Cranberry Chocolate Chip Bread is loaded with tart cranberries, mini chocolate chips, pecans, and the flavor of sweet oranges. It is a perfect sweet treat for the holidays, brunches, or teas.
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.
But this 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. Overall this bread is sweet with small bursts of tart cranberries. You will love the first bite and look forward to the next.
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As you read through the ingredients you will see that this quick bread contains two leavenings: baking powder, and baking soda to give it the perfect lift. Plus, it has a double boost of orange flavoring with orange juice and orange zest. There is nothing unusual about the method for mixing this cranberry bread and the batter comes together very quickly.
If you love my Banana Nut Bread and Zucchini Bread, you will definitely love this Cranberry Chocolate Chip Bread.
So, let's cook!
Ingredients
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.
- Fresh Cranberries - Choose 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) Totally optional to give the top of this bread a dusting of powdered sugar.
Please see the recipe card for the exact quantities.
Instructions
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.
In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Stir in the orange juice, orange peel, melted butter, and beaten egg. Mix until well blended.
Fold in the cranberries, chocolate chips, and pecans.
Spread the batter evenly in the loaf pan. Bake the loaf for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
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. Dust the top with powdered sugar, if desired.
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 cranberry in various bites of the bread. If you give the cranberries a rough chop, you will have cranberry 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.
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 Chocolate Chips - You can omit the chocolate and double the nuts for cranberry orange nut bread.
Make-Ahead & Storage
This Cranberry Chocolate Chip Bread can be made ahead and stored if wrapped in cling wrap for up to 3 days at room temperature.
More Great Quick Bread Recipes
📖 Recipe
Cranberry Chocolate Chip Quick Bread
Ingredients
For the Bread:
- Cooking Spray
- 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 Cup White Granulated Sugar
- 1 ½ Teaspoons Baking Powder, Aluminum Free
- ½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- ¾ Cup Orange Juice
- 1 Tablespoon Grated Orange Peel, from 1 Large Orange
- 2 Tablespoons Butter, Melted
- 1 Large Egg, Well Beaten
- 1 Cup Fresh Cranberries, Whole or Coarsely Chopped
- ½ Cup Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
- ½ Cup Chopped Pecans
- Powdered Sugar
Instructions
- 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.Cooking Spray
- In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.2 Cups All-Purpose Flour, 1 Cup White Granulated Sugar, 1 ½ Teaspoons Baking Powder, ½ Teaspoon Baking Soda, 1 Teaspoon Salt
- Stir in the orange juice, orange peel, melted butter, and beaten egg. Mix until well blended.¾ Cup Orange Juice, 1 Tablespoon Grated Orange Peel, 2 Tablespoons Butter, 1 Large Egg
- Fold in the cranberries, mini chocolate chips, and pecans.1 Cup Fresh Cranberries, ½ Cup Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips, ½ Cup Chopped Pecans
- 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.
- 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.
Encharted Cook Notes
- 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 Chocolate Chips - You can omit the chocolate and double the nuts for cranberry orange nut bread.
Nutrition Per Serving
All nutritional information on this site is an estimate. Your results may vary.
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