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Gluten Free Cranberry Bread {Dairy-Free Too!}

Gluten Free Cranberry Bread {Dairy-Free Too!}

Published: Nov 11, 2020 by Sandi Gaertner · 20 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links

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If you enjoy a great quick bread with your breakfast, or as a snack, you are going to LOVE my homemade gluten free cranberry bread. It is loaded with chocolate chips. This quick bread is not only gluten free but dairy-free as well. You can dig into it in about 50 minutes!

A sliced cranberry chocolate chip loaf on a cutting board
Jump to:
  • Why you need to try this recipe:
  • Ingredients you need:
  • Ingredients swaps:
  • How to make this recipe:
  • Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ:
  • Related Recipes:
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Comments

Fresh cranberries are in season and I am so excited to start making all of my favorite cranberry recipes like these gluten free cranberry streusel muffins!

Thanksgiving is around the corner, and I really wanted to create a healthy, but delicious gluten free and dairy-free bread that your family can enjoy with breakfast.

If you feel more like cake, this Gluten Free Cranberry Pound Cake is absolutely delicious!

Why you need to try this recipe:

This simple gluten free cranberry bread is healthy, moist, and delicious! I used coconut sugar to keep it lower glycemic and it is healthy enough to serve with breakfast or brunch without the guilt!

If you love a moist, yet light and fluffy quick bread, you need to try this gluten free cranberry orange bread recipe!

While you are here, don't forget to check out all of my delicious Gluten Free Bread Recipes!

Ingredients you need:

cranberry bread ingredients on the counter
  • Coconut sugar - you can substitute brown sugar if you don't need a lower glycemic sugar.
  • Coconut oil - you can use any light oil but I really like to use coconut oil because it adds some sweetness.
  • Cranberries - I highly recommend that you use fresh cranberries. Dried cranberries will work but they will change the texture quite a bit.
  • Orange zest - you can use either a navel orange or mandarin orange to make the zest.
  • Gluten free flour blend - Gluten free flour blend - I tested this recipe using Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Flour Blend and King Arthur's Measure for Measure Gluten Free Blend. That doesn't mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours.
  • Almond milk - or another non-dairy milk to keep this recipe dairy-free. Do not use canned coconut milk.
  • Pure vanilla extract - vanilla bean paste also works well. Do not use imitation vanilla.
  • Flaxseed meal - make sure to use ground flaxseed meal and not the whole seed.
  • Chocolate chips - bittersweet, dark, or milk chocolate are fine.
  • Optional nuts - use pecans or walnuts. You can save money buying nut pieces instead of whole nuts.

Ingredients swaps:

  • Add chopped nuts like pecans, walnuts, or macadamia!
  • Add other fruits like blueberries. You can use any fruit to enjoy year-round when cranberries are not in season.
  • Add a mashed banana to add more sweetness.

How to make this recipe:

a collage of process steps in making

Step 1: Wash and chop up your cranberries. Look for bruised ones and toss those in the trash. There are lots of fresh cranberries in this gluten free cranberry bread recipe.

Step 2: Add your dry ingredients to a bowl and whisk to blend.

Step 3: Pour your wet ingredients into a smaller bowl and mix well. 

Step 4: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix up the wet and dry cranberry bread ingredients. 

cranberry bread batter in a bread loaf tin
Step 5

Step 5: Pour the batter into a greased loaf tin. I like to use spray coconut oil in my baking tin to prevent the quick bread from sticking to the pan.

Note, you can also use this recipe to make dairy free gluten free cranberry muffins! Just put your batter into parchment paper-lined muffin cups.

Step 6: After I put the batter into a greased baking dish, I sprinkled some cinnamon sugar over the top. This gives the top of this cranberry nut bread loaf a nice little sparkle.

If you are keeping the sugar down, feel free to skip this step. Bake at 350º F for 40-45 minutes.

a baked cranberry bread in a loaf tin

Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ:

  • The secret to keeping gluten free sweet bread to be light and fluffy is to "just" mix the batter. Don't over mix it, or it won't be as light!
  • Allow the dairy-free cranberry bread to cool before slicing! (I once tried to slice the bread when it was still warm. The slices were a bit messy so I wanted to let you know so that you can learn from my mistake :-).
How do you know when the bread is done baking?

I bake this cranberry bread loaf for about 40 minutes. To test and see if it is done, insert a toothpick into the center of the loaf. If the toothpick comes out without crumbs or batter, that means your gluten free cranberry bread is finished.

How long will this cranberry bread keep?

This cranberry bread will keep up to 3 days stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator, or up to 4 months in the freezer.

Can you use dried cranberries?

Dried cranberries will work in this recipe but they will change the texture...like if you added raisins.

Do you have to cook the cranberries first?

Nope, the beauty of this gluten free cranberry bread that you make from scratch is using fresh juicy cranberries. Their sweet tartness is what gives this bread its flavor.

Can you freeze this loaf?

You can easily freeze this cranberry bread for another time. Wrap a cooled loaf in plastic wrap. Next, wrap it in tin foil. Lastly, put the wrapped loaf into a freezer bag. It will keep in your freezer up to 4 months.

a fork cutting into a slice of cranberry bread

Are you ready to make your own gluten free cranberry bread? If you love cranberries as much as we do, you may want to check out this gluten free cranberry banana bread too!

Related Recipes:

  • Easy Homemade Cranberry Sauce
  • Moist Gluten Free Banana Bread with Fresh Cranberries
  • Sparkly Rum and Cranberry Cocktail with Homemade Simple Syrup
  • Gluten Free Cranberry Muffins with Streusel
  • Gluten Free Cranberry Cookies with Dairy-Free Option

📖 Recipe

Gluten Free Cranberry and Chocolate Chip Bread

Sandi Gaertner
Gluten free cranberry and chocolate chip bread is healthy enough for breakfast.
5 from 16 votes
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Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 45 mins
Total Time 50 mins
Course Gluten Free Bread Recipe
Cuisine American
Servings 10 slices
Calories 339 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup coconut sugar (*see note)
  • ½ cup coconut oil melted
  • 1 cup fresh cranberries
  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • 1 ¾ cup gluten free flour blend (*see note)
  • 1 cup almond milk (*see note)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup flaxseed meal ground
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup chocolate chips
  • ½ cup pecans

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350º F.
  • Grease a loaf pan. (I sprayed mine with coconut oil)
  • In a large bowl, add all of your dry ingredients and whisk to blend.
  • In a smaller bowl, add all wet ingredients and whisk. Add cranberries, chips, and nuts.
  • Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix. Mix the two until they are just barely mixed. If you over mix your batter your quick bread will be denser.
  • Pour batter into the loaf pan and bake for 40-45 minutes until done.
  • To test doneness, insert a toothpick into the bread towards the middle of the loaf. If your toothpick comes back clean, your bread is done baking. If you see crumbs or batter on the toothpick, you will need to bake it longer.

Video

Notes

  1. I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure GF, Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 GF blend, and Authentic Foods Multi Blend in this recipe. That doesn't mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours.
  2. If your gluten free flour blend doesn't contain Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum, add 1 teaspoon.
  3. Feel free to substitute brown sugar for coconut sugar if you don't need a lower glycemic sugar option.
  4. You can use any non-dairy milk, but I do not recommend canned coconut milk.
  5. The secret to keeping gluten free sweet bread to be light and fluffy is to "just" mix the batter. Don't over mix it, or it won't be as light!
  6. Bake time will depend on the depth of the pan you use. To test doneness, insert a toothpick into the loaf. If the toothpick comes out clean, your bread is done baking. If you see batter or crumbs, bake it longer.
  7. Allow the bread to cool before slicing! (I once tried to slice the bread when it was still warm. The slices were a bit messy so I wanted to let you know so that you can learn from my mistake :-).
  8. This gluten free cranberry bread will keep up to 3 days in an air-tight container in the refrigerator, or up to 4 months in the freezer.

SPECIAL NOTE

Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn't test, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 339kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 5gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 113mgPotassium: 86mgFiber: 5gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 74IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 73mgIron: 1mg
Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @FearlessDining or tag #FearlessDining!

Nutrition Disclaimer

Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.

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This post was originally published 12/12/14 and has been updated with new photos, instructions, and baking tips.

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    Recipe Rating




  1. April

    December 01, 2017 at 5:37 pm

    May I leave out the choc? And may I use a flax egg instead?

    Reply
    • Sandi Gaertner

      December 02, 2017 at 11:42 pm

      Hi April, I haven't tested this recipe with a flax egg so I am not sure. Please write back and let us know how it works out. You can totally omit the chocolate. Thank you 🙂 Sandi

      Reply
  2. Debra C.

    November 17, 2017 at 3:35 pm

    5 stars
    This loaf looks so moist and delicious, I would like a slice to enjoy with a cup of coffee in the morning. I definitely need to get busy then, unless you deliver? 😀

    Reply
    • Sandi Gaertner

      November 18, 2017 at 4:50 pm

      Thank you so much...you should come enjoy some with me over a cup of coffee 🙂

      Reply
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