Quick Cranberry Cream Cheese Bread
This Cranberry Cream Cheese Loaf is the perfect sweet treat to brighten up your day! It’s soft, buttery, and bursting with juicy cranberries. Whether you’re making it for a holiday gathering or just a casual weekend treat, this loaf brings a festive flair with minimal effort.
We’ve been making this recipe for years, every winter when cranberries hit the shelves. The combo of cream cheese and cranberries is unbeatable, tangy, creamy, and just sweet enough. Plus, it doesn’t require any fancy ingredients.
If you’re a fan of cranberries, you’ll also love our Bakery Style Pumpkin Cranberry Loaf, No Knead Cranberry Walnut Bread, or Cranberry Cheesecake Bars. All of them are perfect for brunches, snacks, or gifting to friends and neighbors!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Creamy and Moist Texture: Thanks to the cream cheese, the loaf is incredibly rich and soft.
- Festive and Fruity: Cranberries add a bright pop of color and tartness.
- Easy to Make: Just a few steps and simple ingredients.
- Great for Make-Ahead: It keeps beautifully and tastes even better the next day.
Ingredients
This is a list of the ingredients that you need to make your grocery shopping easier. You can find the full list of the ingredients and amounts needed in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Butter: Unsalted gives you more control over the flavor. If you only have salted, just reduce the added salt a smidge.
- Cream Cheese: Go for full-fat and let it soften before mixing. It makes the loaf extra moist and gives it that subtle tang that balances the sweetness perfectly.
- Sugar: Classic white sugar adds sweetness and helps create that soft, tender crumb. You could sub part of it with brown sugar for a deeper flavor, but I love the clean sweetness of white here.
- Eggs: These bind everything together and give the loaf structure. Let them sit out for a bit before adding so they don’t seize up the butter mixture.
- Vanilla: Use pure vanilla extract if you have it, it really makes a difference.
- Flour + Leaveners: All-purpose flour keeps it simple; baking powder and soda help it rise just right.
- Milk (or Buttermilk): Buttermilk makes it even tender and rich; however, regular milk will work as well.
- Cranberries: Fresh or frozen works! If frozen, toss them in straight from the bag.
How to Make Cranberry Cream Cheese Bread
This is a quick overview of the step-by-step instructions for making this recipe. You can find the complete list of instructions in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Cream the butter, cream cheese, and sugar until fluffy.
- Add eggs and vanilla, beating well.
- Whisk dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
- Add dry ingredients to the wet, alternating with milk. Fold in cranberries.
- Pour into the pan and bake for 55–65 minutes. Top with additional cranberries if desired.
- Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then move to a wire rack.
Substitutions and Additions
- Add orange zest: For a citrusy twist, mix in 1 tablespoon of fresh orange zest.
- Top with streusel: A cinnamon-sugar crumb topping adds extra texture and sweetness.
- Try different berries: Blueberries or raspberries work great if cranberries aren’t available.
How To Store
- Storage: Store at room temperature for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
- Reheating: Slice and warm briefly in the microwave or toaster oven.
- Freezing: Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
Sandra’s Pro Tips
- Don’t overmix once you add flour or it can get dense.
- Cold cranberries straight from the freezer won’t make your loaf soggy.
- If you’re using frozen berries, fold them in lightly so they don’t bleed too much into the batter.
FAQs
Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions for this recipe.
Yes, but reduce the amount to about 1 cup and soak them in warm water for 10 minutes to rehydrate.
Insert a toothpick into the center, if it comes out clean, it’s ready. The top should also be golden brown.
Lining your loaf pan with parchment paper will give you a smooth removal to prevent sticking.
Other Delicious Cranberry Recipes You May Enjoy
Cranberry Cream Cheese Bread
Equipment
- Loaf pan (9×5-inch)
- Mixing bowls
- electric mixer
- cooling rack
- Measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup milk or buttermilk for extra tenderness
- 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries if frozen, do not thaw
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter, cream cheese, and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each.
- Stir in vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in three additions, alternating with the milk (start and end with the dry).
- Mix just until combined—do not overmix.
- Gently fold in the cranberries. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
- Bake for 55–65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is golden. If the top is browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil during the last 15 minutes.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Please note that the nutritional information provided are guidelines and may vary based on the brand of products used. For your specific nutritional goals use My Fitness Pal or Verywell Fit recipe calculators. All content within this site is not intended as medical diagnosis or treatment and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical expertise.
