Orange Cranberry Bread
Updated November 04, 2025
Quick Summary
This Orange Cranberry Bread is bursting with bright citrus flavor and tart cranberries! The loaf is ultra-moist, perfectly sweet, and finished with a fresh orange glaze. A delicious holiday quick bread that's easy to make and perfect for gifting, brunch, or enjoying with a cozy cup of coffee.
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Pin ItWhy This Cranberry Orange Bread Is My Go-To Holiday Quick Bread
There's something so cozy about baking with cranberries and oranges this time of year. The aroma alone makes the whole house smell like the holidays! This Orange Cranberry Bread is one of those classic recipes I come back to every single season, it's simple, beautiful, and always a hit.
I first started making this quick bread years ago when I wanted a festive loaf to serve at brunch. The combination of tart cranberries and sweet, citrusy orange is absolute perfection. Every bite is bright, fresh, and just the right amount of sweet. The orange glaze on top takes it to the next level, it's the kind of treat that feels special but is so easy to make.
Serve it for breakfast, brunch, or as a sweet afternoon snack. It's also the perfect addition to a holiday spread or gift to friends and neighbors. One loaf never lasts long at our house, everyone loves it!
If you're craving something cozy and seasonal, you have to try this cranberry orange bread. And if you have extra cranberries, try my fresh cranberry sauce too!
Ingredients with Helpful Notes
- All-Purpose Flour: Spoon and level the flour so you don't pack in too much.
- Baking Powder: Helps the bread rise beautifully, make sure it's fresh!
- Salt: A little salt balances the sweetness and brightens the citrus flavor.
- Sugar & Orange Zest: Rubbing the zest into the sugar releases all those fragrant oils, don't skip this step!
- Buttermilk: Keeps the loaf super tender and moist. If you don't have any, make a quick substitute with milk and lemon juice or vinegar.
- Oil: Neutral oil (like avocado, canola, or vegetable) gives the bread a soft, light texture.
- Eggs: Add structure and richness.
- Orange Juice & Vanilla: Fresh orange juice enhances the citrus flavor, and vanilla adds warmth.
- Cranberries: Use fresh cranberries, not dried cranberries. Roughly chop them so they're evenly distributed in the batter.
- Orange Glaze: A simple mix of powdered sugar, orange juice, and zest adds a sweet finish and a beautiful shine.
Tips for Making the Bread
- Use room temperature ingredients. Eggs and buttermilk should be at room temperature to help the bread rise better and mix more evenly.
- Rub the sugar and orange zest together. Mixing it into the sugar releases maximum orange flavor.
- Toss cranberries in a little flour before folding them into the batter, this helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the loaf.
- Mix gently! Over mixing can make the bread dense, stir until just combined.
- Cover if browning too quickly. Tent the loaf with foil near the end of baking to prevent over-browning.
- Check for doneness. Insert a toothpick into the center, if it comes out clean or with just a few crumbs, it's done.
- Cool completely before glazing. The glaze will set beautifully on a cooled loaf.
- Add-ins: A handful of chopped nuts (like pecans or walnuts) adds a nice crunch if you want extra texture.
Orange Cranberry Bread
Ingredients
For the bread:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- Zest of 1 large orange
- 3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup canola, vegetable, or avocado oil
- 2 large eggs, slightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup fresh cranberries, roughly chopped
For the orange glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a 8 ½ x 4 ½ loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder.
- In a small bowl, combine sugar and orange zest. Rub together with your fingers until fragrant. Whisk into the flour mixture. Set aside.
- In a separate medium bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, orange juice, and vanilla.
- Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined. Fold in the cranberries. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
- Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake for 70-75 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. If your loaf starts to get too brown drape a piece of foil over the top to finish baking. I did this during the last 10 minutes of the baking time
- Remove bread from oven and place on a cooling rack and cool for 20 minutes. Loosen the sides of the bread with a knife. Carefully remove loaf from pan. Let cool completely on wire rack.
- While the bread is cooling, make the orange glaze. In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, orange juice, and orange zest. Whisk until smooth.
- Drizzle the glaze over the bread. Cut and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
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