Ocean Spray Cranberry Nut Bread is a holiday favorite! It’s an easy-to-make quick bread. Just baking it makes the whole house smell like Christmas is on its way!
This quick bread doesn’t take much work – it’s pretty much throw it all together – mix it and bake! I love the hint of orange from the orange zest and orange juice – but I don’t want to give all the goodness away just yet!
Cranberry Orange Bread Ingredients
Other than the cranberries, all the ingredients are likely in your pantry just waiting to be mixed together to make a bread with all the flavors of the holiday season.
- Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- Wet Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons shortening
- 1 egg
- Fruit & Nuts
- 1 large orange – we’ll use the orange peel for zest and the juice
- 1 1/2 cups fresh Ocean Spray cranberries – I like to use fresh cranberries which are readily available around the holidays but can also use dried if you’re in a pinch. (see FAQ for rehydrating)
- 1/2 cup nuts – you can use walnuts or pecans
How do you make the Ocean Spray Cranberry Bread Recipe?
As I mentioned – it’s easy peasy! Just a bowl and a hand mixer and you’ll be good to go!
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan and/or line with parchment paper so it’s easy to remove.
- In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda.
- Stir orange juice, orange zest, melted shortening and egg into flour mixture.
- Mix until well blended.
- Fold in cranberries and nuts and spoon batter evenly in prepared pan. I chopped the cranberries which isn’t an easy task since they roll around. Resist the temptation to try one – these are some tart cranberries!
- Bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- This recipe makes 8 slices of delicious cranberry bread.
So simple! If you’re not a fan of nuts – you can always leave them out.
It will last 3-5 days out of the refrigerator. Putting in the fridge should extend the life a few days but will make it a little more stale.
It does not NEED to be refrigerated.
Yes! If you want to plump them up you can rehydrate by covering in water. Microwave for 30-60 seconds and let stand 5 minutes. Or pour very hot water over them and let stand for 20 minutes.
Definitely – you can freeze cranberry bread! I took half the loaf when it was cooked and double-bagged it and put it into the freezer. You can thaw it out overnight and it’s ready to go again! I always heat mine up in the microwave before I eat it.
Mix together 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tbsp orange juice and 1/4 tsp orange zest for a quick orange glaze to spoon over the top of the bread if you’d like.
What to serve with Ocean Spray Cranberry Bread?
I always think of quick breads as a great addition to a breakfast or brunch table. Here are some of my favorite brunch recipes:
My Favorite Quick Bread Recipes
Ocean Spray Cranberry Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 large orange
- 2 tbsp melted shortening
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 1/2 cups Ocean Spray cranberries coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup nuts chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.
- In a medium mixing bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda
- Zest orange into bowl and then juice orange into bowl
- Add in melted shortening and beaten egg
- Mix well with hand mixer until blended.
- With spatula, stir in cranberries and nuts.
- Spread batter evenly into greased loaf pan.
- Bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool on a baking rack for 15 minutes and remove from pan
Barbara says
I freeze my cranberries then put them into my electric chopper, much easier than trying to cut each cranberry with a knife. The moisture from the frozen cranberries makes the bread moist and extra delicious.
Donna says
great idea will double receipe…one for me and one to give…..Thanks for tip.
FoodHussy says
what a fun thing to do – thanks!
Debbie says
I have always used a pair of kitchen shears to “cut” cranberries into pieces!
FoodHussy says
i like it! thanks!
Brittany says
We shall see. Idk about you guys but my batter was not like batter should look when putting in a pan. I’d think it’s supposed to look like banana bread batter but with the only liquids being orange juice and melted shortening, we shall see. 😳
FoodHussy says
There’s also an egg – don’t forget that!
Brittany says
I didn’t forget the egg. I literally ready everything 3x and it still was a crumble bread and very dry. I mean, it’s edible. Still tasty, just dry. Ha. My husband is going to make it and see if his turns out that way too.
FoodHussy says
haha – well hopefully next time it turns out better!
Denise Blake says
I totally agree with processing frozen cranberries, but I also soak the berries in half the sugar. It makes a less sour bite into the bread but same deliciousness.