A recipe for fall and the holidays- gluten-free cranberry orange bread! A great combination of tart cranberries, sweet orange juice, and crunchy nuts makes one delectable quickbread.
Looking to make cranberry orange muffins instead? I've got you covered - just scroll down for the details on making those!
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About This Gluten-Free Cranberry Bread Recipe
- About This Gluten-Free Cranberry Bread Recipe
- Gluten-Free Cranberry Orange Bread Recipe
Cranberries are one of those foods that don't get enough credit for their versatility. We enjoy them dried in salads every week, but they can be delicious when baked with brie cheese, or even as a quickbread, like this gluten-free cranberry orange bread.
Quickbreads get the word "quick" meaning that they don't require the process of yeast & rising to cook. By using other leavening agents, such as baking powder, baking soda, or both, they both rise and cook much faster. Most breads and muffins, like banana bread, or blueberry muffins, are all quick breads. This recipe is very similar.
Ingredients You Will Need
Gluten-Free Flour Blend: I prefer Cup4Cup. See notes below as to why.
Granulated Sugar: For sweetness.
Baking Soda & Powder: For rise and fluffiness.
Salt: For balance.
Butter(Can use dairy-free butter if you prefer): The fat content in the recipe.
Eggs: For more rise and fluffiness.
Orange Juice & Zest: This will go nicely with the tart cranberries.
Whole Cranberries - You'll pulse them in a food processor or chop them by hand for this recipe. They are the stars! You can substitute dried cranberries, but these will be very sweet, so consider lowering the sugar.
Walnuts or Pecans - Optional, for extra crunch. Leave out if you prefer or are allergic to nuts.
How To Make Gluten-Free Cranberry Orange Bread
The process of making the bread is quite easy and follows many standard quickbread recipes. First, you'll combine the dry ingredients in a bowl with a whisk. Next, you'll add the softened butter. Separately, you'll combine the orange juice, zest, and eggs, and then add that mixture to the dry ingredients. Finally, you'll stir in the cranberries and chopped nuts, let the batter sit, and then bake!
Gluten-Free Flour For This Recipe
This gluten-free cranberry bread uses Cup4Cup flour, my favorite gluten-free baking and pastry flour blend from Williams Sonoma. I've had the most success with this flour, which is why it's my #1 recommended flour blend. I've made croissants, empanadas, pies, pierogi, cookies, and bagels all thanks to this blend. I have also had luck with Bob's Red Mill 1:1 baking flour, and King Arthur Measure For Measure GF Flour, which are great dairy-free alternatives for quickbreads. Please note that if you use a different gluten-free flour blend other than the ones mentioned here, your results could vary.
Remember to let the batter sit for 10-15 minutes before pouring into the prepared pan, to allow the wet ingredients to incorporate into the dry. This will prevent grittiness in your final product!
Troubleshooting & Questions For Gluten-Free Cranberry Bread
Can I Make This Recipe With Almond or Coconut Flour?
I do not recommend substituting a single gluten-free flour, like almond flour or coconut flour, for my recipes. My recipes use a gluten-free flour blend, a mixture of different gluten-free grains, starches, and thickeners, to substitute for all-purpose flour. Using just one of them, like almond or coconut, will not give you the same results, and will probably lead to a lot of frustration in the kitchen. For most of my recipes, you'll need a blend, like Cup4Cup, King Arthur Measure For Measure, Bob's Red Mill, or GF Jules, to name a few.
For more top tips on gluten-free baking with success, check out this post!
Can I Make This Cranberry Bread Dairy-Free?
You definitely can! I've not tested this to be dairy-free, but based on my experience with gluten and dairy-free baking, it should work fine using a dairy-free butter like Earth Balance. Make sure your gluten-free flour blend is dairy-free, too, as Cup4Cup contains milk powder. I recommend Bob's Red Mill 1:1 or King Arthur Measure For Measure for gluten-free & dairy-free quickbreads.
Can I Make This Cranberry Bread Into Muffins?
Yes, you can! Follow the recipe as written, but pour into a muffin tin, either greased with oil or lined with silicone liners. Use a ¼ cup measuring cup to pour in the batter. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 8-10 minutes before removing to a wire wrack to cool completely.
Can I Make This Cranberry Bread With Dried Cranberries?
You can, but I haven't tried it. And dried cranberries (make sure they are gluten-free) tend to be very sweet, which might make the sweetness overpowering! So I'd say taste as you go and consider lowering the sugar if you find it to be too sweet.
How to Serve Gluten-Free Cranberry Bread
How to decide? Cranberry orange bread is perfect for breakfast, for a mid-day snack, or for dessert! I like to eat it warm with a dollop of butter, with tea or coffee, or even hot cocoa. Even plain, they are super yummy!
How To Store Gluten-Free Cranberry Bread
Store covered at room temperature for 3-5 days. If the bread hardens at all, just pop it in the microwave for 10 seconds. It's best served warm and fresh, but you can also freeze it for up to 3 months. It's great toasted as well!
More Holiday Gluten-Free Baking Recipes
Ready for an addictive sweet & salty treat? Try this gluten-free pretzel bark.
Want to practice your pie making skills? Homemade apple pie hits the spot. Gluten-free but no one will know!
Feel like baking Christmas cookies? Check out this collection of gluten-free cookie recipes from my fellow gluten-free & celiac bloggers.
What goes perfectly with a freshly baked cookie? A cup of hot chocolate, homemade, without gluten or dairy. Make it right here.
Discover all the gluten-free baking recipes on the blog right here.
Here's how to make a great quick bread for the holiday season!
If you love this recipe, please leave a comment! Thank you so much!
Gluten-Free Cranberry Orange Bread Recipe
Gluten-Free Cranberry Orange Bread
The perfect quickbread for the holiday season!
Ingredients
- 2 cups gluten-free flour, like Cup4Cup
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ cup butter softened to room temperature & diced (use dairy-free if needed)
- 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
- ¾ cup of orange juice
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup of whole, raw cranberries, pulsed in a food processor or chopped by hand
- ½ cup of chopped nuts, like walnuts or pecans (optional - leave out if you are allergic or don't prefer them)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a loaf pan with butter/coconut oil and then line with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, combine the gluten-free flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Whisk to combine. Using a fork or a pastry cutter, add the softened butter and combine until the butter is pea-sized.
Set aside.
In a separate smaller bowl, add the eggs, orange juice, and orange zest, and whisk to combine. Pour this mixture into the flour mixture and combine with a large spoon, mixing well to make sure all of the flour is incorporated. Don't worry about overmixing - there's no gluten to develop! Stir to make sure everything is incorporated, especially any flour that gets stuck to the bottom. The batter will be thick if you are using Cup4Cup.
Lastly, stir in the chopped cranberries and chopped nuts. Let the batter sit for 15 minutes before pouring into the prepared pan, to allow the wet ingredients to incorporate into the dry. This will prevent grittiness in your final product! After, pour into prepared loaf pan and bake for 60 minutes.
Remove & let cool in the pan for 15 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely. Best served warm.
Notes
Dairy-Free
To make this cranberry bread both gluten and dairy-free, use a gluten and dairy free flour like King Arthur Measure for Measure or Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour, and a dairy-free butter stick, like Earth Balance or Country Crock.
Storage
Store covered at room temperature for 3-5 days. If the bread hardens at all, just pop it in the microwave for 10 seconds. It's best served warm and fresh, but you can also freeze it for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information
Yield 6 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 435Total Fat 16gSaturated Fat 6gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 82mgSodium 608mgCarbohydrates 65gFiber 3gSugar 29gProtein 9g
The nutrition information on each recipe card is provided as a courtesy and for your convenience. The data is calculated by Nutritionix. You are encouraged to make your own calculations based on your ingredients and preferred nutritional facts calculator. While I try to make sure they are accurate, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of these calculations.
Do you like cranberries?
What's your favorite holiday treat?
Tell me in the comments below!
Veronique says
I would love to do this recipe (I'm celiac), but my son is allergic to eggs. Is there any way to make this egg-free and still have a good result? My egg-free+gluten-free baking has been a disaster so far.
Jennifer Fitzpatrick says
Hi Veronique! Unfortunately I don't do egg-free baking, so this isn't an area I'm familiar with! But I am happy to try and help troubleshoot. What have you tried so far? Flax egg? Apple sauce? Aquafaba? This article from King Arthur provides more insight: https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/blog/2021/01/21/guide-for-substituting-eggs-best-egg-replacers
Adeela says
Hi , can I use almond flour ?
Jennifer Fitzpatrick says
I do not recommend it. My recipes use a gluten-free flour blend, not a single grain, like almond. This will not yield the same results. I'd suggest reading through my post on gluten-free baking tips here for additional information: https://www.thenomadicfitzpatricks.com/five-tips-for-gluten-free-baking/
Karen Lindley says
This turned out very well. Slightly crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside. I used Smart Balance as my dairy substitute and a little more than called for in the recipe. Thanks for the recipe!
Jennifer Fitzpatrick says
Oh this is lovely to hear, Karen! Thank you so much for sharing!!