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Pumpkin Cranberry Bread with Dried Cranberries

Best pumpkin cranberry bread that is incredibly moist. Serve as a Fall breakfast or dessert with a light glaze or frosting on top. To die for I tell you!

pumpkin cranberry bread

Let me share the most important tip in baking the moistest loaf of pumpkin cranberry bread! Once you have this down you can use this base and add anything else like chocolate chips or nuts. (affiliate links present)

Pumpkin Cranberry Bread with Dried Cranberries

If you like your hand mixer, by all means use that. I love my KitchenAid because it just makes baking so much easier. I even got a pull out stand when we renovated our kitchen which I LOVE.

canned pumpkin

Libby’s Pumpkin Cranberry Bread

It stays on the shelf, you pull the levers up and it pops up at height level. Throw everything in, mix and there’s no moving necessary. Even my teenage girls bake more often with this now.

How do you make pumpkin bread from scratch with real pumpkin?

Use this same recipe here, but substitute the mixture after making pressure cooker pumpkin. I will say that you’ll need to add more seasonings like nutmeg and pumpkin pie spice to this though.

How do you keep pumpkin bread moist?

The biggest tip is to not over-bake it!! Bake just until the toothpick comes out MOSTLY clean, cool on cooling rack INSIDE the pan and remove when cool. It needs at least 30 minutes to rest inside the pan.
Baking it at a lower temperature is best too. Instead of preheating oven to 350, bake at 325 instead for a bit longer like our 2 ingredient pumpkin muffins. SO much better!

Why did my pumpkin bread sink?

The typical answer would be that it wasn’t baked long enough. If it is still overly moist in the center it will sink. Make sure to use a knife or toothpick to test before removing it. If batter comes out, bake longer.

Other reasons could be the leavening agent was expired, or not enough was used. Third, may be the batter sat out too long before baking it.

pumpkin bread ingredients

If you’ve made this favorite Fall loaf before, almost every recipe has the same ingredients. There isn’t a lot of variance really. Some use more cinnamon, or less nutmeg but the basics still remain. The biggest difference between all the other pumpkin bread recipes and ours is how MOIST this one is once it is done!

Pumpkin Cranberry Bread with Canned Cranberries

  • White sugar and pumpkin puree
  • Eggs
  • All purpose flour
  • Brown sugar
  • Cinnamon
  • Nutmeg
  • Vegetable oil
  • Milk
  • Baking soda
  • 9×5″ loaf pan and I like a piece of parchment paper inside to lift it out easier. Or you can grease and flour inside so it slides out.

Great add ins to this are dried cranberries (not fresh cranberries), you could swap out for canned too, chocolate chips and/or chopped nuts. Walnuts are usually best.

pumpkin bread

I usually mix the wet ingredients in my mixture, and dry in a small bowl. This just makes one 9×5″ loaf pan so there isn’t a ton of batter. Prep only takes about 15 minutes so if you preheat the oven at first you’ll be set.

Pumpkin Cranberry Bread with Cream Cheese

  1. In a large bowl add eggs, sugars, oil, milk and pumpkin. Mix on low until incorporated. Incorporate dry ingredients in another bowl and then add 1/2 of this into pumpkin mixture. Mix on low speed.
  2. Add second 1/2 of dry ingredients and mix. Use spatula to make sure all dry is mixed in. Fold in dried cranberries.
  3. Time to preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper (one strip the length of the pan with ends hanging over is just fine) and pour batter in pan and bake. (makes 1 loaf)
  4. Put filled and prepared loaf pan on middle rack and bake bread for 1 hour 10 -15 minutes. Use toothpick when done, should come out mostly clean (a small bit of wetness is okay)

Take out and leave in pan. Cool on cooling rack until room temperature or at least 25 minutes before removing. Lift out, remove paper and slice on cutting board. You could melt and drizzle cream cheese frosting over the top too.

libbys pumpkin cranberry bread

What to make with pumpkin puree

I like to go just one step further and melt a bit of vanilla or cream cheese frosting. Pour some on top of each piece when served for a delicious dessert or breakfast treat during the holidays.

If you love this pumpkin dessert recipe, we have so many more to share with you too!

Have a cup of coffee with pumpkin coffee creamer on the side. Homemade is so much better and extremely easy to throw together for Christmas brunch or on the weekend.

cranberry pumpkin bread

Now, what are you waiting for??? If it’s Fall I know you’re ready to get “all things pumpkin” going on. It is our favorite time of year as far as the weather outside goes, and the comfort foods are out of this world.

  • You can print recipe below if you’d like to store it in your recipe book.
  • Of course we love seeing you so feel free to come back time and time again to get the ingredient list.
  • Once you understand how to keep bread moist you can take that information to other sweet breads too.

Want to see a few of my favorite things that I am totally obsessed with?? Take a peek and see how many you might already have…twinsies!

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the typical mom

Does pumpkin bread go bad?

If stored properly: wrapped in plastic wrap and then stored inside foil or a freezer bag free from air it will last 2 days room temperature. If you put it in the fridge after wrapped it will last a week but will dry out easier.

  • I suggest you leave it on the counter properly wrapped to keep it as moist as possible.
  • If after 2 days it isn’t consumed, then put it into the fridge for up to 3 more days.

What’s the best way to freeze pumpkin bread?

As long as you wrap it properly with plastic wrap, and then store in an airtight freezer bag you can. When you’re ready to thaw it out, leave it on the countertop until it reaches room temperature. Then slice and enjoy.

If you want to know how to half a recipe to make less, read this post. Tip: Spray your pan with non stick spray to clean a pot.

pumpkin cranberry bread
Print Pin
4.67 from 6 votes

Pumpkin Cranberry Bread

Best pumpkin cranberry bread that is incredibly moist. Serve as a Fall breakfast or dessert with a light glaze or frosting on top.
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword bread, cranberry, pumpkin
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 12
Calories 356kcal
Author The Typical Mom

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a mixing bowl add eggs, sugars, oil, milk and pumpkin. Mix on low until incorporated.
  • Mix dry ingredients in another bowl and then add 1/2 of this into pumpkin mix. Mix on low. Add second 1/2 of dry ingredients and mix. Use spatula to make sure all dry is mixed in.
  • Fold in dried cranberries. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  • Line 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper and pour batter inside.
  • Bake on middle rack for 1 hour 10 – 15 minutes. Use toothpick when done, should come out mostly clean (a small bit of wetness is okay)
  • Take out and leave in pan. Cool on cooling rack until room temperature or at least 25 minutes before removing.
  • Lift out, remove paper and slice on cutting board.

Video

Nutrition Facts
Pumpkin Cranberry Bread
Amount Per Serving (2 oz)
Calories 356 Calories from Fat 117
% Daily Value*
Fat 13g20%
Saturated Fat 8g50%
Cholesterol 28mg9%
Sodium 255mg11%
Potassium 62mg2%
Carbohydrates 57g19%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 41g46%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 63IU1%
Calcium 28mg3%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Recipe Rating




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dina and bruce

Tuesday 12th of September 2023

The flavors just jumped! Such a winning combo! A new fall fav!!!

Sara Welch

Tuesday 12th of September 2023

This was such a delicious recipe that does not disappoint! Turned out light, fluffy and delicious; easily, a new favorite recipe for fall!

Tayler

Tuesday 12th of September 2023

Pumpkin and cranberry is one of my favorite flavor combos, best bread ever!

Anjali

Tuesday 12th of September 2023

This quick bread is so delicious during the fall!! Made it for breakfast this morning and it made my house smell amazing, and turned out moist, dense, and perfectly sweet.

Nunyaz Bizness

Tuesday 12th of October 2021

A decent recipe ruined by a bunch of irrelevant nonsense. I don't want to scroll through pages of blah blah blah. Just put the recipe on the top!

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