Glazed Lemon Cranberry Bread

Glazed Lemon Cranberry Bread is a citrusy loaf packed with fresh cranberries and topped with sweet tangy lemon glaze. I love to serve this bread loaf for Christmas breakfasts or brunch and it also makes a wonderful mid afternoon snack with a cup of coffee. I’m sure you’ll love my perfect sweet bread recipe for the holidays!

Glazed Lemon Cranberry Bread Recipe

Cranberry bread is a no yeast bread. With sweet lemon glaze and cranberry, this bread is a quick treat on busy days because there is no rising time involved. You can even make this delicious loaf a perfect homemade gift during the festive season! Simply wrap in parchment and tie with a ribbon to gift to friends and neighbors. What an elegant festive treat!

Tips for Beginners

• Be sure to grease your loaf tin before adding the batter for easy removal.
• It’s important to flour your cranberries before adding them to the mixture as this will stop them from sinking to the bottom.

Recipe Card

Glazed Lemon Cranberry Bread Recipe

4.63 from 108 votes

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 55 minutes mins

Total: 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Servings: 12 slices

Author: Becky Hardin

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My glazed lemon and cranberry bread is the perfect quick sweet bread recipe for the holidays. It is a citrusy loaf packed with cranberries, moist and topped with sweet tangy lemon glaze. This bread loaf is just perfect for a mid-afternoon snack with a cup of coffee.

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Equipment

• Kitchen Scale (optional)
• 9×5-inch loaf pan
• Stand Mixer

Ingredients 

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For the Bread

• ▢ 1 cup fresh cranberries* 116 grams
• ▢ 1⅔ cups all-purpose flour 200 grams (plus 1 tablespoon (8 grams) for dredging cranberries)
• ▢ 1½ teaspoons baking powder 6 grams
• ▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ ½ cup unsalted butter 113 grams, room temperature (1 stick)
• ▢ 1 cup granulated sugar 200 grams
• ▢ 2 large eggs 100 grams, room temperature
• ▢ ½ cup milk 114 grams, at least 2%
• ▢ 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest from 1 lemon

For the Glaze

• ▢ ¼ cup granulated sugar 50 grams
• ▢ ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice 57 grams, from 2 lemons

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Instructions 

For the Bread

• Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan with nonstick baking spray.
• Toss the cranberries with 1 tablespoon of flour and set aside.
  1 cup fresh cranberries*, 1⅔ cups all-purpose flour
• In a medium bowl, whisk the rest of the flour, baking powder, and salt together.
  1½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until fluffy and creamy. It takes about 1-2 minutes.
  ½ cup unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar
• Add the eggs and beat an additional 1 minute.
  2 large eggs
• Add half of the flour mixture into the eggs mixture. Mix on low speed just until incorporated.
• Add ¼ cup (half) of the milk and mix on low for 15 seconds.
  ½ cup milk
• Add the remaining flour mixture and mix just until no flour is visible.
• Add remaining ¼ cup milk and mix until combined.
• Fold in the lemon zest and cranberries.
  1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
• Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake at 350°F for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
• Transfer the bread (in the pan) to a cooling rack and cool 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the loaf from the pan, and set it upright.

For the Lemon Glaze

• In a small saucepan set over medium heat, combine the sugar and lemon juice. Bring to a boil and cook 30 seconds. Remove from the heat.
  ¼ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Carefully pierce the top of the bread with a toothpick and use a pastry brush to evenly apply the warm lemon glaze over the top.

Becky’s Tips

*Use fresh cranberries. Frozen cranberries will release water content and won’t result in perfect baked loaf.

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 234kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 3gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 168mgPotassium: 59mgFiber: 1gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 297IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 53mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this? Leave a comment!

How to Store

Transfer any leftovers of glazed lemon cranberry bread in an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 4 days and in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

You can also freeze the baked bread loaf for up to two months. If freezing the whole loaf, wrap it in plastic wrap before adding the lemon glaze. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Prepare the fresh glaze and serve.

If freezing leftover glazed slices, wrap each slice separately before freezing.

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Serving Suggestions

I love enjoying this glazed cranberry bread with an Iced Caramel Macchiato or with an Iced Honey Almondmilk Flat White.

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