Cranberry-Nut Bread

Fresh cranberries and orange zest are one of those pairings that just works. The tart, almost bitter bite of the cranberries gets balanced by the fragrant orange peel and juice baked right into this buttery quick bread, and the chopped nuts add crunch to every slice.

This batter can go into a loaf pan or muffin cups, which makes it flexible for gifting or brunch spreads. Muffins bake in half the time, so if you’re short on patience, go that route.

Beat the wet ingredients until smooth, but only mix until just combined once the flour goes in. Overworking quick bread batter develops gluten and you end up with a tough, rubbery loaf instead of a tender crumb.

Pro Tips

• Chop the cranberries roughly so they burst during baking and distribute their tart juice through the bread. Whole berries can roll to the bottom and leave the top half plain.
• Use the zest and juice from one fresh orange for the best flavor. Bottled orange juice works in a pinch, but you’ll miss the bright, floral notes from fresh.
• Let the loaf cool completely before slicing. Cranberry bread slices cleanly when cool but crumbles when warm.

Variations

• Add white chocolate chips to the batter for a sweet contrast to the tart cranberries.
• Fold in dried cranberries along with the fresh for extra fruit density and chewiness.
• Swap the walnuts for pistachios for a festive green-and-red color combination during the holidays.