Topped with a delicious vanilla coating full of dried cranberries and white chocolate chips, White Chocolate Cranberry Bread is full of tart and sweet. A combination of fresh and dried cranberries deliver an amazing flavor in this tasty quick bread, that makes both a wonderful holiday gift and a great addition to any winter gathering.
Believe it or not, I am not a Starbucks person. But rumor has it there is a certain cranberry bread on their menu that resembles this one that is unbelievably good.
White Chocolate Cranberry Bread, just like my Carrot Bread recipe, is great with a cup of coffee for sure, but what sets it apart from the other breads I make is its special bejeweled top that's full of dried cranberries and white chocolate chips.
Because it's tart and sweet, we sometimes enjoy this bread as an after dinner dessert, especially when I use the rest of my cranberries to make Cranberry Coffee Cake Muffins for breakfast!
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Why you'll love it
| Quick bread recipe- There's no yeast involved in this recipe, making it much easier to prepare. Eye-catching- The beautiful topping always gets attention and tastes great, making this bread a great gift or holiday dessert table option. Good for you- Cranberries are a super fruit and are full of cancer-fighting antioxidants. With two cups of cranberries in this recipe, it's easy to find at least one in each bite! Great for freezing- Make two batches and freeze one for later. This bread holds up really well in the freezer in proper packaging WITHOUT its topping (which can be made very quickly and can easily be put on after the bread defrosts). |
Ingredients
For the bread:
- fresh cranberries- may also use frozen, but do not defrost
- white chocolate chips- vanilla flavored chips also work
- flour
- sugar
- baking powder, baking soda & salt- leavening agents for the bread
- milk- I often use skim
- butter
- egg
For the topping:
- vanilla flavored melting wafers
- white chocolate chips
- dried cranberries
Instructions
Chop cranberries in a food processor (or slice cranberries in half on a cutting board).
Kitchen Ready Betty tip: Do not skip this step! Cranberries must be cut at least in half or they will burst when baking. Chopping them also ensures that the delicious cranberry flavor will be evenly distributed throughout the bread.
Place chopped cranberries in a medium mixing bowl. Add ½ cup white chocolate chips and stir to combine.
Make the bread base by combining all the remaining dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Stir thoroughly.
Melt the butter and then place it in a separate, small bowl. Add the milk and beaten egg to this bowl. Stir to combine, then add this mixture to the large mixing bowl and mix just enough to moisten.
Kitchen Ready Betty tip: In order to avoid lumpy or chewy bread, it's important that you don't overmix!
Fold in the cranberries and white chocolate chips. Again, do not overmix!
Lightly grease the 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).
If you plan on freezing the bread, stop here. You should only decorate the top if you don't intend to freeze it. The top can always be decorated after the bread fully defrosts.
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.
Kitchen Ready Betty tip: It's better to stir to smooth than overheating wafers, which will quickly clump if exposed to too much heat.
Immediately spread the smooth melting wafer mixture onto the top of the loaf. Then gently press in dried cranberries and reserved white chocolate chips.
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 tightly in foil 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 it sit out a little bit on the counter to soften before slicing and serving.
Freezing is only recommended if the bread does not have a topping.
What to serve with this recipe
This bread is excellent with coffee or tea! It's perfect for breakfast and also makes a great after dinner dessert.
Can't get enough cranberry recipes? See Easy Cranberry Mini Pies & Cranberry Coffee Cake Muffins.
For other delicious breakfast treats, try Blueberry Buckle Coffee Cake and Make Ahead Monkey Bread--a Christmas morning favorite!
For another great tasting homemade quick bread recipe, try Carrot Bread!
📋Recipe
White Chocolate Cranberry Bread
Ingredients
For the bread:
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- ½ cup white chocolate chips I use Ghirardelli
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 & ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup ¾ milk, scant 2 tablespoons
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 egg, beaten
For the topping:
- 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.
- Make the bread base by combining all the remaining dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Stir thoroughly.
- Melt the butter and then place it in a separate, small bowl. Add the milk and beaten egg to this bowl. Stir to combine, then add this mixture to the large mixing bowl and mix just enough to moisten.
- Fold in the cranberries and white chocolate chips. Again, do not overmix!
- Lightly grease the 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.
- Wrap the bread tightly in foil 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 it sit out a little bit on the counter to soften before slicing and serving. Freezing is only recommended if the bread does not have a topping.
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!