Bursting with cranberries, vanilla, and white chocolate chips, White Chocolate Cranberry Bread is full of tart and sweet flavor. A combination of fresh and dried cranberries makes this tender and moist quick bread tasty and unique, and a great serving option for the winter holidays.
This cranberry quick bread, along with Cranberry Coffee Cake Muffins and Make Ahead Monkey Bread, is a Christmas morning favorite. With tart cranberry and sweet vanilla flavor, it's hard to resist not gobbling up the entire loaf before all the presents are opened!
This is a great make ahead, easy recipe that can use either fresh or frozen cranberries. It's also freezer friendly (without the topping, which can be made very easily and applied after the bread defrosts).
Just in case you were wondering, this is not a Starbucks copycat recipe (as many readers have asked), but we'll take the compliment all the same 😉.
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🥘Ingredients
- fresh cranberries- may also use frozen, but do not defrost
- flour- spoon and level into measuring cup for best results
- sugar
- baking powder, baking soda & salt- leavening agents for the bread
- milk- I often use 2% to make the bread extra creamy
- butter- melt before using
- egg- use at room temperature for easier mixing
- white chocolate chips- for a sweet bite in the bread batter
- vanilla melting wafers, additional white chocolate chips & dried cranberries- for the topping
🔪Instructions
- Step 1: Chop cranberries in a food processor; set aside.
- Step 2: Combine ingredients for the batter; stir in chopped fresh cranberries and white chocolate chips; mix until just combined.
- Step 3: Transfer batter to prepared loaf pan and bake.
- Step 4: Allow to fully cool on wire rack before making and applying the topping.
Hint: Line your loaf pan with parchment paper before adding the batter, then use the paper after baking to lift the loaf out of the pan.
📖Variations
- Without topping - This bread is also delicious without the topping (this also offers a lower sugar option)
- With nuts - ½ crushed walnuts or pistachios can be added to the batter before baking
- With citrus- 1 teaspoon of orange zest or lemon zest can be added to the batter for additional flavor
See Cranberry Mini Pies for an easy dessert option that uses fresh cranberries.
🍽Equipment
- food processor or cutting board and knife
- medium mixing bowl
- large mixing bowl
- 2 microwave safe dishes
- small mixing bowl
- scraping/rubber spatula
- mixing spoons
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- 9x5x3 loaf pan
- parchment paper
- wire rack
- spreading spatula
🍶Storage
Wrap White Chocolate Cranberry Bread in plastic wrap and store on your countertop for up to 3 days. You may also refrigerate for up to 5 days. The topping will get harder in the fridge. Have the bread sit out on the counter to soften before slicing and serving.
Freezing is only recommended if the bread does not have a topping; you may freeze loaf in freezer safe packaging for up to 3 months.
💭Top tip
This is a very dense batter. You want to make sure the bread bakes all the way through before removing it from the oven. Use a long cake tester and insert it in the center of the loaf to test for doneness. It will have some moist crumbs on it, but there shouldn't be any gooiness from the batter.
Applying a tented sheet of foil halfway through baking helps to prevent the top crust from over-browning.
🗨️FAQ
Using all-purpose flour is fine; if you're looking for a chewier bread, use bread flour.
No. In this recipe, I recommend using a food processor to chop the cranberries so they don't burst while baking in the bread, but no precooking is required. They are also less tart when you chop them before using.
🥄Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
🍴Pairing
These are some other favorite Christmas recipes:
📋Recipe
White Chocolate Cranberry Bread
Ingredients
For the bread:
- 2 cups fresh cranberries if using frozen, do not defrost
- ½ cup white chocolate chips I use Ghirardelli
- 2 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled for best results
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 & ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup milk, scant 2 tablespoons I use 2%
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 egg, beaten bring to room temperature before using for easier mixing
For the topping (optional):
- ½ cup vanilla flavored melting wafers I use Ghirardelli
- 2-3 tablespoons white chocolate chips
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Chop cranberries in a food processor (or slice cranberries in half on a cutting board).
- Place chopped cranberries in a medium mixing bowl. Add ½ cup white chocolate chips and stir to combine; set aside.
- Combine remaining dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl; mix thoroughly; set aside.
- In a separate bowl, add melted butter, milk and beaten egg; stir to combine, then add this mixture to the dry ingredient bowl and mix until just moistened.
- Fold in the cranberries and white chocolate chips; do not overmix.
- Lightly grease a 9x5x3 loaf pan, then line it with parchment paper. Spoon mixture into pan.
- Bake for 55-65 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven or until loaf tests done.
- Allow the bread to cool for 15 minutes, then lift it up out of the pan, using the parchment paper ends as handles. Cool completely on wire rack (about 1 hour).
- To make the topping, melt the vanilla candy melts, covered, in the microwave at half power. Check at 15 second intervals and stir to smooth.
- Immediately spread the smooth melting wafer mixture onto the top of the loaf. Then gently press in dried cranberries and reserved white chocolate chips.
Olive H. says
Wow, this really tastes like Starbucks' White Chocolate Cranberry Bliss Bar! I'm sure this bread is healthier too.
Kitchen Ready Betty says
I will have to try it! Without knowing the nutritional content for the bar, I'm not sure which is healthier, but I'm so glad you like the bread!