Cranberry Cream Cheese Bread (Moist & Festive Holiday Loaf)

When the holiday season rolls around, my kitchen turns into a bakery. There are cookies on the cooling racks, candy in the freezer, and the oven is constantly working overtime. But if there is one recipe that truly signals “Christmas is here,” it is this Cranberry Cream Cheese Bread.

Look at that photo! With its snowy white glaze, vibrant red drizzle, and sparkling sugared cranberries on top, it looks like a centerpiece you would pay a fortune for at a high-end bakery. But the secret is, it is incredibly easy to make right at home.

Unlike traditional fruit breads that can sometimes be dry or crumbly, this recipe uses a secret weapon: 8 ounces of cream cheese right in the batter. This transforms the texture from a standard “quick bread” into something much closer to a dense, velvety pound cake. It is soft, rich, and perfectly balances the tart explosion of the fresh cranberries.

The best part? This recipe makes two loaves. That means you can bake once and have one loaf to enjoy with your morning coffee and another to wrap up as a stunning gift for a neighbor or friend.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Pound Cake Texture: Thanks to the creaming method and the addition of cream cheese, the crumb is tight, moist, and tender—not airy like a muffin.

• Festive Presentation: The contrast of the red cranberries against the golden loaf and white icing is visually striking. It looks amazing on a holiday dessert table.

• Perfect Gift Yield: The recipe is designed to produce 16 slices across two 9×5 inch loaves, making it efficient for bulk holiday baking.

• Sweet & Tart: The sugar and butter perfectly offset the natural tartness of the cranberries, so it’s not overwhelmingly sour.

Ingredients Breakdown

You don’t need obscure ingredients for this showstopper. It uses standard pantry staples found in any holiday kitchen.

The Wet Ingredients

• Butter: You need 1 cup (2 sticks) of unsalted butter, softened to room temperature.

• Cream Cheese: The star ingredient. Use one 8 oz package, also softened to room temperature. Do not use the “whipped” tub variety; use the block.

• Sugar: 1 1/2 cups of sugar provides the necessary sweetness and helps create that golden crust.

• Eggs: 4 large eggs, room temperature. Room temp eggs emulsify better into the batter.

• Vanilla: 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract.

The Dry Ingredients & Add-Ins

• Flour: 2 cups of all-purpose flour provides the structure.

• Leavening: 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda gives the lift.

• Salt: 1/2 teaspoon salt balances the flavors.

• Cranberries: 2 cups of fresh or frozen cranberries. I prefer fresh when they are in season for that “pop,” but frozen works great too.

The Bakery Glaze (Optional but Recommended)

To achieve the look in the photo, you’ll need:

• Powdered sugar

• Milk or heavy cream

• A drop of red food coloring (or cranberry juice) for the drizzle.

Step-by-Step Instructions

This recipe uses the “creaming method,” similar to making a cake. This is what gives it that fine, soft crumb.

Step 1: Prep and Cream

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease two 9×5-inch loaf pans. In a large bowl (or stand mixer), cream together the butter, cream cheese, and sugar until light and fluffy.

• Tip: Take your time here! Scrape the bowl often to make sure there are no lumps of cream cheese.

Step 2: Add Eggs and Vanilla

Beat in the eggs, one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Step 3: Combine Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Do not overmix—stop as soon as the flour streaks disappear.

Step 4: Fold and Bake

Gently fold in the cranberries until evenly distributed. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared loaf pans. Bake for 60–70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

• Check it early: Since ovens vary, check around the 55-minute mark. If the tops are browning too fast, tent them loosely with aluminum foil.

Step 5: Cool

Let the loaves cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 6: The Decoration

To get the look shown in my photo above:

1. White Glaze: Mix 1 cup powdered sugar with 1-2 tbsp milk. Drizzle diagonally over the cooled loaves.

2. Red Drizzle: Take remaining glaze (or make a small new batch) and add a drop of red food coloring or use cranberry juice instead of milk. Drizzle in the opposite direction.

3. Toppers: Garnish with fresh or sugared cranberries down the center line.

Expert Tips for Success

• Room Temperature is Key: I cannot stress this enough. If your cream cheese or butter is cold, you will have little white lumps in your batter that won’t bake out. Set them on the counter at least an hour before baking.

• Prevent Sinking Berries: If you are using frozen cranberries, toss them in a tablespoon of flour before folding them into the batter. This helps them stay suspended rather than sinking to the bottom.

• Don’t Slice Too Soon: Because this bread is so moist and rich (thanks to the cream cheese), it needs to be completely cool before slicing, or it might fall apart.

Variations

While this cranberry version is a holiday staple, the cream cheese base is versatile.

• Orange Cranberry: Add the zest of one orange to the sugar before creaming. Cranberry and orange is a classic pairing, much like in my Cranberry Orange Shortbread Recipe.

• Nuts: Add 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans for a nice crunch.

• Lemon: If you love citrus, try swapping the cranberries for blueberries and adding lemon zest, similar to my Lemon Cream Cheese Pound Cake Recipe.

Serving and Storage

Serving: This bread is delicious on its own, but it pairs wonderfully with a warm beverage. Serve a slice alongside a mug of Homemade Eggnog or hot coffee.

Storage:

• Refrigerator: Because of the high dairy content (cream cheese), I recommend storing leftovers in the refrigerator, tightly wrapped, for up to 1 week.

• Freezer: These loaves freeze beautifully! Wrap the cooled (unglazed) loaf in plastic wrap and then foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and glaze before serving.

FAQs

Can I use dried cranberries (Craisins)? Yes, but the texture will be different. Dried cranberries are sweeter and chewier. If you use them, you might want to soak them in hot water for 10 minutes to plump them up first.

Can I make this in a bundt pan? This recipe yields enough batter for two loaves, which might fit in a large 10-12 cup bundt pan, but watch the baking time closely. If you want a dedicated cake recipe, check out my Bundt Pan Meatloaf (just kidding—try the Lemon Pound Cake linked above!).

Why is my bread dark on the outside but raw in the middle? This is common with dense batters. If your oven runs hot, reduce the temperature to 325°F and bake longer. Always use the foil tent trick if the top gets dark before the center passes the toothpick test.

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Recipe Card (Text Format)

Cream Cheese Cranberry Loaf

Description A soft, creamy, and perfectly tart loaf that tastes like a cross between a pound cake and a quick bread. Enhanced with cream cheese for moisture and loaded with bursting cranberries. Makes 2 loaves—perfect for gifting!

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes Yield: 16 slices (2 Loaves) Category: Cake / Quick Bread Method: Baking Cuisine: American

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 cups cranberries (fresh or frozen)

• 1 1/2 cups sugar

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

• 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, room temperature

• 4 large eggs, room temperature

• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp salt

• Optional Glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar + 2 tbsp milk

Instructions

1. Preheat: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease two 9×5-inch loaf pans.

2. Cream: In a large bowl, cream together the butter, cream cheese, and sugar until light and fluffy.

3. Add Eggs: Beat in eggs, one at a time, and stir in vanilla extract.

4. Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually mix into the wet ingredients.

5. Fold: Gently fold in cranberries until evenly distributed.

6. Bake: Divide batter evenly between the loaf pans. Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

7. Cool: Let loaves cool for 15 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

• Decorating: For the festive look, drizzle with white glaze (powdered sugar + milk) and red glaze (add red food coloring), then top with fresh cranberries.

• Texture: The cream cheese makes this a dense, moist loaf.

• Berries: Do not thaw frozen berries before adding to the batter.

Nutrition (Per Slice) Calories: 320 | Fat: 16g | Carbs: 40g | Protein: 4g | Sugar: 24g

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Conclusion

I hope this Cranberry Cream Cheese Bread brings a little extra joy to your holiday season. Whether you are slicing it up for a cozy family breakfast or wrapping it in cellophane for a teacher’s gift, it is sure to be a hit.

If you try this recipe, don’t forget to leave a comment below! And if you are looking for more festive inspiration, check out my Festive Fruit Cake Recipe for another holiday classic. Happy baking!