Cranberry Apple Bread with Streusel
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Cranberry Apple Bread is an easy quick bread recipe that is tender and moist. This apple cranberry bread is topped with a crunchy brown sugar streusel and a sweet lemon glaze.
THIS POST HAS BEEN UPGRADED FROM 11/25/16 TO IMPROVE THE READER EXPERIENCE.
I love sweet bread, especially the ones with the streusel toppings. I think it’s because I can eat them for breakfast since they’re called bread and not cake. Cranberry Apple Streusel Bread is amazing any time.
Can you imagine biting into a thick slice of tender and moist apple cranberry bread topped with a crunchy brown sugar streusel and sweet lemon glaze? I’m drooling just thinking about it.
It’s the perfect Holiday bread to hold you over until the main meal or to grace your table. Best of all, you can make it the day before freeing up your oven on the big day!
Cranberries and apple isn’t a new combination. But it is one that I really need to use more often. Cranberries are tart. The apple adds a sweetness to this apple cranberry bread and assures that it will be moist.
Did you know that there isn’t anything in the history of Thanksgiving that correlates cranberries with the holiday? According to the USDA, cranberries in American cuisine go back to 1672 though.
Can you use dried cranberries in cranberry bread?
You can substitute dried cranberries (craisins) for fresh or freshly frozen cranberries. However, dried cranberries already contain sugar so reduce the sugar in this recipe to 1/2 cup total white sugar.
Soaking the cranberries in warm water for 15 minutes will plump them up and add moisture to the bread that you use when you aren’t using fresh.
Fresh cranberries retain their tartness when baked. You will not have this contrast if you use craisins.
I generally don’t use them to bake but love them in recipes that aren’t baked such as our Chicken Salad with Yogurt and Mayo recipe or in a salad like this Apple Pear Salad with Lemon Poppyseed Dressing.
Items you may need to make the perfect Cranberry Apple Bread Recipe:
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- Mini Food Processor – I love my mini food processor. Cranberries can be difficult to chop since they tend to roll and are small enough that it’s difficult to keep your fingers out of the way. Plus it’s a time saver when chopping nuts or veggies too.
- Loaf Pans – These are great nonstick pans. Loaf pans aren’t just for bread. They’re great for meatloaf and I use them to bake my acorn squash too.
- Microplane – I use this tool so much! Of course, it will zest citrus like no body’s business but I love it for garnishing dishes with cheese or chocolate too!
How do you make Apple Cranberry Bread?
Please note, that the printable recipe card has the full list of ingredients, quantities, complete instructions, and nutritional information. The following is a quick overview of the recipe.
Step 1: Preheat the oven and prepare the loaf pan.
Step 2: Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Step 3: In a medium-sized bowl whisk the eggs together. Add the lemon juice and zest, buttermilk, and melted butter.
Step 4: Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix only until combined. Fold in the apple and cranberries.
Step 5: Pour the apple cranberry bread batter into the loaf pan.
Step 6: Make the streusel topping and sprinkle it over the top of the cranberry bread.
Step 7: Bake and cool.
Step 8: Prepare the glaze and drizzle it over the top of the baked and cooled lemon cranberry bread.
Other Tips and Notes for making this Cranberry Apple bread your own:
- Many quick bread recipes use a vanilla or cream cheese drizzle. The lemon is a great contrast to this bread or you can leave it off altogether.
- Add 1/2 cup of chopped nuts to the bread and more to the streusel topping.
- Wheat flour gives apple cranberry bread a nutty flavor and because of the additional protein some structure. You can definitely use all white flour in this recipe.
- Use a pastry cutter to mix up your streusel topping. Using your hands will warm the butter. A good crunchy streusel uses cold butter in this case.
- Cranberries freeze really well. Buy an extra bag and throw it in the freezer for another loaf of cranberry apple bread.
We love recipes with cranberries. Here are a few more that we love!
Don’t forget to stop back and let me know how your Apple Cranberry bread turned out.
Cranberry Apple Streusel Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
Bread
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar light or dark
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 6 tbsp butter melted and cooled
- 1 lemon juice and zest
- 2/3 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup cranberries chopped (fresh or frozen)
- 1/2 cup apple chopped
Streusel Topping
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup brown sugar light or dark
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 4 tbsp butter cold, chopped
Lemon Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp milk plus 1 if needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Grease a 9 x 5 loaf pan. You can also line it with parchment paper as I often do and then spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- Combine the dry bread ingredients together in a large bowl. Whisk to combine.
- In a medium-size bowl, combine eggs, lemon juice and zest, buttermilk and melted butter
- Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Fold in cranberries and apple.
- Pour batter into the loaf pan
- For the Streusel Topping, combine flour, sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in cold butter using two forks or a pastry cutter until the mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over bread.
- Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Turn the pan halfway through baking. Cool completely in the pan on a wire cooling rack.
- Remove bread from pan. Combine the glaze ingredients. Add additional milk if the glaze is too thick to drizzle over bread.
Notes
- Add 1/2 cup of chopped nuts to the bread and more in the streusel topping.
- Wheat flour gives the apple cranberry bread a nutty flavor and because of the additional protein some structure. You can definitely use all white flour in this recipe.
- Use a pastry cutter to mix up your streusel topping. Using your hands will warm the butter. A good crunchy streusel uses cold butter in this case.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.
Welcome to #CranberryWeek, hosted by Caroline’s Cooking and A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures. We’ll be sharing cranberry-inspired creations all week long in celebration of national cranberry day. Search #CranberryWeek to keep up to date and follow the #CranberryWeek Pinterest board for more cranberry inspiration. But first, see all the other cranberry recipes being shared today:
- Cranberry-Apple Pancakes from The Chef Next Door
- Cranberry Apple Sauce from Cooking With Carlee
- Cranberry Bliss Bars from Palatable Pastime
- Cranberry Cheesecake Brownies by The Bitter Side of Sweet
- Cranberry Cheesecake Dream Bars from Life Currents
- Cranberry Streusel Bread from Hostess At Heart
- Pumpkin Dump Cake with Cranberries from A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Roasted Cranberry Bourbon Crush from Take Two Tapas
- Savory Cranberry and Cheese Tart from Caroline’s Cooking
- Tuna Salad with Cranberries from Sew You Think You Can Cook
Don’t have time to make it now? Pin it for Later!
‘This was awesome. My son, who doesn’t like dessert, loved this. I used orange zest and juice instead of the lemon. I will be sharing with friends and family. Thank you for this recipe.
Thank you, Lori! We love this bread too!
The tartness of the cranberries and the sweet from the bread and apple flavor makes this outstanding.
Yummy! I love a good quick bread!
I do too, Lora! Thank you!
This sounds delicious. I never thought about baking cranberry and apple together.
We really enjoyed this mix, Elizabeth!
I love cranberries and apples!! Can’t wait to try this recipe. Thank you!!
Thank you, Pamela! It’s delicious bread! I hope you will let me know what you think!
Das sieht super lecker aus, vielen Dank.
Thank you!
This is going on my baking list for Christmas gifts. Quick easy and looks delicious. ty
We love it! Thank you Kim. Let me know what you think!
Oh Yum, This would be perfect for Christmas morning for breakfast.
Thank you, Beth! It really would.
This would be delicious with a cup of tea after dinner!
Thank you, Ellen! I love these sweet quick breads with a cup of coffee.
This recipe is incredibly delicious!!
Thank you! We love it!
Love this idea for Thanksgiving breakfast to tide over till the mail meal..
Another beauty! I like your reasoning–bread instead of cake!
Thank you Patti! I love bread like this and really enjoyed it with a cup of soup.
Streusel topping and a lemon glaze on this delicious looking bread? Yessss please 🙂 Love using cranberries in different dishes around this time of year, it makes it all look so festive, as yours does.
I just love breads like this Loretta. They go so well with a savory meal.
Beautiful! Love this
Thank you so much Lynn!
Yes, yes, all things, yes. I’ve been dreaming about this bread all weekend!
Thank you Lauren! You’re so sweet!!
The texture of this bread looks insanely tender and moist. I can just imagine how delicious the crunchy streusel and the sweet glaze is with the bread. I am in love and pinned for later!
Thank you Lily! It really was tender and delicious!
This cranberry bread looks wonderful! Perfect for the holidays!
Thank you so much Nancy! It did work really well for us on Thanksgiving.
This is so refreshing Julie! Love the flavors and texture
Thank you Sonal!
This looks so moist and delicious – my mum used to make some great cranberry apple muffins so I can imagine this is great!
Thank you, Caroline! I am so appreciative to have been included in this festive event!
Oh yum! I think this is getting added to the menu for my holiday brunch!
Thank you Liz! We really enjoyed it!
I’ve never made a cranberry bread. Yours looks amazing. I love the bits of cranberry throughout. Yum!
Thank you Christie! I just love how cranberries sweeten up when they’re baked like this.
I agree that cranberries are too good and versatile to use only at holidays. I know some people find them too strong a flavour, but the tart flavour is what I really like. This streusel looks delish, and would indeed make a fine breakfast.
Thank you Hilda! It did make a nice breakfast and we enjoyed a slice with our turkey too.
I could certainly go for a thick slice of this for breakfast with some coffee. It looks delicious Julie, thanks for sharing 😀
Thank you so much Jess! It was really good with a cup of coffee!