Cranberry Nut Bread Recipe (2024)

By Florence Fabricant

Cranberry Nut Bread Recipe (1)

Total Time
1 hour 20 minutes, plus overnight cool
Rating
5(1,190)
Notes
Read community notes

Cranberries freeze admirably, just as you purchase them in plastic bags. With several extra bags of the bright scarlet berries obtained now when they are available and tucked into the freezer you will have the raw materials for a change of pace condiment to serve with roasted poultry or meats at other times of the year, or for quick breads or pies.

Featured in: FOOD; CRANBERRIES: USE NOW AND FREEZE FOR LATER IN YEAR

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Ingredients

Yield:1 large loaf

  • 2cups all-purpose flour
  • 1cup sugar
  • teaspoons baking powder
  • ½teaspoon baking soda
  • ½teaspoon salt
  • ¼cup butter
  • 1egg
  • ¾cup orange juice
  • 1tablespoon grated orange rind
  • cups chopped fresh cranberries
  • ½cup chopped pecans

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Greasing 9-by-5-by-3-inch baking pan.

  2. Step

    2

    Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large bowl. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in butter until the mixture resembles corn meal.

  3. Step

    3

    Beat egg until thick and light. Stir in orange juice and rind. Lightly stir this mixture into the flour mixture just until the ingredients are blended. Fold in cranberries and nuts.

  4. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the bread is golden brown and springs back when lightly touched.

  5. Step

    5

    Cool on a rack, wrap in foil and hold overnight before slicing.

Ratings

5

out of 5

1,190

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

JuJu

This is the Ocean Spray cranberry nut bread recipe from the package- loved by many generations. Do yourself a favor and just melt the butter and mix in with the other wet ingredients - per original instructions.

Caleb

This recipe is spectacular! I followed it exactly, although I made a minor substitution, swapping walnuts for the pecans because that was what I had on hand. The recipe doesn't specify either way, but I'd recommend using fresh-squeezed orange juice- I just juiced the orange I used for the zest and it yielded exactly 3/4 cup of juice. I second the suggestion of sprinkling demerara sugar on top before baking, it makes this bread extra special.

F. Carl

I doubled the orange rind and the nuts both. This consistent with a life given to excess. I made gifts of this bread over the holidays and EVERYONE raved about it.

Aema

This recipe is fantastic. After reading a few comments I used 1 full cup of freshly squeezed juice from 3 oranges and the zest. I mixed reg. flour (180g) and almond flour (47g) measured the flour by weight and reduced sugar (125g). Baked for 1 hour and didn't find it dry at all.

Jeannette

Substitute buttermilk for the orange juice, swirl cranberry sauce into bread before baking.

Linda Werner

I made a gluten-free version with Bob's Red Mill flour, no sugar but made a cup of date puree with a bit of hot water, used 2 eggs, 2 1/2 cups of cranberries, and 1 cup of walnuts instead of the pecans. It came out GREAT!!

Sonja

For the Christmas season, I added a bit of nutmeg and 1/2 tsp cinnamon. The flavors intermingled nicely with the cranberries.

Elli

Added some dried rosemary and cut the sugar in half. The orange juice and 1/2 cup sugar made it perfectly sweet enough to balance the cranberries. The rosemary gave it a wonderful fragrance and enhanced the bright flavors. Makes a beautiful holiday quick bread to bring to someone's house. Will definitely make it again!

Anne Pelak

Made recipe as shown, though I did sprinkle with demerara sugar before baking. I found the pecans a nice change of pace from walnuts.

quaasam

Excellent. I have baked it 60 minutes. Changed the pecans for walnuts. Recommend it!!

CathyG

I used a bit more butter and an extra egg and it turned out great. I like these to be a bit more moist. I agree with using less sugar ... 1/2 c is plenty sweet enough.

Lauri

I made this exactly as written, and it was lovely--not dry at all. I did have to yank it out of the oven at 60 minutes to keep it from overcooking. It rose beautifully (be sure your baking powder and baking soda is extra fresh). I rubbed the butter in with my fingers because I've always been hopeless with a pastry blender. The texture is somewhere between bread and tea cake. It comes together so quickly that I plan to put it into the permanent repertoire.

Nancy Chek

Delicious. And next time I'll line the pan with a buttered parchment-paper sling so the bottom won't stick.

Morgancat

Delicious.

Teatime Anytime

Let's admit this kind of recipe conjures up a really delicious cake, not bread..but it's really good. Very moist, probably even better on Day 2, though we ate half the loaf on Day 1. Substituted cranberry juice for orange juice because that's what I had on hand. One hour and 5 minutes in the oven was just right for my oven. With the cranberry juice it wasn't particularly sweet, just the way we like it. Thanks for this excellent recipe.

Christina

Loved this but made a few substitutions! Used only 1/2 cup of sugar, subbed oil for butter, only 1/2 cup orange juice, added an extra egg, walnuts instead of pecans, and turned into muffins (350 for 25 min) instead of a loaf. Welp, after writing all that out, I didn’t even come close to original recipe! All told, turned out very delicious and will make again.

hadley

Maybe add ginger and cardamom . And more orange rind

KRye

Adjusted for altitude. Worked great!

TeriR

Delicious and moist. Only cook for 1 hour or it will be overdone.

Deborah VC

My husband can’t eat butter so I tweaked the fat. I also upped the orange rind (I think - if it’s supposed to be packed, then maybe not. I’m never sure how to measure it.)My Changes/Additions:Scant cup of sugar3 T olive oil & 1 T yogurt (replace butter)Approx 2 T orange rindApprox 1 c walnutsAdded 1/2 t vanilla The bread was delicious.

Sarah

60 minutes at 350° was correct for my oven. Delicious. Aren't cranberries wonderful?

kirbystone

12/1 good, nothing fab, would add more cranberry and nuts

JP

So good!! I melted the butter as someone suggested and added it to dry ingredients. Worked just fine. Kept it all the same otherwise. Very good flavor. I could see adding more orange zest. I would also consider a little bit of spice— like cardamom.

Seattle Sprout

This year baked the recipe in muffin tins and thought it was even better—very moist!

Ellen G

Which works best for baking this cranberry bread? A Pyrex loaf pan or a metal loaf pan?

Teri R

It worked great in my Pyrex loaf pan. Only needed 1 hour to be perfectly brown.

Sharanya

Cooked for just an hour but still dry inside. Also thought flavor was kind of bland. This is probably my own fault because I quartered the sugar heheh but cranberries are delicious as per usual!!

Carolynvelvet

Sprinkle top with Demerara sugar before baking

GL

I thought this was nothing special. Not sure why it’s so highly rated as this is basic quick bread recipe, and more plain than most

minca

Extra egg yolk3/4 sugar

jenny

This is great though it only takes an hour to bake - added a little lemon zest to the orange today, just because I'm punk rock and I like risk.

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Cranberry Nut Bread Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is my cranberry bread so crumbly? ›

If your cranberry bread is crumbly, it could be because there isn't enough fat or eggs in the batter, or the bread was overbaked.

Are fresh or dried cranberries better for baking? ›

Can I substitute dried cranberries in recipes that call for fresh cranberries? Yes, dried cranberries work well in baked goods; however there is a ¼ cup difference in measurement. If a recipe calls for one cup of fresh or frozen cranberries, use ¾ cup of sweetened dried cranberries.

How long will cranberry bread last? ›

Room Temperature – wrap cranberry bread loosely in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Refrigerate – you can cover and store the loaf in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Why should cranberries not be eaten raw? ›

Is it safe to eat cranberries raw? Cranberries are generally considered safe whether they are cooked or raw. However, because of their notoriously bitter, sharp taste, most people prefer not to eat them raw or unsweetened. This bitterness is due to the high tannin content of cranberries.

How long to soak cranberries before baking? ›

Rehydrate the fruits: Dried fruits can be quite hard and dry, so it's often a good idea to rehydrate them before adding them to your baked goods. To do this, simply soak the dried fruits in warm water or fruit juice for 15-20 minutes until they are plump and tender.

Why is my cranberry bread so dense? ›

Make sure that your dough is not too wet or too dry, both extremes will result in a dense crumb. You can check to see if you are using the right amount of water for the type of flour you use (click here to check).

Why is my cranberry bread green? ›

Don't be worried about a greenish tint on the inside; it's caused by an interaction of the fresh cranberries and baking powder (acid and alkaline). Or you could cook the relish and cool it before using in this recipe.

How do you rehydrate cranberries for baking? ›

You can rehydrate dried cranberries by covering with water, or another liquid, in a microwavable bowl. Cover and microwave on High for 30 to 60 seconds; let stand 5 minutes. Or, pour very hot liquid over dried cranberries and let stand 20 minutes.

Are craisins the same as dried cranberries? ›

Dried cranberries may be marketed as craisins due to the similarity in appearance with raisins, although the word "Craisin" is a registered trademark of Ocean Spray. Craisins were introduced as part of a packaged cereal produced by Ralston Purina in 1989.

Can you use craisins instead of cranberries in baking? ›

Yes, Craisins® Sweetened Dried Cranberries work well in baked goods; however, there is a 1/4 cup (60 mL) difference in measurement. If a recipe calls for one cup of fresh cranberries you should use 3/4 cup (175 mL) of Craisins®. Craisins® should not be used in cooked sauces.

Are craisins cranberries? ›

Surprise your taste buds with the sweet, delicious taste of Craisins® Dried Cranberries. Made with real fruit and good as a snack or in a recipe, they're gluten free.

How many cups of cranberries are in a 12 oz bag? ›

Cooking with Cranberries. The commonly sold 12-ounce bag contains about 3 cups of cranberries.

What bread has the longest shelf life? ›

Rye bread: Rye bread tends to be more dense and have a longer shelf life than other bread types. It can last for up to a week at room temperature, and up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

What homemade bread lasts the longest? ›

Some types of freshly baked bread will last longer than others. "Enriched breads like brioche, challah, and some sandwich loaves are higher in fat and sugar and will keep longer due to their ability to maintain higher moisture levels," says Schreiber.

How to soften cranberries for baking? ›

This is very simple, and works on any kind of dried fruit. Put your dried fruit in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Let it steep for 10 to 15 minutes, and then strain the fruit and discard the water. The fruit will be plumper, juicier, and softer.

Should dried cranberries be soaked before baking? ›

If you are planning on using dried fruits, it may be a good idea to soak them first. Dried fruits can lose up to 75% of their volume during the drying process according to cookinglight.com. Once they are mixed with the other ingredients they will begin to reabsorb the moisture around them.

How to dry cranberries for baking? ›

Put the berries on a mesh sheet in the dehydrator and dry for 10 to 16 hours, depending on the make of the dehydrator, until chewy and with no pockets of moisture. Another method of drying is to turn on the oven for 10 minutes at 350 F.

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