Cranberry Nut Bread

Cranberry bread in spring?  I know.  I am a little unconventional, but this bread is so good that it should be enjoyed more often than Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Unlike some families, fresh cranberries and cranberry sauce were never an important, holiday food at our house. My grandma served a canned of cranberry sauce at Christmas one year when I was a kid.  I remember trying it–because I thought it was jello.  Expecting it to be sweet strawberry jello, I was completely shocked and disgusted. 

I didn’t try cranberries again until I was all grown up with kids of my own.  I bought a bag of fresh cranberries at the store.  When I tasted one, I was shocked with the bitter, sour taste.  But being someone who hates wasting food, I decided to try the recipe on the bag–Classic Cranberry Nut Bread.

Best. Sweet Bread. Ever.

Now, our family looks forward to cranberries.  The combination of orange-flavored sweet bread, tart cranberries, and rich almonds is amazing.  We buy several bags of cranberries so we can enjoy them through the holiday season.  The bread freezes well (the cranberries, by themselves, also freeze great), and we just enjoyed the last frozen loaf from the holidays.

It isn’t my recipe, but it is dairy-free without any changes.  So, if you love cranberries….or if you think you don’t like them…..you need to give this recipe from Ocean Spray a try. 

Classic Cranberry Nut Bread

• 2 c flour
• 1 c sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 cup orange juice
• 2 Tbl oil
• 1 egg, beaten
• Zest from one orange
• 1 1/2 c fresh or frozen cranberries, coarsely chopped (although I just add them whole)*
• 1/2 c chopped nuts (I use almonds)

Mix dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda) with a whisk.  Add wet ingredients and zest (orange juice, oil, egg. Mix well.  (I don’t use a whisk here–just a spoon or fork or my stand mixer).  Stir in fruit and nuts. Spread evenly in loaf pan 9″x5″ or 2 3″x6″.  I usually double the batch (cause it is so yummy, and there are 9 of us) and bake it my 4″x 12″ long loaf pan, and some smaller ones for little snacks.

*I used to chop them up, but trying to chop up little, round, rolling fruits isn’t easy, and it works well just to add them whole.  Slicing it after freezing it, and when it is starting to thaw will give you a clean cut without mushing the berries. 

Happy Baking!