Enjoy the Tanginess of Cranberry Quick Bread

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I adore making quick breads at home whenever I can, especially when it’s a sweeter one that I can eat for breakfast or brunch.

Vertical image of a loaf of cranberry quick bread cut into slices arranged on a white rectangular ceramic serving platter, printed with orange and white text.

Sometimes you’re just craving something moist, sweet, and tangy in the morning.

For something other than my usual banana bread or zucchini bread go-to’s, I am going to be making this cranberry quick bread every single weekend throughout the fall season, and straight into the new year.

Let’s start by talking briefly about the recipe itself. The batter is so simple to make, and it doesn’t even require an electric mixer. You simply stir together the dry ingredients, then the wet, and then you combine them.

Vertical overhead shot of half a loaf and three slices of cranberry breakfast bread, on a rectangular white ceramic serving platter.

All you have to do after that is bake.

Simple enough, am I right?

For me, that’s the main reason to make any recipe right now. The arrival of autumn brings with it a really busy schedule, so I like to return to my stash of the easiest recipes I can possibly make.

And what can I say? There’s only so many recipes that I can handle cooking or baking from scratch when there are near-constant parties and gatherings going on every single week.

A slice of homemade cranberry bread topped with a pat of butter on a white plate, with more in the background on a rectangular white serving platter, on a pink tablecloth with scattered dried berries, beside green and black ceramic mugs.

Now, the fact that this bread is oh-so-flavorful and delicious is another key reason for making this recipe that should not be overlooked. The dough actually has cranberry juice in it, so the sweetness is balanced out with a touch of tart flavor in every bite. It also helps to ensure that the finished product is really moist and tender.

A slice of cranberry bread topped with melted butter with a bite taken out of it, on a white plate, with a rectangular serving platter of more in the background, on a pink patterned tablecloth topped with scattered dried berries.

Then, you get a pop of dried cranberry in your mouth, and that cranberry flavor is leveled up by about 100%. I love snacking on dried cranberries anyway, so this bread is right up my alley. If you love the dried fruit, know that you are going to become addicted to this treat as soon as you taste it.

With the holiday season on its way, you need to have a collection of reliable recipes on hand for all the holiday breakfasts and brunches that will inevitably pop up. This quick bread is ideal for those occasions because it is easy to make, and it keeps well so you can make it a couple of days ahead of time if you need to.

I always advise that you warm up the bread if you aren’t serving it fresh out of the oven, because it’s so tasty when it’s warm.

The texture of this moist treat simply melts in your mouth with every bite, and when you slather it with a layer of butter (salted or unsalted), it provides an added richness to the baked treat.

You can pair it with coffee in the morning, or even save it for a midnight snack if you are having trouble sleeping (alongside a glass of warm milk, naturally).

Overhead shot of a loaf of cranberry quick bread and three slices arranged on a rectangular white ceramic serving platter, on a patterned pink tablecloth topped with scattered dried berries.

So what are you waiting for? This bread won’t make itself, but it’ll only take 10 active minutes of prep before it goes straight into the oven to bake.

Essentially, you have no excuse not to make this bread in the coming weeks, or whenever you’re short on time and in the mood for something delicious and homemade.

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A slice of homemade cranberry quick bread with a pat of melting butter on top is on a white plate, with a large white rectangular ceramic serving platter of more of the baked good in the background, on a surface topped with a pink tablecloth, with scattered pieces of dried fruit.

Cranberry Quick Bread

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  • Author: Meghan Yager
  • Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Yield: 1 loaf 1x
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Description

Who wouldn’t want to wake up to a warm slice of cranberry quick bread, slathered with butter? Bake a loaf at home today!

Ingredients

Scale
  • Cooking oil spray
  • 2 cups + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
  • 1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/3 cup 100% cranberry juice
  • 1 cup dried cranberries, preferably unsweetened

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Spray a 9x5x13-inch loaf pan with cooking spray and sprinkle with flour to coat the bottom and sides.
  2. Whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
  3. In a small bowl, combine egg, milk, melted butter, and cranberry juice.
  4. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir to combine. Add cranberries and stir well.
  5. Pour into loaf pan and bake 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before using a knife to loosen edges from pan and remove to cool completely on a wire rack.
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour
  • Category: Quick Breads
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Breakfast

Keywords: quick bread, fall, autumn, cranberry

Cooking By the Numbers…

Step 1 – Prep and Measure Ingredients

Melt the butter in the microwave in 30-second bursts on half power, and set aside to cool slightly.

Measure all remaining ingredients, and set them out in the order described in the ingredients list.

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Grease a 9-by-5-by-13-inch loaf pan well with cooking spray. Add flour to the pan, and tap and rotate to coat all sides. Shake out the excess.

Step 2 – Mix Together Dry Ingredients

Clumps of packed light brown sugar top a dry flour mixture in a stainless steel mixing bowl, on a dark brown wood surface.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

A wooden spoon stirs flour and other dry ingredients in a stainless steel bowl.

Whisk together and break up any lumps, then set aside.

Step 3 – Make Batter

Overhead shot of an egg cracked into the middle of a yellow liquid mixture in a large stainless steel bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, melted butter, and cranberry juice.

A frothy off-white liquid batter mixture in a stainless steel mixing bowl, on a dark brown wood surface.

Sometimes I like to crack the egg first into the bowl by itself, so it’s easier to remove any shell fragments if you need to.

A wooden spoon stirs a thick beige batter in a stainless steel serving bowl.

Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients, and stir to combine.

A beige quick bread batter is topped with a pile of dried cranberries, with a wooden spoon in a stainless steel mixing bowl.

Stir in the cranberries. If any are stuck together in clumps, separate them before you add them to the bowl.

A wooden spoon stirs dried cranberries into a thick beige quick bread batter, in a large stainless steel mixing bowl.

They should be pretty evenly distributed, and just combined into the mixture.

Step 4 – Bake

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour on the medium rack, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

A beige quick bread batter dotted with dried cranberries fills a metal loaf pan, on a brown wood surface.

Cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before gently using a knife to loosen the edges from the pan. Remove from the pan to cool completely on a metal cooling rack.

Need an Excellent Gift Idea?

This bread makes a fantastic gift to give to everyone you know. I like to bring it as a hostess gift when I attend a party, but it also makes for a nice holiday gift for friends and family.

I am a big believer that homemade gifts mean a lot more than those you can buy in a store or order online, and you know everyone will love to have this bread on hand to start their morning off right.

A slice of homemade cranberry quick bread with a pat of melting butter on top is on a white plate, with a large white rectangular ceramic serving platter of more of the baked good in the background, on a surface topped with a pink tablecloth, with scattered pieces of dried fruit.

Simply wrap the bread in colorful cellophane and tie it with a seasonal ribbon. It will mean the world to everyone you gift it to.

Would you share this bread as a gift, or would you keep it all to yourself? Tell us in the comments below, and go make the recipe right away. Be sure to give it a five-star rating if you loved it!

And if cranberries are your thing, you’ll love these:

Photos by Meghan Yager, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Originally published on November 16, 2010. Last updated: November 11, 2020 at 12:39 pm.

Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.

About Meghan Yager

Meghan Yager is a food addict turned food and travel writer with a love for creating uncomplicated, gourmet recipes and devouring anything the world serves up. As the author of the food and travel blog Cake 'n Knife, Meghan focuses on unique foodie experiences from around the world to right at home in your own kitchen.

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