My Gluten-Free Cranberry Orange Bread has quickly become a family favorite! Each slice is dense, flavorful, and drizzled with a simple orange glaze. Plus it's made with wholesome ingredients, and free from dairy and gluten!
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What I love about this recipe
If you've been apart of the FWP fam for a while, you've probably noticed that I absolutely adore citrus. It only felt right to create a gluten-free version of this delicious flavor combo! And just like that, Gluten-Free Cranberry Orange Bread was born! It has quickly become a family favorite - especially with the orange glaze on top.
Each slice is light and fluffy with a crispy golden brown top. The base of the bread is made with almond flour and cassava flour, which makes for the perfect texture. It's a deliciously sweet and tangy bread that you will want to make over and over again.
Why is this Cranberry Orange Bread healthier?
After looking at the pictures you might be wondering HOW is this Cranberry Orange Bread healthier?! Traditional Cranberry Orange Bread has 20+ grams of sugar per slice, while mine only has 7 grams per slice! (Without the glaze.) I used mostly orange puree and a small amount of coconut sugar to sweeten the loaf.
🍴Ingredient Notes
- Almond Flour - I wouldn't recommend swapping this flour combination for any other flours. It works best with almond and cassava.
- Cassava Flour - If you're not familiar with cassava flour, it's a great gluten-free flour alternative! It has a very light, powdery texture, and it’s made from Yuca. You can find it on amazon, or at most natural markets. (Whole Foods!)
- Nutmeg - If you don't have nutmeg, you could sub for cinnamon.
- Medium Sized Eggs - I have not tested this recipe with egg replacements.
- Orange Puree - I blended a full orange to get the orange puree, but you could also use orange juice!
- Coconut Sugar - You can substitute with Lakanto Golden Monkfruit.
- Orange Zest - It takes about one whole orange to make enough zest for this recipe. I used a small hand grater, but any grater will work!
- Fresh Cranberries - You can use fresh or frozen! Feel free to add more if you'd like.
Simple Orange Glaze
- Powdered Sugar - You can use regular organic powdered sugar or Lakanto powdered sugar for a sugar-free alternative.
- Orange Puree - You can also use orange juice! If it's too thin, just add a little extra sugar.
Orange Puree vs. Orange Juice
You can use orange juice, but I like using the ENTIRE orange for two reasons. One, it's easier to blend the whole orange instead of juicing both halves. Two, you still get the benefits of FIBER when you use the entire orange. (There's four grams of fiber per slice.) Plus the orange puree gives a light and fluffy texture without the need for any oil or butter! It's the perfect treat for anyone who is gluten-free, dairy-free, or on a Paleo diet.
🍴Step by Step Instructions
How to make Orange Puree
- To make the orange puree, just peel an orange, break it apart, and add to your blender! Blend on high until it's a creamy consistency. You can also juice the orange and use that instead of the puree. If you're using that orange for the orange zest, make sure to zest it BEFORE you peel it.
Making the Orange Cranberry Bread Batter
- Start by adding almond flour, cassava flour, coconut sugar, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Use a whisk to blend until fully combined. (Make sure to break up any flour clumps.
- Next add in the eggs, orange puree, and orange zest. Blend with your whisk, or hand mixer until it becomes a thick consistency. If you use a whisk and find it hard to blend, you can use a spatula to finish the job!
- Finally, it's time to fold in the cranberries! Pour the cranberries on top, and gently fold them into the batter.
Baking the Orange Cranberry Bread
- Grease your bread pan with coconut oil or a non-stick cooking spray. (You can also line the pan with parchment paper.)
- Press the batter into the pan with a spoon or spatula. If you want to add cranberries, orange zest, or chocolate chips on top, add them now! Make sure to gently press the cranberries into the batter.
- Bake the bread at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. (The top should be golden brown.)
- Once it's done, let it cool for about 15-20 minutes before trying to remove it. (It's important to let it set!) I like to take a sharp knife and scrape around the edges. It should pop right out - especially if you used parchment paper.
Making the Orange Glaze
- You can enjoy as is, or add a orange glaze on top! (My personal favorite.) For the glaze, just mix together the powdered sugar and orange puree/juice. You can use a spoon or whisk to blend. Pour an even layer over top of the bread! Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can use dried cranberries! I prefer using fresh because they're not super sweet, and it balances nicely with the sweet orange bread flavor. (They will also add a lot of sugar!)
Yes it is! The base of the bread is made with a blend of cassava flour and almond flour which are both grain-free alternatives. I also used organic unrefined coconut sugar, and Lakanto powdered sugar for the glaze on top! If you're not Paleo, you could use regular organic powdered sugar instead.
How to store leftovers
I found that this bread is best stored in the refrigerator! You can also store it on the counter at room temperature, but it will stay fresh for longer in the refrigerator. You could also pre-slice the loaf, and save half for later in the freezer! Make sure you're using a freezer safe container. I love the Ello glass containers!
More fruity recipes!
- Gluten-Free Orange Cake (Paleo)
- Healthy Apple Spice Cake
- Gluten-Free Lemon Cake with Strawberry Frosting
- Chocolate Orange Brownies (Paleo)
- Healthy Strawberry Lemon Biscuits
After you make this Gluten-Free Orange Cranberry Bread, make sure to leave a comment & rate the recipe! Your feedback is helpful for me, and for anyone planning to try this recipe. I hope you love it as much as I do!
Recipe
Gluten-Free Orange Cranberry Bread
Equipment
- Small Bread Pan
- Small Grater
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 Cups Almond Flour
- ⅓ Cup Cassava Flour
- 1+½ Teaspoons Baking Powder
- ½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ Teaspoon Nutmeg
- ¼ Teaspoon Salt
Wet Ingredients
- 2 Medium Sized Eggs
- ½ Cup Orange Puree I blended a full orange to get the orange puree, but you could also use orange juice!
- ⅓ Cup Coconut Sugar You can substitute with Lakanto Golden Monkfruit.
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 Tablespoon Orange Zest
Cranberries
- ⅓ Cup Fresh Cranberries You can use fresh or frozen!
Orange Glaze
- ⅓ Cup Powdered Sugar You can use regular organic powdered sugar or Lakanto powdered sugar for a sugar-free alternative.
- 2 Tablespoons Orange Puree You can also use orange juice! If it's too thin, just add a little extra sugar.
Instructions
Orange Puree
- To make the orange puree, just peel an orange, break it apart, and add to your blender! Blend on high until it's creamy. You can also juice the orange and use that instead of the puree. If you're using that orange for the orange zest, make sure to zest it BEFORE you peel it.
Making the Batter
- Start by adding almond flour, cassava flour, coconut sugar, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Use a whisk to blend until fully combined. (Make sure to break up any flour clumps.
- Next add in the eggs, orange puree, and orange zest. Blend with your whisk, or hand mixer until it becomes a thick consistency. If you use a whisk and find it hard to blend, you can use a spatula to finish the job!
- Finally, it's time to fold in the cranberries! Pour the cranberries on top, and gently fold them into the batter.
Baking the Bread
- Grease your bread pan with coconut oil or a non-stick cooking spray. (You can also line the pan with parchment paper.)
- Press the batter into the pan with a spoon or spatula. If you want to add cranberries, orange zest, or chocolate chips on top, add them now! Make sure to gently press the cranberries into the batter.
- Bake the bread at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. (The top should be golden brown.)
- Once it's done, let it cool for about 15-20 minutes before trying to remove it. (It's important to let it set!) I like to take a sharp knife and scrape around the edges. It should pop right out - especially if you used parchment paper.
Orange Glaze
- You can enjoy as is, or add a orange glaze on top! (My personal favorite.) For the glaze, just mix together the powdered sugar and orange puree/juice. You can use a spoon or whisk to blend. Pour an even layer over top of the bread! Enjoy!
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes this bread healthier?
After looking at the pictures you might be wondering HOW is this Cranberry Orange Bread healthier?! Traditional Cranberry Orange Bread has 20+ grams of sugar per slice, while mine only has 7 grams per slice! (Without the glaze.) I used mostly orange puree and a small amount of coconut sugar to sweeten the loaf. You can use orange juice, but I like using the ENTIRE orange for two reasons. One, it's easier to blend the whole orange instead of juicing both halves. Two, you still get the benefits of FIBER when you use the entire orange. (There's four grams of fiber per slice.) Plus the orange puree gives a light and fluffy texture without the need for any oil or butter! It's the perfect treat for anyone who is gluten-free, dairy-free, or on a Paleo diet.How to store leftover bread
I found that this bread is best stored in the refrigerator! You can also store it on the counter at room temperature, but it will stay fresh for longer in the refrigerator. You could also pre-slice the loaf, and save half for later in the freezer! Make sure you're using a freezer safe container. I love the Ello glass containers!Nutrition
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Mel
It’s sooo moist + flavorful!! We loved it!
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So happy to hear that! It's one of my personal favorites. xo Mariah
Anna
Could this recipe be done as muffins?
Mariah Mandile
I haven't tried, but I'm sure it would work! They will bake faster though so keep an eye on them. (: