Cranberry Orange Bread (Printable Version)

Moist loaf studded with tart cranberries and zesty orange, soft crumb and optional nuts for extra texture.

# 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)

# How-To:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper or grease thoroughly.
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 and stir gently until just combined. Do not overmix.
05 - Gently fold in the chopped cranberries and nuts, if using, distributing them evenly throughout the batter.
06 - Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
07 - Bake for 50 to 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, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The tart cranberry and bright orange pairing is the kind of flavor combination that makes people close their eyes when they take a bite.
  • It comes together in one bowl with zero fuss, which means you can have it in the oven before your coffee finishes brewing.
02 -
  • Overmixing the batter is the fastest way to turn this tender bread into something dense and rubbery, so stop stirring the instant everything looks combined.
  • Frozen cranberries bleed less if you toss them in a spoonful of flour before folding them in, which also prevents a purple streaked loaf.
03 -
  • Use a microplane to zest the orange directly into the wet mixture so the essential oils spray right into the batter instead of drying out on a cutting board.
  • Rotate the loaf pan halfway through baking if your oven has hot spots, because an unevenly baked quick bread is a disappointment you can easily avoid.

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