Home » Cranberry Nut Bread With Orange Glaze

Cranberry Nut Bread With Orange Glaze

September 29, 2026

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There is a partial loaf and slices of glazed cranberry nut bread on a wood and marble board. Board is on a white surface.

This easy quick bread recipe is moist and packed with tart cranberries, crunchy nuts, and orange zest, then finished with a delicious orange glaze. It’s a popular recipe during the holiday season but why wait? Cranberry bread can be enjoyed all year long!

There are slices of glazed cranberry nut bread on a square gray plate. There are a few whole raw cranberries on the plate. The plate is on a wood surface.

Prep time – 15 minutes
Bake time – 45 minutes
Cooling time – 15 minutes
Servings – 8 to 10 slices
Preparation level – Beginner +

What I Love About This Recipe

Simple ingredients – Made with pantry staples and seasonal fruit.
Texture – Every bite is a tender crumb with a nutty crunch and a burst of cranberries.
Festive and flavorful – It’s a holiday favorite, with the combination of tart cranberries and sweet orange glaze creating a perfect balance of flavors.
Great for gifting – Baked in a loaf pan or mini loaves, it makes a delicious homemade gift.
Make-ahead-friendly – Cranberry nut bread stores beautifully.
Versatile treat – Enjoy it for breakfast, as a snack, or even dessert.

There is a cranberry nut loaf of bread on a wire cooling rack. The rack is on a white surface.

Ingredient Notes

There are several bowls with ingredients for cranberry bread in them: fresh cranberries, flour, butter, sugar, nuts, milk, baking powder, and vanilla extract. There is also two brown eggs and a large whole orange. Items are on a white surface.

Whole milk, unsalted butter, and eggs: For best results, let them come to room temperature for before using.
Large orange: You will use both the fresh juice and zest.
Whole cranberries: During cranberry season, buy extra and freeze so you can enjoy homemade cranberry bread year-round and not just during the holiday season!
Nuts: Both walnuts or pecans are delicious with cranberry and orange flavors. For best results, finely chop nuts before adding to the bread. This will make it easier to cut into individual slices.

Step-by-Step Instructions

There is a large whole orange with the rind scraped off of it and in a pile. There is a citrus zester tool. Items are on a white surface.

There is a glass measuring cup with orange juice in it. There is half of an orange and a wooden hand held citrus juicer. Items are on a white surface.

Rinse and dry the fresh cranberries. Rinse, dry, zest, and juice the orange. The zest is used in both the bread and the glaze.

There is a glass measuring cup with orange juice in it. There are small bowls with orange zest, milk, and vanilla extract in them. Items are on a white surface.

There is a glass measuring cup with an orange juice and milk mixture in it. Cup is on a white surface.

Combine the wet ingredients – in a small bowl or a measuring cup, stir together the room temperature milk, orange juice, vanilla extract, and orange zest.

There is a very large glass bowl with white sugar and cut butter in it. Bowl is on a white surface.

There is a very large clear glass bowl with a butter and sugar mixture in it with two raw eggs on top. There is a hand mixer next to the bowl. Items are on a white surface.

Cream sugar and butter – in a large bowl use an electric mixer and combine the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and beat until well combined.

Whisk the dry ingredients – in a separate bowl combine flour and baking powder.

There is a very large clear glass bowl with a wet mixture in it and a mound of flour on top of it. There is a bowl of flour and a glass measuring cup with orange juice in it. There is a hand held mixer next to the large bowl. Items are on a white surface.

There is a very large glass bowl with bread batter in it and a gray rubber spatula resting in the bowl. There is a bowl of flour dusted whole raw cranberries and a metal measuring cup with chopped nuts in it. Items are on a white surface.

Make the batter – add the dry ingredients mixture to the wet ingredients in two parts alternating with the orange juice mixture, mixing until combined.

Coat the cranberries – in a separate bow, toss them with 2 teaspoons of flour, coating all the berries. Finely chop the nuts.

There is a very large clear glass bowl with a bread batter mixture in it. There are flour dusted whole raw cranberries and chopped nuts on top of the batter. There is a gray rubber spatula resting in the bowl. The bowl is on a white surface.

There is a very large clear glass bowl with a bread batter, cranberries, and chopped nuts mixture in it. The bowl is on a white surface.

Cranberries – gently fold into the bread batter. If using chopped nuts, fold them into the batter.

There is a clear glass loaf pan with a bread batter, cranberries, and chopped nuts mixture in it. The pan is on a white surface.

There is a baked cranberry nut bread in a clear glass loaf pan. The pan is on a wire cooling rack. The rack is on a white surface.

Spread batter into a greased and floured bread baking pan. Bake until the top of the bread is golden brown. Insert a toothpick in the center of the loaf, if it comes out clean, the cranberry loaf is done baking.

Remove the bread from the oven to rest for a few minutes then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.

Make the Glaze

The orange juice and zest in both the bread and the glaze are so complementary, it’s the perfect balance. Topping the bread with the powdered sugar glaze makes it so irresistible!

There is a white bowl with white powdered sugar in it. There are two small clear glass bowls. One has orange juice in it and the other has orange zest in it. There is a metal whisk laying next to the bowls. Items are on a white surface.

There is a large white bowl with white powdered sugar, orange juice, and orange zest in it. The bowl is on a white surface.

Combine – one cup of powdered sugar, fresh squeezed orange juice, and orange zest.

There is a loaf of cranberry nut bread with an orange glaze on it. The bread is on a wire rack which is on a white surface.

See the recipe card below for complete measurements and baking time.

Laura Belle’s Tips

If using dried cranberries – Reduce the sugar in the recipe to 2/3 cup since dried cranberries aren’t as tart as fresh cranberries. Dried cranberries will become juicy cranberries if they’re soaked in hot water for 10 minutes then drained and patted dry with paper towels.
Don’t over mix the batter – Mix until just combined to keep a tender texture.
Zest before juicing – Always zest citrus before juicing to get the most out of the fruit.
Cool completely before glazing – Let the bread cool on a wire rack so the glaze doesn’t melt and soak in too much.

Storage

Loosely wrap cranberry bread in plastic wrap or if glazed, store it in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

There is a partial loaf and slices of glazed cranberry nut bread on a white rectangular platter. Platter is on a white surface.

What to Serve with Cranberry Nut Bread

Serving – Serve at room temperature. Slice thick, about 3/4 inch. Use a serrated knife so the glaze and cranberries.
What to pair with – A cup of coffee, tea, or hot cider make a delicious combo any time of day. At breakfast, serve with scrambled eggs, Texas potatoes, and bacon or sausage. As a dessert, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or lightly sweetened whipped cream.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Why did my cranberries sink?

Toss them in a spoonful of flour first, and be sure the batter is thick, not runny.

Can I use frozen cranberries?

Yes! Use them straight from the freezer, don’t thaw or they may bleed color into the batter. Add a few minutes to the bake time.

Do I have to use nuts?

No. Swap in pumpkin seeds or omit altogether. The nuts add crunch, not structure.

Why is my bread dense or tough?

This usually happens from overmixing the batter. Stir just until the flour disappears. Old baking powder or soda can also be the cause.

Yield: 10 to 12 slices