Gluten Free Cranberry Bread

Name: Gluten Free Cranberry Bread
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 80 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided; 2/3 cup walnuts, finely chopped; 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; 2 1/4 cups gluten free flour blend, divided; 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 large egg, room temperature; 1 cup milk; 1/3 cup vegetable oil; 1 cup fresh cranberries, roughly chopped; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

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This easy recipe for Gluten Free Cranberry Bread makes a tasty quick bread packed with fresh cranberries and walnuts and topped with cinnamon streusel. It’s a perfect breakfast treat or after dinner dessert.

If you like baking with fresh cranberries, you’ll also like my Gluten Free Cranberry Muffins. My recipe for Cranberry Coffee Cake is also a must-try. Both of these recipes use fresh cranberries and are free of gluten.

2 slices of gluten free cranberry bread on a stack of small white plates with more bread in the background.

The arrival of the holiday season always puts me in the mood to bake something sweet. Whether it’s making long time favorites like chocolate crinkle cookies and toffee bars, or new favorites like peppermint meltaway cookies and pumpkin bars, I love to be in the kitchen baking for my friends and family.

This cranberry and walnut quick bread is a new recipe in my collection, but it’s sure to have a place in my holiday baking for years to come. The bread is tender, sweet, and filled with cranberries and nuts.

As you probably know, a quick bread doesn’t require temperamental yeast and you don’t have to wait for the dough to proof. If you like an easy quick bread that doesn’t taste “gluten free,” you need to try this cranberry bread recipe.

If you enjoy making quick breads as much as I do, check out my other gluten free quick bread recipes.

Why this Recipe Works

Cranberries add festive color to the bread and their tartness keeps the bread from being overly sweet.
The combination of vegetable oil and milk adds moisture and tenderness to the bread.
Mixing chopped nuts with the sugar and cinnamon combination gives the bread extra texture and an added layer of flavor.

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Ingredients You’ll Need:

Sugar - White granulated sugar.
Walnuts - I use walnuts in this cranberry bread recipe. You can use almonds or pecans if you prefer.
Cinnamon - Ground cinnamon.
Gluten free flour blend - I use a 1 to 1 gluten free baking flour when I bake.
Baking powder - The baking powder adds lift to the bread.
Salt - Table salt.
Egg - Use a large room temperature egg. Take the egg out of the fridge before you gather the rest of your ingredients.
Milk - I use 2% milk, but whole milk will also work.
Oil - I use vegetable oil, but you can also use canola oil.
Cranberries - The bread in the photographs was made with fresh cranberries, but you can substitute frozen cranberries for this recipe.
Butter - I always use unsalted butter in my baking.

How to Make Gluten Free Cranberry Bread

Whisk together ½ cup sugar, walnuts, and cinnamon.
In a large bowl, whisk together remaining sugar, gluten free flour blend, baking powder and salt until combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg, then whisk in the milk and oil until combined.
Stir the egg mixture into the flour mixture until just combined.
Fold the cranberries into the batter.
Transfer ½ the batter to the loaf pan and sprinkle with the walnut mixture.
Add remaining batter to the pan, sprinkle with crumb topping, and bake.

Step by Step Instructions

(For ingredient amounts see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)

Preheat your oven to 350-degrees and grease and flour a 9″x5″ loaf pan.

Tip: If you’re making this bread for someone with Celiac disease, be sure to use gluten free flour when preparing the pan.

In a small bowl, whisk together ½ cup sugar, walnuts, and cinnamon until combined (photo 1).

Whisk together the remaining sugar, 2 cups gluten free flour blend, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl (photo 2).

In a separate bowl, lightly whisk the egg. Add the milk and oil and whisk until combined (photo 3).

Process shots 1-5 for making gluten free cranberry bread.

Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just combined (photo 4).

Stir the cranberries into the batter (photo 5).

Transfer half of the batter to the prepared pan and use a rubber spatula to smooth into an even layer. Sprinkle half of the walnut mixture on top of the batter.

Overhead view of loaf pan containing batter for gluten free cranberry bread.

Pour the remaining batter on top of the walnut mixture.

Add the melted butter and ¼ cup gluten free flour blend to the remaining walnut mixture and stir together. The mixture will be crumbly.

Sprinkle the crumbs over the top of the batter in the pan.

Overhead view of unbaked gluten free cranberry bread in pan.

Bake for 60 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Allow the bread to cool completely in the pan, on a wire rack, before serving.

Overhead view of baked cranberry bread in loaf pan cooling on wire rack.

Slice and enjoy!

Tips for Making Cranberry Bread

Generously grease and flour the loaf pan. Doing this will prevent the bread from sticking to the pan.
Check the ingredients of your gluten free flour blend for xanthan gum. If your flour mix doesn’t contain it, try adding ½ teaspoon to the recipe. I use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour which contains xanthan gum.
I used fresh cranberries in this bread. If using frozen cranberries do not thaw them. It might be easier to chop frozen cranberries in a food processor.
Allow the bread to cool completely in the pan before serving. Slice the bread in the pan and then remove the slices one at a time. If you invert the pan to remove the entire loaf at once, you risk losing some of the crumb topping.

Does the Type of Gluten Free Flour Make a Difference?

For the best results, use a good quality cup-for-cup all-purpose gluten free flour blend when making this quick bread. I like to use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour which contains xanthan gum.

Xanthan gum works to hold baked goods together. The gluten in all-purpose flour acts as the binding agent in traditional baking. Gluten free baking requires a substitute for the binding agent and that’s the role of xanthan gum.

Your results may be different depending on the type of gluten free flour you use. I haven’t tried using coconut flour or almond flour in this recipe.

Recipe FAQs

How do I know when this cranberry bread is done?

Use a cake tester or wooden pick to test the bread. Stick the pick into the middle of the bread. If it comes out clean, the bread is done. If the pick comes out sticky, bake the bread for a few more minutes and test again.

Does cranberry bread need to be refrigerated?

No. You don’t need to refrigerate the cranberry bread. Store the bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Can I freeze Gluten Free Cranberry Bread?

Yes. The bread can be stored whole or in slices, wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in a freezer safe bag for up to 3 months.

Thaw the bread overnight on the counter and reheat for a few seconds in the microwave.

2 slices of gluten free cranberry bread on a stack of 2 round white plates with a red and white kitchen towel in the background.

If you’re a fan of quick breads, like I am, I know you’ll enjoy this flavorful Gluten Free Cranberry Bread.

If cranberries aren’t your thing, try my recipes for pumpkin bread, banana bread, or lemon blueberry bread. You can’t have too many delicious gluten free quick bread recipes on hand.

More Gluten Free Dessert Recipes to Bake

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