Cranberry Chocolate Chip Bread

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Bake this festive Cranberry Chocolate Chip Bread! An easy, quick bread with tart cranberries, sweet chocolate, and citrus zest for holiday baking.

My Cranberry Chocolate Chip Bread is the ultimate holiday baking recipe-festive, easy, and full of flavor. Fresh cranberries add a tart pop that pairs perfectly with rich chocolate chips and a hint of citrus zest, while a soft crumb makes every slice irresistible.

Best of all, this quick bread comes together in no time, making it the perfect treat for holiday breakfasts, cozy brunches, or as a homemade gift. If you love chocolate chip bread with a seasonal twist, this loaf will become a new favorite.

Cranberry Bread sliced on a white cutting board.

🔍 Quick Look: Cranberry Chocolate Chip Bread Recipe

Ready in: 1 hour, 25 minutes
Servings: 12
Calories: ~262 kcal per serving (based on nutrition panel)
Main Ingredients: Flour, sugar, leavenings, egg, chocolate chips, cranberries, pecans, orange juice & zest, and butter.
Elements of Taste: Sweet & tart
Cook Method: Bake
Difficulty: Easy, making it perfect for busy days
Why You'll Love It: Sweet chocolate chips are balanced with tart cranberries in an orange-scented dough that is a one-bowl recipe with the wet-into-dry method of mixing.

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🔍 Quick Look: Cranberry Chocolate Chip Bread Recipe
Why This is The Best Cranberry Chocolate Chip Bread!
Ingredient Notes
Substitutions & Variations
How to Make Cranberry Chocolate Chip Bread
My Top Tips
Cranberry Chocolate Chip Bread FAQs
More Quick Bread Recipes You'll Love
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

Why This is The Best Cranberry Chocolate Chip Bread!

I have to be honest when I first tasted this bread's flavor combination of cranberries, chocolate, and nuts I thought it tasted like Christmas and the much-maligned, errr....dare I say its name?... Fruitcake.

With the exception of my No-Bake Biscoff Fruitcake, my Cranberry Chocolate Chip Bread is far better than any fruitcake made with candied fruit. The crumb is tender with the flavor of sweet oranges, and it is bursting with cranberries, chocolate chips, and chopped pecans.

So, overall, this bread is sweet with small bursts of tart cranberries. You will love the first bite and look forward to the next.

As you read through the ingredients, you will see that this quick bread contains two leavening agents: baking powder and baking soda to give it the perfect lift to the weighty batter filled with fruit and chocolate.

Additionally, it has a double boost of orange flavoring, combining orange zest and orange juice, which also brings acidity to the dough so the baking soda is able to create a rise.

Mixing this cranberry bread is super easy, using the "Wet Ingredients into Dry Ingredients" method, which requires just one bowl and involves fewer steps than other mixing methods for doughs and batters.

If you love my Banana Nut Bread and Zucchini Bread, you will definitely love this Cranberry Chocolate Chip Bread.

So, let's cook!

Ingredient Notes

Cranberry Chocolate Chip Bread ingredients, clockwise from top: orange juice, semi-sweet chocolate chips, chopped pecans, whole cranberries, melted butter, orange zest, powdered sugar, salt, egg, baking soda, baking powder, white sugar, and all-purpose flour.

Here's what you will need for this delicious Cranberry Chocolate Chip Bread:

Cooking Spray - A spritz of cooking spray will make it easy to slide the bread from the pan after it has baked.
All-Purpose Flour - Simple all-purpose flour is best for this quick bread.
White Granulated Sugar - Simple and sweet, white granulated sugar works well in this recipe.
Baking Powder - I prefer to use an aluminum-free baking powder for the best taste for everyone. Some people are especially sensitive to the flavor of aluminum which can leave a bitter aftertaste.
Baking Soda - Since there is citrus (orange) juice in this bread, baking soda is a natural choice for a little extra leavening lift in this fruit-heavy bread.
Salt - Just regular salt, nothing fancy here.
Orange Juice - Can be freshly squeezed or a good quality fresh or frozen juice.
Grated Orange Peel - Finely grated and from one large orange or 2 small oranges.
Melted Butter - Let the butter cool slightly before adding it to make the batter.
Large Egg - You will need one large egg well beaten for the batter.
Whole Cranberries - Choose fresh cranberries that are deep red and firm to the touch. Use them whole or give them a rough chop with a knife or chop them in a food processor with a few short pulses.
Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips - Mini chips will disperse well throughout the batter for chocolate in every bite.
Chopped Pecans - I love the crunch of nuts that takes this bread to the next level.
Powdered Sugar-(Optional) Dusting the top of this bread with powdered sugar is totally optional.

Please see the recipe card for the exact quantities.

Substitutions & Variations

Substitute Walnuts. Instead of pecans, you can use walnuts.
Substitute Any Neutral Flavored Cooking Oil. Instead of safflower oil, you can use any cooking oil that is neutral flavored.
Omit the Nuts. You can omit the nuts and double the mini chocolate chips.
Omit the Cranberries and Nuts. For Chocolate Chip Bread with Orange, omit the cranberries and the nuts, and double the chocolate chips.
Omit the Chocolate Chips. You can omit the chocolate and double the nuts for a cranberry orange nut bread.

How to Make Cranberry Chocolate Chip Bread

A loaf pan line with parchment paper on a baking sheet.

Preheat & Prepare. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spray a 9" x 5" loaf pan with cooking spray. Make a parchment sling the length of the pan and longer than the width. Line the pan so the ends hang off on the long sides. Set aside for later.

Sifting the dry ingredients into a large bowl.

Sift Dry Ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Adding the orange zest, melted butter, beaten egg, and orange juice to the dry ingredients.Adding the melted butter, orange zest, beaten egg, and orange juice to the dry ingredients.

The batter is made by mixing the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients.

Add Wet Ingredients. Stir in the orange juice, orange peel, melted butter, and beaten egg. Mix until well blended.

The cranberries, chopped pecans, and mini-chocolate chips are added to the batter.

The cranberries, pecans, and chocolate chips are mixed into the batter.

Fold in Stir-ins. Fold in the cranberries, mini chocolate chips, and pecans.

The batter is spread in the prepared loaf pan and ready to be baked.

Bake. Spread the batter evenly in the loaf pan. Bake the loaf for 55 to 65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

The baked bread in the loaf pan cooling on a wire rack.

Cool & Serve. Remove the loaf from the oven and cool it on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Lift the parchment sling to remove the loaf from the pan and cool completely. If desired, dust the top with powdered sugar.

Cranberry Bread sliced on a white plate.

My Top Tips

♡ I've made this Cranberry Chocolate Chip Bread with whole cranberries and also with cranberries that have been roughly chopped. The bread made with whole cranberries will have a burst of tart cranberries in various bites of the bread. If you give the cranberries a rough chop, you will have cranberries in every bite of the bread.

♡ Don't open the oven too soon to test the bread, which may cause the top to collapse. I recommend letting the bread bake for 55 minutes before testing.

Cranberry Chocolate Chip Bread FAQs

Can I use fresh or dried cranberries in Cranberry Chocolate Chip Bread?

Yes, fresh cranberries give a tart, juicy burst of flavor, while dried cranberries make the bread sweeter and chewier. Both work well, depending on your preference.

Can I use frozen cranberries in this recipe?

You can use frozen cranberries that are thawed and well-drained.

What size pan should I use for Chocolate Chip Bread with cranberries?

A standard 9x5-inch loaf pan works best for this recipe. For smaller loaves, reduce baking time accordingly.

How do I keep my Cranberry Chocolate Chip Bread moist?

Use fresh orange juice and zest, don't overmix the batter, and check doneness with a toothpick to avoid overbaking. These tips help your quick bread stay soft and tender.

Can I make Cranberry Chocolate Chip Bread ahead for holiday baking?

Yes! This quick bread stays fresh for 2-3 days at room temperature, and the flavors actually deepen the next day, making it perfect for holiday prep.

Can I freeze Cranberry Chocolate Chip Bread?

Absolutely! Once the bread has cooled completely, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.

Is Cranberry Chocolate Chip Bread considered a dessert or a breakfast bread?

It's both! Serve slices warm with coffee for breakfast or add it to your holiday dessert table as a festive treat.