This cranberry cream cheese bread recipe is the perfect balance of sweet and tart. The cream cheese keeps it nice and moist, and orange zest gives it a burst of fresh citrus flavor.
It’s a perfect quick bread for the holiday season!
Cranberry eggnog bread has been a holiday staple at my house for over a decade. But it’s a yeasted bread, so it needs time to rise. I decided it was high time I came up with a quick bread featuring cranberries.
While searching, I was intrigued by a recipe for cream cheese cranberry loaf I found at Julie’s Eats and Treats. I like using at least part oil in my quick breads because they stay soft longer, so I subbed some of the butter for oil.
And because I think orange and cranberry are a perfect flavor combo, I decided to add some fresh orange zest. It turned out simply delicious, and it was a hit with my family and my husband’s coworkers. I ended up making it twice in one month.
If you love cranberries, it’s a must-try!
How to make cranberry cream cheese bread:
- PREP – Spray two 8×5-inch loaf pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Preheat your oven to 350°. Chop the cranberries in half.
- DRY INGREDIENTS – In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- WET INGREDIENTS – In a separate bowl, use an electric hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the butter, oil, cream cheese, and sugar for 2-3 minutes at medium speed. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
- COMBINE – Add the dry mixture and stir gently a few times. Fold in the cranberries and orange zest.
- BAKE – Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 50-60 minutes. Use the toothpick test to tell when loaves are done.
- COOL – Let the bread sit in the pans for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
PRO TIPS:
- To prevent a dry loaf, first of all don’t pack the flour in the measuring cup! Secondly, don’t overbake the bread. As soon as a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs, it’s done.
- Cutting the cranberries in half ensures that every bite has a cranberry in it, but in smaller pieces that don’t overwhelm the bread.
- After you add the dry ingredients, don’t overmix! Quick breads need a gentle touch or they will lose their tender, light texture.
Cream Cheese Cranberry Bread Variations:
- For an extra sweet treat, you can make a simple glaze with orange juice and powdered sugar. Brush it over the warm bread, or drizzle it over the cooled loaf.
- Instead of orange zest, you can add 1/2-1 teaspoon of almond extract instead. It’s a different flavor profile, but also very tasty!
More quick bread recipes:
- Pumpkin Bread with Streusel Topping
- Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Banana Bread
- Strawberry Bread with Glaze
- Squash Bread Recipe
- Orange Zucchini Bread
- Sweet Jalapeno Cornbread
- Zucchini Pineapple Bread Recipe
- Better Than Starbucks Lemon Loaf
Cranberry Cream Cheese Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour (10 ounces)
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup salted butter, softened to room temperature
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp orange zest
- 2 cups fresh cranberries halved (frozen will work also)
Instructions
- Spray two 8×5-inch loaf pans with non-stick spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Preheat your oven to 350°.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl; set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter, oil, cream cheese, and sugar with a stand mixer for 2-3 minutes at medium speed.
- Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients and stir just a few times. Fold in the orange zest and cranberries.
- Divide the batter between the two loaves. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes, or until edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Let cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- If you use frozen cranberries, you don’t need to thaw them first. But because they are so cold, you will need to slightly increase the cooking time.
- Bread can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days.
- To freeze the bread, cool it completely, wrap it in plastic wrap, and place in a ziplock freezer bag. It will last for 3-4 months. (A great make ahead bread for christmas morning breakfast!)
- You can use 4 mini loaf pans. Bake for just 35-40 minutes.
Nutrition
This dreamy cranberry cream cheese loaf is going to become one of your new favorite quick breads. Try not to eat a whole loaf! 🙂
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