My FAVORITE Non-Pie Thanksgiving Dessert – Cranberry Pumpkin Bread
Pies and Thanksgiving go hand in hand. Like macaroni and cheese, cupcakes and icing or peanut butter and jelly! Pies are delicious – from fruit to cream to everything in between, they are a mouthful of Heaven. But sometimes you just don’t want to commit to an entire piece of pie. Or maybe it’s breakfast and you feel like pie isn’t the best option. (I mean, why not – fruit is appropriate for breakfast, right?!) Or maybe you are stuffed from that awesome Thanksgiving meal, and just want something sweet-ish to munch on. So for those times when you aren’t feeling the pie, enter cranberry pumpkin bread.
Cranberry pumpkin loaf bread is a moist, flavorful and well balanced baked good that serves well as a light dessert, an indulgent breakfast treat or a midday snack. I assure you, this special treat will not last long in your home, so consider making a few extra to pop in your freezer. Don’t be fooled by the label of bread – it’s more cake-like but shaped in bread loaf form.
Why I Love This Recipe
I’ve been making this bread for many years, after stumbling upon a similar recipe while watching a cooking show. I’ve adapted it over the years to suit my family’s preferences, cut out a lot of the sugar and made it an easier batter to work with. It’s slightly sweet, with a good dose of tartness from the fresh cranberries, finished with the hearty fall spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and allspice. The final product is so lovely, this might be your new favorite Fall baked treat. I know it’s mine.
Why I Love This Cranberry Pumpkin Combo Flavor
This recipe consists of all of the traditional cake ingredients (flour, sugar, eggs, etc) plus a few seasonal treats. Adding fresh tart cranberries cuts through the sweetness, plus the creamy pumpkin puree gives this batter a velvety texture. And of course, those Fall spices warm your taste buds.
My Secret – Mini Loaf Pans
My favorite way to make (also gift) these loaves is in mini loaf pans. I buy the disposable, aluminum foil pans at the grocery store and handwash after every use. I can reuse them for many bakes, really stretching my dollar far. Plus, I can gift them to people in the pan, if I choose, and I never worry about getting the pan back. They hold their shape beautifully, if you hand wash them, and stack perfectly in your kitchen storage space. I’ll also make mini banana bread loaves in these little pans, along with zucchini breads. I love this product.
A Few Things to Think About When Making Cranberry Pumpkin Bread
This makes a fairly thick batter, so I recommend a stand mixer, though you can certainly mix by hand. I’ve also learned to coat the cranberries that go into the batter in a tiny bit of flour. This will ensure that your berries float throughout the batter evenly.
I also reserve a handful of unfloured cranberries to nestle on top, so that the cranberries are visible in the finished product. It’s a really pretty loaf.
Oven temps vary, so you might notice that your bread is done in 35 minutes, while others might take closer to 50 minutes. Use a cake tester is ensure its doneness, checking at the 35 min point and every 5 minutes after. I made 2 batches this week – first was done in 40 minutes, the 2nd in 45 minutes – same oven!
Ingredient List for Cranberry Pumpkin Bread
Dry Ingredients:
4 and 1/2 cups of flour, plus 1 tablespoon separated
2 TBSP pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
Wet Ingredients:
4 eggs
2 cups of granulated sugar
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
½ cup flavorless oil (I use vegetable)
1 can of pumpkin puree (15 oz)
Other ingredients:
1 bag (12 0z) Fresh Cranberries (washed and dried), set aside 1/4 cup
Just a few simple steps:
The recipe follows a standard format – combine your dry ingredients & set aside, cream your eggs & sugar, add the remaining fat, pumpkin puree (not pie mix) & flavorings. Then add in the dry ingredients and fold in the cranberries. It makes a thick batter.
Next, fill each mini loaf pan 2/3 full. This bread rises well, so avoid overfilling each pan. Next, pop a few extra cranberries onto the top, pressing gently into the batter. A little bit of each cranberry should remain visible.
Next, transfer to the oven and enjoy the scent as it perfumes your kitchen. These mini loaves cook quickly. Be sure to test with a toothpick or cake tester to ensure this thick batter has cooked completely.
You can certainly make this into larger loaves but understand that your cooking time will vary. The traditional-sized loaf pans have taken me 70 minutes or more in the past. I found that the middle remained raw when the ends were cooked. So this adaptation saves you from all the wasted product and frustration I experienced in the beginning.
Once you’re confident the loaves are fully cooked, take them out of the oven and allow to rest (in their pans) for 10 minutes. Then pop them out and allow to cool completely. You can cool them on a baking rack so that the underside cools, but I have a habit of placing them on their sides on my kitchen counter.
Final step – enjoy your creation. If you like the taste of cranberries, pumpkin and/or Fall spices, you’ll surely love this treat. If you aren’t sure, give it a shot – you might surprise yourself. Either way, the extras are perfect for gift giving and a special alternative to store bought items.
Cranberry Pumpkin Loaf
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- Six or Seven Mini Loaf Pans (5"x3")
- Cake Tester or Toothpick
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 4½ cups Flour all purpose, with 1 TBSP separated
- 2 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 tsp Salt table is fine
- 2 TBSP pumpkin pie spice
- 4 eggs large
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ½ cup cooking oil flavorless, such as vegetable
- 1 can pumpkin puree puree only, NOT pie mix
- 1 bag fresh cranberries (approx. 12 oz) with ¼ cup separated
Instructions
- Combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt & pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
- Cream the eggs and white sugar for 1-2 minutes, until incorporated.
- Gradually add the apple sauce and oil until combined.
- Add the pumpkin puree to the wet ingredients & mix well.
- Gradually add in the dry ingredients, on low speed, until just combined. Be sure not to overmix.
- In a medium sized bowl, combine all but ¼ cup of cranberries with 1 TBSP of flour. Stir with a spoon to ensure that all the cranberries are lightly coated in four. Fold this into your batter gently, using a spatula.
- Fill each mini loaf pan ⅔ full. Divide the remaining ¼ cup of cranberries (unfloured) onto the tops of the batter in each pan. Partially submerge each berry pressing gently with your finger.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes at 350°F.
- Once cake tester comes out clean, remove from oven and let cool in their pans for 10 minutes. Then, turn out onto a clean work surface or cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- I like the idea of extra berries on top, but it isn’t crucial to the recipe. Omit, if you so choose. I do however, recommend flouring your 12 oz of berries before placing them in the batter. If you don’t, be prepared for more berries sitting towards the lower half of your loaf, versus being suspended beautifully throughout the bread.
- I recommend fresh cranberries when you can find them. Frozen might work, but the extra moisture could affect the outcome of your batter. Do not use dried cranberries.
- If you prefer a sweeter bread, consider adding more sugar. I prefer an even balance between the sweet bread and the tart cranberries, so 2 cups is the perfect amount for me.
- You can omit the oil entirely, in exchange for 1 cup of applesauce total, but I felt the oil provided a nice texture that the applesauce alone couldn’t provide.
- Oven temps vary, so you might notice that your bread is done in 35 minutes, while others might take closer to 50 minutes. Use a cake tester is ensure its doneness, checking at the 35 min point and every 5 minutes after.
- This recipe will make 6-7 mini loaves and are perfect for gift giving! Eat them all at once or place some in the freezer to enjoy another day. They will last for several months frozen.
Good Luck!
I hope you enjoy this cranberry pumpkin loaf as much as I do. It’s such a special treat for our family every Fall.
I’d love to hear how you enjoyed this recipe and how creative you were with your gift wrapping. Please tag me on IG or send me an email with your photos. 
This recipe is an adaptation of Bill Kelly’s from Food Network programming. Check out the original recipe here: Cranberry Pumpkin Bread Recipe | Food Network
