This Cranberry Cream Cheese Bread is perfect for the holidays! It's an easy recipe for this time of year, loaded with cranberry flavor and a generous cream cheese swirl. This cranberry bread recipe is simple to make, moist, and absolutely delicious.
What I love about this cranberry loaf is the pop of cream cheese filling that is waiting for you inside the bread. It can instantly put anyone in the holiday spirit based on that delicious flavor combination alone. You can use this cranberry cream cheese loaf as a simple breakfast, a quick afternoon snack, or even a yummy treat for Christmas morning breakfast. This is one of those great recipes that has so many ways to enjoy it.
If you are looking for a delicious holiday tradition, making this for Christmas Day snacking is a great idea. The sweet cream cheese paired with the pop of cranberry flavor has this tasting like a combination of bread and cranberry cake, all in one.
Give your tastebuds even more goodness and make these Banana Carrot Muffins. Simple and scrumptious. Or shoot for extra chocolate with our Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread Recipe.
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Ingredients
Flour - The flour base is what is needed to create the bread.
Sugar - This adds sweetness to the bread dough.
Brown sugar - This also adds a nice sweetness and a golden brown color.
Baking powder - Use this to help achieve that light and fluffy texture.
Salt - For taste.
Eggs - Used to bind the dry ingredients to the wet. Room temperature eggs work best.
Milk - You can use whole milk or any type of dairy milk for this recipe.
Sour cream - Adds fat content to the batter to keep the bread moist.
Oil - Also helps to keep the quick bread recipe from drying out.
Vanilla extract - For flavor.
Cranberries - I use fresh cranberries for this recipe.
Cream cheese - For the surprise middle flavor.
Egg white - Save the egg yolk for another baking project.
How To Make This Cranberry Cream Cheese Bread Recipe
Step One: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Add parchment paper to a loaf pan.
Step Two: Mix the first 5 dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Step Three: Add the next 5 wet ingredients and stir until they are just combined.
Step Four: Carefully fold in the fresh cranberries.
Step Five: Mix the filling ingredients and then add half to a prepared loaf pan.
Step Six: Top with the cream cheese filling, and then add the rest of the cranberry batter on top.
Step Seven: Put the loaf pan in the oven and bake for 70-85 minutes, until golden brown.
Step Eight: Let the pan cool for 15 minutes, and then move it to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Step Nine: You can add an optional glaze after cooling. I just mix powdered sugar with a tiny bit of milk.
Variations
Add almond extract - This adds a great flavor in place of the vanilla extract.
Drizzle with white chocolate - Even though this is the perfect recipe, you can always add more flavor.
Add a cinnamon swirl - Pairing a fun cinnamon swirl with the cream cheese layer not only looks fun, but it tastes delicious, too.
Add orange extract - An easy way to give this simple bread recipe a bit of orange flavor is to add a little bit of orange extract or orange zest. Alternatively, you can swap out the milk for orange juice.
Top with cranberry sauce - To get everyone in the holiday spirit this holiday season, add as much cranberry flavoring as possible.
Add citrus extracts or zest - Adding a bit of lemon juice or lemon zest can be a simple way to make the flavor pop. You don't need a lot as a little bit does go a long way!
Love lemon? Try these Lemon Biscuits next!
Common Questions
Can I use dried cranberries for this simple, quick bread?
Fresh cranberries work best with the fluffiness of the bread and the texture of the cream cheese mixture. Dried cranberries could be used, but it will add more of a chew than is intended for this soft dessert bread.
What if I have bread batter leftover?
You should only fill your loaf pan ¾ of the way full for this bread recipe, as it will rise some while it is baking. If you do have batter left over, you can make a few muffins with it!
Why does my bread crumble when I cut into it?
The key to slicing baked bread is to use a sharp knife and to also be sure to let it cool completely before cutting it into equal pieces. In terms of baking, the cooking time and the cooling time listed on the recipe card are important to follow. If you try to slice hot or warm bread too soon, the bread will crumble.
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📖 Recipe
Cranberry Cream Cheese Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 eggs
- ¾ cup milk
- ½ cup sour cream or plain yogurt
- ¼ cup oil
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup cranberries fresh or frozen
Cream Cheese Filling
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 1 egg white
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Mix the first 5 dry ingredients in a large bowl.
- Add the next 5 wet ingredients. Stir until just combined.
- Fold in the cranberries. Set aside.
- Mix the filling ingredients.
- Add half the cranberry batter to the prepared loaf pan.
- Top with the cream cheese filling.
- Spread the remaining cranberry batter over the filling.
- Bake for 70-85 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 15 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Optional: Mix ¼ cup powdered sugar with 1 teaspoon of milk. Drizzle over the cooled bread.
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