The countdown rests at T-minus eight days until the biggest food day of the year. It’s a day when skinny jeans get the boot, elastic waistbands rule the dinner table and second servings aren’t just encouraged, but required. Are you ready to usher in Thanksgiving 2012 in all its big-flavored glory?
It may come as no surprise, but I am a Thanksgiving enthusiast. An entire day dedicated to cooking and caloric intake? Sign me up. And that’s why I’m hard at work this week dreaming up not one but two delectable confections for your dessert table. This sweet and tangy Cranberry Orange Juice Bread does double duty as a dessert or breakfast favorite. The light sprinkling of turbinado sugar on top creates a crunchy crust that gives way to an incredibly moist bread studded with fresh cranberries. And you know what else is a great use of turbinado sugar? Candied bacon.
Alternately, if you’re looking to lighten up between the big feast and the sweet finale, try a scoop of refreshing Red Wine Cranberry Sorbet, and give thanks because there’s no ice cream machine required!
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Ingredients
- 1 large egg, well beaten
- 3/4 cup orange juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1 cup fresh cranberries, rinsed and thoroughly dried
- 1 Tablespoon turbinado sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan with butter or cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, combine the beaten egg with the orange juice and vanilla extract.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the pieces of butter to the flour, blending the ingredients together with your fingers until the mixture becomes the consistency of wet sand.
- Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and then stir in the cranberries. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and sprinkle the top with the Turbinado sugar (optional).
- Bake the bread for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Let the bread cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
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Recipe adapted from Joy of Baking.
I’ve made this bread using whole cranberries and cranraisins. My husband has a slice with morning coffee. He said the whole berry loaf was more moist than the cranraisin loaf but he likes them both. Getting fresh cranberries if hard after thanksgiving. I also add orange zest and I eat the orange!
I’m so thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Patricia!
So yummy! We added cinnamon and orange zest. Plus made a glaze. How can I get the crust to not get so brown in a gas oven? Tenting? We will definitely make this again. Thanks.
That should work, Tina! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
Can this recipe be converted for a bread machine?
Hi Jane – I’ve never made this in a bread machine so I’m not sure if that would work. Your safest bet is to use the regular ol’ oven :) Hope that helps!
Definitely a keeper! Moist and full of seasonal flavors.
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Pam!
Doubled the recipe and made two loaves. The bread was moist, I think I would add orange zest for more impact. This recipe is a keeper.
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Teresa!
Hi,
Can I use chocolate chips instead of cranberries? I am a chocolate fan:)
Definitely! Just swap chocolate chips for the cranberries. Enjoy!
Woow I love quick breads, especially this time of year, thanks Kelly Senyei
This looks amazing. Is it possible to make in a bread machine or should I just use the regular ole oven?
Thanks, Michelle! I have never made this in a bread machine so I’m not sure if that would work. Your safest bet is to use the regular ol’ oven :) Hope that helps!
……I first eat with my eyes and your photography is spectacular
I have baked many different recipes of cranberry bread over the years. I doubled this recipe & made two loaves of bread this morning. My husband said this cranberry bread is excellent and so good. I love cranberry bread with the grated orange rind in it too, but this recipe is so quick to make and so yummy. Definitely will make again!
I crumbled some light brown sugar on top and it was amazing! Thanks for the recipe!!!!
I loved this recipe so much, and so did my coworkers! Thanks for posting this. My photos aren’t quite as pretty but I wanted to share my thoughts with you:
http://solidgoldeats.com/2012/12/13/cranberry-oranje-juice-bread/
Yum–I might try this for my family holiday bread exchange.
I made this bread. While it was good, I was looking for more of a medly of flavor with the oj and cranberries. Will make again and add orange zest as well to see if that helps with the flavor I think it should have. The final product is beautiful and looks gorgeous.
P.S. I added a little more than half cup of cranberries :)
Gah–this quick bread looks gorgeous!!! I love making cranberry bread during the holidays. It makes for a tasty breakfast.
What a nice looking loaf, perfect for Thanksgiving morning before the big meal.
I love everything about this! It’s gorgeous (wow, your photography is rockin!!), and it’s perfect for Thanksgiving week holiday guests!
Yum! I love cranberries. I’m trying to think up something different and cranberry-related for my Thanksgiving dinner, and this may be just the thing, especially because it doubles as breakfast the next day. Love the shot of the plump cranberries on top of the batter.
Can I use canola oil instead of the butter?
Hi Sara, I wouldn’t recommend substituting canola oil for the butter in this specific recipe, as the butter has a different fat and water content than oil, which will affect how the flour acts. Hope this helps!
We don’t have fresh cranberries….but we have the dried ones. Can I use that?
Absolutely! Dried, fresh or frozen cranberries will work in this recipe.
This is great, I want to try a banana version. Do you have one?
Hi Daniel, I have a recipe for Banana Bread, which you can find here: https://www.justataste.com/2012/05/banana-bread-french-toast/
In the recipe you call for 4tbsp of butter, but then say 1/3 of a cup in parentheses, which is actually a little more than 5tbsp. I’m not sure how much butter I should add.
Thanks for catching this typo, Nicole! It should just be 4 tablespoons. Enjoy!
So pretty! I love quick breads, especially this time of year. And those big cranberries throughout – gorgeous!
Such a beautiful cranberry bread!
This is such a pretty quick bread. I love that pop of color from the cranberries.
This is screaming for a cup of tea, in the morning or afternoon. Or a midnight snack. I make orange cranberry scones, but I will be making this instead with my leftover cranberries.
Yum! Cranberry and orange are perfect together, and who doesn’t love a quick bread? I love adding turbinado sugar to the top of quick breads as well…makes an awesome crunch without the hassle of a crumble topping. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
I make a similar recipe every year-it’s not the holidays without it. I love how you add sugar on the top to create a crunchy texture-I never thought of doing that before, but I will from now on. Have a lovely Thanksgiving Kelly! So happy to have met you through our food blogs. :)
I’m so glad we’ve been able to connect, Flavia :)
this looks so good Kelly! Happy Holidays!
Happy holidays to you and the fam, Alison!
LOVE the pop of those cranberries, plus the orange juice. Tangy, sweet love right there!