Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
This simple cranberry cream cheese bread will recipe will be a delicious addition to any brunch or dessert spread! The light and bright flavor of the oranges compliment the tartness of the cranberries to create a bread that is perfectly balanced.
Save this recipe for a special occasion or a slow weekend brunch. Especially during the holidays! You won't regret it!
What could be better than biting into a big slice of cranberry quick bread? Not much in my book, but adding dried cranberries and cream cheese sure sweetens the deal! I made this quick bread for the first time to take to my family's Christmas Eve party. It was an instant hit!
Jump to:
- Why this recipe works
- A few quick tips before we get started
- Helpful tools
- Ingredients for cranberry cream cheese quick bread
- Instructions
- Recipe
- What is the best way to bake quick bread evenly?
- How to easily remove quick bread from the pan
- How to store cranberry cream cheese bread
- How to make cranberry bread recipe with fresh cranberries
- What is the best way to bake quick bread evenly?
- How to easily remove quick bread from the pan
- How to store cranberry cream cheese bread
- Frequently asked questions
- More delicious cranberry recipes you will love!
- Latest recipes and tutorials
- Comments
Why this recipe works
This cranberry cream cheese loaf is an easy recipe that takes very little hands on time. You just need to mix the dry ingredients in one bowl, the wet ingredients in another, and then make the cream cheese mixture in a separate bowl. It's layered together with plenty of orange zest and tart cranberries. The result is a cranberry bread recipe that is packed full of holiday spirit and oodles of cranberry flavor!
I've actually already made this recipe before using blueberries, but I thought it was time to change things up and try a new quick bread recipe with a sweet orange glaze! No regrets.
A few quick tips before we get started
Before you dive in and make your own loaf of orange cranberry cream cheese quick bread, and yes, that is a mouthful to say, here are a few quick tips to consider.
I designed this recipe to make 3 standard loaves, not only because it is so good you'll wish you had even more, but because it makes the best use of the required ingredients. I certainly don't need a random four ounces of cream cheese or half of a stick of butter in my fridge! I'd rather have a loaf of yummy bread in my freezer, ready to be served!
Bake once, eat three times, am I right?
The last tip I have is to use frozen or fresh cranberries if you don't have dried available. Fresh cranberries are delicious, but if you are making this recipe out of season, like I will this spring, frozen will work just fine. It might slow down your cooking time by several minutes, so make sure to use a thermometer to test for the perfect quick bread temperature of 200F degrees. I had to bake my loaf an additional fifteen minutes.
This is one of my favorite quick breads to make, and I am a big fan of not needing my stand mixer or dough hook! A large bowl, whisk and spatula are the bare minimum you will need to mix up this bread. That being said, my arm gets awfully tired whisking the cream cheese mixture, so I would use a manual or electric mixer if you have one available.
You will need three standard loaf pans. Did you know that metal, cast iron and glass baking dishes all cook at a different rate? Professional bakers swear that cast iron loaf pans are the way to go. They distribute the heat evenly and create a bread that is uniform and easy to remove from the prepared loaf pan. At the time of writing this, I do not have any cast iron bakers, so I am using glass or metal.
Ingredients for cranberry cream cheese quick bread
- Softened butter that has been sitting at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
- Granulated sugar
- Large eggs that are room temperature.
- Plain greek yogurt. I recommend buying a large carton for the perfect amount!
- Vanilla extract. If you want to make your own to save money or use high quality ingredients, check out my tutorial How to Make Bourbon Vanilla Extract.
- Two oranges that are zested and juiced. You could also use store-bought orange juice and omit the zest if needed. I just love what the orange flavor adds to this recipe!
- All purpose flour, nothing fancy!
- Just a tiny pinch of salt helps to balance the flavors.
- Baking powder, just make sure it's fresh! If your baked goods aren't rising like you think they should, your powder might be old. It is supposed to be replaced 2-3 times a year! Crazy, right?
- Cranberries, I really like using homemade dried cranberries, but fresh or frozen will work, too! Just make sure you finely chop them so that they bake evenly.
CREAM CHEESE FILLING
- Cream cheese at room temperature.
- More granulated sugar.
- Egg whites. This won't leave you with quite enough yolks to make pudding, but if you are looking for a simple way to use them up, you should totally try homemade Chocolate Pudding or Vanilla Pudding. Just cut the recipe in half and you'll have almost the right amount of yolks!
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
1. reheat the oven to 350 degrees and line 3 loaf pans with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray. If the butter, eggs, yogurt and cream cheese have been refrigerated, set them out about twenty minutes before you start baking. If using whole oranges, zest and juice.
2. In a stand mixer, combine sugar and butter and mix until fluffy and incorporated, about a minute. Add the eggs, yogurt and vanilla and continue beating on a medium setting for another minute.
3. Mix in flour and baking powder until just combined. Fold in cranberries. Pour batter into the loaf pans.
4. In another mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and egg whites for several minutes until fluffy.
5. Drop dollops of the cream cheese mixture over the loaves. Using a knife, swirl the dollops through the batter to create a beautiful marbled design. Don't over mix! We want the cream cheese layer and bread batter to swirl together beautifully!
6. Bake at 350 degrees for sixty-five to seventy-five minutes until the internal temperature of the loaf measures 205 degrees or a toothpick comes out clean.
7. Cool and serve immediately. I like to slice the bread into equal pieces and arrange it on a platter. Refrigerate for up to three days or freeze for up to six months.
Hint: My top tip for baking quick breads is to stir the batter gently and do not over mix. Once the liquids are just combined, stop! Over mixing batter result in bread that is dense, and may even form peaks or other abnormalities during baking. Once the bread dough is in the pan, bake it immediately.
Recipe
Cranberry Cream Cheese Bread
This simple cranberry cream cheese bread will recipe will be a delicious addition to any brunch or dessert spread! The light and bright flavor of the oranges compliment the tartness of the cranberries to create a bread that is perfectly balanced.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 1 hour hr
Cooling time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 50 minutes mins
Course Breakfast, brunch
Cuisine American
Servings 24
Calories 232 kcal
Equipment
3 standard loaf pans
mixing bowl or stand mixer
zester & juicer
Ingredients
Cranberry bread batter
- ½ cup butter room temperature
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 eggs room temperature
- 2 cups greek yogurt plain
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons orange juice 2 oranges juiced plus zest
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder aluminum free
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups cranberries dried, fresh (chopped), or frozen (chopped)
Cream cheese filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 egg whites
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line three standard loaf pans with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray. If the butter, eggs, yogurt and cream cheese have been refrigerated, set them out about twenty minutes before you start baking. If using whole oranges, zest and juice.
In a stand mixer, combine sugar and butter and mix until fluffy and incorporated, about a minute. Add the eggs, yogurt and vanilla and continue beating on a medium setting for another minute.
Mix in flour and baking powder until just combined. Fold in cranberries. Pour batter into the loaf pans.
Using the same mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and egg whites for several minutes until fluffy.
Drop dollops of the cream cheese mixture over the loaves. Using a knife, swirl the dollops through the batter to create a beautiful marbled design.
Bake at 350 degrees for sixty-five to seventy-five minutes until the internal temperature of the loaf measures 205 degrees or a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool and serve immediately. Refrigerate for up to three days or freeze for up to six months.
Notes
What is the best way to bake quick bread evenly?
Before preheating the oven, position the middle rack in the lowest middle position. This will give the bread time to cook thoroughly without becoming overly brown on top.
I prep my pans with both parchment paper and cooking spray. Then I put each prepared pan on a big baking sheet with plenty of space between. I use the baking sheet as a way to carry the loaves to and from the oven, and even rotate during baking if needed, while minimizing the amount of time the oven door is open.
Use a digital read thermometer to check for doneness. The center of the bread should read 200F and the top will be golden brown.
How to easily remove quick bread from the pan
If the pan was prepared properly, just like I described above, the bread should come out easily. Once the timer goes off, verify the bread is done baking either with a tooth pick test or by checking the internal temperature for 200F.
Remove the pans from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes before removing the loaves from the pans. After they have cooled, I slide a silicon dough scraper (or spatula) along the sides of the pan to make sure there are no stuck bits.
How to store cranberry cream cheese bread
To keep a quick bread as fresh as possible, or even until the next day, it can be stored at room temperature. My preference for storing a quick bread is to leave it on the counter in an airtight container for up to three days. Honestly, we will eat it for several days beyond that, but for ultimate freshness try to eat it fast! A pyrex or other storage container will work, too!
To freeze a quick bread, first allow it to cool completely after baking. Wrap the bundt cake in plastic wrap and add two layers of tin foil. I use this trick for making a cake ahead of time, like for a birthday party. The goal is to get it out of the freezer quickly, for example within a few weeks.
For longer storage, I recommend using a vacuum sealer after the bread is pre-frozen. I have learned from personal experience that it is important to freeze the cake prior to vacuum sealing.
Nutrition
Calories: 232kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 5gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 48mgSodium: 176mgPotassium: 81mgFiber: 1gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 296IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 76mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Variations & other quick bread recipes
If you love cream cheese quick breads, try my sweet cream cheese breadLEMON BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE QUICK BREAD! It is almost the same recipe, but instead of cranberry orange, it is blueberry lemon. It also can be made asmuffins, too!
Sourdough banana breadis truly the perfect way to use up leftover sourdough starter discard or bananas that have over ripened. I also looove this chocolate version-Chocolate banana bread.
We are also able to spruce this recipe up with fun add-ins, such as white chocolate chunks, a half teaspoon of almond extract, dried walnuts or pecans, a swirl of cranberry sauce or anything else that feels festive!
How to make cranberry bread recipe with fresh cranberries
Follow the recipe as written, but instead of using dried cranberries, substitute fresh cranberries that are washed and coarsely chopped. Toss the chopped cranberry pieces in a mixture of 1 tablespoon of flour and ½ tablespoon of sugar before adding them to the cranberry bread.
What is the best way to bake quick bread evenly?
Before preheating the oven, position the middle rack in the lowest middle position. This will give the bread time to cook thoroughly without becoming overly brown on top.
I prep my pans with both parchment paper and cooking spray. Then I put each prepared pan on a big baking sheet with plenty of space between. I use the baking sheet as a way to carry the loaves to and from the oven, and even rotate during baking if needed, while minimizing the amount of time the oven door is open.
Use a digital read thermometer to check for doneness. The center of the bread should read 200F and the top will be golden brown.
How to easily remove quick bread from the pan
If the pan was prepared properly, just like I described above, the bread should come out easily. Once the timer goes off, verify the bread is done baking either with a tooth pick test or by checking the internal temperature for 200F.
Remove the pans from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes before removing the loaves from the pans. After they have cooled, I slide a silicon dough scraper (or spatula) along the sides of the pan to make sure there are no stuck bits.
Now the tricky part. If you have multiple cooling racks, you can place the rack upside down on top of the loaf and then turn it all right side up and set it on the counter. This is usually the smoothest and easiest way to do it. I don't do this anymore, though. Now I simply flip the pans over directly onto the cooling rack and then lift them slowly to release the loaves.
How to store cranberry cream cheese bread
To keep a quick bread as fresh as possible, or even until the next day, it can be stored at room temperature. My preference for storing a quick bread is to leave it on the counter in an airtight container for up to three days. Honestly, we will eat it for several days beyond that, but for ultimate freshness try to eat it fast! A pyrex or other storage container will work, too!
To freeze a quick bread, first allow it to cool completely after baking. Wrap the bundt cake in plastic wrap and add two layers of tin foil. I use this trick for making a cake ahead of time, like for a birthday party. The goal is to get it out of the freezer quickly, for example within a few weeks.
For longer storage, I recommend using a vacuum sealer after the bread is pre-frozen. I have learned from personal experience that it is important to freeze the cake prior to vacuum sealing. Just ask the first few loaves of sourdough I tried vacuum sealing and flattened… oops!
Frequently asked questions
What size pan is best for quick breads?
A standard 8.5 x 4.5 inch loaf pan is my go-to. This is a standard pan that can be found in any baker's kitchen, and is the size most recipes call for. My second choice is a 9x5-inch loaf pan or 3-4 mini loaf pans per standard loaf. So for this recipe, you would need 9-12 mini loaf pans to make smaller loaves.
Can this quick bread be gluten free?
I do recommend trying alternative flours if you are gluten sensitive. The first time I made this recipe, I used traditional all purpose flour. Since then, I have experimented with gluten free options. I found that the Bobs 1:1 gluten free flour mix created a loaf that was more dense and moist, almost like a cheesecake. Definitely not the same as the original, but still pretty good! My family liked it, but I am searching for more of an identical dupe. I'm going to keep trying and I will update this post if I find the magic GF flour!
What would pair well with this for Christmas morning breakfast?
My family always serves breakfast casseroles Christmas morning. My grandma always made a sausage and hash brown casserole, and now I make it, too! Her's is with pork sausage, mine is usually with wild turkey or even deer sausage. It's calledVenison Breakfast Casseroleand everyone always loves it! We also pair it with a juice or a juice spritzer, just like myhomemade cranberry juicemixed equal parts with sprite, and muffins like myBlueberry Cheesecake Muffins,Chocolate Banana Muffins, or evenPumpkin Muffins.
More delicious cranberry recipes you will love!
If this recipe has you craving cranberries, try my other cranberry recipes! My cranberry cream cheese cookies are a little bright cookie that is everyone's favorite! The icing is a subtle orange glaze, and the cookie tastes like a little sweet and soft cranberry cake. They are tiny and the perfect dessert for brunches or showers.
- cranberry orange cookies
- Canning Cranberry Juice (Homemade Cranberry Juice Recipe)
- How to make dried cranberries in a dehydrator
Latest recipes and tutorials
If you liked this, check out what's new!
- Mango Salad
- How Do You Cook Venison Steaks? (grilled, pan-seared or baked)
- A Beginner's Guide to Growing Peas in Zone 6
- Best Way to Store Fresh Strawberries
