Glazed Cranberry Orange Quick Bread
This Glazed Cranberry Orange Quick Bread is a moist, easy holiday loaf made with fresh or frozen cranberries, real orange zest, and a sweet citrus glaze. Perfect for breakfast, dessert, or gifting.
There’s something so cozy about the combo of tart cranberries and bright citrus in a sweet, moist loaf of quick bread. This Glazed Cranberry Orange Quick Bread is one of my favorite cranberry treats to make during the holiday season- right alongside my Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies and Cranberry Apple Pie. It’s simple, festive, and smells amazing while it bakes!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Festive & flavorful: The combination of zesty orange and tart cranberries makes each bite bright and balanced.
Beginner-friendly: This is a no-fuss, quick bread recipe with no yeast, no rising, no stress.
Freezer-friendly: Make it ahead and freeze for holiday gatherings, brunches, or gifting.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour: Spoon and level it for accuracy.
- Granulated sugar: Keeps the bread sweet and balances the tart cranberries.
- Baking powder: Essential for lift.
- Salt: Just a pinch to enhance flavor.
- Orange and zest: Fresh is best! Zest adds fragrance; juice adds moisture.
- Milk: Any milk works here- dairy or non-dairy.
- Egg: Helps bind the batter.
- Butter: Melted, for richness.
- Vanilla extract: Adds warmth.
- Fresh or frozen cranberries: No need to thaw frozen cranberries—just toss them right in.
- Powdered sugar & orange juice: Whisked together for a tangy-sweet glaze.
- Sour Cream: Adds so much extra moisture!
How To Make Cranberry Orange Bread
- Mix the wet ingredients. Cream the butter and sugar, then add in egg and orange juice, and fold in the sour cream. No need to use a mixer. This can all be done by hand.
- Add in the dry ingredients. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and orange zest to the wet ingredients then mix it all together. Try not to over mix it. This is what makes the bread too tough and dense. Then gently stir in the cranberries and orange pieces.
- Bake the bread. Pour the batter in a loaf pan that has been lined with parchment paper or greased. Bake for anywhere between 50 minutes to one hour. Every oven is different so I recommend starting to check around 40 minutes. Check it by placing a toothpick in the center of the bread. If it comes out mostly clean, it is ready. I recommend covering the top of the bread about half way through to prevent it from browning too much. Just place a piece of aluminum foil loosely on top without pinching the sides. Remove and let the bread fully cool before adding the glaze to prevent it from melting.
- Add the glaze. Mix powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and orange juice together until you reach your desired consistency. Keep in mind, it does not take much liquid to make the glaze. Just keep stirring and you will notice it thin out. Drizzle over the top of the bread. Slice and enjoy!
- Store or freeze. Store the bread in an air-tight freezer bag or container up to 6 days at room temperature. Or freeze by first wrapping it in cling wrap and a freezer bag to freeze up to 3 months.
Storage
- Room temp: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Refrigerate: Up to 1 week (best if unglazed until ready to serve).
- Freeze: Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Toss them in a bit of flour before adding to the batter.
This is normal! It happens when the top sets before the inside is done.
The best way to determine when quick bread is finished baking is to take a toothpick and insert it in the center of the bread. If it comes out clean with just a few pieces of bread attached, it is finished baking. If the toothpick is wet, return the bread to the oven to continue baking for a few more minutes and then check again. Also, the bread should be golden brown and darker around the edges with a crack appearing in the center.
Helpful Tips
– Do not over-mix the batter. This is the most common cause for tough bread or uneven baking.
– Loosely cover the top of the bread with aluminum foil about halfway through baking to prevent the top from browning too quickly.
– Cranberry Orange bread is easy to freeze! Thoroughly wrap the bread in cling wrap and then place in an air-tight container or freezer bag and freeze up to 3 months.
More Delicious Breakfast Recipes
- Cinnamon French Toast Sticks- Texas Toast-sized pieces of bread dipped in an egg mixture, deep-fried, then rolled around in cinnamon-sugar goodness.
- Super Easy Banana Bread– moist and delicious with only a few simple steps.
- Cinnamon Sugar Crescent Rolls– flaky crescent rolls filled with butter and cinnamon sugar that is rolled up into every bite.
Did you try this recipe? Please leave a ⭐ review below and tag me @whiskfulcooking on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Glazed Cranberry Orange Quick Bread
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter softened
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup orange juice
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries do not thaw
- 1 orange chopped
Glaze
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 teaspoons orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan or line with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Stir in eggs and orange juice. Fold in sour cream until combined.
- Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and orange zest to the bowl and stir until just combined. Gently fold in cranberries and orange pieces.
- Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes to one hour until baked and a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean. Halfway through baking, loosely place a piece of aluminum foil on top to prevent browning too quickly. Remove from oven and allow to fully cool in pan before topping with glaze.
Glaze
- In a small bowl, mix powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and orange juice. Add more or less orange juice to reach desired consistency. Drizzled over top of the cooled bread. Enjoy!
Notes
- Store the bread in an air-tight freezer bag or container up to 6 days at room temperature. Or freeze by first wrapping it in cling wrap and a freezer bag to freeze up to 3 months.
- Do not over-mix the batter. This is the most common cause for tough bread or uneven baking.
- Toss the cranberries in a little flour to prevent from sinking in the bread.
