Cranberry Nut Bread
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
Sweet, orange-scented and chock-full of cranberries and walnuts, this cranberry nut bread is perfect for the holidays.
Sweet, orange-scented, and chock-full of tart cranberries and walnuts, this cranberry nut bread is tailor made for the holidays. It’s a classic quick bread, which means it’s easy to throw together. The hardest part is chopping up the fresh cranberries because they like to roll all over the place. Don’t be tempted to substitute dried cranberries; the fresh cranberries burst as they bake, mingling with the rich batter to create tart-sweet pockets of jammy cranberries.
Cranberries are abundant over the holiday season. For more ways to enjoy them, check out my Nantucket cranberry pie, fresh cranberry sauce, and cranberry chutney.
What you’ll need to make Cranberry nut bread
How to make Cranberry Nut bread
Begin by combining the buttermilk, orange zest, orange juice, melted butter and egg in a small bowl.
Since the recipe calls for only 2/3 cup of buttermilk, you might not want to buy a whole carton. It’s easy to make your own by combining regular milk with a bit of lemon juice or vinegar (see recipe below for exact quantities). Whisk well to combine and set aside.
Next, combine the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
Whisk well.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry.
Stir gently with a rubber spatula until just combined.
Add the halved cranberries and nuts.
Mix again to incorporate.
Scrape the batter into a greased loaf pan.
Bake for about one hour, then cool in the pan on a rack for ten minutes.
Turn the loaf out onto the rack to cool completely.
Slice, serve and enjoy!
You may also like
- How to Make Buttermilk
- Pumpkin bread
- Banana Bread with Coconut and Pecans
- Zucchini Bread
- Chai-Spiced Banana Bread
Cranberry Nut Bread
Sweet, orange-scented and chock-full of cranberries and walnuts, this cranberry nut bread is perfect for the holidays.
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup buttermilk (see note)
- 2 teaspoons grated orange zest, from 1 orange
- ⅓ cup orange juice, from 1 orange
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, halved (see note)
- ½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F and set an oven rack to the middle position. Spray a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, stir together buttermilk, orange zest and juice, melted butter and egg. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda. Stir the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients with rubber spatula until just moistened. Gently stir in cranberries and nuts. Do not overmix.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread evenly with a rubber spatula. Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350° F. Continue to bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean, about 45 minutes longer. Cool the loaf in the pan for about 10 minutes, then turn out onto the rack and cool at least 30 minutes before serving.
- Note: If you’d like to make your own buttermilk, check out the easy method here.
- Note: Cranberries are a bit tricky to chop because they roll all over the place. I cut them in half one at a time -- seems tedious, I know, but there aren't that many so it doesn't take long. If you're using frozen cranberries, be sure to slice them while they're still frozen.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The bread can be frozen for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, wrap it securely in aluminum foil, freezer wrap or place in a freezer bag. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Nutrition Information
Powered by 
- Per serving (12 servings)
- Serving size: 1 slice
- Calories: 227
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated fat: 4 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Sugar: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Sodium: 224 mg
- Cholesterol: 31 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
I tried this bread once and loved it. I did substitute fresh cranberries with dried ones and soaked them in oj until plump. This is one of the very few recipe where the time in the oven is exact. This bread was such a hit my mother in law has requested me to make them as Christmas gifts for her friends. I highly recommend this recipe to anyone… It is very easy to do for a beginner baker…
Perfect recipe for cranberry bread! Many recipes are dry and crumbly, but this has the citrus, berries and nuts exquisitely proportioned. So easy to make, and it freezes beautifully. I make it throughout the year and not just at holidays.
I had an extra bag of fresh cranberries in the fridge and was looking for something to do with them, I came across this recipe and decided to give it a try. It was delicious. Would not change a thing. Looking forward to making again over the the Christmas holidays.
I absolutely loved this bread! I tried it as written and it was fabulous and liked it even better when leaving out the walnuts as a personal preference. My family asks me to make it for them all the time and the only reason I don’t do it more often is that the cutting of those cranberries takes so long. But when you have the time, the end result is so worth the effort!
When I saw this recipe I was excited because I already had everything I needed to make it. It was excellent! My family loved it, and I’m making several loaves to share with my co-workers next week for the holiday. I’m going to sprinkle the top with demerara sugar as suggested in a different review. Delish as usual, Jenn! Thank you so much for another great recipe!
I make this recipe many times every holiday season for my family and give as gifts…it’s always a hit. I love a recipe that’s easy and tastes delicious every single time. I make as written with one change, I use less sugar (about 1/4 cup less). I suggest that you make it without any changes and then decide if you want to change cause it’s delicious as is I’m just trying to eat less sugar.
Excellent flavor & reduced sugar to 1/2 cup which really highlights the tartness of the cranberries. Another great recipe by Jenn & will add more cranberries next time.
I love the tanginess of the fresh cranberries in this. We reduced the sugar to 1/2 cup and salt to 1/2 tsp. That’s just about perfect for us.
Love this bread! I sprinkled demerara sugar on top before baking to give it an extra crunchy/sweet lid — takes it over the top.
First time I made this as a loaf my family loved it. I just made these as muffins and it was a hit run again.
Thank you for all your recipes!!
This was delicious!!! Thanks to an earlier reviewer with high altitude adjustments (reduce baking powder by 1/4 teaspoon and add 1 egg) this worked perfectly here in Denver. Thanks Jenn. This is a keeper!
Exactly the recipe for Cranberry Nut Bread I was looking for! I didn’t change a thing. The recipe was doubled and baked in 5 small cans, one star mold and a small loaf pan. I just sprayed them all with a non-stick spray and they all came right out. I plan to freeze these – slice them frozen – and serve to a women’s group.
Love it.
Excellent just the way it’s written. Thanks for another “keeper” recipe.
I’ve made this twice and it’s great!!! My 2 year old loves it too!!! Plan on making it a lot. I’m wondering, Is it freezable?
Glad you like it, Melissa. It freezes well :).
Love it. I get really frustrated with all the people who change up the recipe but still comment as if they used the original one.
When I stirred the liquids together, the buttermilk curdled…. Is it still okay to use in the recipe, or should I start over? What did I do wrong?
Hi Ellie, It’s fine to use – that’s just the acidity of the orange juice working on the buttermilk.
love this bread. I made 2 loaves and used 3 cups of cranberries because I needed to use them up. I used coconut milk and two tablespoons of vinegar.
I soaked the Cranberries after chopping them in OJ to help bring out their wonderful Tartness a little more drained them well (same OJ I used in recipe) chopped the walnuts a bit and toasted them to help release the natural oils and increase the nutty Flavor. The Crumb of this quick bread is perfect as it is absolutely perfect.
Outstanding! I love, love anything cranberry/orange and this bread is perfect. Great texture and flavor and the walnuts are a perfect complement. My husband nearly cried when the loaves I made were gone:o)
When I made this bread I didn’t have cranberries so I used craisins. It was still delicious without the tartness.
I have made this delicious loaf a few times and given it as gifts as well. It is always well received. The last time I used blueberries instead of cranberries and it was equally delicious.
Just might eat the whole loaf myself tonight…make another and pretend nothing happened. Delicious!
I made them into muffins, cut back the salt to 1/2 t. & used lemon zest because I didn’t have an orange on hand & we were having a snowstorm, so I couldn’t get out. They turned out great! This batter made 12 exact muffins filling cups near full. As in another review, I checked them after 12-15 min.
Salt needs to be reduced to 1/2 teaspoon, totally ruined bread. Everyone commented it would be perfect with less salt. Tossed it out, but will change for next time. First recipe from this site that was a disappointment…
Could I substitute ricotta cheese for the buttermilk? I have some that I need to use. Thanks!
Hi Emily, Ricotta won’t work in place of he buttermilk – sorry!
I have been leery about cranberry/orange quick breads since the last one I tried from the internet claimed it was a “family favorite” and yet the ingredient combination made the batter turn bluish/green. (With lovely red cranberry dots, I could have made a faux evergreen wreath out of it :D)
But today I was looking for something new and I’m very happy I tried this recipe. I made it as recommended, using pecans since I had them on hand, and buttermilk made from milk and lemon as suggested.
It was delightful. Everyone enjoyed it, even my fairly picky father-in-law, who claims to not like cranberries.
All my houseguests keep wandering into the kitchen to cut another slice and I don’t expect this loaf to make it through the day. So my only suggestion is make two loaves.
I am interested in trying greek yogurt, thinned with a bit of milk, as a substitution for the buttermilk.
The initial bread Made had the same color (not this recipe). D/W my sister (the chef)–I mistakenly put the walnuts AND cranberries together with batter and mixed. I should’ve stirred them manually rather than using my Kitchen-Aid.
I also always double the nuts and cranberries because I love both of them. Sometimes sprinkle a little coarse sugar on top which adds a nice touch for muffins.
Just made this lovely bread today….house smells of Christmas! Recipe was perfect with no tweaks….and, the bonus….I never knew I could make buttermilk from lemon and milk before today….thank you for that very helpful information!
You’re welcome, Ellen. So glad you enjoyed it and Merry Christmas!
This is by far the best cranberry bread I’ve ever tried……moist and delicious. Wonderful job, Jenn.
Love this bread moist and delicious. love cranberry and orange togerther. I would love to do it as muffins. What would I need to change if anything?
Hi Louise, Only the cooking time would change. I’d start checking around 25 minutes. Hope they turn out well!
I like this recipe. My friends also loved the bread.Thanks.
Can I use a Meyer lemon for the zest instead of an orange for the zest?
Sure Nina, that will work. Enjoy!
i dropped the cooking time down to 60 mins overall because my loaf was done and quite brown. I like the flavor of the bread, but the outside was VERY chewy. I am debating finding another recipe and re-doing, as these loaves were for my office tomorrow….
Absolutely delicious! The tartness from the cranberries are delicious with the sweet, but not too sweet, crumb from the bread. I toasted the walnuts before adding them to the bread. Will make again!
This bread tastes amazing. I don’t think the photos do justice to how pretty this bread is when sliced. I have never made it with actual buttermilk, I’ve just followed the directions for making it that are included in the recipe.
Can you freeze? so many positive comments I didnt ready through all.
Yes, this bread freezes well.
Instead of making one large loaf I would like to use this recipe and make small individual loaves to give as holiday gifts. Any idea what the bake time would be using the small pans?
Hi Stefani, I’d start checking them after about 25 minutes. Hope the recipients enjoy them!
When do you start the 25 minutes? When you put it in the oven or after the initial 20 minutes at 375?
Hi Marj, you can just keep this at one temperature and bake it for about 25 minutes at 350.
This recipe is soooo good! Would not change a thing.
This is a great bread for the holidays. I’ve used dried cranberries and reconstituted them with hot water, worked great. Also have tried plain Greek yogurt instead of buttermilk, because that’s all I had, tasted good.
Looking forward to more recipes posted over the holidays.
Thanks!
This is another wonderful recipe from Jenn. We have loved every dish I have made from this site. This bread is moist and flavorful and has become my favorite cranberry bread recipe. Can’t wait for the cookbook! Thanks Jenn.
Hi Jennifer , would you have the metric or imperial measurements for your lovely bread as I would love to try your recipes . Thanks. Ann. Ireland.
Hi Ann, I just added the metric measurements for this. To view them, scroll down to the recipe and immediately under the recipe title on the right side, you’ll see a little toggle. If you move it from “cup measures” to metric, you’ll see measurements that will work for you. Please let me know if there are other recipes you’d like to see the conversion for. Enjoy!
I have made this recipe several times. After the first time I stopped chopping the cranberries and did not have any loss of quality in the finished product. I also increased the cranberries to 1 1/2 cups. Last modification was to toast the nuts until light brown.
Love, love, love this bread! I enjoy quick bread recipes and this was so easy to put together, I continue to make it every other week. Husband is not a lover of really sweet desserts, so this is a favorite for him. Love receiving your emails and have made many of your recipes with great success.
Once upon a Chef is my go to site for all recipes. I know Jenn has tested and perfected each recipe and this is no exception! Perfect! Would absolutely make again!
Fabulous! Everyone loves this recipe. It has become my go-to when I need to bring a loaf for coffee.
I made this for Thanksgiving this year and it was a huge hit! My aunt loved it so much, she asked me to make it again for Christmas!
Was looking for a different bread recipe. This one was exactly right on the money. Love, love, love it! Thank you!
This recipe makes for delicious, moist bread! I substituted pomegranate juice since I didn’t have orange juice. Yum!
This bread is a family favorite, and I make several every Thanksgiving because the berries are plentiful. I coarsely chop them in a mini food processor, which works perfectly.
I would like to use the nordicware quartet Bundt pan that holds 9 cups.do I need to do anything different?
I’ve never tried this in a bundt pan, but I think it should work. The baking time should be about the same, but I’d keep a close eye on it.