Orange Glazed Cranberry Bread

5 from 2 votes

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One of my favorite flavor combinations in the world is oranges and cranberries. Put them together to make an orange glazed cranberry bread and I’m in heaven.

Juicy cranberries are one of my favorite things during the holiday season. But what I love about this recipe is you can use frozen cranberries too, so feel free to make it all year long.

Cranberry Orange Loaf sliced on serving platter

Quick breads are so delicious and easy to make. Serve this cranberry along with iced gingerbread, banana bread, Amish apple fritter bread or carrot cake loaf, and have a little of each. I won’t tell!

What I Love about this Recipe

  • Great for Christmas brunch
  • Fresh ingredients
  • Delicious flavor combination
  • Sweet orange glaze
  • Cranberry lovers will love this easy bread

Consider making this strawberry bread for another family favorite recipe to try out. Or for more cranberry fun, check out these glazed cran-orange crescent rolls.

Ingredients Needed

These simple ingredients can be found in your grocery store. If you tend to only see cranberries at the holidays, be sure to stock up and throw some in the freezer!

Cranberry Orange Loaf Ingredients in bowls

Here’s what you need:

  • Salt
  • Baking Powder 
  • All purpose Flour 
  • Large Eggs 
  • Sugar 
  • Orange 
  • Buttermilk
  • Orange Juice 
  • Oil 
  • Almond Extract 
  • Fresh Cranberries (or frozen) 
  • Powdered Sugar 
  • Butter 

How to Make Cranberry Bread with Orange Glaze

Full directions on how to make this cranberry orange bread are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post. Below is a quick walk through.

Step 1: Preheat oven at 325 degrees and prep your pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Step 2: Next add your dry ingredients into a medium bowl and set it aside. Stir to combine.

whisk dry ingredients

Step 3: In a large bowl you will add your eggs, sugar, zest, buttermilk, orange juice, and oil. Whisk to combine the ingredients.

mix wet ingredients

Step 4: Next add in the dry ingredients slowly. A little bit at a time.

combine flour mixture with egg mixture

Step 5: In a small bowl add your cranberries with a tablespoon of flour. Sift to coat all the berries.

fold in coated cranberries to batter

Step 6: Fold in the cranberries, and then pour in the greased loaf pan.

pour Cranberry Orange batter into loaf pan

Step 7: Bake as directed and allow the quick bread to cool for 10 minutes before you try to remove from the loaf pan.

cool Cranberry Orange Loaf on wire rack

Step 8: While the loaf is cooling you will mix up the icing and then drizzle over the top of the bread.

glaze is ready when there are no lumps
pour glaze over cooled loaf

Step 9: Slice, serve and enjoy!

slice of cranberry bread on white plate

Tips for making cranberry bread

Here are some simple tips for making this cranberry bread recipe that will help ensure you have the perfect bread to serve your family and friends.

  • Don’t over mix: When mixing the batter, be careful not to overmix. Overmixing can cause the bread to become tough and dense. Mix until the ingredients are just combined.
  • Grease the pan: Make sure to grease the pan well to prevent the bread from sticking. You can also line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper for easier removal. Baker’s Joy makes it so easy!
  • Add a streusel topping: A streusel topping can add a crunchy texture and extra sweetness to the bread. Mix together flour, brown sugar, and butter, and sprinkle it over the top of the bread before baking.
  • Powdered Sugar: Instead of a powdered sugar glaze consider adding powdered sugar to a sifter and dust the top of the quick bread with powdered sugar.
  • Ensure center is done: Use a toothpick to check the center of the bread is completely done. You want to make sure there is no wet batter when you lift out the toothpick out of the bread.
  • Fresh orange juice – Using fresh orange juice is going to really create the best glaze recipe for drizzling over your tart cranberry bread!

Variations

Simple ways to change up this orange-glazed cranberry bread.

  • Add nuts: Chopped walnuts or pecans can add a nice crunch and flavor to the bread. Mix 1/2 to 3/4 cup of chopped nuts into the batter before baking.
  • Use different citrus: Instead of orange, try using lemon or lime zest and juice for the glaze. You can also mix and match different citrus for a unique flavor.
  • Add spices: Ground cinnamon, ginger, or nutmeg can add warmth and depth of flavor to the bread. Mix 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of your favorite spice into the batter before baking.
  • Use different fruits: If you’re not a fan of cranberries, you can use other fresh or dried fruits in the bread. Blueberries, raspberries, or chopped dried apricots or cherries can be delicious alternatives.
  • Mini loaves: Instead of a full size loaf, make mini loaves. Follow the quick bread recipe in terms of preparing and then bake for a shorter time as the mini loaf pans will cook a lot quicker. Aim for 20-30 minutes then check on the bread.
  • Make muffins: Instead of making a bread, you can bake the batter in a muffin tin to make individual muffins. This can be a great option for easy grab-and-go breakfast or snacks.

Storing Bread

Wrap the cooled bread tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to prevent it from drying out or absorbing any odors in the refrigerator. Cranberry bread should be stored in the refrigerator to keep it fresh. It can last for up to one week in the refrigerator.

If you want to store the bread for longer than a week, you can freeze it. Wrap the bread tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and then place it in a freezer-safe storage bag or container. The bread can be frozen for up to three months.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this recipe double? 

Yes go right ahead and use extra loaf pans and double or even triple the recipe. 

Why did my bread stick to the loaf pan? 

Take a knife and run along the edges of the pan, this will help remove any stuck on bread that is along the sides of the prepared loaf pan. Then you should find your loaf comes right out. If it doesn’t you might not have used enough cooking spray when prepping your pan and it caused the bread to stick. 

Print the Recipe Card

Print or save this recipe for later. I hope you love it!

Orange Glazed Cranberry Bread

5 from 2 votes
This cranberry orange quick bread is the perfect combination of tart and sweet with a delightful orange glaze to top it off. Perfect for breakfast or a holiday brunch.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 15 minutes
Total: 1 hour 35 minutes
Yield: 10 slices

Ingredients 

  • 1 ½ cups all purpose flour + 1 tablespoon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup sugar
  • zest of 1 orange
  • ½ cup buttermilk
  • cup orange juice
  • ½ cup oil
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • 1-2 Tablespoons orange juice

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 325ºF
  • Combine 1 ½ cups flour, salt, and baking powder in a bowl and set aside
  • Whisk eggs, then add sugar, orange zest, buttermilk, orange juice, and oil until smooth
  • Add dry ingredients previously set aside, and stir until just combined
  • Stir cranberries together with 1 tablespoon of flour. This helps keep them from sinking to the bottom of your loaf
  • Stir into loaf batter
  • Pour into a greased 9×5 inch loaf pan
  • Bake in center of oven for 75 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean
  • Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes
  • Loosen edges of loaf from pan by running a butterknife down the sides
  • Turn onto a wire rack, and let cool completely
  • While loaf cools, whisk icing ingredients together, starting with 1 tablespoon of orange juice, and adding more until a thick, but pourable consistency is reached
  • Ice cooled loaf, slice, and serve

Notes

If you don’t want the hint of almond flavor in this loaf, feel free to replace the almond extract with orange or vanilla. 
Refrigerate leftover bread in an airtight container.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice, Calories: 329kcal, Carbohydrates: 49g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 37mg, Sodium: 194mg, Potassium: 75mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 33g, Vitamin A: 133IU, Vitamin C: 8mg, Calcium: 51mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

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About Andrea Updyke

Andrea Updyke is a married mom of two boys living in Raleigh, NC. She is a published author and blogger of more than 18 years and loves to celebrate the little things that make life awesome.

Whether she's sharing tasty recipes, traveling or hanging with the family, Andrea's goal is to help make your days a little easier and a lot more fun! Email inquiries to andreaupdyke@gmail.com.


5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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3 Comments

  1. The recipe doesn’t say if the almond extract goes in the batter or the icing?? Also same for the butter. It’s not clear what ingredients are in the icing. I assumed the orange juice and icing sugar but then the other two ingredients weren’t added anywhere else.