Cranberry-Pecan Cream Cheese Bread Recipe
This Cranberry-Pecan Cream Cheese Bread is a moist, flavorful quick bread perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a cozy snack. Made with a smooth cream cheese and butter base, studded with tart cranberries and crunchy pecans, it’s easy to prepare and customizable. With a tender crumb and delightful balance of sweet and tart, this bread is ideal for beginners and adapts well to different nut or fruit variations.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 2 loaves (9x5 inch) or 4 mini loaves 1x
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1.5 cups sugar
- 1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
Add-ins
- 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- 0.5 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the oven and loaf pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease two 9×5 inch loaf pans. For mini loaves, use four smaller pans and adjust baking time to about 40 minutes.
- Cream together butter, cream cheese, and sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, cream cheese, and sugar using an electric mixer or whisk until light and fluffy, ensuring a smooth texture for the bread.
- Add eggs and vanilla extract: Add eggs one at a time to the creamed mixture, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract to enhance flavor, achieving a light, airy batter.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening and salt.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients: Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet batter, mixing gently to avoid overmixing, and stir until just combined for tender bread.
- Fold in the cranberries and pecans: Gently fold in the cranberries and chopped pecans if using, distributing them evenly without breaking the cranberries.
- Divide the batter into loaf pans: Evenly spread batter into the greased loaf pans using a spatula. For mini loaves, divide accordingly, noting shorter baking times.
- Bake the bread: Bake in the preheated oven for 45–60 minutes for regular loaves, or around 40 minutes for mini loaves. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick; it should come out clean. If browning too fast, cover loosely with foil.
- Cool and serve: Let bread cool in pans for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Slice thick and enjoy.
Notes
- Don’t skip the creaming step as it ensures a smooth, airy batter and proper rising.
- Use accurate measurements for best results; a kitchen scale is helpful.
- Test doneness with a toothpick inserted in the center—clean or with few crumbs means it’s done.
- Use room temperature butter, cream cheese, and eggs for smoother batter and even baking.
- Customize by swapping pecans with walnuts, almonds, or adding chocolate chips or other dried fruits.
- Baking times may vary by oven and pan color; begin checking early to avoid overbaking.
Keywords: Cranberry bread, pecan bread, cream cheese bread, quick bread, holiday bread, breakfast bread, moist bread, easy baking recipe
