Cranberry Walnut Bread

Name: Cranberry Walnut Bread
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 1 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour; 1½ tsp (7 g) baking powder; ½ tsp (2 g) baking soda; ½ tsp (3 g) fine sea salt; ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened, room temperature; ¾ cup (170 g) packed light brown sugar; ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar; 2 large eggs, room temperature; 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract; 1 tbsp (6 g) orange zest, finely grated, finely grated from 1 orange; ¾ cup (180 ml) fresh orange juice; 1½ cups (180 g) fresh or frozen cranberries, patted dry, patted dry with paper towels; 1 cup (120 g) walnut halves, coarsely chopped, coarsely chopped, lightly toasted; 1 tbsp (12 g) coarse sugar for topping (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A tender, moist quick bread studded with tart cranberries and toasted walnuts. The orange zest brightens the flavor while brown sugar adds warmth and depth. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or as a simple afternoon snack.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 55 min
Wait: 30 min
Total: 1 hr 40 min
Makes: 1 loaf (10 slices)

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Ingredients

1 servings

2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
1½ tsp (7 g) baking powder
½ tsp (2 g) baking soda
½ tsp (3 g) fine sea salt
½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened, room temperature
¾ cup (170 g) packed light brown sugar
¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
1 tbsp (6 g) orange zest, finely grated, finely grated from 1 orange
¾ cup (180 ml) fresh orange juice
1½ cups (180 g) fresh or frozen cranberries, patted dry, patted dry with paper towels
1 cup (120 g) walnut halves, coarsely chopped, coarsely chopped, lightly toasted
1 tbsp (12 g) coarse sugar for topping (optional)

Equipment (7)

9×5-inch (23×13 cm) loaf pan
Mixing bowls (large and medium)
Whisk
Wooden spoon or rubber spatula
Measuring cups and spoons
Instant-read thermometer
Wire cooling rack

Steps

Before you start

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C)
Grease a 9×5-inch (23×13 cm) loaf pan with butter or cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper
Have all ingredients at room temperature
Pat fresh or frozen cranberries dry with a paper towel so they do not sink to the bottom

1
Toast the walnutsOven 350°F / 175°C
- Spread the chopped walnuts on a small baking sheet and place in your preheated 350°F (175°C) oven for 5-7 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- Toast until they smell fragrant and turn one shade deeper.
- Transfer to a plate to cool.
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Ready when: Walnuts are fragrant and one shade darker
Tip: Do not skip toasting; it deepens the walnut flavor significantly
2
Mix dry ingredients
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Whisk for about 30 seconds to combine evenly and aerate the flour.
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Ready when: Dry ingredients are evenly combined with no lumps
Tip: Whisk rather than just stir to distribute the leavening agents evenly
3
Cream butter and sugars
- In a large mixing bowl, add the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar.
- Using a wooden spoon or spatula, beat vigorously for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is light and creamy, with no visible lumps of butter.
- The mixture will lighten in color slightly.
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Ready when: Mixture is light, creamy, and uniform in color
Tip: Do not rush this step; proper creaming adds lift to the bread
4
Add eggs and aromatics
- Add the room-temperature eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated.
- Then add the vanilla extract and the orange zest.
- Stir until the mixture is smooth and the zest is evenly distributed throughout.
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Ready when: Eggs are fully incorporated and mixture is smooth
Tip: Cold eggs can cause curdling; bring them to room temperature ahead of time
5
Combine wet and dry ingredients
- Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until just combined.
- Pour in all of the orange juice and stir until the juice is absorbed.
- Add the remaining dry ingredients and fold gently with a rubber spatula until no dry flour streaks remain.
- Do not overmix.
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Ready when: No dry flour streaks visible; batter is smooth but slightly thick
Tip: Overmixing toughens the bread; fold gently after the orange juice is added
6
Fold in cranberries and walnuts
- Gently fold the patted-dry cranberries and toasted walnuts into the batter using a rubber spatula.
- Use only 8-10 gentle folds to distribute them evenly without crushing them or overworking the batter.
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Ready when: Cranberries and walnuts are evenly distributed throughout the batter
Tip: Dry the cranberries thoroughly or they will sink to the bottom; do not overfold
7
Transfer to loaf pan
- Pour the batter into the prepared 9×5-inch (23×13 cm) loaf pan.
- Smooth the top with a spatula so it is level.
- If using coarse sugar, sprinkle it evenly over the surface for a subtle crunch.
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Ready when: Batter is level and evenly distributed in the pan
Tip: Smooth but do not compress the batter; you want a light, tender crumb
8
Bake the breadOven 350°F / 175°C
- Bake in the preheated 350°F (175°C) oven for 50-55 minutes.
- The top should be deep golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center should come out clean or with only a few moist crumbs clinging to it.
- An instant-read thermometer inserted in the center should register 200-205°F (93-96°C).
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Ready when: Top is deep golden brown, skewer comes out clean, internal temperature is 200-205°F (93-96°C)
Tip: If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil after 35 minutes
9
Cool in the pan
- Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool in the loaf pan for 15 minutes on a wire rack.
- During this time, the bread will set slightly and become easier to remove without breaking.
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Ready when: Bread has cooled enough to handle; sides have pulled away slightly from the pan
Tip: Do not turn it out too soon or it may break; patience here prevents crumbling
10
Turn out and cool completely
- Run a thin knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the bread.
- Invert it onto the wire rack, remove the parchment paper if still attached, and flip it right-side up to cool completely for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
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Ready when: Bread is cool to the touch and no longer warm inside
Tip: Let it cool completely or the interior will still be steam-hot and the slices will tear

Good to know

Tips

Room-temperature ingredients are essential for a tender crumb; cold eggs especially can cause the batter to break and result in a coarse texture
Do not open the oven door before 45 minutes of baking, as sudden temperature drops can cause the top to collapse
The orange zest is crucial for balancing the tartness of the cranberries; do not skip it or reduce it significantly
If you prefer a less tart bread, use dried cranberries instead of fresh, which are naturally sweeter

Make ahead

You can prepare the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt) in an airtight container up to 3 days ahead. The batter itself is best made and baked the same day, but you can toast the walnuts up to 2 days ahead and store them in an airtight container at room temperature.

Storage & reheating

Store the cooled bread wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, wrap well in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 2-3 hours before unwrapping. To refresh a day-old slice, warm it gently in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5 minutes.

Substitutions

fresh orange juice → apple cider or apple juice. The bread will be slightly less bright in flavor but still delicious; use the same amount
walnut halves, coarsely chopped → pecan halves. Pecans are sweeter and richer; use the same amount
fresh or frozen cranberries, patted dry → dried cranberries, chopped. Use 1 cup (130 g) dried cranberries; they will be chewy rather than tart, so you may want to reduce the granulated sugar by 2 tablespoons
unsalted butter, softened → coconut oil or neutral oil. Use the same amount; the bread will have a slightly lighter texture and less rich flavor