Food & Cooking Recipes Breakfast & Brunch Recipes Bread Recipes Cranberry Bread 4.0 (396) 40 Reviews This cranberry loaf is a delicious option for breakfast, afternoon tea, or as a festive baked gift. By Martha Stewart Martha Stewart Martha Stewart is a bestselling author, entrepreneur, and lifestyle expert who has taught millions of people through generations the joy of entertaining, cooking, gardening, collecting, crafting, and home renovating via her eponymous magazine, Martha Stewart Living, Emmy-winning television shows, and 99 books (and counting). Based in Katonah, N.Y., where she helms her 156-acre Bedford Farm, Martha is America's first self-made female billionaire. Editorial Guidelines Updated on December 10, 2024 Rate PRINT Share Prep Time: 15 mins Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins Servings: 8 Jump to recipe If you only use fresh cranberries for cranberry sauce, then you're missing out. Try making this quick cranberry bread recipe around the holidays when fresh cranberries are available in stores. It's just right for a fall breakfast, afternoon tea, or snack—and it strikes the balance of tart and sweet, thanks to the cranberries and brown sugar. Our cranberry bread is easy and quick to make; it takes about 15 minutes to mix and just over an hour to bake. While a cake recipe might call for creaming the butter and sugar, this quick bread recipe doesn't require a mixer at all. Simply hand-mix dry ingredients in one bowl and wet ingredients (the melted butter, eggs, and whole milk) in another. Then, combine them, add the cranberries, and transfer the mixture to a loaf pan. Sprinkle crunchy turbinado sugar on top before baking—it’s the only topping this delicious loaf cake needs. Emily Laurae 16 Fresh Cranberry Recipes, Including Drinks, Sides, and Lots of Desserts Fresh, Frozen, and Dried Cranberries This recipe was developed for fresh cranberries, which are in season in the fall and available in stores from September through January. You can use frozen cranberries instead without thawing them first. Dried cranberries cannot be substituted directly for the fresh ones in this recipe. Quick Bread Tips Keep these basic baking tips in mind when making quick breads: Use the correct measuring cups. You need dry measuring cups for dry ingredients, like flour and sugar; use a wet measuring cup for liquid ingredients, like milk. Measure flour using the spoon and level method. If you don't, you'll add too much flour to the quick bread and it will be dry. Ensure that your baking powder is fresh. Use an oven thermometer to make sure that your oven is at the correct temperature. Toppings Our cranberry bread is perfect as is; we often add crunchy turbinado sugar as outlined in the recipe for an easy contrast topping. If you want to dress up this simple quick bread more, try: Lemon Glaze (or make an orange glaze by swapping the lemon for orange in this recipe) Cream Cheese Frosting Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting Simple Vanilla Frosting Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan 1 cup packed light-brown sugar 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 large egg, lightly beaten ¾ cup whole milk 1 bag (12 ounces) cranberries 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar, for topping (optional) Directions Emily Laurae Preheat oven, prep pan, and combine dry ingredients: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan (8-cup capacity), and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Emily Laurae Combine wet ingredients and add wet to dry: In a medium bowl, combine butter, egg, and milk. Add wet mixture to dry mixture, and whisk to combine; fold in cranberries. Emily Laurae Do not over-mix the batter; whisk the wet and dry ingredients together until just combined. Transfer batter to prepared pan: Pour batter into prepared pan; sprinkle top with turbinado sugar, if desired. Emily Laurae Bake: Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack; let bread cool 30 minutes. Invert onto rack, then immediately turn right side up to cool completely. Emily Laurae How to Store Cranberry Bread Let the cranberry bread cool completely before storing. Keep it in an air airtight container or wrap it in plastic wrap. It will keep for up to three days. How to Freeze Cranberry Bread Freeze a whole cooled loaf or slice the loaf so you can defrost as much (or as little) as you want. Frozen cranberry bread will last up to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature. Frequently Asked Questions Do fresh cranberries need to be refrigerated? Yes, fresh cranberries need to be refrigerated. They can be stored in their original plastic bag for up to one month. Cranberries can also be kept in the freezer and will last for up to a year. Do you need to cook fresh cranberries before baking? No, you do not need to cook fresh cranberries before baking them in baked goods. Cranberries are used raw in salads and uncooked sauces, but these dishes always include sweeteners and/or sweet ingredients to balance the tartness. Should you chop cranberries before baking? No, you do not need to chop cranberries before baking. However, if you prefer small bits of fruit in your bread, you can halve the cranberries before adding them to the batter. This will reduce the amount of tartness with each bite. Other Delicious Quick Bread Recipes to Try Pumpkin-Orange Bread Streusel Banana Bread Chocolate Zucchini Bread Easy Irish Soda Bread Vegan Banana Bread Zucchini-Parmesan Loaf Cheddar Quick Bread Originally appeared: Everyday Food, November 2008 Rate It PRINT Updated by Victoria Spencer Victoria Spencer Victoria Spencer is an experienced food editor, writer, and recipe developer. She manages the Martha Stewart recipe archive and is always curious about new ingredients and the best techniques. She has been working in food media for over 20 years.