Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Bread

Perfectly tart, deliciously sweet, and oh-so-festive, this gluten free cranberry orange bread will be the highlight of the holidays!

This post is sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill. As always, all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that help make Browned Butter Blondie possible.

I know I’m not alone when I say that December is flying by faster than Santa’s sleigh on Christmas Eve. With just twelve days until Christmas it’s high time we embrace all things merry and bright. This gluten free cranberry orange bread definitely falls into that category. It’s loaded with tart cranberries and fresh orange zest and topped with the most deliciously simple vanilla glaze. And is it even the holidays if we aren’t topping everything with sugared cranberries?? I think not.

I’ve got a long list of goodies to bake before Christmas morning rolls around, but this cranberry orange bread just might take the cake for my favorite recipe of the season. There are a lot of flavor duos that make my sweet tooth swoon, but nothing compares to the bright, bold flavors of cranberry and orange together. It’s such a delicious combo that everyone loves and the snow white sugar glaze makes it a real crowd pleaser. Bake a loaf of this bread for Christmas morning and everyone will be saying, “Santa who??”

Indulging in all of the special treats the season brings is what the holidays are all about. This gluten free cranberry orange bread makes the most festive breakfast or dessert for all of your celebrations from now until New Years.

If this pretty little loaf doesn’t get you in the holiday spirit, I’m not sure what will. But rest assured, it’s not called a quick bread for nothing. It’s a cinch to stir up and and it bakes up perfectly every time. I for one am dreaming of a white Christmas, but I’ll settle for a second {or third!} slice of this dreamy loaf instead.

Gluten free breads and cakes often get a bad rap for being too dry, too bland and often too gritty. But making delicious gluten free baked goods isn’t as hard as it seems. With two celiacs in the family, I’ve done my fair share of gluten free baking. And I’ve found that it’s all about the flour. For the perfect texture and delicious flavor in this cranberry orange bread, we start with my favorite gluten free flours made by Bob’s Red Mill. Their Gluten Free 1-to-1 Flour and Super Fine Almond Flour are ideal for gluten free baking and I wouldn’t dream of using anything else.

Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to1 Flour already has xanthum gum mixed in so transforming any recipe to gluten free is a breeze. And by adding a dash of almond flour, we add back a bit of texture that gluten free baked goods sometimes lack. If you prefer to make this recipe non-gluten free, just use Bob’s Red Mill Organic All Purpose Flour and you are good to go!

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST QUICK BREAD

Use room temperature ingredients. You know the drill…be sure your eggs, milk and yogurt are at room temperature for best results. Since we are melting the butter for this recipe, no need to set it out to warm up in advance.

Fold the wet ingredients into the dry. Once you have whisked together your dry ingredients and your wet ingredients separately, you’ll then make a well in the center of your dry ingredients and add the egg and yogurt mixture. Gently fold together using a rubber spatula. For a light and fluffy texture, go easy on the batter and do not over mix.

Do not over mix. So important I had to say it twice. {wink, wink}

Watch your oven. When baking a loaf that is also gluten free, we want to be sure not to dry out the cake. Begin checking your cake after 45 minutes to be sure it isn’t browning too much on the top. If so, cover the top loosely with aluminum foil to allow for the center to bake through. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with few crumbs remaining.

Cool completely before glazing. Trust me, I know just how tempting it is to glaze your cake before it has had a chance to cool completely. For best results, be sure your loaf is at room temperature before glazing. Allow the glaze to set completely before topping with sugared cranberries.

HOW TO MAKE A FESTIVE CRANBERRY ORANGE LOAF

To make this loaf as pretty as can be and ready to show off at your next holiday brunch, take a peak at my post on How to Make Sugared Cranberries. These ruby red gems make the most beautiful cake toppers and all you need is two ingredients and a few extra minutes. Be sure to let the sugared cranberries and rosemary sprigs dry completely before garnishing your glazed cake. Any extra cranberries or sprigs can be stored in the refrigerator and saved to use on cupcakes, cocktails or anything else you deem worthy of a little fancy.

This bread is seriously so delicious that it will disappear fast! Take it from me and bake two loaves so you have an extra on standby when the first one is devoured before you can say Merry Christmas.

If you love to spread holiday cheer in the form of baked goods, this cranberry orange loaf makes the perfect gift for friends, family, coworkers…even the lovely crossing guard who stands in the rain at your 8 a.m. carpool. I mean it when I say you’ll fast track your way on to everyone’s nice list by showing up with this make-ahead breakfast treat so stock up on those cranberries before it’s too late!

I hope you’ll add this gluten free cranberry orange loaf to the very top of your holiday baking list. If you make this festive holiday treat, or any other recipe from the blog, be sure to tag @brownedbutterblondie on Instagram and let me know what you think!

Happy baking!!

If you like this Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Bread, you may also like:

Meyer Lemon Poppyseed Cake

Cranberry Cinnamon Apple Dutch Baby

Glazed Tangerine Cake

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