Description

A soft, moist loaf packed with tart cranberries and creamy richness, this Cream Cheese Cranberry Loaf is a must-try for any home baker. Perfect as a quick breakfast, easy dessert, or thoughtful holiday gift, it’s both stunning to serve and simple to make. This easy recipe uses pantry staples and delivers bakery-level results with minimal effort. Whether you’re looking for breakfast ideas, healthy snack options, or new food ideas for the season, this is one loaf you’ll want to bake on repeat.

Ingredients

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ cup milk

1 ½ cups fresh or frozen cranberries

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a standard loaf pan or mini loaf pans. Line with parchment for easy removal.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy.

4. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Mix in the vanilla extract.

5. Alternate adding dry ingredients and milk to the wet mixture, starting and ending with dry. Mix until just combined.

6. Gently fold in cranberries with a spatula.

7. Pour batter into prepared pan(s) and smooth the top.

8. Bake for 50–60 minutes for a full loaf or 30–35 minutes for mini loaves, until a toothpick comes out clean.

9. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

10. Slice and serve, or wrap tightly for storage.

Notes

For a citrusy twist, add 1 tablespoon orange zest to the batter.

You can use frozen cranberries without thawing to prevent bleeding.

Wrap tightly and store at room temperature for 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Category: Breakfast, Snack, Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice (1/10 of loaf)
Calories: 265
Sugar: 17g
Sodium: 180mg
Fat: 14g
Saturated Fat: 8g
Unsaturated Fat: 5g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 30g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 4g
Cholesterol: 60mg

Keywords: cranberry bread, cream cheese loaf, holiday baking, easy recipe