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Imagine warm, sweet bread studded with tart cranberries, fragrant orange, and toasted pecans. This Cranberry Bread recipe yields two loaves – share the love or keep it all to yourself!
It costs $14.66 to make this bread. The recipe makes twenty servings and costs about $0.73 per serving.
There’s no need to head to your favorite bakery to spend an absorbent amount on a loaf of Cranberry bread when you can make it for a lot less. You can save money and have bakery-style bread. If it is your first time making this recipe, or you’re like me and have made it countless times, it always comes out perfect.
Give something a little different to friends and neighbors this holiday season than traditional cookies. You can spend an afternoon baking this bread and have it ready to deliver to friends and neighbors for a last-minute delivery during this busy time of year.
Table of Contents
What You’ll Love About Orange Cranberry Bread:
- Easy Quick Bread Recipe: You will not need to knead the dough or wait for it to rise with this recipe. This easy cranberry bread makes a great breakfast, afternoon snack, or perfect treat after dinner.
- Flavor Combination: The sweet orange flavor combined with the tart cranberries creates the perfect balance of sweet and tart in this sweet bread.
- Festive Recipe: If you love cranberry season, you will love this wonderful recipe! Cranberry is a classic holiday flavor that is a festive treat during the Christmas season.
Ingredients and Estimated Cost:
Per Serving Cost: $0.73
Recipe Cost: $14.66
- ⅔ cup orange juice – $0.47
- 2 large oranges – $1.36
- 1 ⅓ cup buttermilk – $0.67
- 12 Tablespoons unsalted butter – $2.16
- 2 large eggs – $0.72
- 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour – $1.72
- 2 cups granulated sugar – $0.60
- 2 teaspoons salt – $0.12
- 2 teaspoons baking powder – $0.58
- ½ teaspoon baking soda – $0.03
- 12 ounce package fresh cranberries – $2.99
- 1 cup pecans – $3.24
NOTE: The recipe prices are calculated by using grocery store websites. The recipe cost is calculated by the amounts needed for the recipe. The actual cost of the recipe will vary depending on what ingredients you already have. I updated the pricing for this recipe in December 2023.
How To Make Cranberry Bread:
***For complete recipe instructions, see the recipe card below.
- First, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and spray two 9×5-inch pans with non-stick cooking spray.
- Then, whisk together the orange juice, orange zest, buttermilk, melted butter, and eggs in a medium bowl.
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl.
- Next, slowly stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until no flour streaks remain.
- Fold in the cranberries and pecans.
- Pour the batter evenly between the two pans.
- Bake for twenty minutes and then reduce the heat to 350 degrees F. Bake for an additional forty-five minutes.
- Finally, let the cranberry nut bread cool for twenty minutes before removing it from the bread pan and setting it on a wire rack to cool completely before cutting it into individual slices and serving.
Cranberry Bread Recipe Variations:
- Nutty Twist:Swap pecans for walnuts,almonds,or hazelnuts.
- Citrus Blast:Double the orange zest,use blood orange juice,add ginger,or drizzle with orange glaze.
- Cranberry Craze:Instead of fresh cranberries, you can use dried.
- Spiced Up:Add pumpkin spice,cardamom,cinnamon & nutmeg,or even a touch of cayenne heat.
- Creative Mix-Ins and Ad-Ons:Mix in chocolate chips,almond butter swirls,or toasted coconut. You can even add a white chocolate drizzle.
Storage Tips:
STORE: Wrap the loaves in plastic wrap or store them in an airtight container.
FREEZE: Wrap the bread in two layers of plastic and foil. Freez for three months.
THAW: Thaw at room temperature for 2-3 hours.
Cranberry Bread Recipe FAQ’s:
Why are they called quick breads?
Quick breads get their name from how quick they are to make. They require no kneading or yeast to rise. They often have fruit and or nuts, just like this Cranberry bread.
Can you substitute dry cranberries for fresh?
Yes! However, you will not need to use as many due to the sweeter taste of dried cranberries. I’d recommend using 6-9 ounces of dried cranberries for the best results.
Do you have to cook raw cranberries before baking?
You do not need to cook the cranberries before folding them into the batter and baking.
More Breads:
- Pumpkin Spice Loaf
- Banana Cinnamon Muffins
- Banana Bread From Cake Mix
4.38 from 8 votes
Cranberry Bread Recipe
Author Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated
Recipe Cost $ $14.66
Serving Cost $ $0.73
Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes
Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes
20 people
This is a great Cranberry Bread Recipe that’s packed with orange flavor and pecans. It makes 2 loaves so it’s great for gifting during the holidays! Give both or keep one for your family!
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup orange juice
- 2 Tablespoons grated orange zest from 2 large oranges
- 1 ⅓ cup buttermilk
- 12 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 2 large eggs
- 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 12 ounce package cranberries coarsely chopped
- 1 cup toasted pecans coarsely chopped
Instructions
Move the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Spray (2) 9×5-inch loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray.
Whisk together orange juice, orange zest, buttermilk, melted butter, and eggs in a large measuring cup or medium bowl.
Whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a large mixing bowl.
Slowly stir liquid into the flour mixture. Stir until just moistened and no flour streaks remain.
Fold in cranberries and pecans, being careful not to overmix.
Split batter evenly between prepared loaf pans. Smooth batter into an even layer in both loaf pans.
Place on middle oven rack and bake for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees F.
Continue to bake until golden brown, and a toothpick comes out clean, about 45 minutes longer.
Cool in pans for 20 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before packaging to slicing.
Notes
- Don’t be tempted to slice into the bread while it’s still warm. It needs to cool completely because the texture of the bread improves as it cools!
- I really do recommend toasting the pecans before putting them in the batter. It really enhances the flavor of this cranberry bread recipe!
- Like all quick bread recipes, it is SUPER important to not over-mix the batter! If you do, you’ll end up with a dense loaf.
- This recipe makes 2 loaves of bread that serve 8-10 people each.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 219kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 287mg | Potassium: 152mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 300IU | Vitamin C: 7.3mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 1.5mg
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