Glazed Cranberry Bread Recipe

There's no denying that cranberries gain a certain boost of popularity when the holidays roll around, with all sorts of baked goods undergoing the cranberry treatment. You can officially add bread to that list thanks to this glazed cranberry bread recipe courtesy of recipe developer Jessica Morone. The tart little berries shine in this sweet bread, with the orange liqueur–infused glaze on top honing in on those bright flavors. 

"This bread is great because the flavors are really balanced," Morone says. "The sweetness of the bread and glaze are balanced with the tartness of the cranberries and the acidity of the orange zest and juice." Unlike other types of sweet-forward breakfast breads like banana or pumpkin, this bread will produce a delightful tingle on your tongue. But don't worry — this bread is still plenty sweet, making it ideal for a morning breakfast alongside a cup of coffee or an after-dinner treat alongside a digestif.

For the cranberry bread itself, you'll need all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, vegetable oil, orange juice, an egg, and fresh cranberries. To complete the bread, you'll make a simple glaze from powdered sugar, orange liqueur (or orange juice), and cranberry juice.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined.

In a large bowl, whisk together the white sugar, vegetable oil, orange juice, orange zest, and egg until smooth.

Add the flour mixture into the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.

Add the cranberries to the bowl and gently mix until incorporated.

Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 50–55 minutes, until it is golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer the loaf to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.

Meanwhile, whisk together the powdered sugar, orange liqueur or orange juice, and the cranberry juice in a small bowl until smooth.

Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cranberry bread.

Slice and serve.

This glazed cranberry bread strikes the perfect balance between tart and sweet thanks to the cranberries in the loaf itself and the citrusy glaze on top. Because you've got such a balanced baked good, you don't need to change a thing to yield a treat that the whole family will love. But, that doesn't mean that there isn't room for some customizations. For those who prefer a little extra texture and crunch in their bread, Morone says, "A nice addition to it would be adding nuts to the batter, such as walnuts or pecans."

As for the glaze, it's possible that you want to stay away from alcohol entirely, or you just don't have orange liqueur on hand. While Morone does stress that "the orange liqueur in the glaze gives it a nice, deep flavor," she notes that "if you don't want to use liqueur in this dish, you can easily just use orange juice, instead."

This recipe yields one loaf of cranberry bread, and depending on how thick you cut your slices, you can stretch it out to last quite a while. Even if you cut big slices, there's a good chance that you won't be finishing up this bread before the thought of leftovers creeps into your mind. Luckily, you've got a couple of options when it comes to leftovers, whether you prefer a short-term or long-term plan. "You can wrap leftovers in plastic wrap or foil and keep them at room temperature for about 3 days, or put them in the fridge for about 5 days," Morone advises.

If you foresee yourself wanting to enjoy this bread way down the line, then perhaps freezing will be the best option for your leftovers. "You could also freeze the bread in plastic wrap for up to 3 months," Morone says, which also makes this recipe a good option for those who like to bake in advance and stash the goods away for winter.