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Cranberry Apple Bread with Streusel

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.

Angled view of 3/4 a loaf of cranberry apple streusel bread on a white plate over a red napkin. A slice sits in front showing the baked cranberries running through the bread.

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.

Cranberry Apple Streusel Bread has a delicious soft center dotted with cranberry and apple. This bread is topped with a thick cinnamon brown sugar streusel. | HostessAtHeart.com

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 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!
A slice of Cranberry Apple bread slathered with melting butter sitting on a white plate next to a fork over a red napking

How do you make Apple Cranberry Bread?

Please note, that the printable recipe card has ingredient 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.
Cranberry Apple Streusel Bread has a delicious soft center dotted with cranberry and apple. This bread is topped with a thick cinnamon brown sugar streusel. | HostessAtHeart.com

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.

3/4 angled view of a loaf of bread loaded with dried cranberries and topped with streusel and glaze.

Cranberry Apple Streusel Bread

Author: Julie Menghini
Apple Cranberry 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.
4.50 from 2 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Bread
Cuisine American
Keyword: apple cranberry bread, cranberry apple bread, Cranberry Apple Streusel Bread
Servings: 18 slices

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

Calories: 219kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 2gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 157mgPotassium: 98mgFiber: 1gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 240IUVitamin C: 4.2mgCalcium: 38mgIron: 1mg

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.

Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!

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:

Don’t have time to make it now? Pin it for Later!

Front view of a loaf of sliced cranberry bread topped with streusel and glazed.
Recipe Rating




Lori

Sunday 25th of October 2020

‘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.

Julie Menghini

Tuesday 27th of October 2020

Thank you, Lori! We love this bread too!

Mike

Tuesday 26th of May 2020

The tartness of the cranberries and the sweet from the bread and apple flavor makes this outstanding.

Lora

Saturday 23rd of November 2019

Yummy! I love a good quick bread!

Julie Menghini

Saturday 23rd of November 2019

I do too, Lora! Thank you!

elizabeth miller

Friday 22nd of November 2019

This sounds delicious. I never thought about baking cranberry and apple together.

Julie Menghini

Friday 22nd of November 2019

We really enjoyed this mix, Elizabeth!

Pamela

Sunday 17th of November 2019

I love cranberries and apples!! Can't wait to try this recipe. Thank you!!

Julie Menghini

Sunday 17th of November 2019

Thank you, Pamela! It's delicious bread! I hope you will let me know what you think!

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