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    Home » Cranberry Cream Cheese Bread Recipe

    Cranberry Cream Cheese Bread Recipe

    Published: Nov 24, 2020 · Modified: Jan 27, 2021 by Erin · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

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    Pinterest Pin: Slices of cranberry cream cheese bread.

    Cranberry Cream Cheese Bread is a moist quick bread that is perfect for breakfast or snack! Its sweet and tart flavor profile is addicting and will have you wanting to eat every last crumb!

    Cranberry cream cheese bread on a wooden board, with butter on the left and a bowl of cranberries on the right.

    QUICK NAVIGATION
    - Jump to Recipe
    - Key Ingredients
    - How to Make Cranberry Cream Cheese Bread
    - Other Fall Quick Bread Recipes
    - Frequently Asked Questions

    Posts on this site may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure documents for more information.

    Every home cook needs a collection of quick bread recipes, and this is a perfect one to add to the mix! The cranberries and orange zest give the loaf a nice punch of flavor and the cream cheese makes it incredibly moist and tender!

    I love to keep a variety of quick breads in my freezer and pull them out when I need an easy breakfast. They are also wonderful for your brunch buffet, or afternoon snack!

    Key Ingredients

    Cranberries: The cranberries can be fresh or frozen. Both work beautifully in this recipe.

    Cream Cheese: This is a moist and tender bread, thanks to the addition of cream cheese! The cream cheese also adds a subtle flavor that complements the cranberries.

    Eggs: The eggs act as a binder in our bread, which helps the dough to be smoother and fluffier.

    Milk: We use milk in this recipe to add flavor and lighten the texture of the bread. You can substitute soy, almond, or rice milk in this recipe.

    Orange Zest: Orange and cranberry are a perfect harmony of flavors. We add our orange flavor through the zest of an orange. It adds just the right amount of citrus! Later, we'll juice the orange for our delicious glaze.

    How to Make Cranberry Cream Cheese Bread

    Cream the Wet Ingredients

    • Beat the butter, cream cheese, and sugar together on high speed for 2 minutes. This helps the sugar to dissolve into the butter, creating an airier batter.
    • Scrape the sides before adding your next ingredients, and also before adding in the flour, so that all of the ingredients are incorporated.
    • Next, add in the eggs, milk, zest, and vanilla, and mix well.
    Bowl of cream cheese and butter whipped together.

    Add in Dry Ingredients

    • In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.
    • Then add them to the batter. Mix on low speed until the flour is just incorporated. The mixture will be lumpy.
    Bowl of batter.

    Fold the Cranberries in By Hand

    • Finally, add the beautiful berries! Fold them in by hand, until the berries are distributed throughout the batter.
    Cranberries sprinkled over the batter.

    Finish with a Citrus Glaze

    • While the bread is baking, make your glaze. This is a simple glaze of powdered sugar, orange juice and vanilla. It adds a beautifully sweet citrus flavor to finish off the bread.
    • This step is optional, but it really makes the bread delicious!
    Orange powdered sugar glaze drizzled over bread.

    Other Fall Quick Bread Recipes

    • Applesauce Pumpkin Bread
    • Buttermilk Spice Muffins

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can I use dried cranberries?

    Dried cranberries can be used instead of fresh, but you will use less berries. For this recipe, you will need 1 ½ cups of dried cranberries.

    Can I mix the batter by hand, instead of using an electric mixer?

    It is best to cream the butter and sugar with a mixer, in order to get a light and airy bread. Mixing by hand will result in a more dense bread. After the butter and sugar are creamed, the rest of the ingredients can be mixed by hand, if you prefer.

    Why do my butter and cream cheese need to be softened?

    When you cream sugar with butter and cream cheese that are softened to almost room temperature, the sugar crystals poke into the softened fats to create air pockets. If your butter and cream cheese are too cold, the air pockets won't occur and your batter will be dense.

    How do I store this bread?

    Cover and store at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for a week. Cranberry Cream Cheese Bread can also be frozen for up to 4 months. Wrap the whole loaf or individual slices in plastic wrap, then foil. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature.

    Sliced cranberry cream cheese bread with a bowl of cranberries in background.
    Slices of cranberry cream cheese bread with orange glaze.

    Cranberry Cream Cheese Bread

    A quick and easy sweet bread that has a nice punch of flavor that is a little bit tart and a little bit sweet.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 1 hr
    Total Time 1 hr 10 mins
    Course Breakfast, Brunch
    Cuisine American
    Servings 16
    Calories 310 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    Cranberry Cream Cheese Bread

    • 3 cups all-purpose flour, scooped and leveled
    • 2 teaspoons baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ cup butter, softened
    • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
    • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
    • 3 eggs
    • ⅓ cup milk
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • 2 teaspoons orange zest
    • 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

    Glaze

    • 1 cup powdered sugar
    • 2 tablespoons orange juice
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla
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    Instructions
     

    Make the Bread

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 8x5 bread pans with nonstick spray.
    • In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
    • In a large bowl, cream butter, cream cheese, and sugar using a hand or stand electric mixer. Beat on high speed for 2 minutes, then scrape the sides.
    • Add in the eggs, vanilla extract, orange zest, and milk, and beat on medium speed, until mixed well. Scrape sides again, to ensure that all of the ingredients are mixed together.
    • Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed until just incorporated. Do not overmix.
    • Add the cranberries and stir on low speed, or by hand, until they are distributed throughout the batter.
    • Pour the batter evenly into two loaf pans. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely.

    Make the Glaze

    • Whisk together the powdered sugar, orange juice, and vanilla, until smooth.
    • Drizzle over the top of the cooled loaves.

    Video

    Notes

    For Muffins: Grease two 12-count muffin tins. Fill each cup ⅔ full. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-22 minutes.

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Cranberry Cream Cheese Bread
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
     
    310
    Calories from Fat 108
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    12
    g
    18
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    7
    g
    44
    %
    Cholesterol
     
    62
    mg
    21
    %
    Sodium
     
    321
    mg
    14
    %
    Potassium
     
    78
    mg
    2
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    47
    g
    16
    %
    Fiber
     
    1
    g
    4
    %
    Sugar
     
    28
    g
    31
    %
    Protein
     
    5
    g
    10
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    432
    IU
    9
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    3
    mg
    4
    %
    Calcium
     
    30
    mg
    3
    %
    Iron
     
    1
    mg
    6
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Keyword cranberry, orange, quick bread
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Paula

      November 24, 2020 at 12:42 pm

      5 stars
      This bread is so moist! It is really delicious! Also love the video.

      Reply
      • Erin Gierhart

        November 24, 2020 at 12:44 pm

        Thank you so much, Paula! I am just learning video, so it means a lot that you enjoyed it!

        Reply

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    Welcome! I'm Erin, wife, mom, and lover of great food. I've been cooking and baking for over half my life, including 7 years teaching cooking demonstrations. I have even sold baked goods, from homemade bread to wedding cakes! Somewhere between my kitchen disasters and extraordinary creations I learned a few things about what it takes to make a great dish. And I am excited to share those learnings and mouthwatering recipes with you!

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