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Easy Cranberry Orange Bread with Vanilla Glaze Recipe

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A simple, tender quick bread bursting with tart cranberries and bright orange flavor, finished with a sweet vanilla glaze. Perfect for holiday mornings or cozy afternoons.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • ⅓ cup (80ml) fresh orange juice
  • 2 tablespoons orange zest
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups (170g) fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (for tossing cranberries)
  • 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2–3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the long sides.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together 1 ½ cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  3. In a medium bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar with a hand mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  4. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Mix in vanilla extract, orange juice, and orange zest.
  5. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and fold with a rubber spatula until just combined. Do not overmix.
  6. Toss cranberries with 1 tablespoon flour, then gently fold into batter.
  7. Scrape batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Tap pan on counter to release air bubbles.
  8. Bake for 55-65 minutes, tenting with foil at 45 minutes if browning too quickly. A toothpick inserted in center should come out clean or with moist crumbs.
  9. Cool in pan for 15 minutes, then lift out and cool completely on a wire rack (about 1 hour).
  10. For glaze: whisk together powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 2-3 tablespoons milk/cream until thick but pourable. Drizzle over cooled loaf.
  11. Let glaze set for 15 minutes before slicing with a serrated knife.

Notes

Room temperature ingredients are key for proper creaming. If using frozen cranberries, do not thaw; toss in flour to prevent sinking. For a gluten-free version, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend. For dairy-free, use melted coconut oil or vegan butter and almond/oat milk in the glaze. The bread freezes well for up to 3 months (unglazed).

Nutrition

Keywords: cranberry orange bread, cranberry bread, orange bread, quick bread, holiday bread, vanilla glaze, easy bread recipe

Find it online: https://cookdella.com/easy-cranberry-orange-bread-with-vanilla-glaze-recipe/