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Cranberry Orange Bread with Maple Glaze
Bake cranberry orange bread with maple glaze for breakfast or dessert; fresh cranberries, citrus zest and a sweet topping in one easy loaf.
Cranberry Orange Bread with Maple Glaze is a moist, cake-style quick bread that pairs tart cranberries and fragrant orange zest with a tender, buttery crumb. The batter is made from standard pantry staples—flour, sugar, eggs, and leavening—enhanced by fresh orange juice for brightness and sour cream or yogurt for added richness. Once baked, the loaf is finished with a silky glaze of pure maple syrup and confectioners’ sugar, which seeps into the warm surface to create a lightly sweet exterior. Often served sliced for breakfast, brunch, or seasonal gatherings, this bread is especially popular during the fall and winter holidays when cranberries are at their peak and citrus offers a refreshing contrast to cold-weather fare.
Cranberry Orange Bread with Maple Glaze
Ready in just about an hour, this one-bowl loaf is a lifesaver for last-minute brunch invites and edible-gift emergencies alike. The batter is forgiving—stir in chopped nuts, swap in frozen berries, or bake as mini loaves—so you can customize a batch without breaking stride.
Prep Time
20 minutes
20 minutes
Cook Time
60 minutes
60 minutes
Total Time
80 minutes
80 minutes
Ingredients
All-purpose flour 2 cups
- Baking powder 1 teaspoon
- Baking soda ½ teaspoon
- Fine salt ½ teaspoon
- Ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon
- Granulated sugar ¾ cup
- Light brown sugar (packed) ¼ cup
- Unsalted butter, melted and cooled ½ cup
- Large eggs 2
- Orange zest, freshly grated 1 tablespoon
- Freshly squeezed orange juice ¾ cup
- Pure vanilla extract 1 teaspoon
- Fresh or frozen cranberries 1½ cups
- Chopped toasted walnuts or pecans (optional) ½ cup
- Confectioners’ (powdered) sugar 1 cup
- Pure maple syrup 2 tablespoons
- Milk or heavy cream 1–2 tablespoons
- Fine salt (optional, to balance glaze) 1 pinch
Method
Preheat the oven to 350°F
- Coat a 9×5 inch loaf pan with nonstick spray
- Dust the greased pan lightly with flour
- Combine all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl
- Whisk the dry ingredients until evenly blended
- Rub granulated sugar and freshly grated orange zest together in a large bowl until fragrant
- Pour melted butter into the orange sugar mixture and whisk until combined
- Whisk one egg into the mixture until smooth
- Whisk the second egg into the mixture until smooth
- Stream fresh orange juice into the bowl while whisking continuously
- Add milk and vanilla extract to the bowl and whisk until the wet base is uniform
- Tip the dry ingredients into the wet mixture
- Fold the batter gently with a spatula just until no flour streaks remain
- Scatter chopped cranberries over the batter
- Fold the cranberries into the batter until evenly distributed
- Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan
- Smooth the top of the batter with the spatula
- Place the pan on the center rack of the preheated oven
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50 to 60 minutes
- Transfer the pan to a wire rack when baking is complete
- Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes
- Turn the loaf out onto the rack
- Allow the bread to cool completely on the rack
- Whisk powdered sugar and pure maple syrup in a small bowl until thick and glossy
- Drip in a teaspoon of milk at a time until the glaze reaches a pourable consistency
- Place a sheet of parchment under the cooling rack for easy cleanup
- Drizzle the maple glaze over the cooled bread in a back-and-forth motion
- Leave the bread at room temperature until the glaze sets
- Slice the glazed cranberry orange bread with a serrated knife
- Serve the slices at room temperature
Nutrition (whole recipe)
Calories
3820 kcal Protein
49 g Fat
138 g Carbs
588 g Fiber
18 g Sugar
375 g
3820 kcal Protein
49 g Fat
138 g Carbs
588 g Fiber
18 g Sugar
375 g
Notes
Toss the cranberries with a tablespoon of the recipe’s flour before folding them in—this keeps the fruit from sinking and streaking the crumb. Just before baking, scatter a spoonful of turbinado sugar over the top; it melts into a light, crackly crust that stands up to the maple glaze.
why this recipe
Baking this cranberry orange bread with maple glaze rewards you with a loaf that feels both comforting and refreshingly vibrant, thanks to ruby bursts of tart cranberries tucked inside a tender, citrus-perfumed crumb. The sweet depth of real maple syrup cascades over the top, forming a glossy glaze that seeps into every slice, balancing bright orange zest with subtle caramel notes. Simple pantry ingredients transform quickly into a bakery-worthy centerpiece, filling your kitchen with an irresistible aroma and delivering a moist texture that stays delicious for days. Whether served warm for brunch or wrapped as a homemade gift, this bread elevates any occasion with minimal effort and maximum flavor.
FAQs
FAQ acf
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I substitute frozen cranberries for fresh, and should they be thawed before folding into the batter?
Yes—frozen cranberries work just as well as fresh. Fold them into the batter straight from the freezer (do not thaw) to prevent excess juice from turning the crumb pink; the loaf may need an extra 2–3 minutes of bake time.
How should I store the cooled loaf, and can it be frozen without compromising texture?
Once the glaze has set, wrap the loaf tightly in plastic (or place in an airtight container) and keep it at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for 5. For longer storage, double-wrap the whole loaf or individual slices in plastic and foil, freeze for up to 2 months, and thaw at room temperature while still wrapped—the crumb stays moist and the glaze holds up well.
Can I bake the batter as muffins instead of a loaf, and how should I adjust the baking time?
Yes—divide the batter among a lined 12-cup muffin tin, filling each well about ¾ full, and keep the oven at 350°F. Standard muffins will bake in roughly 18–22 minutes (mini muffins 12–14 minutes); start checking when the tops are domed and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack before glazing.