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Cranberry Walnut Bread

Cranberry walnut bread with bright berries and toasted walnuts baked into a golden quick bread loaf. Simple stir-together method gives a tender crumb with orange zest aroma and a clean toothpick finish.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry ingredients
  • 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
Wet ingredients
  • 0.75 cup orange juice
  • 1 large egg
  • 0.25 cup butter, melted
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Add-ins
  • 1.5 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, roughly chopped
  • 0.75 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 9x5 loaf pan

Method
 

Prep and heat
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F, then grease and line a 9x5-inch loaf pan. Slide the pan into place so it’s ready when batter is mixed.
Mix the batter
  1. Whisk all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and orange zest in a bowl until evenly combined. The mixture should look uniform and lightly speckled from zest.
  2. Whisk orange juice, large egg, melted butter, and vanilla extract together in another bowl. Blend until glossy and smooth with no visible butter streaks.
  3. Stir wet into dry just until moistened. Stop as soon as you don’t see dry flour—this keeps the crumb tender.
  4. Fold in fresh or frozen cranberries, then fold in toasted and chopped walnuts. Distribute them so berries and nuts are spread through the batter.
Bake and cool
  1. Spread the batter into the lined loaf pan and level the top. The batter should reach the corners for even baking.
  2. Bake at 350F for 55-60 minutes, until golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Look for a firm top and a deep golden edge color.
  3. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out fully onto a rack before slicing. Let it cool so the loaf sets and doesn’t crumble.

Notes

For the best texture, toast walnuts and use orange zest plus orange juice for a concentrated citrus finish. Store the loaf wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; freeze slices for up to 2 months. For a lighter option, replace half the sugar with an equal amount of granulated sugar substitute designed for baking—use one that measures like sugar.