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Cranberry Walnut Bread

Cranberry walnut bread made with an easy quick-bread method and toasted walnuts for crunch. Bright cranberries and orange zest give each slice a tender, golden crumb with a clean, set center.
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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 egg
  • 0.25 cup butter melted
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
mix-ins
  • 1.5 cup cranberries fresh or frozen, roughly chopped
  • 0.75 cup walnuts toasted and chopped

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 stand mixer

Method
 

Prep the oven and pan
  1. Preheat oven to 350F, then grease and line a 9x5-inch loaf pan.
Mix dry ingredients
  1. Whisk all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and orange zest until evenly combined.
Mix wet ingredients
  1. Whisk orange juice, egg, melted butter, and vanilla extract until smooth and uniform.
Combine wet and dry
  1. Stir wet into dry just until moistened, leaving the batter slightly lumpy.
Add cranberries and walnuts
  1. Fold in cranberries and walnuts, then spread the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
Bake
  1. Bake at 350F for 55-60 minutes, until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool and slice
  1. Cool the loaf 10 minutes in the pan, then fully cool on a rack before slicing.

Notes

Pro tip: chop cranberries roughly so they distribute through the loaf without sinking; toast walnuts until fragrant for better crunch. Store at room temperature, tightly wrapped, for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days; freeze sliced loaf for up to 2 months. For a dairy-free swap, use a 1:1 plant-butter alternative melted the same way.