Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Loaf

If you’ve been looking for a good gluten free loaf recipe that actually tastes great, this one is for you. This cranberry orange loaf is simple, delicious, and easy to put together.

I love how the orange zest and juice give this loaf such a fresh, bright flavor. Add in the dried cranberries and it becomes something really special.

The base is almond flour, which keeps it gluten free without any weird substitutes or complicated flour mixes. Just real, straightforward ingredients that you can find anywhere.

It works great as a breakfast treat, an afternoon snack, or even a light dessert. You can enjoy it on its own or with a cup of tea or coffee on the side.

The whole thing takes very little effort, and the result is always worth it. Let’s get into the recipe.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

It’s Naturally Gluten Free – This cranberry orange loaf uses almond flour instead of regular wheat flour, so it’s naturally gluten free without needing any weird substitutes or hard-to-find specialty blends.

Super Moist Thanks to Almond Flour – Almond flour gives this loaf a rich, moist texture that regular gluten free flour blends sometimes struggle to achieve. No dry or crumbly slices here.

Sweetened with Honey – There’s no refined sugar in this loaf. The honey adds a gentle, natural sweetness that pairs so well with the tart cranberries and bright orange flavor.

The Cranberry-Orange Combo Is Unbeatable – Tart dried cranberries and fresh orange zest together in a soft loaf is one of those flavor combos that just works perfectly, especially during the fall and holiday season.

Ingredients

• 2 cups Almond Flour
• 3 large Eggs
• 1/3 cup Honey
• 1/4 cup Orange Juice
• 1 tbsp Orange Zest
• 1 tbsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 cup Dried Cranberries

How to Make

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 350F and line a loaf pan with parchment paper.

Step 2

In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs, honey, orange juice, and orange zest together until bright and combined.

Step 3

Stir the almond flour and baking powder into the wet ingredients until a smooth batter forms.

Step 4

Gently fold the dried cranberries into the mixture so they are evenly scattered.

Step 5

Pour the batter into the lined pan and spread it evenly.

Step 6

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the loaf is golden and cooked through.

Step 7

Let the bread cool completely on a wire rack before serving.

Helpful Tips

Use Room Temperature Eggs

Take your eggs out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you start baking. Room temperature eggs mix into the batter much more smoothly and help everything combine evenly with the honey and orange juice.

Cold eggs can make the honey thicken up and clump, which means you’ll have to mix harder and longer to get a smooth batter. That extra mixing isn’t great for almond flour batters.

If you forgot to take them out early, just place the eggs in a bowl of warm (not hot) water for about 10 minutes. That’ll bring them up to temperature quickly.

Zest the Orange Before You Juice It

Always zest your orange first, then cut it open and squeeze out the juice. Trying to zest an orange that’s already been cut in half is slippery and frustrating, and you’ll end up with way less zest than you need.

When you’re zesting, only go over each spot on the orange once or twice. You want just the bright orange layer on the outside. The white part underneath (called the pith) is bitter and will throw off the flavor of your loaf.

A microplane grater gives you the finest, fluffiest zest and works best here. If you don’t have one, the smallest holes on a box grater will do the job.

Mix the Dry Ingredients Separately First

Before you add the almond flour and baking powder to the wet ingredients, whisk them together in a separate small bowl. This makes sure the baking powder is spread evenly throughout the flour.

Baking powder is what gives this loaf its rise, and if it’s not distributed well, you’ll get some parts that puff up and other parts that stay flat and dense. With almond flour batters especially, you want every bit of lift you can get.

You Might Also Like

• Gluten Free Cranberry White Chocolate Scones
• Gluten Free Banana Bread
• Gluten Free Maple Pumpkin Bread
• Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins
• Gluten Free Lemon & Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use fresh cranberries instead of dried?

You can, but fresh cranberries are quite tart and will release extra moisture into the batter, which can change the texture of the loaf. If you go with fresh, chop them roughly and toss them in a little almond flour before folding them in so they don’t sink to the bottom.

You might also want to add a tiny bit more honey to balance out the tartness, since dried cranberries are already sweetened and fresh ones are not.