Perfect for holiday baking, this gorgeous gluten free cranberry lemon bread is studded with tart, juicy pops of cranberries. Add in the zest of one whole lemon, and you've got the makings of a Christmas morning treasure.
I love cranberries in December! This pretty, lemon-scented loaf does not disappoint. Using my gluten free lemon yogurt cake recipe as a base, I stir in plenty of cranberries for seasonal color and bake the batter either in mini loaf pans (as shown) for edible holiday gifts, or as one large loaf for holiday breakfasting.
When I'm feeling fancy, I drizzle a bit of lemon glaze over the top, but, like a gluten free cranberry cake or a batch of gluten free cranberry scones, the star of the show is the fresh cranberries. In winter, it's their moment, so let them shine.
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Why I Love This Pretty Loaf
Cranberries are so special, in part because they are only available fresh during a short season. I love to make the most of them in all the pretty bakes, and this loaf is one of my favorites. It's:
- Made in one bowl. A true holiday gift, this recipe needs just one bowl to make, helping keep clean-up quick and the prep smooth and easy.
- Wonderful contrasting flavors. Lemon and cranberry go so beautifully together because they are both a mix of sweet and tart! But don't worry - there's enough sugar here so that the loaf is perfectly sweet enough.
- Great for holiday gifts. I love baking mini loaves of this cranberry lemon bread, stashing them in the freezer, and giving them as gluten-free edible holiday gifts!
Ingredients Needed
I've outlined what you need for this loaf below. Make sure to scroll down to my recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full ingredient amounts and instructions!
- Lemon - Use the zest of one whole lemon. Any variety is fine.
- Granulated sugar
- Yogurt - I like to use whole milk plain yogurt, but you can use low-fat or non-fat yogurt, too.
- Eggs - Large eggs are best.
- Gluten-free flour - I developed this recipe using my homemade gluten free flour blend, but
- Baking powder
- Salt - I use fine sea salt or table salt.
- Vegetable oil - Substitute canola oil or melted coconut oil as needed.
- Cranberries - Fresh or frozen cranberries work great! I like to buy fresh cranberries and store them in the freezer so that I can make this bread whenever. Bonus: you don't have to defrost the cranberries first.
Variation Suggestions
- Try orange zest - For that classic cranberry-orange combo, swap the lemon zest for orange zest.
- Dairy-free - Make this bread dairy-free by substituting the yogurt for non-dairy yogurt.
- Any size goes - Bake the batter in mini loaf pans as shown, use a standard-size loaf, or make it in an 8x8-inch square cake pan!
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here's an overview in photos of how
1. Combine sugar and lemon: Mix lemon zest and sugar together in a large bowl.
2. Finish batter: Stir in the remaining ingredients.
3. Rest batter: Pour the batter into a greased and lined standard-size loaf pan or 3 mini loaf pans and rest it while the oven heats.
4. Bake: Place in a 350F oven for about 35-40 minutes, then cool completely.
Baking Tip: Make it a Cake!
This recipe takes very well to being made in a cake pan for a more formal presentation. Bake the batter in an 8 or 9-inch cake pan (note that the baking time may change).
Then, make a vanilla buttercream frosting or salted caramel frosting and spread it thickly atop the cooled cake. You could also double the recipe and make it into a 2-layer filled and frosted cake.
Tips & Recipe Notes
- Fresh or frozen cranberries are best! Real (not dried) cranberries give that wonderful juicy pop! And if you use frozen cranberries, there's no need to defrost them first; you can just stir them in frozen.
- However, in a pinch, use dried cranberries. If absolutely needed, try 1 cup of chopped dried cranberries for the fresh. Add ⅓ cup chopped walnuts for crunch. This will be a lemony version of my gluten free cranberry walnut bread.
- Slice the berries inhalf. If you like, you can cut each cranberry in half so that the cranberry flavor is not quite so pronounced in each bite.
- Make a quick glaze. Whisk 1 cup of sifted powdered sugar with 2-3 tablespoons of freshly-squeezed lemon juice to form a drizzly glaze to drip over the top of the loaf.
- Try my version with all-purpose flour. For a non-gluten-free version of this bread, try my equally easy lemon cranberry bread recipe!
Storage Options
- Counter - Cover the loaf with foil or place it in an airtight container and store it on the counter for up to 3 days.
- Fridge - Keep the loaf in the fridge for up to 7 days.
- Freezer - Wrap the loaf in a layer of plastic, then a layer of foil, and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before serving.
More Gluten Free Cranberry Recipes
Happy baking! If you make this recipe, I'd love to know. Please leave a comment below, reach out with any questions, and tag me on Instagram @Cucina Nicolina ❤️
Recipe
Gluten Free Cranberry Lemon Bread
Ingredients
For the cake:
- ½ cup plain full-fat yogurt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ¾ cups gluten free flour (210 grams)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup oil
- 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
Instructions
- Grease a standard-size loaf pan or 3 mini loaf pans (as shown), and line the bottom with parchment paper. Leave a few inches of paper on each side for easy removal later.
- In a large bowl, combine the ½ cup plain full-fat yogurt, 1 cup granulated sugar, and 3 large eggs, stirring and whisking until well blended. Add the 1 ¾ cups gluten free flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, mixing just to combine. Add the ½ cup oil and stir well to incorporate. Keep stirring until it forms a smooth batter. Fold in the 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries. Pour and scrape the batter into the prepared pan.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ and rest the batter while the oven heats, then place in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool cake on a rack for about 20 minutes; then turn out of the pan to cool completely.
Notes
- Fresh or frozen cranberries are best! Real (not dried) cranberries give that wonderful juicy pop! And if you use frozen cranberries, there's no need to defrost them first; you can just stir them in frozen.
- However, in a pinch, use dried cranberries. If absolutely needed, try 1 cup of chopped dried cranberries for the fresh. Add ⅓ cup chopped walnuts for crunch. This will be a lemony version of my gluten free cranberry walnut bread.
- Slice the berries inhalf. If you like, you can cut each cranberry in half so that the cranberry flavor is not quite so pronounced in each bite.
- Make a quick glaze. Whisk 1 cup of sifted powdered sugar with 2-3 tablespoons of freshly-squeezed lemon juice to form a drizzly glaze to drip over the top of the loaf.
- Try my version with all-purpose flour. For a non-gluten-free version of this bread, try my equally easy lemon cranberry bread recipe!
I'd love to hear from you! Please leave me a note.