Cranberry Orange Bread Recipe – Easy Holiday Loaf For Fall And Thanksgiving

Fresh cranberries baked into a soft loaf with a citrus glaze have a way of stealing the spotlight on a holiday table. You’ll learn how to bake a cranberry orange bread that holds its shape, cuts cleanly, and tastes as bright as it looks.

I’ve baked this loaf many times, and I can tell you with confidence that the balance between tart berries and sweet orange is what makes it stand out. You’ll not only discover how to bring out that flavor but also how to serve and store the bread so it stays as good on the second day as it is when sliced warm.

This recipe belongs among your Thanksgiving dessert ideas. But it’s just as welcome for a December brunch or a quiet afternoon coffee.

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Ingredients That Bring Out the Flavor

The base of this cranberry loaf recipe uses flour, butter, and sugar, but the key lies in the sour cream and orange juice. Sour cream keeps the crumb tender, while fresh orange juice lifts the flavor.

I’ve tried this with both sour cream and plain Greek yogurt. In my notes, I found sour cream produced a slightly richer crumb, while yogurt gave the bread a lighter bite. Both work beautifully, so you can choose what you prefer for texture.

For the cranberries, I always keep a bag in the freezer. They go straight into the batter without thawing, which helps prevent excess liquid. If you want to see how well this fruit pairs in a lighter bake, you might enjoy my cranberry orange muffins recipe.

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Mixing the Batter for Cranberry Loaf

Creaming the butter and sugar until fluffy is an essential step. The air whipped in at this stage gives the loaf a soft rise. Adding eggs one at a time helps the mixture stay smooth.

Orange zest is what ties the flavor together. Don’t skip it, because the zest adds depth that juice alone cannot give. Vanilla rounds it out, creating a fragrant base that highlights the cranberries.

The batter should feel thick but still easy to spread. If it looks too stiff, a tablespoon more orange juice brings it together without affecting the bake. For a seasonal twist, you could compare this with a pumpkin bread, which uses pureed pumpkin for moisture instead of citrus.

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Baking and Adding the Glaze

The bread takes about 55 minutes at 350°F. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean, though I usually look for a golden top with slightly crisp edges.

Once cooled, the glaze made of powdered sugar and orange juice adds a delicate sheen. I prefer to drizzle it lightly so the bread remains easy to slice. Too much glaze can harden the crust, which makes neat slices difficult.

For anyone fond of nutty loaves, try adding walnuts before baking. It creates a variation similar to a cranberry walnut bread, giving each slice a bit more texture. If you’d like another nut-based option, my Pistachio Bread Recipe might interest you.

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Serving and Storing Cranberry Orange Bread

The bread tastes best on the day it’s baked, but I often serve slices the next morning with butter or cream cheese. The glaze softens overnight, soaking slightly into the top of the loaf, which adds flavor.

Wrapped well, the bread keeps for up to three days at room temperature. For longer storage, freezing individual slices works well. I usually wrap slices in parchment before freezing so they don’t stick together.

This cranberry banana bread variation also freezes beautifully, though I always let it cool fully before wrapping. Recipes like this are among the best holiday bread recipes because they hold flavor and texture even after freezing.

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Bake With Confidence

This cranberry bread with fresh cranberries fits right in with easy holiday bread recipes. You now have the method and the little notes that help the loaf rise evenly and taste as bright as the season deserves.

Save this cranberry bread recipe to your Pinterest board so you can come back to it anytime. I’d love to hear in the comments how your cranberry orange bread turned out, or if you added your own twist to the loaf. Sharing your version inspires others and builds the kind of baking community I enjoy most.

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