Gluten-Free Cranberry Orange Bread

gluten-free cranberry bread sliced and arranged on a wire cooling rack

Meaningful Eats

Gluten-Free Cranberry Orange Bread

This sweet gluten-free cranberry orange bread is dotted with fresh, tart cranberries and topped with a zesty orange citrus glaze! It's the perfect treat for the holiday season.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1

Author Erin Collins

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups (262g) gluten-free measure-for-measure flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt

Wet Ingredients:

3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs room temperature
⅓ cup (80ml) neutral oil I use grapeseed oil
1/4 cup (60ml) milk of choice I use almond milk
1/4 cup (60ml) freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tablespoon orange zest about the zest of 1 orange
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract
1 cup (100g) fresh cranberries rinsed and patted dry
1 tablespoon gluten-free measure-for-measure flour

Orange Glaze:

1 ½ cups (180g) powdered sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice plus more if needed
1 teaspoon orange zest optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8×4-inch loaf pan (I use this one!) with nonstick spray. Set aside.

Make the Bread

In a large bowl, whisk the gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together until combined. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, eggs, oil, milk, orange juice, orange zest, vanilla extract and almond extract.
In a small bowl, stir together the cranberries and 1 tablespoon of flour.
Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix together with a rubber spatula until no dry streaks remain. Gently fold in the floured cranberries. Pour/spoon batter into the prepared loaf pan.
Bake for 45-60 minutes, making sure to loosely cover the bread with aluminum foil halfway through to prevent the top from getting too brown. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with only a few small moist crumbs. All ovens vary, so begin checking every 5 minutes around the 45-minute mark.
Remove the cranberry bread from the oven and allow the bread to cool in the pan set on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Remove the bread from the pan and place the loaf directly on the wire rack to cool completely.

Make the Glaze

In a small bowl, whisk the orange glaze ingredients together. Adjust the consistency with more orange juice or more powdered sugar as needed to make a thick, but pourable glaze. Drizzle over the cooled bread. Let the glazed bread sit for a few minutes before slicing. Slice and enjoy!

Notes

Gluten-free Flour: I tested the recipe using Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour with excellent results. King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure-for-Measure Flour should work too.

Oranges: I use 2 large oranges to make this bread. Zest the oranges before you squeeze out the juice for ease.

Cranberries: I slightly prefer fresh cranberries, but frozen cranberries will also work!

To Make-Ahead: Prep the dry and wet mixtures 1 day in advance and combine when ready to bake. Store the dry ingredients separate from the wet ingredients in airtight containers in the fridge.

To Store: Let cool, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap or an airtight container. Store for up to 3 days at room temperature or up to 1 week in the fridge.

To Freeze: Let cool, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap before storing in a freezer bag or airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 1-2 hours.

Nutrition