cook like james

Easy Mini Cranberry Orange Bread

Cranberry bread was always a staple in my house around the holidays. The mini loaves make great gifts and they freeze well, so you can make them ahead. Perfect on Christmas morning with some cream cheese and jam.

Download Easy Cranberry Orange Mini Loaves recipe

1/3 cup orange juice

1 tablespoon grated orange zest from 1 large orange

2/3 cup buttermilk

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing pan

1 large egg, beaten lightly

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon table salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

1 ½ cups cranberries (about 6 ounces), coarsely chopped

½ cup toasted pecans, finely chopped

2 tablespoons turbinado sugar (for topping, optional)

1.   Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease bottoms for 4 mini loaf tins. Stir together orange juice, zest, buttermilk, butter, and egg in small bowl. Whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in large bowl. Stir liquid ingredients into dry with rubber spatula until just moistened. Gently stir in cranberries and pecans. Do not overmix.

2.  Scrape batter into loaf pans and spread with rubber spatula into corners and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees; continue to bake until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes longer. Cool in pans 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and cool at least 1 hour before serving.