There's something magical about pulling a warm loaf of Christmas Bread from the oven on a chilly December morning. The smell of orange zest and cranberries fills the house and instantly makes it feel like Christmas. This festive quick bread is soft, moist, and beautifully sweet - perfect for Christmas breakfast, brunch, or gifting to friends and neighbors.
Why This Recipe is the Best
This is a true traditional Christmas Bread - simple, beautiful, and full of nostalgic flavor. The orange zest adds brightness, the cranberries bring a tart pop that balances the sweetness, and the glaze gives it that perfect bakery-style finish. We love that it's a quick bread recipe, meaning no yeast, no rising time, and no fuss. It's the best kind of holiday baking: simple, reliable, and festive enough for any celebration.
For more Christmas flavors and smells, try our Christmas Jam, Molasses Cookies, and Gingerbread Loaf.
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Key Ingredients
We love how this bread uses simple yet flavorful ingredients for this easy and quick Christmas Bread.
- Milk- Stick with 2% or whole milk for proper richness. Avoid using skim if possible.
- Cranberries- And don't forget to drain and dry your cranberries well if you're using thawed frozen ones - extra moisture can affect the texture.
- Orange Zest- You don't want to skip this ingredient! It makes for a very Christmas-flavored bread.
How to make Christmas Bread
Learn how to mix easy Christmas Bread with these easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions.
- Add the zest and sugar to a bowl. Press the zest and sugar together with your fingers to help infuse the zest flavor.
- Add the other dry ingredients to the bowl and whisk together. Cut in the cold butter. Add the wet ingredients and whisk until just combine.
- Pour batter into a metal bread pan and spread the dough out with a rubber spatula. Bake for 35 minutes at 350° F.
- While the bread cools, mix together sugar, orange juice and zest. Pour on top of the cake, cut and serve.
Hint: Cook your Christmas Bread in a metal loaf pan instead of glass for the best texture. Glass conducts heat differently and often leaves the center gummy.
Common Mistakes
The most common mistake when making this bread is overmixing the batter. It's important to stir just until the ingredients are combined - any more and the bread becomes dense instead of light and soft.
Top tip
Rub the orange zest into the sugar before mixing it into the dry ingredients. This releases the oils in the zest and infuses the bread with more orange flavor. It's a small step that makes a big difference!
Recipe
Quick and Easy Christmas Bread
Ingredients
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- zest from 1 large orange
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour fluffed, measured then scraped flat
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 4 Tablespoons butter cold
- 1 large egg
- ⅔ cup milk 2% or whole, see note 1
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 Tablespoon orange juice
- ¾ cup cranberries cut in half, see notes 3 and 4
Orange Glaze:
- ¾ cups powdered sugar
- 1 Tablespoon orange juice
- ½ teaspoon orange zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a 9x5 loaf pan and set aside. Cut cranberries and set aside.
- Place sugar and zest into a bowl and press the zest into the sugar with your fingers. This helps the orange flavor really soak in. Add flour, salt and baking powder and whisk to combine. Remove butter from fridge and cut into cubes. Cut the cold, cubed butter into the dry ingredients. I like to use my hands for this, but a fork or cut-in also work well. If you use your hands, push the butter into the flour with your fingers.
- Place egg in a separate bowl and whisk for about 30 seconds. Add milk, orange juice and vanilla. Whisk lightly to combine.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, using a folding motion and a spatula. Mix until about 90% combined. Add the cranberries and fold only until combined. Be very careful not to over mix. See note 5.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out, being very careful not to overwork the batter. This will keep it light and fluffy.
- Place in oven and bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool completely then combine powdered sugar, orange juice and zest together and pour over the top. Garnish with tiny bits of chopped cranberry, if desired.
Notes
- I highly recommend using 2% or whole milk in this recipe. Baking is a science and some of the fat in this recipe comes from the milk.
- To use butter instead of oil, melt ½ cup butter and allow to cool a minute or 2. Then use the same as the oil. This will make your bread a bit richer and a bit firmer.
- I like cutting about ½ of mine into halves and the other half into quarters for a variety of sizes.
- For a lot of cranberries, feel free to increase cranberries up to 1 ¼ cups, if desired.
- It is crucial not to over mix this recipe! If you over mix it will be dense and tough instead of light, fluffy and moist.
Nutrition
Variations and Substitutions
Cranberry orange is a classic flavor combo, but there are so many fun variations you can try.
- Fruit Swap- Swap the cranberries for chopped fresh or frozen cherries, raspberries, or blueberries for a twist on the traditional flavor.
- Nuts-Add a handful of chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts for crunch.
- White Chocolate- Drizzle white chocolate over the top for a dessert-like finish.
- Mini Loaf- For a festive touch, bake the batter in mini loaf pans - they make perfect Christmas bread gifts for friends and neighbors.
Storing Christmas Bread
Store your Christmas Bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, wrap tightly and refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.
If freezing, skip the glaze until after thawing and serving. Warm a slice in the microwave for 10-15 seconds for that fresh-baked feel.
FAQ
Christmas Bread is a traditional sweet loaf often enjoyed around the holidays. It's similar to a quick bread or coffee cake and can include festive flavors like orange, cranberry, or spice.
It's easy! Combine your dry ingredients, then cut in the butter until crumbly. Mix in the wet ingredients just until combined, fold in the cranberries, and bake until golden. Once cooled, drizzle with the orange glaze for a beautiful finish.
Cranberry Orange Bread is one of the most popular, but other great gift ideas include Eggnog Bread, Gingerbread Loaf, or Spiced Apple Bread. Mini loaves wrapped in ribbon make perfect edible gifts.
Yes! Just be sure to thaw and drain them very well. You can even blot them dry with a paper towel to avoid adding excess moisture to the batter.
Absolutely. This recipe doubles beautifully. You can make one loaf to enjoy and one to gift - it's a holiday win-win!
Andrea says
This has the best Christmas flavor! And it makes the house smell AMAZING!