Cranberry Orange Bread with Grand Marnier Glaze is the perfect bread for eating and gifting during the holiday season.
This Cranberry Orange Bread is a sweet quick-cooking loaf bread, not a yeast bread. This recipe is made just as if you were making and baking a loaf of banana bread. Combine all of the ingredients, scrape into two loaf pans, and bake. There is no rising time needed as there is no yeast in this recipe.
If you prefer to make this Cranberry Orange Bread into mini loaves, you can certainly do that. Mini loaves will take less time to bake. I’ve included instructions on timing in the recipe at the end of this post.
What is Grand Marnier?
Grand Marnier is an orange-flavored liqueur created in 1880 by Alexandre Marnier-Lapostolle. It is made from a blend of Cognac brandy, distilled essence of bitter orange, and sugar. Grand Marnier is used in mixed drinks, and it’s often an ingredient in desserts too. In this Orange Cranberry Bread recipe, it’s used as the flavoring for the glaze.
If you’re looking for more recipes to use up your Grand Marnier, try my Creme Brulee French Toast or these Margarita Cupcakes. Easy Strawberry Sorbet and Grand Marnier Truffles are delicious choices too!
Can I substitute something non-alcoholic for the Grand Marnier?
Absolutely! If you are making this bread for a gathering where children are going to be eating it, or if you know there will be people at your gathering who do not consume alcohol, then please use orange juice in place of the Grand Marnier for the glaze. It will be perfectly delicious with Orange Juice too!
Does Cranberry Orange Bread freeze well?
Yes, it does! Let it cool completely, and let the glaze firm up. If the glaze doesn’t seem firm enough, place the glazed loaf in the freezer until firm and then prepare it for the freezer. Wrap each loaf tightly in foil, then place into a large zip baggie. That’s the best way to keep it as fresh as possible until you are ready to take it out, defrost and eat. I like this recipe so much because it makes two loaves. My family consumes one, and I keep one in the freezer so I have one ready for last-minute gifting!
How can I wrap this and give it as a gift?
Michaels and other craft stores sell clear plastic loaf bags. I keep some of those on hand for gifting breads like this Cranberry Orange Bread. Just slide the loaf inside the plastic bag and tie the end with a pretty ribbon. I like to add a label on top- sharing that it’s “Cranberry Orange Bread.” It’s such a pretty loaf of bread, so the clear bag really is nice.
More recipes to use up your dried cranberries:
- Wild Rice and Cranberry Salad
- Cranberry Bliss Bars
- White Chocolate- Cranberry Fudge
- Great Grains Muffins
- Cranberry- Orange Shortbread Cookies
Cranberry Orange Bread with Grand Marnier Glaze
Ingredients
- 1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1½ cups granulated white sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups dried cranberries
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 6 to 8 tablespoons Grand Marnier (or orange juice)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 330°F. (yep, you read that correctly!). Spray two 5x8-inch loaf pans nonstick spray (or, if making mini loaves, spray six 2-cup capacity pans).
- With an electric or standing mixer on medium speed, combine the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Add the orange juice, sour cream, orange zest, and vanilla; mix until blended.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture and cranberries to the wet ingredients and mix just until the dry ingredients are absorbed; do not overmix.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared loaf pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted into center of the breads comes out clean, 70 to 75 minutes for large loaves and 55 to 60 minutes for mini loaves.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and 6 tablespoons Grand Marnier (or orange juice). The glaze should have the consistency of thick maple syrup or corn syrup. If it is too thick, thin with an additional tablespoon or two of the liqueur.
- Let the loaves cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove and transfer to a cooling rack set over a large baking sheet. With a thin skewer or long toothpick, poke deep holes in the tops of the loaves. Drizzle with Grand Marnier glaze so that it coats the top, runs down the sides, and seeps through the holes.
- Let the loaves cool completely, then slice and serve, or wrap and freeze.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I loved how festive it looks! Really amazing!
My new favorite cranberry bread! The glaze is to die for!!
The Grand Marnier glaze puts this cranberry orange bread OVER THE TOP!
Such a pretty festive bread!
SO GOOD! I just want to sit and eat this all night.
That glaze. OhMyGoodness!!!!
Can fresh cranberries be used instead of dried?
The glaze sets this bread apart it is to die for!!
Such a great way to use all the cranberries that I still have in the fridge from Thanksgiving. Thanks for sharing.
You are absolutely adorable in sharing other ways to “use up” ingredients not consumed in any particular recipe! Thank you – it is a really helpful offering!
Merry Christmastime!
oh good! Well, I know Grand Marnier is hard to figure out, so a few recipe choices might help!