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Looking for the perfect cranberry bread recipe? Look no further, because this cream cheese cranberry loaf is moist, flavorful, and quick to prepare! The tartness of the fresh cranberries is perfectly balanced with just enough sugar.
The addition of cream cheese keeps it luxuriously moist! This loaf is perfect with a morning cup of coffee, or to serve alongside a brunch spread.
Using seasonal ingredients, like cranberries, and adding them to a quickbread is a great way to bring optimal flavor to your home baking. Did we mention it even freezes well? This recipe is an absolute must-try!
Ingredients You’ll Need:
- All-purpose flour: standard all-purpose flour helps to keep this cranberry loaf light and fluffy
- Fresh cranberries: These can be found seasonally in your produce section. Frozen and thawed would work just as well.
- Granulated sugar: Granulated sugar cuts the tartness of the cranberries to create a balanced flavor
- Unsalted butter: Real butter is an absolute must!
- Cream cheese: Cream cheese helps to keep this cranberry loaf moist.
- Eggs: Any large eggs will do!
- Pure vanilla extract: Make sure to buy good, pure vanilla. This will be brown, not clear.
- Baking soda: Helps to leaven this loaf.
- Salt: Not only does this enhance flavor, but salt also tightens up the gluten structure, aiding in the beautiful crumb of this loaf.
*optional* demerara sugar: This is a larger crystal of sugar that can be sprinkled on top of the loaf before baking. This adds a nice little crunch to the top of the loaf, which makes this even more fun to eat!
How to Make Cranberry Loaf Bread:
This recipe is a very straightforward quick bread. It is a minimal effort, but a maximum payout kind of recipe!
First, sift the dry ingredients. Then, cream together the butter, cream cheese, and sugar, Beat in the eggs and vanilla, fold in the cranberries, dry the ingredients, and bake!
Lining your baking pans with parchment instead of cooking spray is much easier to clean up and there is NO risk of your baked goods sticking.
Tips to Make the Perfect Cranberry Bread:
- Do not overbake, set your timer!
- Do not overmix. Don’t worry about a lump or two in your batter, they will bake right out. Once the flour is added to the batter, be careful not to overmix, because the gluten will overdevelop and your cranberry loaf will be tough.
- If you can’t find fresh cranberries at your local grocery store, frozen will work just as well. Simply thaw them out in the fridge the night before baking.
- Always make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature for baking so that they can properly emulsify together. Adding cold ingredients would result in a broken batter that won’t look creamy and will not yield the best results.
How to Serve Cranberry Loaf:
This bread is absolutely fantastic on its own or alongside coffee. You could also toast it in the toaster and serve it with additional butter or jam! This recipe is absolutely begging to make an appearance at your next brunch!
Freezing Instructions:
Arguably, one of the best parts about this cranberry loaf is how well it freezes. Once cooled, simply wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and pop it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Best Ever Cream Cheese Cranberry Loaf
Yield: 8
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Baking Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Looking for the perfect cranberry bread recipe? Look no further, because this cream cheese cranberry loaf is moist, flavorful, and quick to prepare! The tartness of the fresh cranberries is perfectly balanced with just enough sugar.
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, room temperature
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen
- 1 Tablespoon demerara sugar *optional*
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F
- First, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer or with a handheld beater, cream together the sugar, butter, and cream cheese until it becomes fluffy and pale yellow in color.
- Beat in the eggs, two at a time, until well combined. Add the vanilla extract.
- Working in batches, beat in the dry ingredients. Do not overmix.
- Carefully stir in fresh cranberries
- Then pour the batter into a parchment-lined loaf pan.
- Sprinkle it with demerara sugar, if desired. Bake for 60-70 minutes. Serve warm, then enjoy the leftovers for up to five days!
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FAQs
If you're feeling a little nervous about the tartness of the cranberries, though, you could definitely chop them up to create smaller pieces throughout the cake.
What cheese pairs well with cranberries? ›
Pairing Notes
The 5 year aged cheddar pairs well with dried cranberries because of their tart slightly bitter taste, contrasting with the smooth cheese.
How to make cranberry sauce not bitter? ›
"Resist adding granulated sugar—you won't get the full effect unless you reheat the sauce and the sugar dissolves," writes Kelsey Kloss. "Instead, start by stirring in one tablespoon maple syrup and one teaspoon of a sweet drink like apple juice, orange juice, or fruity white or red wine. Add more to taste.
What happens if you overcook cranberry sauce? ›
If your cranberry sauce is too thick, it's most likely overcooked. When you cook cranberries (or any berries), they burst, releasing pectin—a natural thickener. The key to a perfect consistency is to allow some but not all of the cranberries to split open—something you'll achieve with less time on the stove.
Why should cranberries not be eaten raw? ›
Yes, raw cranberries are safe to consume raw, but you probably don't want to eat them that way. "Cranberries are safe to eat raw. However, usually they are cooked and have sugar added because of the bitter and sharp taste they have when raw," says Kelly West Keyser, a registered dietitian in Alabama.
How long to soak cranberries before baking? ›
Rehydrate the fruits: Dried fruits can be quite hard and dry, so it's often a good idea to rehydrate them before adding them to your baked goods. To do this, simply soak the dried fruits in warm water or fruit juice for 15-20 minutes until they are plump and tender.
What not to mix with cranberry? ›
Possible Interactions
- Warfarin (Coumadin): Cranberry may raise the risk of bleeding, especially if you already take medications to thin the blood such as warfarin. ...
- Aspirin: Like aspirin, cranberries contain salicylic acid. ...
- Other medications: Cranberry may interact with medications that are broken down by the liver.
One of our most popular and much-loved cheeses is Yorkshire Wensleydale & Cranberries. Described as 'sweet & fruity', creamy, crumbly Yorkshire Wensleydale cheese is carefully combined with the delicate fruity succulence of sweet cranberries.
What fruit goes best with cranberry? ›
Tart cranberries are the star of the show with chopped sweet apples, mandarin oranges, pineapple and toasted walnuts in a lightly sweet and zingy cranberry sauce. It is the perfect vibrant holiday table centerpiece. After one bite, you will find yourself making this delightful salad every Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Why does my homemade cranberry sauce taste bitter? ›
Dear Evelyn: I had the same problem when I first started making my own cranberry sauce. I found out that you should cook them just until they pop. Further cooking will make them bitter, and once that happens, you need to start again.
Add A Splash Of Vinegar
One of the best foils for bitter flavors are acidic ingredients, like citrus juices or vinegars. Their sharp tang counteracts bitter flavors without having to add extra sugar.
How to jazz up cranberry sauce? ›
Adding a teaspoon or two of fresh lemon or orange zest, a tablespoon of chopped candied peel, or even a splash of juice to your canned sauce will brighten flavors and bring in some homemade flavor.
Why is my cranberry sauce upside down? ›
The cans are "filled and labeled upside down with the rounded edge on top and the sharp can-like edge on the bottom to keep the jelly whole." This creates an air bubble vacuum on the rounded side (the top) so customers "can swipe the edge of the can with a knife to break the vacuum and the log will easily slide out."
What thickens cranberry sauce? ›
Try reducing the sauce down even further so more of the liquid cooks off and the mixture thickens. If that doesn't work, add a thickener like gelatin, pectin or a cornstarch slurry (cornstarch whisked into juice or water). Let the sauce cool before refrigerating to completely set.
How to soften cranberries for baking? ›
This is very simple, and works on any kind of dried fruit. Put your dried fruit in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Let it steep for 10 to 15 minutes, and then strain the fruit and discard the water. The fruit will be plumper, juicier, and softer.
Should dried cranberries be soaked before baking? ›
Soak Dried Fruits First
If you are planning on using dried fruits, it may be a good idea to soak them first. Dried fruits can lose up to 75% of their volume during the drying process according to cookinglight.com. Once they are mixed with the other ingredients they will begin to reabsorb the moisture around them.
Is it better to bake with fresh or frozen cranberries? ›
If cranberries are frozen then removed from the freezer then thawed, they will have a soft texture and are usable for cooking and baking. Adding frozen cranberries to recipes is often recommended.
