Pumpkin Cranberry Bread

Why You Will Love This Pumpkin Cranberry Bread Recipe

Every fall, I get so excited to bake all things pumpkin! This pumpkin cranberry bread has been a favorite in our home for as long as I can remember. The tart cranberries add a pop of flavor to the rich pumpkin base, and it pairs perfectly with my morning coffee or for an easy grab-and-go afternoon snack. Here’s why we make it every year:

• Easy: t’s super easy to make — just mix everything in one bowl, and it’s ready to bake!
• Sweet and Tart: With my favorite pumpkin bread recipe as the base, you know it is extra soft and moist with lots of spiced pumpkin flavor. The fresh tart cranberries give it the perfect balance!
• Two Loaves: This recipe makes two loaves of bread, perfect for sharing with neighbors and friends or freezing the second loaf for later!
• Festive: While most people think of pumpkin bread as being good for fall and Thanksgiving, the addition of bright red cranberries make this bread perfect for Christmas too!

Looking for more must bake pumpkin recipes? Try a batch of my easy pumpkin muffins, soft pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting, or my famous swirled pumpkin cream cheese muffins!

Key Ingredients

Most of what you will need are pantry staples, aside from the fresh cranberries. For full ingredient amounts and directions, scroll to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

• Pumpkin: I used a 15 oz can of pumpkin. Make sure it is pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling which is already sweetened and spiced.
• Pumpkin Spice: If you don’t have this on hand, you can make your own! Combine 4 tsp cinnamon, 2 tsp ginger, 1 tsp cloves, 1/2 tsp nutmeg and 1/2 tsp allspice.
• Sugar: I use a combination of brown sugar and granulated sugar, but you can choose to use just one or the other instead.
• Buttermilk: If you do not have buttermilk, you can whisk 1 tablespoon white vinegar into 1/2 cup whole milk and let it sit for 5 minutes.
• Cranberries: I like to use fresh cranberries, but frozen cranberries will also work! You can also choose to use dried cranberries instead.

Tips and Variations

• Don’t Over-Mix: Stir the batter just until there are no big lumps and then pour into loaf pan. If you stir too much, you can make your bread tough and overly dense.
• Parchment Paper: Greasing the loaf pan and then lining it with parchment paper will help the bread not stick to the pan. It also makes it easy to lift the pumpkin cranberry bread out of the pan.
• Orange Zest: Add some fresh orange flavor to your bread for a bright, citrusy twist.
• Add Some Crunch: Add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter. You can also sprinkle pepita seeds on top of the batter.
• Use Real Pumpkin: If you want to use homemade pumpkin puree, make sure to strain it through a cheesecloth to remove excess liquid and make it the same texture as store-bought canned pumpkin.
• Make Muffins: Want to use this recipe to make cranberry pumpkin muffins? Bake them at 350°F in a standard sized muffin tin for about 18 to 20 minutes.

How To Store Cranberry Pumpkin Bread

• To store, tightly wrap the completely cooled pumpkin cranberry bread in saran wrap or foil. Store the bread on your counter for about 4 days, or in the fridge for up to a week.
• To warm, you can lightly toast a slice in your toaster oven or a standard toaster. You can also microwave it for 10 seconds for that freshly baked taste.
• Freeze an entire loaf, or individual slices, for up to 3 months. Allow bread to cool completely, then wrap the entire loaf, or single slices of pumpkin bread, tightly in Saran Wrap. Place the wrapped bread in a freezer friendly ziplock bag and freeze for up to 3 months. For best results, allow bread to thaw in the fridge for 24 hours before serving.