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December 6, 2018

Cranberry Nut Bread

Cranberry Nut Bread is a recipe to pull out during cranberry season! Find the recipe on Shutterbean.com

I made my Mom’s Cranberry Nut Bread the other day because I missed her and I wanted my house to smell like it did when I was a kid during Christmas time. My house is the one I grew up in, so the holidays are a real trip to experience as an adult with my own family.  What I remember about my childhood in this house is that my mom would get on these all-night benders of making holiday treats or gifts for family. The house would be in disarray. Counters start piling up with incoming and outgoing things. The dining room table was set up to wrap presents and address holiday cards.

So yeah, not much has changed over the years 😉

Cranberry Nut Bread is a recipe to pull out during cranberry season! Find the recipe on Shutterbean.com

8Three things were heavy in her tradition rotation- Rocky Road Fudge (I remember the red tin lined with wax paper she’d use) Cranberry Nut Bread (always wrapped in aluminum foil and a bow) and of course, her Sour Cream Coffee Cake (that my Dad would pick at before she served it spurring her “It looks like there’s a mouse in the house!” rant). When she got into a really good rhythm with the cranberry bread bake-fest, she would wrap up loaves and stash them in the freezer so she could have something to bring to whatever party she was invited to. I always thought that was weird until I started baking on my own and learned the beauty of pulling out something at a moment’s notice.  With all of the treats though,  I held out for all of the coffee cake.

Cranberry Nut Bread is a recipe to pull out during cranberry season! Find the recipe on Shutterbean.com

I wish I could thank her for her traditions and consistency. These treats became pillars around our holiday season. They helped mark the time of year. With everything recipe I make of hers, I keep her spirit going.  Her recipes help bring the magic of the season alive on our house.

I’m lucky I have them.

Cranberry Nut Bread is a recipe to pull out during cranberry season! Find the recipe on Shutterbean.com

This is a nice sweet/tart bread. The cranberries are chopped instead of left whole. It means there are bits of cranberries throughout and you won’t have that “oh my goodness I just bit into a big tangy cranberry make it stop!” feeling that can repel a small child.  My child won’t eat bread with nuts so I couldn’t even test the chopped cranberry trick on him. If he had his choice I’d make nothing but maple olive oil banana bread (with chocolate chips). Maybe he’ll make it one day on his own and think of me? One can only hope.

Let’s gather our ingredients.

If you are doing the shortening thing, it’s 2 tablespoons. But for me, I used butter.

Cranberry Nut Bread is a recipe to pull out during cranberry season! Find the recipe on Shutterbean.com

Mix dry + wet.

Cranberry Nut Bread is a recipe to pull out during cranberry season! Find the recipe on Shutterbean.com

Orange zest makes it citrusy! Well, that and the orange juice.

Cranberry Nut Bread is a recipe to pull out during cranberry season! Find the recipe on Shutterbean.com

In goes the cranberries and walnuts.

Chopping cranberries and walnuts go in.

Cranberry Nut Bread is a recipe to pull out during cranberry season! Find the recipe on Shutterbean.com

Batter goes in a prepared pan.

Cranberry Nut Bread is a recipe to pull out during cranberry season! Find the recipe on Shutterbean.com

Baked!

Cranberry Nut Bread is a recipe to pull out during cranberry season! Find the recipe on Shutterbean.com

Cut open and enjoy!

Cranberry Nut Bread is a recipe to pull out during cranberry season! Find the recipe on Shutterbean.com

Cranberry Nut Bread

makes 1  9×5 loaf

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 cup orange juice
  • 1 well-beaten egg
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • 1 cup cranberries coarsely chopped
  • 3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare a 9×5 baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Add orange juice, egg, melted butter, and orange zest to dry ingredients. Mix until well combined. Stir in cranberries and nuts. Bake in oven for 55-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center, comes out clean.

 

  • Pamela

    Hi Tracy, Would frozen cranberries work as a substitute for fresh? No fresh cranberries in Australia unfortunately. Thanks for sharing your moms recipe. I think it’s awesome a part of her will live on forever through her recipes that are being made in kitchens all over the world!!

    • Tracy

      Yes you could!

      • siri

        I was just going to ask this! We don’t have fresh cranberries in South Africa either, but I have a bag of frozen cranberries in the freezer and a beautiful orange in the fridge right now! I think I’m going to make a couple of mini loaves or muffins with this recipe for teacher gifts this week. Thanks, Tracy, and hooray for the amazing legacy your mom left you!

  • Ashlyn @ The Pedantic Foodie

    Looks delicious, Tracy! I love quick breads like this! Thank you for sharing! I am so glad you have these wonderful memories of your mom that live on. 🙂

  • Jess E

    Have you heard of the Keepsake Kitchen Diary? I have one from Lily and Val and my grandmother has been adding her favorite recipes to it, so I can keep them forever. It’s so great.

  • Lorin

    I assume I can sub pecans for the walnuts (hubs is allergic to walnuts) but have you ever made it entirely nut-free? I’m always looking for nut-free snacks I can make for the kids to take to school and they both love fruit bread.

  • Emily

    Thanks, this looks absolutely delicious, and a bit simpler than a similar recipes I’ve made in years past. Thank you for sharing your memories of your mom with us!

    • Emily

      I made it today and it’s excellent! The batter was a little thicker than I was expecting so I was really tempted to add a little more orange juice, but I refrained and it turned out perfectly. The top turns in to the yummiest, slightly crunchy crust.

  • K Burke

    I love family recipes. It’s the hand writing. I see the letters on the page and it transports me back to my grandmas, mother, aunts and mother-in-laws kitchens. All of the people who instilled the love of food and cooking in me. Can’t wait to try your moms cranberry bread.

  • Shaleen DeStefano

    Well now I’m crying. Oy! I often think about the recipes my children love and will remember. My holiday tradition is to bake Biscochitos. But two of their favorite meals come straight from you. The sausage, bean spinach soup and your Maple, Olive Oil banana bread. So thank you for that! Now, on to business…where can I get a “SHUTTERBEAN” spatula and one of those gorgeous bread pans?
    Sending you peace and love as you remember your mama this holiday season.
    xo,
    Shaleen

  • Julie

    I would like to make you mom’s cranberry nut bread, but I want to bake it in small loaf pans. How long should the smaller loaves bake?
    Thank you!

  • Amy Caputa

    Hi – My mom made a similar bread when I was young, which I had completely forgotten about until I saw your post! I made it yesterday and it’s just as good as I remember! Thank you!

  • Jane

    I want to thank you for sharing this recipe. I made it last year and this year people have requested it as a Christmas gift I have two loaves baking right now and my home smells delicious.

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