Cranberry Bread With Crumble made with fresh cranberries, brown sugar, milk, egg, flour, and a buttery crumb topping.

Cranberry Bread With Crumble always makes me think of those in-between days. You know the ones — not full holiday mode, not totally ordinary either. The kind of day where you want something cozy but don’t feel like going all out. I first made this loaf on a random afternoon when I had fresh cranberries sitting in the fridge for way longer than planned. I bought them thinking I’d be super organized and festive. That didn’t happen. Sound familiar?

I remember pulling them out and thinking, Okay, muffins feel like too much work. Cake feels like too much commitment. Bread felt right. And once it was in the oven, the smell started doing that thing smells do — suddenly the house felt warmer, quieter, safer somehow. This Cranberry Bread With Crumble has that effect on me. It’s not flashy. It doesn’t need frosting or glaze. It just quietly shows up and makes things feel better.

Why you’ll Love this Cranberry Bread With Crumble?

This Cranberry Bread With Crumble hits a really nice balance. It’s sweet, but not dessert-sweet. Tart, but not aggressively so. The cranberries stay bright and juicy, and that crumble topping adds just enough crunch to make every slice interesting.

I also love how unfussy it is. You can eat it for breakfast without guilt. You can serve it as dessert without apology. And if you warm up a slice and add vanilla ice cream… well, I won’t say that’s the best way to eat it, but I’m also not saying it isn’t. It’s one of those baked goods that doesn’t ask you to decide what it is. It just works.

Ingredient Notes

Before we get baking, let’s talk ingredients the way people actually do — casually, honestly, maybe with a little side commentary.

• Fresh cranberries: These are the heart of this cranberry quick bread with crumble. Mincing some spreads that tart flavor throughout the loaf, while keeping others whole gives you those bright little bursts.
• Light brown sugar: Warm, cozy, and a little caramel-like. It balances the cranberries without trying to overpower them.
• Milk: Whole milk gives the best texture, but if you’ve got something else, it’ll probably be fine. This isn’t precious.
• Vegetable oil: Not glamorous, but incredibly practical. It keeps the bread moist even the next day (and the day after).
• Flour, baking powder, salt: Simple, classic, dependable. No surprises here.
• Crumble topping: Flour, brown sugar, cold butter. That’s it. And yes, it’s absolutely essential to the whole Cranberry Bread With Crumble situation.

How to Make Cranberry Bread With Crumble?

Step 1: Before You Start

Preheat the oven and prep the loaf pan. This is a quick bread, so once things are mixed, you’ll want to move along.

Step 2: The Cranberries

Pulse about half a cup of cranberries until finely minced. Not pureed. Not mush. Tiny bits. This step makes sure the cranberry flavor shows up in every bite, not just in random pockets.

Step 3: Mixing the Batter

In one bowl, stir together the brown sugar, milk, egg, and oil until smooth. In another bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir just until combined. Stop sooner than you think you should. Overmixing makes bread grumpy.

Step 4: Adding the Cranberries

Fold in the remaining whole cranberries, then pour the batter into the pan. Dot the minced cranberries over the top. It might look a little uneven. That’s okay. Perfectly smooth batters are overrated.

Step 5: The Crumble (Honestly the Best Part)

Mix the flour and brown sugar, then cut in the cold butter until crumbly. Big crumbs, small crumbs, uneven crumbs — all welcome. Scatter it generously over the top. This is not the moment to hold back.

Step 6: Baking

Bake until a toothpick comes out clean. If the topping starts browning too quickly, loosely cover it with foil and keep going. Let the bread cool completely before slicing. I know that’s hard. I never want to wait either. But it slices better if you do.

Storage Options

Once cooled, wrap the bread tightly and store it at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It also freezes beautifully. Slice it first, wrap individual pieces, and freeze for up to 3 months. Warm slices bring it right back to life — especially with coffee.

Variations & Substitutions

This Cranberry Bread With Crumble is pretty forgiving, which makes it fun to tweak.

• Orange zest adds a bright citrus note that pairs beautifully with cranberries
• Chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans add extra texture
• Frozen cranberries work just fine — no thawing needed
• Gluten-free 1:1 flour swaps in easily

What to Serve With Cranberry Bread With Crumble?

This bread doesn’t need much, but it likes good company.

• Hot coffee or tea (basically mandatory)
• Vanilla ice cream if you’re leaning dessert
• Whipped topping for something a little extra
• Fresh fruit to balance things out

FAQ

Can I use frozen cranberries?
Yes. Use them straight from the freezer. No need to thaw.

Why mince some of the cranberries?
It spreads the flavor throughout the loaf instead of keeping it all in chunks.

Is this bread better the next day?
In my opinion? Yes. The flavors settle, and it slices cleaner.

Cranberry Bread With Crumble is one of those recipes that fits a lot of moments — quiet mornings, lazy afternoons, or wrapped up as a gift when you don’t know what else to bring. If you make it, tell me… are you eating it plain, or warming it up and pretending the ice cream was someone else’s idea? I’m honestly curious.

Cranberry Bread With Crumble

Cranberry Bread With Crumble is a tender quick bread filled with fresh cranberries and finished with a buttery brown sugar crumble topping. Perfect for breakfast, dessert, or gifting, this loaf balances sweet and tart flavors beautifully.

Print Pin Rate

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Cranberry Bread With Crumble

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 1 loaf

Ingredients

For the Bread

• 2 cups fresh cranberries divided
• 1 cup light brown sugar packed
• ½ cup whole milk
• 1 large egg lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt

For the Crumble Topping

• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup light brown sugar packed
• 1 tablespoon salted butter cold and cut into cubes

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray or line with parchment paper.
• Place ½ cup of the cranberries into a food processor and pulse until finely minced, taking care not to puree. Set aside.
• In a medium mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar, milk, egg, and vegetable oil. Whisk until smooth and well blended.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined.
• Gently fold 1½ cups of whole cranberries into the batter.
• Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Evenly dot the minced cranberries over the surface of the batter.
• In a small bowl, combine the flour and brown sugar for the topping. Cut in the cold butter using a pastry cutter or fork until a crumbly mixture forms.
• Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the loaf.
• Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the topping begins to brown too quickly, loosely cover the loaf with aluminum foil during the final portion of baking.
• Remove from the oven and allow the bread to cool completely in the pan before slicing and serving.

Notes

To make Cranberry Bread With Crumble gluten free, substitute the all-purpose flour in both the bread and crumble topping with a high-quality 1:1 gluten-free baking flour that contains xanthan gum. Verify that all other ingredients are certified gluten free. Texture may be slightly more delicate but remains moist and flavorful.