Cranberry Orange Bread (Printable Version)

Moist quick loaf with tart cranberries and bright orange zest — perfect for breakfast or an afternoon treat.

# What You Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

06 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
09 - 1 tablespoon orange zest (from about 1 large orange)
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Add-ins

11 - 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, coarsely chopped
12 - 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper or grease generously.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - In a separate bowl, combine the melted butter, eggs, orange juice, orange zest, and vanilla extract. Whisk until fully blended.
04 - Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir gently with a spatula until just combined — do not overmix.
05 - Gently fold in the chopped cranberries and nuts (if using) until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
06 - Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
07 - Bake for 50–55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
08 - Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

# Expert Tricks:

01 -
  • The tart cranberries and bright orange zest balance each other so perfectly you will wonder why you ever bought bakery quick bread.
  • It comes together in one bowl and one pan with zero fancy techniques, making it the most reliable thing in your baking rotation.
  • Leftover slices toast beautifully the next morning with a smear of butter and a cup of coffee.
02 -
  • Frozen cranberries work beautifully but do not thaw them first because they bleed purple streaks into the batter and make it soggy.
  • If the top starts browning too fast around the 35 minute mark, tent it loosely with foil and keep baking until the center tests done.
03 -
  • Toss the chopped cranberries in a teaspoon of flour before folding them in and they will stay suspended throughout the loaf instead of sinking to the bottom.
  • The bread tastes even better on day two because the orange flavor deepens and the crumb settles into something more tender and cohesive.

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