This Cranberry Orange Walnut Bread is bursting with fresh cranberries, orange juice and zest, and roasted walnuts. Topped with a bright and citrusy orange and walnut glaze, it’s the perfect treat for the holiday season!
I love the combination of orange and cranberries! It’s so bright and cheerful! And this Cranberry Orange Walnut Bread is amazing!
It has a moist, tender, buttery crumb. Studded with fresh cranberries, walnuts, and flecks of orange zest, it’s bursting with flavor.
To top it all off is an Orange Walnut Glaze. It’s very citrusy, but not too tangy. Just vibrant and refreshing. The walnuts are coated in the glaze making them almost like orange candy-coated nuts.
To make this Cranberry Orange Walnut Bread, butter is cut into the dry ingredients. This can be done by hand with a pastry cutter or in a food processor.
The wet ingredients are gently mixed into the dry ingredients, and the chopped cranberries and roasted chopped walnuts are folded in.
It is baked in a 350 degree F oven for about an hour, until it is golden brown.
It's left to cool and then glazed with the Orange Walnut Glaze.
Enjoy! Don't forget to pin for later!
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Recipe
Cranberry Orange Walnut Bread with Orange Walnut Glaze
Ingredients
- ¾ cup + ½ cup walnuts 85g and 57g
- 2 eggs
- Zest of 1 orange finely minced
- ¾ cup orange juice 160g
- ⅓ cup sour cream 78g
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 283g
- 1 cup sugar 198g
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 8 tablespoons butter cold (113g)
- 1 ½ cups fresh cranberries roughly chopped
- 2 cups confectioner’s icing sugar (240g)
- Zest of 1 orange finely minced
- 6 - 7 tablespoons fresh orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Coat a 9-inch by 5-inch nonstick loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. (If your pan is not nonstick, either coat with butter and flour, or line with parchment, leaving an overhang to lift the bread out after baking.)
For the walnuts:
- Roast walnuts on a baking sheet for a few minutes until they are toasty and fragrant. Be careful not to over-darken them.
- Remove from oven and chop coarsely.
For the Cranberry Orange Walnut Bread:
- Whisk the eggs in a medium sized bowl. Add the orange zest, orange juice, sour cream, and vanilla and whisk to combine.
- Combine the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in a large mixing bowl or bowl of food processor.
- Cut the butter into small cubes.
- With a pastry cutter, or pulsing with a food processor, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it is the texture of a coarse meal. (See photo)
- Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until just combined. Do not over mix.
- Gently fold in the chopped cranberries and ¾ cup roasted walnuts.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for about an hour, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- Let cool 5 minutes, then remove from pan. Let cool on baking rack.
- When cake is cool, spoon over some of the glaze. Let sit for a few minutes, then spoon over more of the glaze. Any leftover glaze can be served on the side with the bread.
For the Orange Walnut Glaze:
- Combine confectioner’s sugar, orange zest, and orange juice in a bowl. Add the juice slowly until the desired consistency is reached, like a thick syrup. You may not use all of the juice. Whisk until smooth.
- Stir in ½ cup roasted walnuts.
Notes
- If you'd like to make this ahead and freeze, don't add the glaze and nuts until thawed and ready to serve.
Lorraine Roy says
Me again. I wanted to know if we can freeze this bread. My grand-daughter and I made 2 last year and they were big hit with everyone at Christmas. I want to make them again this year but in advance. Can I freeze them with the icing or should I wait and defrost them before putting the icing? How long do they last in the fridge and the freezer? Thank you Kelly
Kelly says
Hi Lorraine! They will last 3-4 days in the fridge and 3-4 months in the freezer. It’s best to add the icing after thawing. So happy you liked them! Thanks so much!
Lorraine Roy says
I made two breads last Christmas. They were delicious and everyone loved them. This year I would like to do the same but a couple of weeks before Christmas. Can I freeze these breads? If so, should I wait until they are defrosted before putting on the glaze or can I freeze them with the glaze? How long can I keep them in the fridge and how long in the freezer?
Kelly says
Hi Lorraine, They can be frozen before the glaze is put on for about 2 months.
Lorraine Roy says
My grand-daughter made 2 just before Christmas. I helped in cutting the cranberries. (Hi Hi) I gave 2 slices to each of my family as well as some friends along with other Christmas cookies in Cookie boxes. Everyone loved the breads. So refreshing. This recipe is a keeper as is. Thank you
Kelly says
So happy you liked it, Lorraine! Thanks so much!
Lorraine Roy says
Can I substitute the walnuts for pecans. Would it be as good? It is just because I have the pecans.
Thank you. This looks absolutely delicious
Kelly says
Hi Lorraine! Yes, it would be as good. Thanks so much!
Pat says
Can you use craisens instead of real cranberries??
Kelly says
Hi Pat, that should be fine.
Dorothy says
Thank you for sharing this recipe! It is magnificent! I’ll be making this for years to come.
Kelly says
So happy you liked it, Dorothy! Thanks so much!