Cranberry apple bread is the perfect balance of tart and sweet! Made completely from scratch in just one hour, this easy quick bread recipe is bursting with fresh cranberries and apples for a festive fall or Thanksgiving treat.
If you love the combination of tart cranberries and sweet apples, this Cranberry Apple Bread is a must-try! It’s a moist, flavorful quick bread that’s as perfect for a fall morning as it is for holiday gifting.
The batter comes together in minutes with simple, pantry-staple ingredients, and there’s no mixer required. Fresh cranberries add a pop of tart flavor, while the apples keep the bread soft and add natural sweet. The result is a delicious loaf that’s perfectly balanced and beautifully seasonal.
It bakes up golden brown, smells incredible while it’s in the oven, and slices beautifully once cooled. Whether you serve it warm with butter, gift it to friends and neighbors, or add it to your Thanksgiving brunch table, this cranberry apple bread is one of those recipes you’ll make every year.
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Apple cider: Fresh or shelf-stable apple cider will work.
- Oil: Neutral oils like olive oil or canola oil work well.
- Flour: Be sure to properly measure your flour. To do so, either weigh the flour or stir or sift the flour to break it up. Lightly spoon into the measuring cup and level. Too much flour can give you a dry, heavy, or doughy bread.
- Apple: Baking apples like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp work well for this recipe.
How to make cranberry apple bread
Here you’ll find instructions and step-by-step photos showing how to make this recipe. The full recipe, including ingredients, is given below.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan; set aside.
Step 1: In a large bowl, whisk together apple cider and oil.
Step 3: Add egg and vanilla; whisk until well-combined.
Step 4: Add flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda; whisk until just combined.
Step 5: Gently whisk in cranberries and apples.
Step 6: Pour batter into the prepared pan.
Step 7: Sprinkle with pecans and raw sugar, if using.
Step 8: Bake for about 40-55 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. I check the bread about 25-30 minutes in to be sure that it isn’t overbrowning. If it is, I tent it with aluminum foil.
Step 9: Cool in the pan on a wire rack until bread reaches room temperature.
Recipe Tips!
- Pan: I’ve only tested this recipe with a metal baking pan. Other materials, like glass, may require time and temperature changes.
- Baking: If the bread is browning too quickly, tent it with aluminum foil.
- Freezing: You can freeze slices or the entire loaf. Let the bread cool completely before preparing. To freeze slices, wrap each slice in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe container. To freeze the entire loaf, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then wrap in foil. Freeze for up to 1 month.
Storage
Store any leftover cranberry apple bread in an airtight container at room temperature. The bread will keep for 3-4 days when properly stored.
More cranberry recipes!
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Cranberry Apple Bread Recipe
Equipment
- 9×5 loaf pan
Ingredients
- ¾ cup apple cider
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup fresh cranberries washed and dried
- 1 cup peeled and finely chopped baking apple
- ¼ cup chopped pecans
- 1 tablespoon raw sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan; set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together apple cider and vegetable oil.¾ cup apple cider, 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- Add egg and vanilla; whisk until well-combined.1 large egg, ½ teaspoon vanilla
- Add flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda; whisk until just combined.2 cups all-purpose flour, ¾ cup granulated sugar, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- Gently whisk in cranberries and apples.1 cup fresh cranberries, 1 cup peeled and finely chopped baking apple
- Pour batter into the prepared pan.
- Sprinkle with pecans and raw sugar, if using.¼ cup chopped pecans, 1 tablespoon raw sugar
- Bake for about 40-55 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. I check the bread about 25-30 minutes in to be sure that it isn’t overbrowning. If it is, I tent it with aluminum foil.
- Cool in the pan on a wire rack until bread reaches room temperature.
Notes
- Apple cider: Fresh or shelf-stable apple cider will work.
- Oil: Neutral oils like olive oil or canola oil work well.
- Flour: Be sure to properly measure your flour. To do so, either weigh the flour or stir or sift the flour to break it up. Lightly spoon into the measuring cup and level. Too much flour can give you a dry, heavy, or doughy bread.
- Apple: Baking apples like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp work well for this recipe.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
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Comments & Reviews
George Lynn says
I appreciate the step-by-step instructions. They made implementation easy.
Kate Dean says
Thank you! I’m glad that was helpful.