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Cranberry Orange Bread

on Oct 24, 2025

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This orange cranberry bread was born from a reader request for more cranberry desserts during the holidays. I started with my cranberry orange muffin recipe and after a few tests, perfected the ratios for a moist, tender loaf that bakes evenly every time. With over a dozen loaf recipes under my belt, I know exactly how to balance bright citrus flavor with tart cranberries. You can bake this one with total confidence and know it will turn out beautifully.

Two slices of cranberry orange bread on a white plate, garnished with fresh cranberries and orange slices, surrounded by whole oranges and cranberries on a burgundy cloth.

This orange cranberry bread was created after many reader requests for more cranberry desserts during the holidays. I started with my cranberry orange muffins as inspiration, but quickly learned that scaling a muffin recipe into a loaf isn’t as simple as pouring it into a pan. My first test overflowed in the oven, which meant it was time to fine-tune the ratios and baking time to make the perfect loaf.

After three rounds of testing, I adjusted the flour-to-liquid balance and refined the amount of batter so it bakes evenly in a standard 9×5 pan. I also tested both fresh and frozen cranberries and found that either works beautifully, so you can use whatever you have on hand. Each loaf came out tender, moist, and bursting with citrus flavor.

A close-up of a sliced cranberry orange loaf cake on parchment paper, with visible cranberries inside the moist yellow cake. Fresh cranberries and orange slices are nearby.

With 13 tried-and-true loaf recipes on my site, I know what it takes to achieve a soft crumb that stays fresh for days. My goal was to make this recipe as reliable as it is flavorful, so home bakers can bake it with confidence and know it will turn out perfectly every time. And one of my favorite pro tips still applies here: always zest your oranges before juicing to capture every bit of that bright flavor.

Top-down view of labeled baking ingredients: oil, cranberries, buttermilk, granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, eggs, and whole oranges, all arranged on a wooden surface.

Key Ingredients

Here’s an overview of the key ingredients that make this recipe great. Jump to the full recipe for exact measurements and instructions.

Flour: Regular all-purpose flour gives this bread its structure while keeping the crumb soft and tender. Measure it correctly on a kitchen scale in grams.
Baking Powder: The baking powder lifts the batter, creating a perfectly domed, bakery-style loaf.
Buttermilk: The secret to a moist, flavorful loaf. The acidity helps tenderize the crumb and adds a subtle tang that balances the sweet citrus.
Oil: Using vegetable oil instead of butter keeps the bread extra soft, even after a few days. Any neutral oil works perfectly here.
Oranges: Fresh orange zest and juice bring a burst of natural flavor. Always zest before you juice to make sure you get the most aroma and flavor from the fruit.
Cranberries: Fresh or frozen cranberries both work beautifully. No need to thaw if using frozen—they bake up just as juicy and bright.

Two slices of cranberry orange bread sit on a cutting board, surrounded by fresh cranberries, orange slices, and orange zest curls, all atop a burgundy cloth. The bread is golden and dotted with cranberries.

How to Tell When Cranberry Bread is Done

You’ll know the bread is ready when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs. Baking times can vary depending on your oven, so start checking around the 50-minute mark and continue testing every 5 minutes until it’s done.

It’s also important to know which loaf pan you’re using because size affects both the shape and baking time. The two most common loaf pans are 9×5 and 8.5×4.5 inches. Although they sound nearly identical, the smaller pan holds about 15% less batter. It produces a taller, more domed loaf but takes longer to bake—about 65 to 75 minutes. A standard 9×5 pan typically bakes in 50 to 65 minutes.

Sliced cranberry orange bread on parchment paper, garnished with whole cranberries and orange slices. The bread is golden with visible pieces of cranberry and orange zest.

How to Make Homemade Cranberry Orange Bread

This cranberry orange bread recipe always wows a crowd. Here are the simple steps and you can jump to the full recipe for ingredients and more notes.

Prep oven and pan. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spray a loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Combine dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir with a spoon to blend, then set aside.
Combine wet ingredients. In a larger mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, orange zest, and orange juice until combined, about 30 seconds.
Combine wet and dry ingredients. Sprinkle about a teaspoon of the dry ingredients over the cranberries and stir to coat. Gradually add the remaining dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing by hand just until combined. Fold in the cranberries, the batter will be very thick! If using frozen cranberries, do not thaw them.
Transfer and top. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Top with a few extra cranberries and a sprinkle of orange zest, if desired.
Bake. Bake for 45–50 minutes, then tent with aluminum foil if the top is already golden. Continue baking for an additional 10–15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

A metal loaf pan filled with unbaked batter, dotted with whole cranberries and orange zest, sits on a wooden surface.

A golden-brown loaf of cranberry bread in a rectangular metal pan sits on a rustic wooden surface, with bright red cranberries visible on top.

FAQs

Can I use frozen cranberries?

Yes, you can use frozen cranberries for this cranberry orange bread. I’ve tested both frozen and fresh cranberries in this recipe, and both turn out great! You don’t need to thaw frozen cranberries for this recipe.

Can I use dried cranberries?

While I recommend fresh or frozen cranberries, you can use dried cranberries. You may want to cut down the sugar a bit, as dried cranberries are sweeter than fresh ones. For plumper, juicier cranberries, soak them in hot water for about 10 minutes, then drain and pat dry before adding them to the batter.