Nothing says warm, cozy, and refreshing breakfast like Orange Cranberry Loaf quick bread with sweet orange juice and tart cranberries bursting with juice. With simple, fresh ingredients you can enjoy bakery-style slices of this gluten free and dairy free bread for breakfast, brunch, or after dinner for a delicious treat.
As the grocery stores load their shelves with fresh cranberries, we grab multiple bags to kick off our holiday baking with this homey and festive recipe.
You won't taste any hint that this recipe is gluten free, dairy free, and soy free! Plus-- the dreamy orange glaze is absolutely mouthwatering with the freshly baked cranberries. This holiday combination is a food match made in heaven.
As a matter of fact, you will want to lick the glaze out of the mixing bowl. It is phenomenal with fresh orange zest and juice. Just thinking about it makes our mouths water.
We are also a huge fan of easy, homemade breakfasts during the holidays. This recipe that can be baked the night before, covered, and refrigerated {our favorite} or baked and cooled the morning of.
You can choose to serve this loaf with thinner slices and feed more, or slice into thick, wide slices similar to your hometown bakery. Serve with fresh cocoa, coffee, or apple cider.
orange cranberry loaf ingredients
- granulated sugar
- fresh orange zest
- vanilla extract
- gluten free all purpose flour-- use the spoon and level method; we stock our pantry with Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Baking Mix and buy it in bulk here to save money
- xanthan gum-- omit if your all-purpose flour blend contains this or guar gum
- baking powder-- keep in mind this loses its potency after being opened for 6 months. We recommend writing the date you open it on the container.
- large eggs-- room temperature
- dairy free butter-- melted
- dairy free yogurt-- we use So Delicious Plain Coconutmilk in this recipe
- powdered sugar
- fresh orange juice-- no need to buy orange juice; juice a fresh orange for the best sweet taste
- fresh cranberries-- cut some in half and leave others whole. When baked these add so much moisture and flavor to the bread
- optional-- add in tiny pecan pieces to the loaf batter, or shredded coconut, and other dried fruits such as raisins or dried mangoes cut into small pieces
- optional frosting-- our dairy free cream cheese frosting is absolutely delicious on this holiday quick bread
- nonstick spray-- for greasing the loaf pan
kitchen utensils and gadgets for this recipe
- mixing bowl
- measuring cups
- citrus zester-- we absolutely love this zester
- 9x5-inch loaf pan
- optional-- disposable mini loaf pans for gifting
frequently asked questions
are all cranberries good
No. Select a bag of plump, dark red cranberries from the store. They should be firm to the touch. Throw out any shriveled or rotten cranberries.
how do I store cranberries
Store your fresh store-bought cranberries in the refrigerator up to 2 months or freeze up to 9 months.
how thick do we make the orange glaze
This is your preference. We like a thick glaze and add extra powdered sugar to the recipe when we bake this for ourselves. The post pictures reflect this nice thick glaze preference.
is the glaze a must
No. This fresh, orange glaze is not necessary for a delicious Christmas bread taste. However, with just a few easy-to-grab ingredients, this delicious frosting couldn't be any easier to throw together.
can this be baked ahead of time
We recommend baking this quick bread recipe the day of. Or you can also bake this the day before. We suggest glazing the bread right before you enjoy it for the freshest taste.
does our website have more gluten free and dairy free quick bread recipes
Yes! If delicious quick breads are your jam, then pin these recipes now-- chocolate banana bread, pumpkin chocolate chip, apple spice loaf. And even apple fritter bread, and chocolate loaf cake are perfect for small birthday parties.
This recipe we love at Christmas time was inspired by a similar recipe on the Cake Whiz website. We tweaked the ingredients and made gluten and dairy free substitutions so the whole family could enjoy this.
more breakfast recipes you want to try
- yeast free cinnamon rolls-- here is our go-to cinnamon roll recipe. Yeast free means no rise time so these rolls are baked and ready to enjoy in under an hour
- lemon poppy seed quick bread-- tender slices of bread with poppy seeds galore and can be topped with a thick lemon icing
- breakfast burritos-- super easy to customize and full of so much flavor. You really can’t go wrong with this make-ahead, delicious, on-the-go breakfast idea.
- raspberry muffins-- moist and bursting with flavor, these grab-and-go muffins are wonderful
lastly
Save this gluten free and dairy free Orange Cranberry Loaf recipe today. That way you have it when you're ready for it.
This combination of sweet and tart in this quick bread recipe is refreshing and a change for the taste buds during the holidays. Plus the cranberries are so juicy when they are baked.
We buy several bags of fresh cranberries right when they line the grocery store shelves. We not only decorate the house with them, but most of all we enjoy baking with them. Our Cranberry Orange Scone recipe and this Orange Cranberry Loaf are holiday season baking musts!
And you will find several more of our reader-favorite holiday recipes on this Christmas Dessert Roundup where every recipe is not only gluten free and dairy free, but several are also soy free and egg free too.
Plus-- it's never too early to start saving safe recipe pins for the Super Bowl and Valentine's Day. You will find recipes on our Eating Gluten and Dairy Free website for every occasion and holiday.
Follow along on our Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram. Like and comment often on our social media so our posts stay in your feed.
We don't want you to miss the absolute very best of eating gluten and dairy free.
Eat and feel well,
Jill
Orange Cranberry Loaf
Ingredients
Cranberry Orange Loaf
- 1 c granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ c gluten free all-purpose flour spoon and level method
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum omit if your all-purpose flour contains this or guar gum
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ½ c dairy free butter melted
- ¾ c dairy free plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
- 1¼ c fresh cranberries cut some in half, leave the rest whole
Orange Glaze
- 1 c powdered sugar add more for a thicker glaze
- 1½ tablespoon fresh orange juice
- ½ teaspoon fresh orange zest
Instructions
Cranberry Orange Loaf
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
- In a large electric stand mixing bowl, combine the sugar, zest, vanilla extract, flour, xanthan gum if needed, and baking powder.
- In a small mixing bowl, add the eggs, melted butter, yogurt, orange juice, and combine until smooth.
- Add the wet mixture to the large stand mixing bowl and combine on low just until everything is incorporated. Scrap down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Gently stir in the fresh cranberries.
- Transfer the batter to the loaf pan and bake for 60-65 minutes. Bake until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the loaf.
- Remove the loaf to a cooling rack. Allow to cool for 30-45 minutes. Remove the quick bread to a bread plate or cut and serve from the loaf pan.
Orange Glaze
- In a medium-sized bowl combine the glaze ingredients. Add more powdered sugar for a thicker, bakery-style glaze.
- Once cooled, drizzle glaze over the loaf bread with a spoon.
- Serve immediately or store covered on the countertop for up to 2 days.
- This recipe is best fresh.
Nutritional Disclaimer
These Nutritional Facts are ESTIMATED. Your actual nutritional info with this recipe may vary depending on the brands you choose. “Eating Gluten and Dairy Free” is not a registered dietician or nutritionist. The provided nutritional info above is based on a generic calculator, if you want more accurate info, use your nutritional calculator of choice where you can choose brands and get more info that way.
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