Cranberry streusel bread is a beautiful seasonal quick bread filled with tart cranberries, pure almond extract, and fresh orange zest. The bright citrus flavor balances the cranberries perfectly, while the tender crumb, buttery streusel topping, and smooth vanilla glaze make every slice feel special. It has the cozy sweetness of coffee cake with the fruit-filled comfort of cranberry muffins, all baked into one easy loaf.
This cranberry streusel bread is buttery, golden, and delicious down to the last crumb. It is wonderful with coffee or tea, and it works just as well for breakfast, brunch, dessert, or an afternoon treat. The cranberries add a pop of color and a pleasantly tart bite, while buttermilk and Greek yogurt help keep the loaf moist and soft.
How to Make Cranberry Streusel Bread
Golden Streusel Topping – The streusel topping is made with sugar, light brown sugar, cinnamon, a small pinch of cloves, salt, flour, and melted butter. Once mixed, it forms tender crumbs that bake into a golden, buttery layer on top of the loaf. Prepare the streusel first, then chill it while you make the cranberry bread batter so it stays crumbly and bakes evenly.
Cranberry Quick Bread – This easy cranberry quick bread comes together with simple ingredients and no mixer required. Melted butter adds richness, almond extract gives the loaf a warm bakery-style flavor, and fresh orange zest brings a clean citrus note. Buttermilk and Greek yogurt make the texture moist and tender. For the best color, use aluminum-free baking powder, which helps prevent the bread from developing a blue tint.
Cranberries – Fresh or frozen cranberries both work well in this cranberry streusel bread recipe. If you use frozen cranberries, add them straight from the freezer without thawing. Tossing the cranberries with a small amount of the flour mixture helps distribute them through the batter. Fold them in gently and stop as soon as they are combined so the bread stays light.
Bake – Bake the cranberry bread until the top is golden, the center springs back lightly when touched, and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Let the loaf cool in the pan for 15 minutes before lifting it out with the parchment paper. Cooling completely before glazing helps the vanilla glaze set neatly instead of melting into the warm bread.
Vanilla Glaze – The vanilla glaze is sweet, buttery, and simple. It is made with melted butter, a pinch of salt, vanilla extract, powdered sugar, and milk. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled loaf, let it set, then slice and serve.
How to Freeze Cranberry Bread
Cranberry bread freezes very well, especially when sliced first. Once the loaf has cooled completely, use a serrated knife to cut it into slices. Arrange the slices flat on a baking sheet and freeze for 1 hour. After the slices are firm, wrap them individually in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. This makes it easy to thaw one slice at a time whenever you want a quick cranberry bread treat.
More cranberry recipes to try:
- Cranberry Cheesecake
- Cranberry Crumb Bars
- Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake
Cranberry Streusel Bread
- Author: Laura Kasavan
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf, 12 slices
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
This cranberry streusel bread is a moist and tender quick bread made with tart cranberries, orange zest, almond extract, a buttery cinnamon streusel topping, and a sweet vanilla glaze. It is an easy loaf cake-style bread that is ideal for holiday baking, weekend brunch, or a cozy homemade dessert.
Ingredients
Streusel Topping
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- Pinch of cloves
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup flour
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Cranberry Quick Bread
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 5 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup Greek yogurt, at room temperature
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 Tbsp fresh orange zest
- 1 tsp pure almond extract
- 1 cup cranberries, fresh or frozen
Vanilla Glaze
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 1/2 Tbsp milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving about a 2-inch overhang around the edges. Lightly coat the pan with nonstick spray.
- Make the streusel topping. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, light brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, salt, and flour. Add the melted butter and mix with a fork until the butter is fully incorporated and the mixture forms crumbs. Chill the streusel until ready to use.
- Make the bread batter. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside 1 tablespoon of this flour mixture to toss with the cranberries. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
- In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, buttermilk, Greek yogurt, egg, orange zest, and almond extract. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold together just until almost combined.
- Toss the cranberries with the reserved tablespoon of flour mixture, then gently fold them into the batter. Do not overmix.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle the chilled streusel evenly over the batter. Tap the pan firmly on the counter to reduce air bubbles.
- Bake for 60 to 65 minutes, or until the bread is golden, springs back lightly to the touch, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached.
- Cool the bread in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Use the parchment overhang to carefully lift the loaf from the pan, then transfer it to the wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the glaze by whisking together the melted butter, salt, vanilla extract, powdered sugar, and milk in a small bowl. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cranberry streusel bread and let it set before slicing.
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- 9 x 5-inch loaf pan
- Parchment paper
- Wire rack
Notes
Baking powder: Use aluminum-free baking powder to help prevent the cranberry bread from turning blue.
Cranberries: Fresh or frozen cranberries can be used. If using frozen cranberries, do not thaw them before adding them to the batter.
Freezing: Once the bread has cooled completely, slice it with a serrated knife. Freeze the slices flat on a baking sheet for 1 hour, then wrap each slice individually in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
