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This gluten free cranberry bread is super moist, lightly sweet and pleasantly tart. It's the perfect quick bread for your holiday table, and one my family has come to ask for by name over the years I've been making it. Grab your fresh cranberries as soon as they hit the grocery store shelves!
This classic holiday quick bread should be on every table this season. I love it when cranberries start to appear in the grocery store, but they can be so tart that you really need to add something sweet or they'll really make you pucker.
This bread is perfectly browned on the outside, then soft and lightly sweet on the inside. It takes about an hour to bake, since there's a full cup of buttermilk in the batter and the berries release their moisture as they bake. The reward is a super moist and tender bread, and one that doesn't burn during baking even if you end up baking it a little too long.
You can also make this into a cranberry orange bread by juicing a navel orange and using that juice in place of an equal amount of the buttermilk in the batter. Add the zest of that orange as well for more orange flavor.
Recipe ingredients
- Gluten free flour blend: I used Nicole's Best and added 2 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum. Be sure you're using one of my recommended rice flour-based, well balanced gluten free flour blends, and only add xanthan gum if your blend doesn't already contain it.
- Baking powder: Helps the bread to rise in the oven.
- Baking soda: Aids rise, neutralizes acid, and helps the loaf brown in the oven.
- Salt: Balances and brightens the other ingredients.
- Granulated sugar: Makes the bread tender, and adds enough sweetness to balance the tartness of the cranberries. There's an additional tablespoon of sugar that we sprinkle on top of the raw loaf because cranberries are so tart, but you can either skip that or add it right to the bread if you prefer.
- Buttermilk: Adds moisture, flavor, and tenderness. If you're out of buttermilk, it's easy to replace 1 cup of it with 1/2 cup sour cream and 1/2 cup milk, or even 1 cup plain whole milk yogurt.
- Butter: Adds moisture and flavor. Beating the butter with the sugar and then the eggs also lightens the bread by whipping air into it.
- Eggs: Give the bread structure and help it rise.
- Cranberries: The star of the show, fresh tart cranberries provide lots of flavor and texture. Most bags of cranberries have 12 ounces of berries, but this recipe only calls for 10. This allows you to select only the best berries. Be sure to cut them in half before adding them to the batter.
How to make gluten free cranberry bread
Prepare dry ingredients; combine wet and dry
- Whisk together the dry ingredients (gluten free flour blend, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, salt) in a small bowl
- Toss the halved cranberries with a bit of the dry ingredients
- Using a handheld or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and 1 cup of sugar
- Beat in the eggs until smooth
- Add the dry ingredients in 2 parts, alternating with the buttermilk in between, and beating just to combine after each addition
- The batter will be smooth and pretty thick
Add the cranberries, transfer to the pan and bake
- Add the halved cranberries tossed with dry ingredients to the prepared raw batter
- Mix until the cranberries are evenly distributed throughout
- Transfer the batter to a greased and lined loaf pan, and spread it into an even layer; it will mostly or completely fill the loaf pan
- Score the batter down the center about 1/4-inch deep with a knife or offset spatula
- Sprinkle the final tablespoon of granulated sugar evenly over the top
- Bake at 350°F for about 1 hour; let cool, then slice and serve
Recipe tips and tricks
Slice the cranberries in half
Just be sure to use a sharp knife to slice each of the cranberries in half before folding them into the batter. It helps to keep them from clumping during baking.
Toss the cranberries in some of the dry ingredients
Toss about 1 tablespoon of the whisked dry ingredients with the halved cranberries. This will help keep them from clumping in the batter and will help avoid wet pockets of quick bread.
Use only the firmest cranberries
Cranberries usually come in 12 ounce bags, and this recipe calls for 10 ounces. In every bag of fresh cranberries, some are not very fresh. The fresh cranberries aren't wrinkled or bruised, and they're very firm. Discard the bruised and less fresh berries.
Don't defrost frozen cranberries fully
As soon as cranberries become available, I usually buy 6 or 8 bags of them because I bake with them all season and make tons of cranberry sauce for the holidays. I store 2 bags in the refrigerator, and put the rest in the freezer. If your cranberries are frozen first, you'll need to let them defrost partially so you can slice them in half, but don't let them defrost all the way.
If they've been frozen and fully defrosted, they tend to get too soft and don't hold their shape long enough during baking. They're also more likely to bleed color in the raw loaf batter.
Flavor variations
To make it into a cranberry-orange quick bread, add the zest of one small orange to the batter. You wouldn't have to change anything else.
For even more orange flavor, squeeze the juice out of that orange, too, and use it to replace an equal amount of the buttermilk in the recipe. One navel orange usually has about 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup juice. Reduce the volume of buttermilk by the same amount as the juice. The batter may look a bit curdled, but it will bake beautifully.
For a bright lemon flavor, replace 1 tablespoon of buttermilk with 1 tablespoon of freshly-squeezed lemon juice. You can also add up to 1 tablespoon of lemon zest.
Try adding up to 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans to the bread for some texture. Don't reduce the amount of cranberries.
Storage instructions
Although the batter for this cranberry bread is thick, the bread is really moist and tender. It doesn't dry out quickly at all. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and it will stay fresh on the counter at room temperature for up to 2 days. It will stay fresher if it's not sliced, but slices can be wrapped individually and stored that way, too.
Freezing
For longer storage, either as a whole loaf or individual slices, wrap tightly in freezer-safe wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. Defrost at room temperature. Individual slices can also be microwaved for 20 seconds at reduced power to speed up the process.
Popular ingredient substitution suggestions
Dairy free
To make this recipe without dairy, you'll need to replace the butter and the buttermilk. For the butter, try vegan butter in block form, like Melt or Miyoko's Creamy brand. Remember that you need something that can be beaten until creamy with the sugar, so don't use anything that comes in a tub, which is mostly oil and won't whip. For buttermilk, try half nondairy plain yogurt and half unsweetened almond milk both by volume.
Egg free
There are two eggs in this recipe. If you need to make the recipe without eggs, try replacing each of them with one “flax egg” or one “chia egg.” I've made a chia egg by mixing 1 tablespoon ground white chia seeds with 1 tablespoon lukewarm water and allowing it to gel.
Cranberries
If you'd like to replace the cranberries in this bread, you can try blueberries, but they're less firm and it may not work. You're probably better off trying our recipe for gluten free blueberry bread instead, which is similar but not exactly the same.
FAQs
I haven't tried making muffins with this batter, but it's the right consistency to make really nice muffins and I think it would work well. Fill the muffin wells full of batter, and bake at 375°F for 5 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 350°F until fully baked (at least another 15 minutes). A toothpick should come out clean.
No, for this bread you do need to use fresh cranberries because we're relying on the moisture that they release when they bake. For a quick bread that you can make with dried pieces of fruit, try replacing the chocolate chips in this gluten free chocolate chip bread with dried cranberries.
No, applesauce won't provide the structure and binding of eggs. To replace the eggs, try 2 “chia eggs” or “flax eggs” in their place.
Yes! A standard 9×5-inch loaf pan holds about 8 cups of batter. You can divide that batter into as many mini loaf pans as you can fill full of batter, then score the center and bake at 350°F until done. Depending on the size of your mini loaf pans, they should take about 30 minutes total to bake all the way through.
Yes! I often freeze fresh cranberries when I buy them. Defrost the berries only enough to allow you to slice them in half, and then add them to the batter. If you buy them fresh and know you are going to be making this recipe, try slicing 10 ounces of fresh cranberries in half first and storing them in a freezer-safe bag that way. Don't defrost before using them in the recipe.
Even though it's easy to find and well-priced, I'm afraid that's not one of my recommended blends, and it tends to be gritty and not properly balanced. My favorite blends are Better Batter original gluten free flour, Nicole's Best multipurpose gluten free flour, and Cup4Cup (although they've changed the formulation of that blend and it's unfortunately not as good). You can also make an equivalent of Better Batter using my “mock Better Batter” blend.
Gluten Free Cranberry Bread
Equipment
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment or handheld mixer
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
- 2 (100 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs, at room temperature, beaten
- 2 ½ cups (350 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend, (I used Nicole's Best; please click thru for appropriate blend info)
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum, (omit if your blend, like Better Batter or Cup4Cup, already contains it)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 10 ounces fresh cranberries, halved
- 1 cup (8 fluid ounces) buttermilk, at room temperature (See Recipe Notes)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease and line a standard 9 x 5-inch loaf pan and set it aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or a large bowl with a handheld mixer, place the butter and 1 cup of sugar. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs and beat on medium speed until smooth.
- In a separate, medium-size bowl, place the flour blend, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda and salt, and whisk to combine well.
- Place the cranberry halves in a separate, small bowl. Add about one tablespoon of the dry ingredients to the cranberries, and toss to coat. Set the cranberries aside.
- To the bowl with the butter and sugar mixture, add the dry ingredients in two parts, alternating with the buttermilk, beating after each addition. Be sure to begin and end with the dry ingredients. The mixture will be thick but smooth.
- Add the cranberries and reserved dry ingredients, and mix gently into the batter until evenly distributed throughout.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, and smooth the top. It will most or completely fill the pan, depending on the exact depth of your loaf pan.
- Smooth the top with a wet spatula, score down the center of the raw loaf about 1/4-inch deep with a knife or offset spatula. Sprinkle the top with the remaining tablespoon of sugar.
- Place the pan in the center of the preheated oven and bake, rotating once, until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (about 1 hour).
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 20 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Slice and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This looks amazing! I can’t wait to try it for Thanksgiving! I have a non-gf pumpkin cranberry-nut bread recipe that I love but have struggled to make it gluten free and taste good. Would it be possible you think to add in some pumpkin here somewhere to this recipe? Any suggestions?
I have a better solution, I think, Cheryl! Use my recipe for gluten free pumpkin bread, and mix in some halved fresh cranberries and nuts at the end.
Well, this looks fabulous too! I am new to your blog so I had not seen this recipe. I have to tell you I was won over by your gluten free pumpkin roll recipe – my family LOVES it! Excited to try some more! ? Thank you!
I have made this a few times in last year or two and it is awesome! Thanks for great rcipe.
Thank you! Grain free is easy enough to work with but sugar free gives me my biggest challenge. I have used the coconut sugar. I’ll have to see how brave I feel. A lot of ingredients to waste if it does not work. Will let you know if I try it though. Thank you again.
I have successfully used coconut sugar in recipes very similar to this, as I can’t eat refined sugar. Can even try cutting it down by 1/3. Hope that helps.
If I want to use frozen cranberries do I defrost them first so I can cut them in half? They tend to go very soggy.
Great question, Kelli! Definitely don’t defrost them. You can cut them in half while they’re still frozen. By the time you finish slicing them, they’ll have begun to defrost a bit but not too much. Then, toss them in the dry ingredients and you’ll be all set.
Thanks so much Nicole. I’ll do that. It’s hard to get fresh cranberries here in Australia. :)
Have you seen (and tried) the new (to me) extra fine almond flour from Bob’s Red Mill? And I found a different G-F flour from the same people that doesn’t have the bean flour in it. Have you tried it out also? Both were at Sam’s Club and extremely inexpensive compared to other brands.
I use a brand from CostCo because it is more affordable and Bob’s . I continue to use Bob’s almond meal. I don’t belong to Sam’s but will check it out. Thank you so much for the suggestion
Hi, Judy, I am very familiar with the Bob’s all purpose GF flour that is rice-based. It will not work in my recipes, I’m afraid. It’s an unbalanced blend and the rice flour is very gritty. Bob’s products are inexpensive because they source from wherever is the cheapest at any given time. Sorry!
Sorry, I thought it was a new one since it didn’t have the bean flour, but sorghum flour.
Really want to try this quick bread! Any suggestions for substitutes of the milk, sour cream and sugar? I’m sure almond milk will work and maybe coconut cream but would you think raw honey will work in place of sugar? I’m worried about the liquid to dry replacement. Thank you!
Those are quite a lot of substitutions, Karen! I would actually try almond milk for the cow’s milk and nondairy sour cream for the sour cream. I do not recommend coconut cream in this recipe, no. And you can’t use a liquid sweetener in place of a granulated one. If you are trying to replace granulated sugar with an unrefined sugar, you can try coconut palm sugar, which is granulated. You’ll have to experiment though, as I haven’t tried those substitutions. And you’re making quite a few at once, so I really can’t promise results!
I would recommend using dairy free buttermilk ( 1 cup milk with 1 tablespoon vinegar) in place of the milk and sour cream.
This bread is amazing! I made it last night and it’s already gone. I think it might be my favorite quick bread. I usually find quick breads a bit too sweet and this one is perfect. Thanks for the great recipe!
Here it is! Had to crop- my comment is below
This is my 1st gluten free on a shoestring recipe. I must admit I was quite skeptical. As I was mixing the consistency was so thick & fluffy it went up the beaters of my handmixer like nothing I’ve seen before. This cranberry bread is absolutely delicious! I didn’t have time to halve the cranberries so I put about half in the bullet (mini food processor) for just a quick sec- which made some tiny bits & I left the rest whole. The cranberries were still nice and evenly distributed throughout. I also got brave and substituted 1/4 cup orange juice & 1/2 cup milk (for the 3/4 cup milk) I can’t taste the orange much but it did work without messing up the recipe. I used better than cup4cup. I can’t wait to try another recipe now. The measuring seemed a bit complicated but I can say that it was worth the extra effort! I made my better than cup4cup late at night while everyone was sleeping, and got some of the prep done ahead of time. Can’t wait for the gluten free on a shoestring bakes bread in ibooks. Will make a great Christmas present- hint hint hubby :-)
I made this, and it was AMAZING (I went the lazy route and used Cup4Cup).
One note, though: I used a glass (Pyrex) loaf pan that was slightly smaller than the dimensions cited, and it took FOREVER to bake the bread, and I ended up tenting it so that it wouldn’t burn. I think using the correct size pan is key (and I’ll do that next time!). It was still amazingly delicious.
I think I’m going to try to make it into a coffee cake with a streusel topping next time, as my niece didn’t care for the cranberries (she’s 7 – she can be funny about some kinds of fruit), but loved the berry-free cake part. I may even run a layer of streusel down the middle *and* on top.
Here’s a picture of my bread… as you can see, it’s quite brown on top (my sugar looks like sesame seeds – LOL!), but it was (at the risk of being redundant), AMAZING.
Love the picture, Lynn! Two things about your baking issue: Glass pans are not my first choice for baking because they run very hot and tend to burn the outside before the inside is baked. If it took a long time to bake, you’re right that the size of the pan would make for a denser loaf which would take longer to bake on the inside. Do you use an oven thermometer? If it took forever to bake, I’d say that your oven might actually be (believe it or not) running too cold. The glass pan would make the outside cook really fast, but the not-hot-enough-oven would make it take too long to bake all the way to the center. Does that make sense?
It absolutely makes sense, and I will be trying this again (I was at my sister’s house, and all she has is Pyrex. I don’t use Pyrex for baking for exactly this reason).
Oh – and I wanted to share that I have created Excel spreadsheets to calculate what I need to make your Better Than Cup4Cup blend — all I have to do is type in the number of “cups” I need, and it will tell me how many grams of each component I will need. Cool, huh?