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Cranberry Walnut Bread

Cranberry walnut bread with a tender quick-bread crumb and bright red cranberry bites, baked until golden. The loaf is studded with toasted walnuts and finished with orange zest for a vivid, fragrant flavor.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Dessert, Desserts & Baking
Cuisine: American
Calories: 310
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cranberry walnut bread
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp orange zest
  • 0.75 cup orange juice
  • 1 large egg
  • 0.25 cup butter, melted
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1.5 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, roughly chopped
  • 0.75 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat oven to 350F, then grease and line a 9x5-inch loaf pan so the bread releases cleanly.
Mix dry ingredients
  1. Whisk all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and orange zest until evenly combined with no visible clumps.
Mix wet ingredients
  1. In a separate bowl, whisk orange juice, large egg, melted butter, and vanilla until smooth and glossy.
Combine batter
  1. Stir wet into dry just until moistened, keeping the batter thick and stopping as soon as no dry streaks remain.
Fold in mix-ins
  1. Fold in fresh or frozen cranberries, roughly chopped and walnuts, toasted and chopped, then spread the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
Bake
  1. Bake at 350F for 55-60 minutes, until the loaf is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool and slice
  1. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a rack to cool fully before slicing for neat, firm slices.

Notes

Pro tip: When stirring wet into dry, keep it short—overmixing can make the loaf tough. Store tightly wrapped in the fridge for up to 4 days (let slices come to room temperature before serving). Freeze the whole loaf or individual slices for up to 2 months. For a lighter option, swap half the butter for neutral oil; texture stays tender but browning may be slightly less deep.