Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Quick Bread

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At this time of year when we’re transitioning from fall recipes to winter confections, I love turning to gluten free cranberry orange quick bread to bridge the gap.

I’m never one to let go of pumpkin — the flavor, the color, the nutrition — there are really so many things to love about pumpkin. But the tart pop from gorgeous cranberries is something I look forward to in my recipes for months leading up to winter. Cranberries make it easier for me to let go of pumpkin.

This recipe post is a little different for a couple reasons: first, I’m giving you two recipe choices; second, I’ve invited a guest blogger to share her recipe here because it kicks cranberry bootie.

Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Quick Bread

Seriously, I’ve tried her gluten free cranberry orange bread recipe (multiple times) and it’s the best. The bomb. The bomb-diggity, as my kids have been known to say. Or maybe that was me; it’s hard to keep up with the cool phrases.

If you’re looking for a low-fat, oil-free pumpkin version of cranberry bread, I highly recommend you check out this recipe I created for e-how. You can find it by clicking on the video photo link below.

 

Jules video for ehow making gluten free cranberry pumpkin orange bread

If you’re looking for the best, bomb-diggity gluten free cranberry orange quick bread, allow me to introduce you to Karen, the blogger behind Healthy Gluten Free Family.

I saw this picture of her bread on Instagram and I literally (yes, I mean literally) dropped everything and went into my kitchen to make it myself. In fact, we were out of orange juice, so I literally (yes, I mean literally) juiced fresh oranges just so I could make this recipe immediately. And it didn’t disappoint.

Karen's Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Quick Bread
@HealthyGFfamily’s Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Quick Bread

Here’s Karen’s take on her soon-to-be-famous Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Quick Bread:

What’s your favorite holiday food? Of all the holiday food traditions my family has (and coming from a big Italian family there are many!), this Cranberry-Orange Quick Bread is my absolute favorite!  It makes its first appearance at our holiday table on Thanksgiving, then has a starring role as a Christmas morning treat. 

I’ve loved this bread since I was a child because it’s moist, not too sweet or tart, and has a slight orange flavor.  As a cook, I love that it’s made with recognizKaren's Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Quick Breadable ingredients and pantry staples, it’s low fat and it’s packed with goodness like chopped walnuts, orange zest and lots of fresh cranberries. As a bonus, the bread smells amazing when it’s baking and gives the house a festive feel!

Now for a shameless (and unsolicited!) plug about gfJules Gluten Free Flour: My son was diagnosed with celiac disease over six years ago and we’ve been loyal users of gfJules Flour ever since.  

 

gfJules Gluten Free All Purpose Flour is a blend that allows us to substitute one for one directly into any family recipe without any further thought.  Given the importance of food traditions in my family, it is truly a lifesaver!  

This Cranberry Bread recipe works so well with gfJules Flour the rest of the family says they do not notice any difference!

Gluten free cranberry orange bread

Are you ready to try this next-level gluten free cranberry orange quick bread? Aside from chopping the cranberries (and nuts if you’re using them), the recipe practically makes itself. Ok, well not actually, but that’s why it’s called a “quick bread.” 

There’s no yeast, so no rise time, you mix it up almost like cookie dough or cake batter, scoop it into the pan, smooth the top and let the oven do the rest.

gluten free cranberry orange bread batter

This batter is thick, so don’t be put off about that.

The cranberries add more moisture as they bake and make the perfect texture for this delicious quick bread.

gluten free cranberry bread in pan
Gluten Free Cranberry-Orange Quick Bread in Emile Henry fluted pan.

 

It’s done when the top resists a light touch, it’s browning nicely, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few wet crumbs. Be sure to test in a few spots so you’re not hitting a cranberry!

If you’re like my family, there’s no waiting around for this yummy bread to cool — you’re just gonna want to dive in.

gluten free cranberry orange quick bread on board with knife

 

Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Quick Bread

Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Quick Bread

Yield: 1 large loaf
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups flour (we use gfJules Flour)
  • 1  cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 cup butter or vegan butter (we used Earth Balance®)
  • 3/4 cup orange juice
  • 1 egg, well beaten
  • 2 cups fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped (may use frozen berries)
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts (optional)
  • 1 Tbs. orange zest

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Whisk all dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles a coarse cornmeal (Jules note: or use paddle attachment on a stand mixer and mix just until butter forms small pebbles throughout).

In a separate bowl, combine orange juice, orange rind and egg (Jules note: fresh squeezed OJ is amazing, but not required). 

Pour all at once into dry ingredients, mixing just enough to dampen. Carefully fold in the nuts & cranberries.

Spoon into a lightly oiled or oiled and GF floured 9″ or 10″ loaf pan. Spread corners and sides slightly higher.

Bake for 1 hour. A knife should come out of the center cleanly. (Jules note: in my oven this loaf baked for 67 minutes; begin checking with a toothpick at 1 hour and remove when toothpick comes out with only crumbs attached and no wet batter.)

Remove to cool on a wire rack before slicing.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment (and maybe even a picture!) below or share a photo on Instagram! Be sure to tag me! @gfJules

 

You’re definitely going to want to double this recipe if you plan on sharing!

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gluten free cranberry orange quick bread |gfJules

Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Quick Bread

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  1. Huh! Except for the gluten free flour, this is an EXACT COPY of Ocean Spray’s “Classic Cranberry Nut Bread,” maybe I read the post so fast I missed the attribution?

    Reply
    • Hi Nonya, I have no idea about that. It’s a guest blogger’s recipe — it’s from Healthy Gluten Free Family (that’s the attribution given).
      ~jules

      Reply
  2. I am fairly new to bread making (esp GF breadmaking after Celiac diagnosis) and I made this bread a few days ago. The flavor is pretty good but I got this line of demarcation in the bread and it seems a density line basically. What went awry?

    PXL_20210125_195426016

    Reply
    • Hi Cade, thanks for attaching the photo — your bread actually looks very yummy!! I think I see what you’re talking about, density-wise, and that’s usually caused by a moisture or under-cooking issue. Are you certain that your oven is the correct temperature? One way to check is to buy an oven thermometer and place it in different places in your oven to be sure that it is actually baking at the appropriate temperature. You can usually find these in the baking aisle at the grocery store or on-line, of course. Next, look to measuring dry ingredients: be sure to either weigh or use cups, not liquid measuring vessels. Scoop and level, if using cups. Try to make sure you don’t over-mix gluten free batters, and test for doneness with a toothpick before removing from the oven (look for dry crumbs, not a wet toothpick). Also be sure to use the exact ingredients called for by the recipe, especially the flour, as all gluten free flour blends are so different! Here are some more baking tips that should help.
      ~jules

      Reply
  3. This was unbelievably good!! We had it for breakfast for a few days. Toasted with a little butter, sugar and cinnamon on top! Thank you for the recipe!

    Reply
    • Fantastic to hear, Joy! I’m really glad to know you enjoyed this quick bread. It’s one of my favorites for the season!
      ~jules

      Reply
  4. Can this be made ahead of time and stored for a day to add the cranberries the next day? I’m driving to family 2 hours away Christmas Eve evening and want to get up Christmas morning to bake this.

    Reply
    • Hi KC, not sure what you mean about adding the cranberries the next day? The bread made with my gfJules Flour will stay nice and moist and fresh for several days, so it makes it easy to travel!
      ~jules

      Reply
    • Hi Deanna, unfortunately not. Coconut flour doesn’t work as a stand-alone flour in recipes like this, and it also absorbs lots more liquid so the recipe would need to be adjusted for that, as well. Here’s some more information on gluten free flours to help you find a blend that will work for you.
      ~jules

      Reply
        • Hi Paula, you may, but the texture will be different and there won’t be enough moisture as the recipe is written. The recipe counts on the moisture from the non-dried berries to help add moisture to the bread. If all you have is dried cranberries, you’ll want to add more liquid to the recipe so that the dough isn’t too awfully stiff and dry. It’ll be hard to guess exactly how much to add without having made it the first time with whole cranberries, so I hesitate to recommend it. Sorry!
          ~jules

          Reply
        • Hi Paula, yes! You can absolutely bake these as mini loaves. I would estimate that they would need about 30 minutes bake time, but it depends on exactly the size of the mini pans and how deep you fill them. Keep an eye on them and start checking around 25 minutes. Enjoy!
          ~jules

          Reply
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