Cranberry walnut bread is a festive and delicious quick bread recipe that is perfect for the fall and winter seasons. It’s made with fresh cranberries, orange zest and juice, and chopped walnuts and is baked until golden.

If you’re looking for the perfect sweet treat to serve family and friends this holiday season, then you’ve come to the right place, my friends. Today, I’m sharing my delicious cranberry walnut bread with all of you! This sweet, moist bread is infused with sweet orange juice and zest and loaded with chopped cranberries and walnuts, creating the perfect fall and holiday treat that everyone will love. The classic flavors of this bread make it the perfect treat for the entire fall and winter season, and it’s so easy to make, you can whip it up as often as you like!
This is such a delicious quick bread recipe, and every bite is just exploding with holly jolly flavor. Oh, it is so good!
Cranberry Walnut Bread
This recipe starts with a simple quick bread dough to which I add orange juice and zest and chopped cranberries and walnuts. I bake it until it’s golden brown, and then I just watch it disappear. It’s absolutely delicious, and I never have any leftovers when I bring it to gatherings. That’s why I make it so often for myself!
Why You’ll Love This Cranberry Walnut Bread Recipe
- The flavor combination with the tart and tangy cranberries, the orange zest and juice, which brightens up the flavor and adds a hint of sweetness, and the chopped walnuts add crunch and texture, is simply irresistible..
- This delicious cranberry bread is a great way to enjoy the flavors of the season.
- It’s versatile and can be customized to your liking, such as adding different nuts or raisins, eating it plain, or heated up and topped with butter.
Cranberry Walnut Bread Ingredients
You’ll only need some basic baking ingredients to make this recipe. If you do any amount of baking at all during the holiday season, you’ll most likely have everything you need in your kitchen right now. If you don’t have something, you can find it in just a few minutes at your local grocery store.
- All purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Large eggs
- Melted butter
- Fresh cranberries
- Freshly squeezed orange juice
- Zest from large orange
- Chopped walnuts
How to Make Cranberry Walnut Bread
This is a quick bread recipe, so naturally, it’s quick and easy. It only takes a few minutes and a few simple steps to make, and you’ll be in and out of the kitchen in no time.
Step 1: Prep
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and grease a 9×5 metal loaf pan.
Step 2: Combine the Dry Ingredients
Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.
Step 3: Combine the Wet Ingredients
Beat the eggs in a small bowl. Then, add the orange juice, orange zest, and melted butter and stir.
Step 4: Make the Bread Batter
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Then, gently fold in the cranberries and walnuts.
Step 5: Bake
Spoon the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 55 to 60 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Step 6: Cool
Remove the cranberry walnut bread from the oven and cool it in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Then, turn out the bread on a plate and let it cool. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Mix the bread batter until just combined, but don’t overmix it.
- Fold the cranberries and walnuts into the batter. Don’t stir.
- Let the bread cool in the loaf pan to allow carry-over cooking time to finish baking it to perfection.
Variations
- Chopped pecans will work well in this recipe.
- You can top this bread with streusel before baking.
- Try adding chocolate chips to the bread before baking.
What to Serve with Cranberry Walnut Bread
Pair this bread with a glass of milk or a cup of coffee or tea. It’s delicious when served warm and topped with butter.
Recipe FAQ
Cranberry walnut bread is a delicious quick bread recipe made with chopped cranberries and walnuts.
You don’t need to refrigerate this quick bread.
In many cases, frozen cranberries can be used in place of fresh without having to thaw them.
The easiest way to make quick bread less crumbly is to ensure you measure your flour correctly. Gently scoop the flour into your measuring cup with a spoon and level it off with the flat of a knife. This prevents compacting and using too much flour.
This bread freezes very well and will last for up to 2 months when stored properly.
How to Store Leftover Cranberry Walnut Bread
Store this cranberry walnut bread in an airtight container for up to 4 days at room temperature. For longer storage, wrap the bread in a double layer of plastic wrap and a layer of foil and freeze for up to 2 months.
Try This Delicious Cranberry Walnut Bread Recipe Today
This easy cranberry walnut bread is absolutely delicious and loaded with the flavors of the holidays in every bite. This is the perfect sweet breakfast or snack for fall and the holidays. Serve it with a cup of coffee, tea, or milk and top it with butter, then just watch it disappear. It’s so easy and delicious, I know you’ll find yourself making it as much as I do – which is all the time!
More Delicious Cranberry Dessert Recipes You’ll Enjoy
And, here is a delicious Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting that is also delicious during the holidays.
Cranberry Walnut Bread
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 cups fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped
- ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- Zest from large orange
- ¾ cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375° and grease a metal 9×5 loaf pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt together until combined. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, beat eggs, then add orange juice, orange zest, and melted butter. Stir to combine.
- Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir just until combined.
- Gently fold in the cranberries and walnuts.
- Spoon batter into prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes.
- Turn out on a serving plate and let cool.
- Slice and enjoy!
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So yummy!
Thank you so much, Linda! And, thank you for the 5-star rating! 🙂