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Cranberry-Orange Quick Bread Recipe

Cranberry-Orange Quick Bread
Difficulty: Easy | Total Time: 35 mins, plus 50 mins baking time and 1 hr cooling time | Makes: 1 (9-inch) loaf

In my family, this bread is enjoyed on Christmas morning with a cup of coffee amidst a flurry of wrapping paper. The tart cranberries and bright orange flavor cut the sweetness. This also makes a great dessert.

This recipe was featured as part of our story on The Last Kodachrome Christmas.

INGREDIENTS
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • Finely grated zest of 1 medium orange
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (from about 2 medium oranges)
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/4 stick), melted and cooled slightly, plus more for coating the pan
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups cranberries, thawed if frozen and sliced in half
  • 1/2 cup pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Coat a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with butter; set aside.
  2. Place the flour, sugar, orange zest, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl and whisk to aerate and break up any lumps. Add the orange juice, melted butter, egg, and vanilla and stir with a spoon or rubber spatula until just combined. Stir in the cranberries and nuts, if using, until evenly distributed.
  3. Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan, pushing it into the corners and smoothing the top. Bake until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes, then turn the bread out onto the rack and cool completely.
    Write a review | 7 Reviews
  • Cranberry-Orange Quick Bread Recipe
    5

    absolutely wonderful! Made it the first time for Thanksgiving and my family loved it so much that I made it again for Christmas, and an extra loaf for my parents to take home! I omitted the chopped pecans and instead sprinkled sliced almonds and sugar on top of the loaf before I baked it. This is my new cranberry bread recipe!

  • Cranberry-Orange Quick Bread Recipe
    5

    Write a review

  • Cranberry-Orange Quick Bread Recipe
    5

    susieqkk: one stick of butter = 8 tbsp. BTW I like that an entire loaf uses only 2 tbsp. butter, plus coating. It would seem to keep fat and calories lower, which I appreciate.

  • Cranberry-Orange Quick Bread Recipe
    5

    can anyone in the boston area steer me toward a source for purchasing cranberries now? every market i have been to tells me they are not in season, and does not sell frozen cranberries. i am perplexed, as we GROW them right here in mass!!!

  • susieqkk, 1st you need a little butter to coat the pan (it can be room temp or straight from the refrigerator). 2nd, you will need 2 tablespoons of butter that are melted for the batter. It should be cooled just a tad before adding it to the batter- just so its not piping hot. Hope that clears it up. Let us know if you have more questions!

    Amy Wisniewski, CHOW test kitchen

  • I don't understand the directions for the amount of butter.

  • A oldie but a goodie for sure, a good hostess gift for a friends freezer!!!

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