Healthy Cranberry Orange Loaf Recipe (2024)

Published: · Modified: by Sarita Harbour · This post may contain affiliate links and Amazon links

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I've been making this healthy cranberry orange loaf recipe for many, many years. But until recently, I only made it after Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, to use up my leftover cranberry sauce.

Healthy Cranberry Orange Loaf Recipe (1)Pin

As luck would have it, I'm the only one at our big family holiday meals who likes cranberry sauce. So I'd open a can, enjoy a couple of spoonfuls, then bake the rest into this yummy -- but also healthy cranberry orange loaf recipe.

For the past few years, we've been foraging our own cranberries so I've also made it with fresh berries. Recently we've also been making cranberry syrup an even cranberry bars for a treat.

Cranberries are high in fibre, yet they're low-sugar fruit, so you may find that this tart(ish) loaf needs a little more sweetener to suit your family's taste buds. And keep in mind that this loaf freezes well.

So it's great to keep on hand for coffee guests, after-school snacks, or to take along as hostess gifts for holiday parties.

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Recently we've been out foraging rosehips and Labrador teaand picking cranberries.Soon we found ourselves with eight cups of small but flavourful berries. Adding the pulp and juice of one orange, I found that my good old recipe works as well with fresh cranberries as with the leftover sauce.

Healthy Cranberry Orange Loaf Recipe

Healthy Cranberry Orange Loaf Recipe (2)Pin
Healthy Cranberry Orange Loaf Recipe (3)

Healthy Cranberry Orange Loaf Recipe

Yield: 1 loaf

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Use fresh-picked or frozen cranberries to make this tasty, healthy cranberry orange loaf chock-full of berries, raisins, sunflower seeds and flax seeds. This cranberry orange loaf recipe is a also a great way to use up leftover cranberry sauce after a holiday dinner.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour OR graham cracker crumbs
  • ½ cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup fresh cranberries
  • ¾ cup raisins
  • 1 tablespoon flax seeds
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted sunflower seeds
  • pulp and juice of 1 orange
  • 1 tablespoon grated orange rind
  • additional orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ⅓ cup canola oil
  • 1 egg

Instructions

  1. Set oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit
  2. Mix all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl
  3. Mix in cranberries, raisins, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, and orange rind
  4. Squeeze orange pulp and juice into a measuring cup
  5. Add orange juice until you have 1 cup total
  6. Beat egg and add to orange juice
  7. Pour orange juice/pulp/egg mixture into the well in dry ingredients
  8. Add canola oil and mix until just blended
  9. Scrape into a greased 9 x 5 x 13-inch loaf pan
  10. Bake for 1 hour or until a knife comes out cleanly
  11. Cool for 10 minutes in pan on a baking rack
  12. Remove from pan and continue to cool on the rack
  13. Let cool completely before serving
  14. Store tightly wrapped in a tin or cool place.
Nutrition Information

Yield 12 slices Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 239Total Fat 8gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 16mgSodium 252mgCarbohydrates 40gFiber 3gSugar 19gProtein 4g

Healthy Cranberry Orange Loaf Recipe (4)Pin
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. lisa lombardo

    This looks so delicious! I'm featuring your post on Farm Fresh Tuesdays this week... hope to see you soon!

  2. Dee | Grammy's Grid

    Visiting again to say thanks so much for linking up with me at #AThemedLinkup 34 for All Things Christmas. Shared again.

  3. Dee | Grammy's Grid

    CONGRATS! Your post is FEATURED at #AThemedLinkup 33 for Thanksgiving Recipes from my previous linkup for All Things Thanksgiving.

  4. Dee | Grammy's Grid

    YUM! This sounds good. Thanks so much for linking up with me at #AThemedLinkup 32 for All Things Thanksgiving. Shared.

  5. Kelly

    Oh my gosh this looks amazing!! Definitely pinning for later. Thank ou so much for sharing with us on the Homestead Blog Hop. Can't wait for more!

  6. Sarita Harbour

    Hope you get a chance to make it this holiday season!

  7. Lisa L Lombardo

    Thanks for sharing this on Farm Fresh Tuesdays! Looks delish!

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Healthy Cranberry Orange Loaf Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Should you chop cranberries before baking? ›

How to Use Fresh Cranberries in Baking
  1. How to prepare fresh cranberries for baking. There's really not much you need to do to prepare fresh cranberries for baking. ...
  2. Should you chop cranberries before baking? You definitely don't need to! ...
  3. Do I need to cook cranberries before baking? Nope!

How many calories in a slice of orange cranberry bread? ›

Great Harvest Bread Bread Cranberry Orange (1 slice) contains 28g total carbs, 25g net carbs, 0g fat, 3g protein, and 120 calories.

Can you use dried cranberries instead of fresh? ›

Can I substitute dried cranberries in recipes that call for fresh cranberries? Yes, dried cranberries work well in baked goods; however there is a ¼ cup difference in measurement. If a recipe calls for one cup of fresh or frozen cranberries, use ¾ cup of sweetened dried cranberries.

Is orange juice and cranberry juice good? ›

Both cranberries and oranges are good sources of vitamin C and combined into juice, the mixture packs a large dose of this important nutrient. Vitamin C is vital for your body to effectively heal wounds and helps keep your teeth and gums healthy, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Why should cranberries not be eaten raw? ›

Is it safe to eat cranberries raw? Cranberries are generally considered safe whether they are cooked or raw. However, because of their notoriously bitter, sharp taste, most people prefer not to eat them raw or unsweetened. This bitterness is due to the high tannin content of cranberries.

How long to soak cranberries before baking? ›

Rehydrate the fruits: Dried fruits can be quite hard and dry, so it's often a good idea to rehydrate them before adding them to your baked goods. To do this, simply soak the dried fruits in warm water or fruit juice for 15-20 minutes until they are plump and tender.

How many carbs are in cranberry orange bread? ›

Bread Basket Bakery Cranberry Orange Bread (1 slice) contains 26g total carbs, 21g net carbs, 1g fat, 3g protein, and 110 calories.

How much sugar is in a Panera cranberry orange muffin? ›

Contains Egg, Milk, Wheat
Calories530 Cal
Carbohydrates82 g
Dietary Fiber4 g
Total Sugars42 g
Protein7 g
6 more rows

How much sugar is in a cranberry orange muffin? ›

Region: US
ServingIngredientCalories
31.43 gcranberries14
0.29egg23
35.71 gsugar138
8.57 gchopped walnut56
5 more rows

Should I soak dried cranberries before baking? ›

Soak Dried Fruits First

If you are planning on using dried fruits, it may be a good idea to soak them first. Dried fruits can lose up to 75% of their volume during the drying process according to cookinglight.com. Once they are mixed with the other ingredients they will begin to reabsorb the moisture around them.

Can you use Craisins instead of cranberries? ›

Yes, Craisins® Sweetened Dried Cranberries work well in baked goods; however, there is a 1/4 cup (60 mL) difference in measurement. If a recipe calls for one cup of fresh cranberries you should use 3/4 cup (175 mL) of Craisins®.

Why are there no cranberries in the stores? ›

Cranberry growers experienced cold temperatures, with below-normal precipitation and above-normal snowfall during the winter months. In Wisconsin and Massachusetts, the winter freeze and early snow affected plant dormancy and froze out buds, the release said.

What can you not mix with cranberry juice? ›

Possible Interactions
  • Warfarin (Coumadin): Cranberry may raise the risk of bleeding, especially if you already take medications to thin the blood such as warfarin. ...
  • Aspirin: Like aspirin, cranberries contain salicylic acid. ...
  • Other medications: Cranberry may interact with medications that are broken down by the liver.

Which juice is healthiest? ›

Top 6 juices for your heart
  1. Beetroot juice. Being high in nitrates, beetroot helps improve cardiovascular health in numerous ways. ...
  2. Cranberry juice. Cranberries are rich in antioxidants anthocyanins, flavonols, and Vitamins C and E. ...
  3. Pomegranate juice. ...
  4. Orange juice. ...
  5. Tomato juice.
Jul 5, 2023

What is the healthiest orange juice to drink? ›

Michalczyk suggests looking for orange juices that are made with just one ingredient: oranges. Brands that use just the solo ingredient — including Natalie's organic orange juice and Simply orange juice — have no added sugars, just the natural sugars that come from the fruit itself.

How do you soften cranberries for baking? ›

Put your dried fruit in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Let it steep for 10 to 15 minutes, and then strain the fruit and discard the water. The fruit will be plumper, juicier, and softer. To give your fruit some extra flavor, swap the water for fruit juice or a liquor, like rum, bourbon, or brandy.

Should dried cranberries be soaked before baking? ›

Soak Dried Fruits First

If you are planning on using dried fruits, it may be a good idea to soak them first. Dried fruits can lose up to 75% of their volume during the drying process according to cookinglight.com. Once they are mixed with the other ingredients they will begin to reabsorb the moisture around them.

Is it better to bake with fresh or frozen cranberries? ›

If cooking your berries into a pie filling, you may need to add additional thickening agents because frozen berries tend to release more liquid than fresh and will lead to a runnier consistency. For best results in your baking, don't defrost the berries before use but instead toss them in flour.

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