Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Bread

Why I Love This Holiday Sweet Bread

You'll love the tender yet sturdy crumb of this loaf that's just sweet enough without being overwhelming. Packed with juicy, tart cranberries and plenty of fresh orange flavor, you'll be making this cranberry orange bread for the holidays and all winter long! It's easily made dairy-free as well as refined sugar-free if needed. And, it's a one-bowl recipe! Some highlights include:

• Just one bowl is needed. I mean, I could sing the praises of one-bowl quick breads all day long. They are SO easy!
• So holidayish. Pick up extra bags of cranberries in November and stash them in the freezer so you can make this recipe all throughout the holidays.
• Easily gluten free. If you've been missing cranberry bread since you've gone gluten free, you will be so happy with this gorgeous gluten free recipe.

Ingredient Notes

I love this recipe because you need just one gluten-free flour. Can you guess what it is? Yes! My favorite oat flour. Here's a list of all the ingredients needed to make this lovely loaf. The full ingredient amounts and detailed instructions are in the recipe card lower down.

• Oat flour - Learn how to make oat flour or pick up a package. If you can't eat oat flour, try an equal amount by weight of sorghum flour, brown rice flour, or 1:1 gluten-free flour.
• Granulated sugar
• Leavening agents - Baking powder and baking soda - check to make sure they're fresh.
• Salt - I always use fine sea salt in my recipes.
• Butter - Use unsalted butter.
• Eggs - Large eggs at room temperature easily blend into the batter.
• Orange - You'll use 1 orange for juice and zest.
• Cranberries - Use fresh or frozen cranberries.

Variation Ideas

• Make it dairy-free - Use your favorite non-dairy butter or coconut oil for the butter.
• Go refined sugar-free - Swap in coconut sugar or maple sugar for the granulated sugar to make this orange cranberry bread refined sugar-free.
• Add nuts - Cranberry orange bread often contains walnuts, and while I didn't add them to this recipe, I encourage you to do so! They bring a wonderful crunch and flavor contrast to the loaf.
• Make it a lemon cranberry bread - I love turning this into a lemon cranberry loaf! Simple substitute the orange juice and zest for lemon juice and zest.

More Cranberry Bread Tips

• Bake it in a metal pan - Did you know that a metal loaf pan helps bread - whether it be traditional bread or quick bread - cook more evenly? So if you own a metal loaf pan, use it to bake this gluten free cranberry orange bread, it will help it turn out even better.
• Make it ahead - This bread freezes beautifully, making it a great candidate for batch baking. I've outlined how to store it lower down, so go ahead and stash a loaf in your freezer to have on hand whenever you need it.
• Use small loaf pans - I love to divide the batter between mini baking loaf pans and give some away (or I'll save them for later). You will be able to get about 3 mini loaves out of this recipe.
• Oat flour substitute - You can use 2 cups of all-purpose flour for the oat flour, or try 2 cups of your favorite 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. If you prefer, you can swap sorghum or teff flour by weight (250 grams) for the oat flour.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this gluten-free bread plain with a nice, hot cup of tea, or spread a little softened (salted!) butter over individual slices. I also like a bit of cream cheese for a tangy flavor touch. I love slightly warm slices of bread in the morning for a quick breakfast, or I'll nibble on a slice for an afternoon snack.

If you feel like doing a bit more, you could make a simple orange glaze to drizzle over the finished cake. Whisk together 4 tablespoons of freshly squeezed orange juice with ¼ cup of sifted powdered sugar, then pour it over the top of the loaf after it's cooled.

Storage Options

Cranberry orange bread keeps well, always appreciated in gluten-free baked goods! And, you can freeze it for another time. Here's how to store it:

• Counter - Cover the loaf in foil and store it on the counter for up to 3 days.
• Fridge - Wrap the loaf in plastic and keep it in the fridge for up to 7 days.
• Freezer - This gluten free cranberry orange bread freezes beautifully! Wrap loaves in plastic wrap, then foil, and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the bread in the fridge before serving.