Easy Cranberry Bread with Fresh Cranberries

Closeup overhead of two slices of Cranberry Bread on a white plate.

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Easy Cranberry Bread with Fresh Cranberries

This easy Cranberry Bread with Fresh Cranberries is soft, moist, and packed with tart cranberries, then topped with a sweet vanilla glaze. Made with simple pantry ingredients and sour cream, this cranberry quick bread is perfect for holiday breakfasts, Christmas brunch, or an afternoon treat. If you're looking for an easy cranberry bread recipe without orange, this festive homemade loaf is a delicious choice!

Prep Time15

Cook Time50

Cooling Time1 30

Total Time2 35

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: christmas bread, cranberry quick bread, holiday bread recipe, sweet bread with cranberries

Servings: slices

Calories: 282kcal

Author: Mindy Boyd

Ingredients

For the cranberry bread

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup coarse chopped cranberries I cut mine into quarters
nonstick cooking spray

For the vanilla glaze

½ cup sifted powdered sugar
¼ teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon milk
pinch of salt

Instructions

Make the bread

Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9X5 inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray
nonstick cooking spray
In a large bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt with a whisk.
2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
In a medium bowl cream the butter and sugar using an electric mixer, then add the eggs, then the sour cream and vanilla.
½ cup butter, 1 cup sugar, 2 eggs, 1 cup sour cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not overmix. Fold in the cranberries.
1 cup coarse chopped cranberries
Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
Cool in the pan on a wire rack for about an hour then run a knife around the edges and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before adding the glaze.

Make the glaze

Whisk the powdered sugar, vanilla, milk, and salt together in a small bowl.
½ cup sifted powdered sugar, ¼ teaspoon vanilla, 1 tablespoon milk, pinch of salt
Drizzle over the cooled bread.

Notes

Take the butter and sour cream out of the refrigerator ahead of time so they can come to room temperature.

Mix the wet and dry ingredients separately before combining them. Stir just until no dry flour remains to avoid overmixing.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Let the bread cool in the pan for 1 hour, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before adding the glaze.

Nutrition information is approximate and will vary depending on the ingredients and brands used.

Nutrition