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Cranberry Orange Banana Bread

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This easy, moist cranberry orange banana bread is bursting with bright citrus, sweet bananas, and tangy cranberries. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a festive snack, it’s a crowd-pleasing loaf that’s simple to make and full of flavor.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 medium ripe bananas (about 1 1/4 cups mashed)
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Zest from 1 large orange
  • 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, roughly chopped (or 3/4 cup dried cranberries, soaked in orange juice for 10 minutes)
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
  • For the glaze (optional):
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1–2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper.
  2. Mash bananas in a large bowl until mostly smooth.
  3. Add sugar, melted butter, eggs, vanilla extract, orange zest, and orange juice to the bananas. Whisk until combined.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon (if using).
  5. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and gently stir with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix.
  6. Fold in cranberries and nuts (if using) until evenly distributed.
  7. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
  8. Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Tent with foil after 40 minutes if the top browns too quickly.
  9. Let bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
  10. For the optional glaze, whisk powdered sugar with orange juice until smooth and drizzle over cooled bread.
  11. Slice when just warm and serve.

Notes

For best results, use very ripe bananas and fresh orange zest. Toss cranberries with a teaspoon of flour before folding in to prevent sinking. Let the loaf cool before slicing for clean cuts. For a gluten-free version, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. Dairy-free? Substitute melted coconut oil or vegan butter for regular butter. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze slices for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: cranberry orange banana bread, banana bread, cranberry bread, orange banana bread, holiday bread, quick bread, breakfast loaf, brunch, easy banana bread, moist banana bread

Find it online: https://jodierecipes.com/cranberry-orange-banana-bread-recipe-easy-moist-loaf-bursting-with-flavor/