These mini Starbucks-style cranberry orange loaves are the perfect mix of super moist quick bread and soft, citrusy cake-bursting with fresh cranberries and zesty orange flavor.
If you love festive baking, you'll love our chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal cookies, and apple cobbler.
These delicious recipes are easy to make any time of the year and make a great gift.
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Ingredients
- Orange juice and zest- are needed for an intense orange flavor. For the best result, use freshly squeezed oranges.
- Fresh cranberries- add pops of tartness and chewy goodness to the loaves.
- Buttermilk - moisture and a slight tanginess, also helps tenderize the bread.
- Butter - will add richness and keep the loaves moist for days.
- Sugar - to balance the tart cranberries and tangy orange flavors.
- Egg - acts as a binder and adds structure to the bread.
- Vanilla extract - enhances the overall flavor with its subtle aroma and taste.
- Flour- use a gluten-free blend or regular all-purpose.
- Leavening agents- this recipe requires baking powder (gluten-free) and baking soda to make the bread rise and become light and fluffy.
- Ground cinnamon- gives warmth and depth to the flavor profile.
📋 You can find the full ingredient list in the Recipe Card below the article.
How To Make Cranberry Mini Loaves
You will love this sweet bread with the tart cranberries and a lovely orange flavor.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare your mini bread loaf pans by spraying them with non-stick cooking spray or lining them with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, cooled melted butter, orange zest, orange juice, egg, and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Mix dry ingredients. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Stir until everything is evenly mixed.
- Combine the mixtures. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Add the cranberries. Pour the batter into the prepared pans, filling each one to the top.
- Bake for about 35-40 minutes. Or until the edges are golden brown and the toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Make the glaze. Stir the orange juice and powdered sugar until it reaches the desired consistency.
- Let it cool, glaze, and serve. Once bread is done baking, remove from the oven and let them cool in the pans for about 10 minutes. Continue to cool on a wire rack, then drizzle the glaze on top.
Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients. This will allow for easier blending and prevent over-mixing.
- Gluten-free flour. The best option is to use a GF flour mixture for bread baking with xanthan gum included.
- Cut large cranberries in half. A good tip for fresh berries is to add 1 teaspoon of flour and mix to combine. This will ensure your cranberries won't fall to the bottom and will be evenly spread throughout the bread.
- Don't overmix the batter. Overmixing results in a dense, tough, and rubbery crumb rather than a light and tender one.
- Add some crunch. Use chopped pecans or other nuts for some savory crunch!
Julia's Tip
You can use a regular loaf bread pan if you don't have mini size loaf pans.
Adjust the time to 1h - 1 ½h and check it regularly. Cover the top with foil if it gets too brown before the required baking time ends.
Storing Leftover Loaves
- To Store. If you plan to consume the cranberry orange bread within a few days, store it at room temperature. It should stay fresh for up to 3 to 4 days. Place it in the fridge for up to a week for a longer shelf life.
- To Freeze. Wrap the loaf tightly in plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil. You can also use a heavy-duty freezer bag. Frozen cranberry orange bread can maintain quality for up to 2 to 3 months in the freezer.
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Recipe Card
Orange Cranberry Loaf Cake
Tender and moist cranberry orange bread is perfect when you need a sweet fix at any time of the day. This easy bread recipe is loaded with fresh orange and cranberry flavor and topped with a zesty glaze!
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray your mini loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray, or use liners. Set aside.
- Using a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, cooled butter, orange zest, orange juice, egg, and vanilla.⅔ cup buttermilk, 1 teaspoon orange zest, ⅓ cup orange juice, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 6 tablespoon butter
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon. Stir thoroughly until all the ingredients are well combined.1 cup sugar, 2 cup gluten free blend, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon soda, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pour the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in the cranberries.1 ½ cup fresh cranberries cut into half
- Pour the batter into mini loaves tins, filling each until full.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let the loaves cool for about 10 minutes in the pan. Then, move the loaves to a wire rack and let them cool completely.
- To make the glaze, stir together the orange juice and powdered sugar until the desired consistency is met. Drizzle over the finished loaf bread and serve.1 cup sugar powder, 2 tablespoon orange juice
Nutrition
Notes
To Store. If you plan to consume the cranberry orange bread within a few days, store it at room temperature. It should stay fresh for up to 3 to 4 days. Place it in the fridge for up to a week for a longer shelf life.
To Freeze. Wrap the loaf tightly in plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil. You can also use a heavy-duty freezer bag. Frozen cranberry orange bread can maintain quality for up to 2 to 3 months in the freezer.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on the products used.
Full Nutrition Disclaimer can be found here.
More Cranberry Recipes
- Cranberry Sauce With Mandarin Oranges
- Millionaire Cranberry Salad
- Crispy Feta Rolls
- Roasted Butternut Squash With Cranberries
- Almond Cranberry Tart
- Cranberry Relish
Laura
what is the recommended "mini" size? I'd like to use disposable as I will be gifting them and wondered what the ideal size should be?
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
You can use something like this https://amzn.to/3MZSLXe
Andrea Metlika
Love this flavor combination and love the mini loaves. Perfect for sharing!
Julia
Thank you so much Andrea, glad you like it
Tara
Such cute little loaves! I love that color from the cranberries and the flavors sound amazing.
Julia
This is the perfect combination: cranberry and orange! Thank you Tara!
Jenn
As soon as I saw this recipe, I had to try it. Delish! My daughter is GF and she raved about this flavorful mini bread!
Julia
thank you Jenn, I hope she loved it!
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry
These mini loaves are super cute and sound so delicious! What a lovely treat for the festive season.
Julia
Thank you Bintu!
Toni
These mini loaves are delicious AND adorable! I love the idea of making them mini. Perfect for cookie platters too. Great recipe and so easy to follow.
Julia
Thank you so much Toni!
Barb
I would love to try these, but your ingredient list has 6 tablespoons of butter and cranberries listed, but your instructions do not include either. Also, what is the purpose of melting and chilling the butter?
Julia
Hi Barb! Thanks for pointing out this!
I have adjusted the recipe, forgot to add that we need to include cooled butter while mixing the wet ingredients. The purpose is that you need to use liquid form of butter in the recipe but you obviously can't use it while it's piping hot 🙂