temperature. Wrap the loaf tightly in plastic wrap and then place in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
More cranberry recipes!
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Cranberry Nut Bread
Equipment
- 9×5 loaf pan
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup fresh orange juice1
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest optional
- 2 cups all-purpose flour2
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ cups fresh cranberries washed and dried
- 3/4 cup chopped pecans divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan; set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together orange juice and vegetable oil.
- Add egg and vanilla; whisk until well-combined.
- Whisk in orange zest, if using.
- Add whisk together flours, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Whisk until just combined.
- Gently whisk in cranberries and 1/2 cup of chopped pecans.
- Pour batter into prepared pan, and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup pecans.
- Bake for about 45-55 minutes, or until golden brown. Also, a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
- Cool in the pan on a wire rack until bread reaches room temperature.
Video
Notes
- I’ve used store bought orange juice in a pinch. Just use 100% juice.
- Or 1 and 1/3 cups all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
- Bread is delicious as-is but is also fantastic spread with a little butter or cream cheese.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
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Originally published 10/30/13. Updated with new photos and tips 11/2/19.
Reader Interactions
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Comments & Reviews
Todd Rowe says
Really great recipe. I added the orange zest, which deepened the flavor. I’ll make it again!
Kate says
Thank you!
Elise M Barthalow says
Can I substitute frozen thawed cranberries?
Kate says
I haven’t tried using thawed cranberries, but I would guess so! I buy a couple extra bags of cranberries each year, and I use the berries frozen without any issues.
Roy says
I am defineately going to try this recipe , i love different bread recipes..i will let you all know when i make this. Keep all these recipes coming…thanks everyone so much. Happy Holidays. xo
Kate says
Thank you!
Patty says
No issues with cooking time here. Recipe was spot on and the bread was delicious. Thanks!
Kate says
Good! I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks for commenting!
Donna says
Hi!! I Live in Belize but I love your recipes!!
Problem is no cranberries..can I use dried cherries that have been reconstituted?? Have to take AlOT os substitution s down here.thx donna
Kate says
Hi! Thank you so much! You can use dried cherries in place of the cranberries, though you may want to use less. Hope that helps!
Stephanie says
This recipe didn’t work out for me. :-( I cooked it for 55 minutes and allowed it to cool and it completely sunk in the middle, indicating it was undercooked. I put it back in the oven for another 15 minutes, and when I cut it there was still raw batter. I ended up putting the gooey slices on a baking sheet and baking them like toast. Taste wise I felt like the cranberries were just way too tart. The bread itself tastes fine but the cranberry bites are just too much. I’m not sure if increasing the sugar in the bread would really help it, since it’s the cranberries that are desperately needing the sugar. I hope everyone else has better luck than I did.
Kate says
Hi! Sorry to hear that it didn’t work for you, but I can offer some tips that will help for next time.
First, it’s important to follow the directions where it says that a toothpick should come out clean. It can be difficult to judge when bread is finished baking just by looking at it. The baking time is stated as “about” because oven temps and times can vary so widely. The sinking and gooey center could have been avoided because there would have been gooey batter on the toothpick, and you would have known that the bread needed to bake longer.
Second, feel free to cut back on the amount of cranberries if you find that cranberries are too tart for you. You can also add more sugar if you like things really sweet, but you may find that you need to make other changes to the recipe at that point. Hope this helps for next time! =)
Stephanie says
Thanks for the tips. I did the toothpick test and it came out fine in multiple places except when spearing cranberries. The gooey part was deeper than my toothpick I guess.
Kate says
How strange! I guess I do push my toothpick in as far as it will go without losing it. I hope that using fewer cranberries next time will help! =)
Geetha says
Hi Kate,
Would love to try this recipe, but can you tell me if I can use dried cranberries instead? Will it work or any other substitutions would be needed! I live in a tropical country where fresh cranberries are not that easily available, having lived in the US for over a decade or so I do crave these very often.
Kate says
Hi! I think that dried cranberries would work in the bread. I just would decrease the sugar in the loaf a little because the dried cranberries are already sweetened. Good luck!
Jocelyn says
I have been looking for a nice, basic cranberry bread recipe, and this is it! I added 1 1/2 tsp of the optional orange peel, and it was perfect. Thanks so much for a delicious recipe.
Kate says
I’m so glad that you liked the bread!! For years, I was iffy about cranberry and orange together, but then I had some cranberry orange relish a few years ago. Now, I love it! =)
Melanie (The Inspiration Network) says
Looks wonderful! thanks for this holiday recipe…pinned!
Kate says
Thanks!! =)
Heather @ French Press says
I love cranberries, and they make everything look so pretty – especially this loaf
Kate says
Me too! They’re just so perfectly tart. Thanks!! That’s so nice! =)
Liz says
Thank you for the nice recipe. Have a great week.
Kate says
Thank you for checking it out! =)
Elisabeth says
Actually, I think now is the PERFECT time to start pulling out the cranberries. I was just starting to think about what type of baked goods I wanted to make this month, so this is perfect! I made sure to pin it!
Kate says
Thanks!! =)
Gloria // Simply Gloria says
No, never too soon for cranberries! Loving this bread…. SO pinning this!
Megan - The Emotional Baker says
This bread is stunning! I love cranberries and can’t wait to try this.
Kate says
Thanks so much!! I hope you enjoy it! =)
Nancy P.@thebittersideofsweet says
I love cranberries! This bread looks delicious!