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    Home / Recipes / Vegan Holiday Recipes

    Cranberry Orange Bread

    Published: Nov 16, 2022 by Kathy Carmichael · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    Cranberry orange bread is oil-free, nut-free, and refined sugar-free. Made with whole-food ingredients, each piece of bread is full of fresh cranberries that pop in your mouth with fresh orange flavor in each moist bite. You'll love this cranberry orange bread recipe.

    Cranberry orange bread cut on a cutting board.

    When I have leftover cranberries, I make orange cranberry bread! I love fresh cranberries, and nothing pairs better with cranberry than oranges. During the holidays, I always stock up on fresh cranberries for a variety of festive recipes, because a holiday isn't a holiday without cranberry orange bread.

    Jump to:
    • Fresh Fruit and Juice
    • Bread Ingredients
    • Bread Ingredient Substitutions
    • How to Make Cranberry Orange Bread
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Tips
    • Other Great Vegan Recipes to Try!
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Reviews

    I always buy too many fresh cranberries, because I'm afraid of running out during the holidays. If I end up with extra cranberries, which I always do, I make cranberry with orange sauce or my daughter's favorite vegan cranberry bars.

    Fresh Fruit and Juice

    fresh cranberries and oranges on a cutting board

    Even though bottled orange juice works, I prefer fresh-squeezed orange juice and fresh cranberries when I bake. Depending on the size of the oranges, 1 cup of fresh-squeezed orange juice is approximately 4 oranges. 

    Also, I added fresh orange zest for added orange flavor, which is optional. 

    Sometimes, when I can't find fresh cranberries, I bake with frozen ones, but the flavor isn't as profound as the fresh berries. 

    I am juicing fresh oranges in a juicer on the counter.

    Bread Ingredients

    Cranberry orange bread ingredients in a bowl and pour orange juice into the ingredients in the bowl.
    • Whole Wheat Flour:
    • Baking Powder:
    • Baking Soda:
    • Salt:
    • Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice:
    • Unsweetened Apple Sauce:
    • Orange Zest:
    • Fresh Cranberries:
    • Vanilla Extract:
    • Cinnamon:
    • Maple Syrup:

    Bread Ingredient Substitutions

    • Instead of using coconut sugar for this recipe, I substituted maple syrup. Similarly, I substituted apple sauce for a flax egg. Flax egg, however, can be used if you don't have unsweetened apple sauce. 
    • I prefer unsweetened apple sauce whenever I bake, like in my Vegan Oil-Free Cornbread Recipe. So I buy single-serving, unsweetened applesauce cups for kids' lunch boxes.
    • Use bottled orange juice, but I suggest using pulp-free juice.
    • Substitute frozen cranberries for fresh cranberries, but do not thaw the berries.
    • Any combination or type of flour works with this cranberry orange bread recipe. This includes gluten-free flour.
    • Since I only cook with applesauce, each single-serving cup is ½ cup or equivalent to 1 flax egg. 

    How to Make Cranberry Orange Bread

    folding cranberries into the batter in a bowl
    • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
    • Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
    • Stir the dry ingredients, and combine the baking powder, soda, and salt with the flour.
    • Now add the apple sauce, orange juice, maple syrup, zest, vanilla, cinnamon, and stir by hand, focusing on incorporating the flour mixture at the bowl's bottom. DO NOT OVER-STIR. Make sure all the dry and wet ingredients create a thick and lumpy batter.
    • Now, fold in the cranberries, making sure to fold gently to keep the berries intact.
    • Using a silicone bread pan or a pan lined with parchment paper, pour the bread batter into the pan, scraping down the bowl's sides to get all the batter.
    • Then, place some individual cranberries on top of the bread, randomly placing them. This adds more cranberry flavor and makes the bread pretty,
    • Cook for 50-55 minutes. If using a silicone bread pan, check the bread 45 minutes in, as silicone pans generally take less cooking time.
    • To check to ensure the bread is cooked, place a knife through the middle. It should come out clean. If there is batter on the blade, cook for 5 minutes.
    sliced cranberry orange bread

    Recipe FAQs

    Can I use dried cranberries instead of fresh ones?

    Yes, sweetened dried cranberries work well in baked goods; however, there is a ¼ cup difference in measurement. If a recipe calls for one cup of fresh or frozen cranberries, use ¾ cup of sweetened dried cranberries.

    Do cranberries need to be cooked before baking?

    There is no need to cook the cranberries before baking in this quick bread recipe. However, do be sure to rinse and dry fresh cranberries well before using them in this recipe. If using frozen cranberries, do not thaw them before adding them to the batter. 

    Does cranberry bread need to be refrigerated?

    Cranberry bread can be left on the counter at room temperature for the first 2 days. Just cover it with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. After the initial two days, it's best to store your leftover cranberry bread tightly wrapped or in a container in the fridge.

    Tips

    • First, DO NOT use an electric mixer. Instead, stir the batter by hand, and DO NOT overmix. One of the biggest mistakes people make when baking is overmixing, which results in flat, dry bread. 
    • Another tip when vegan baking is to ensure you stir the baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the flour so it is equally distributed before adding the wet ingredients. 
    • Because I didn't use vegan butter and flax egg, the wet ingredients are added to the same bowl once the dry ingredients are stirred. 
    • Folding the cranberries into the batter after the batter is stirred allows the berries to stay whole and the juice to stay inside the berries. 
    • Since I don't cook with oil, there are two tricks to making orange cranberry bread that won't stick. 
    • Use a non-stick silicone bread pan. 
    • Line a bread pan with parchment paper before pouring the bread batter into the pan. 
    • Additionally, allowing the bread to cool completely enhances the flavors and keeps the bread from crumbling. Although my family wants the orange cranberry bread immediately, waiting until it is completely cooled or covering the bread and waiting until the next day is even better. 

    But the only way that happens at my house is if everyone is gone, and I hide it until the next day.

    The smell of fresh-baked cranberry orange bread is difficult to conceal. 

    A piece of cranberry orange bread on a plate on the table

    Try this delicious cranberry orange bread for breakfast, dessert, or holiday bread!

    Other Great Vegan Recipes to Try!

    • Mediterranean Potato Recipe
      Mediterranean Potatoes
    • buffalo potato recipe
      Buffalo Potatoes
    • dill pickle chips recipe
      Dill Pickle Chips
    • Loaded Sweet Potato Recipe
      Loaded Sweet Potato

    If you love this cranberry orange bread recipe, give us a 5-star review and comment below. We would love to hear from you!

    📖 Recipe

    orange cranberry bread

    Orange Cranberry Bread

    Kathy Carmichael
    Orange cranberry bread is oil-free, nut-free, and refined sugar-free. Made with whole-food ingredients, each piece of bread is full of fresh cranberries that pop in your mouth with fresh orange flavor in each moist bite.
    4.65 from 17 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 50 mins
    Total Time 1 hr
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12 servings
    Calories 137 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 cups Whole wheat flour or any flour of choice; gluten-free flour can be used as well
    • 2 teaspoons Baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon Baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon Salt
    • 1 cup Freshly squeezed orange juice
    • ½ cup Unsweetened apple sauce or 1 flax egg
    • ½ Orange zested
    • 1 ½ cups Fresh cranberries
    • 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
    • 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
    • ½ cup Maple syrup or ¾ coconut sugar

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
    • Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
    • Stir the dry ingredients, and combine the baking powder, soda, and salt with the flour.
    • Now add the apple sauce, orange juice, maple syrup, zest, vanilla, cinnamon, and stir by hand, focusing on incorporating the flour mixture at the bowl's bottom. DO NOT OVER-STIR. Make sure all the dry and wet ingredients create a thick and lumpy batter.
    • Now, fold in the cranberries, making sure to fold gently to keep the berries intact.
    • Using a silicone bread pan or a pan lined with parchment paper, pour the bread batter into the pan, scraping down the bowl's sides to get all the batter.
    • Then, place some individual cranberries on top of the bread, randomly placing them. This adds more cranberry flavor and makes the bread pretty,
    • Cook for 50-55 minutes. If using a silicone bread pan, check the bread 45 minutes in, as silicone pans generally take less cooking time.
    • To check to ensure the bread is cooked, place a knife through the middle. It should come out clean. If there is batter on the blade, cook for 5 minutes.

    Notes

    • First, DO NOT use an electric mixer. Instead, stir the batter by hand, and DO NOT overmix. One of the biggest mistakes people make when baking is overmixing, which results in flat, dry bread. 
    • Another tip when vegan baking is to ensure you stir the baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the flour, so it is equally distributed before adding the wet ingredients. 
    • Because I didn't use vegan butter and flax egg, the wet ingredients are added to the same bowl once the dry ingredients are stirred. 
    • Folding the cranberries into the batter after the batter is stirred allows the berries to stay whole and the juice to stay inside the berries. 
    • Since I don't cook with oil, there are two tricks to making orange cranberry bread that won't stick. 
    • Use a non-stick silicone bread pan. 
    • Line a bread pan with parchment paper before pouring the bread batter into the pan. 
    • Additionally, allowing the bread to cool completely enhances the flavors and keeps the bread from crumbling. Although my family wants the orange cranberry bread immediately, waiting until it is completely cooled or covering the bread and waiting until the next day is even better. 

     

    Nutrition

    Serving: 12gCalories: 137kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 2gFat: 0.3gSaturated Fat: 0.04gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.03gSodium: 216mgPotassium: 123mgFiber: 1gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 65IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 65mgIron: 1mg
    Tried our recipe?Let us know how it was!
    Kathy Carmichael

    Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂

    www.kathysvegankitchen.com/about-me/

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    1. Deborah Gelerter

      December 02, 2021 at 3:35 pm

      This is so delicious we make it often!! It’s become the perfect snack, dessert or breakfast in a pinch! I’ve been using the orange purée in lieu of apple sauce and it punches up the orange (which we love!) we add lots of chopped walnuts to ours. Seriously, the hardest part about this recipe is waiting til it cools. And, we have to double it so it lasts! 🙂 Great recipe!!

      Reply
      • Kathy Carmichael

        December 02, 2021 at 4:35 pm

        Hi Deborah, thank you so much for your feedback and the orange puree substitution option. That sounds wonderful; I will have to try it! I appreciate your comments. Let me know if you try other recipes. You may enjoy our recipe share Facebook page. It's a great group where people share vegan recipes. https://www.facebook.com/groups/veganrecipesKVK

        Reply
    2. Tina Caskey

      November 24, 2021 at 6:43 pm

      I made this today without the cinnamon. I used some spelt flour (about 1/2 cup), about 1/2 cup all purpose flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour. I used maple syrup and bottled orange juice. I added some pecans. I put the cranberries on top of the bread batter before baking (great idea!) and also put some chopped pecans on top of the batter. It makes the bread look very festive. This is delicious! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • Kathy Carmichael

        November 25, 2021 at 8:17 am

        Hi Tina, I'm so glad you enjoyed it. I love your substitutions and addition of the pecans. I appreciate the suggestions. Have a Happy Thanksgiving.

        Reply
    3. Deb Gelerter

      November 10, 2021 at 8:21 pm

      5 stars
      We loved this recipe so much today is the third double batch. It's the perfect snack or breakfast. I've made a few minor changes including using the orange puree in lieu of applesauce as an egg substitute. It's added wonderful flavor, moisture and fiber! We've been using up the last of the natural can sugar we have on hand as a sweetener and cut that back to a shallow 1/2 cup per loaf and it's been a perfect tart/sweet moist bread for us. Finally, I have always liked to cut my cranberries in half or thirds if they are quite large and love the tart, tang and color they add to the bread. This recipe has been a huge hit and today it's back by popular demand. We're heading out to pick up more cranberries!! Enjoy this wonderful recipe!

      Reply
    4. Tracy Weston Ladnow

      November 08, 2021 at 6:24 am

      I live in Mexico where one can not find fresh cranberries. I do have dried non-sugared cranberries, will that work for making the bread?

      Reply
      • Kathy Carmichael

        November 08, 2021 at 1:47 pm

        Hi Tracy, dried cranberries will not work for the recipe, however, frozen cranberries work well. Let me know if like the recipe.

        Reply
    5. Martha Rowen

      January 23, 2021 at 10:19 pm

      5 stars
      This cranberry bread is delicious and easy to make. My husband, who is a picky eater and usually complains that I give him too much of any food, wants thick slices and comes back for seconds. The first time I made it, I used half whole wheat and half white flour, this time one and a third cup white and two thirds whole wheat. Next time I'll use all whole wheat.

      Reply
    6. Caroline

      January 10, 2021 at 9:04 am

      I made the bread last night, and we managed to hold off on eating any until this morning. My oh my, it is absolutely delicious! I used a gluten free all purpose blend, and it worked beautifully. This recipe will be repeated!

      Reply
      • Kathy Carmichael

        January 10, 2021 at 10:48 am

        Hi Caroline! I am so glad you enjoyed the orange cranberry bread! What a great Sunday morning breakfast. Happy New Year!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Kathy! I love creating delicious whole foods plant-based recipes. I believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet!

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    937 shares