Cranberry Nut Bread

By Florence Fabricant

Updated Nov. 18, 2025

Cranberry Nut Bread
Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards.
Total Time
1 hour 20 minutes, plus overnight cool
Rating
5(1,541)
Comments
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Cranberries freeze admirably, just as you purchase them in plastic bags. With several extra bags of the bright scarlet berries obtained now when they are available and tucked into the freezer you will have the raw materials for a change of pace condiment to serve with roasted poultry or meats at other times of the year, or for quick breads or pies.

Featured in: FOOD; CRANBERRIES: USE NOW AND FREEZE FOR LATER IN YEAR

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Ingredients

Yield:1 large loaf
  • 2cups all-purpose flour
  • 1cup sugar
  • 1½teaspoons baking powder
  • ½teaspoon baking soda
  • ½teaspoon salt
  • ¼cup butter
  • 1egg
  • ¾cup orange juice
  • 1tablespoon grated orange rind
  • 1½cups chopped fresh cranberries
  • ½cup chopped pecans
Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Greasing 9-by-5-by-3-inch baking pan.

  2. Step 2

    Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large bowl. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in butter until the mixture resembles corn meal.

  3. Step 3

    Beat egg until thick and light. Stir in orange juice and rind. Lightly stir this mixture into the flour mixture just until the ingredients are blended. Fold in cranberries and nuts.

  4. Step 4

    Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the bread is golden brown and springs back when lightly touched.

  5. Step 5

    Cool on a rack, wrap in foil and hold overnight before slicing.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
1,541 user ratings
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Comments

JuJu

This is the Ocean Spray cranberry nut bread recipe from the package- loved by many generations. Do yourself a favor and just melt the butter and mix in with the other wet ingredients - per original instructions.

F. Carl

I doubled the orange rind and the nuts both. This consistent with a life given to excess. I made gifts of this bread over the holidays and EVERYONE raved about it.

Caleb

This recipe is spectacular! I followed it exactly, although I made a minor substitution, swapping walnuts for the pecans because that was what I had on hand. The recipe doesn't specify either way, but I'd recommend using fresh-squeezed orange juice- I just juiced the orange I used for the zest and it yielded exactly 3/4 cup of juice. I second the suggestion of sprinkling demerara sugar on top before baking, it makes this bread extra special.

KHJ

This was a TREAT! I really didn’t have high expectations for it, and just made it because I had extra cranberries but oh my goodness it’s delicious- fluffy, flavorful, and moist. I used pistachios instead only because that’s what I had in the pantry, and they worked great. Otherwise I followed the recipe to a T. I did cheat a little and I used a small food processor to chop the pistachios and cranberries together which I would recommend as a time saver and they also were evenly mixed. Will make again!

CindyB

Wonderful bread! Following some suggestions here, I used less sugar (3/4 cup), 1 tsp of cinnamon but otherwise followed the recipe as-is. It was done in 60 minutes and it's absolutely fantastic. Easy to make and an easy five-star keeper.

Judith

bake time is too long. Check after 55 minutes

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