Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Bread
This gluten free cranberry orange bread is packed with tart cranberries, sweet orange juice, and wholesome oat flour for a simple seasonal treat that’s welcome all winter long!
Why You’ll Love This Orange Cranberry Bread Recipe
Cranberry and orange is a classic winter/holiday pairing for good reason – the sweetness of the orange perfectly balances the tartness of the berries, making for juicy bursts of flavor in every bite. This gluten free cranberry orange bread needs just one gluten-free flour to make plus a few other simple ingredients to round it out. It’s easily made dairy-free as well as refined sugar-free if needed. And, it’s a one-bowl recipe!
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 gluten free cranberry orange bread all season long.
What You’ll Need
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 – Gluten-free oat flour is the only flour needed to bake this bread.
- Sugar
- Leavening agents – Baking powder and baking soda.
- Salt – I always use fine sea salt in my recipes.
- Butter – Use unsalted butter.
- Eggs
- Orange juice – Freshly squeezed oj is nice, but you can use store-bought orange juice.
- Orange zest
- Cranberries – Use fresh or frozen cranberries.
How to Make Cranberry Orange Bread
- Prepare: Preheat the oven and grease a loaf pan.
- Make batter: Whisk together the dry ingredients, then cut in the butter. Add the eggs, juice, and zest, then fold in the cranberries.
- Bake: Place in the oven and bake until the cake is golden brown and set
- Cool: Let the bread cool in the pan, then cool completely on a wire rack.
Tips & Variations
Here are a few variation ideas to try, plus some easy tips for how to make this beautiful and gluten-free quick bread:
- Bake 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.
- 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.
How to Serve
Serve this gluten-free orange cranberry 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 1/4 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.
More Cranberry Recipes
Gluten Free Orange Cranberry Bread
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups oat flour 250 grams
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter , at room temperature
- 2 large eggs , beaten
- ¾ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 teaspoon fresh grated orange zest
- 1 cup cranberries , fresh or frozen
Instructions
- Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350℉. Grease a 9×5-inch metal loaf pan and line it with a strip of parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together oat flour sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add chunks of butter and work the butter into the flour with your fingers.
- Stir in the eggs, orange juice, and orange zest and gently mix together to incorporate. Fold in the cranberries.
- Place in the oven and bake until the cake is golden brown and set, about 70-75 minutes. The edges should start slightly coming away from the sides of the pan and a tester inserted in the center should come out clean.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.