This moist and delicious cranberry banana bread is easy to make for fall with sweet bananas and fresh, tart cranberries! It’s so soft, fluffy and full of flavor.
Beyond cranberry sauce, there are so many delicious ways to use fresh cranberries! Try them in cranberry orange bread and apple cranberry pie, too.
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Easy Cranberry Banana Bread Recipe
I had some extra cranberries in the fridge and some old spotty bananas lying around so I thought I would try making a cranberry banana bread recipe. I adapted this recipe from my favorite easy banana bread recipe and it turned out amazing!
Cranberries are a holiday favorite and taste delicious in so many Christmas recipes. I stock up every year and buy multiple bags to make our favorite cranberry salad and cranberry salsa , but it was also so fun to use them in a quick bread recipe this time around.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Bursting with flavor. Sweet bananas, tart cranberries, and decadent white chocolate chips create the perfect balance in this banana cranberry bread. A holiday favorite!
- Tender and moist. Butter gives a tender crumb while sour cream is the key to a moist quick easy cranberry banana bread; it’s simply the best!
- Versatile. Have a slice as breakfast cake, enjoy it for dessert, or gift a loaf to a neighbor!
Recipe Ingredients
Made with classic banana bread ingredients plus a few extras such as fresh cranberries and white chocolate chips to give this treat the perfect holiday flare!
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Baking staples: Traditional ingredients such as unsalted butter, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Bananas: The riper the bananas, the sweeter the bread, so I recommend using bananas that are soft with brown spots. You’ll get the best flavor this way, as well as a super moist texture.
- Cranberries: Using fresh cranberries really takes this recipe up a notch. If you can’t find fresh, frozen cranberries can be substituted instead, no need to thaw.
- Sour cream: The secret ingredient in all of my banana bread recipes! It makes the texture super soft and moist.
- White chocolate chips: Rich and creamy white chocolate chips are mixed throughout the batter to add a layer of sweetness. White chocolate and cranberries taste great together just like in my white chocolate cranberry cookies.
How to Make Cranberry Banana Bread
Cream the butter and sugars together in a mixing bowl. Make sure it gets nice and fluffy. Then mix in the eggs, vanilla and sour cream. In a separate bowl whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and stir until combined.
Fold in the mashed bananas, fresh cranberries and white chocolate chips (or chopped nuts) until combined.
Pour into two greased loaf pans and bake for an hour at 325°F. The top of the bread should be lightly golden when ready. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Slice into nice thick slices (about 1/2-inch) and then serve and enjoy!
Tips and Variations
- Add-ins: Add chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts) in place of white chocolate chips, or add them in addition to the chocolate.
- Type of chocolate: If you prefer a classic chocolate chip banana bread, you could also substitute the white chocolate for milk chocolate chips.
- Even easier: Start with my banana bread recipe using cake mix as the base batter to make it even easier to make!
- Glaze: This cranberry banana bread recipe would also taste delicious drizzled with a sweet powdered sugar glaze or cream cheese glaze before serving.
- Toothpick test: Insert toothpick into center of bread. If there is batter on the toothpick, bake for a few more minutes until toothpick comes out clean.
- Cover with foil: If the exterior of the bread starts to brown before the center is done, cover with foil and continue baking.
More quick bread recipes to try include double chocolate banana bread, easy zucchini bread or chocolate chip banana bread muffins.
More Easy Quick Bread Recipes
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Cranberry Banana Bread
Video
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
- 1 ⅓ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3 small bananas)
- 1 cup fresh cranberries , can substitute for 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup white chocolate chips , or chopped nuts
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Spray 2 loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray. You may also use 4 small loaf pans or a muffin tin.
- Wet ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream 1/2 cup butter and 1 1/3 cups sugar over medium speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 cup sour cream.
- Dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 teaspoon salt. Slowly add to butter mixture and mix until combined. Fold in 1 cup mashed bananas, 1 cup cranberries, and 1/2 cup white chocolate chips. Pour into pans.
- Bake 1 hour in a loaf pan (35 to 45 minutes in a small loaf pan or 25 minutes in a muffin tin), or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. You want the bread to be lightly browned. Cover with foil while baking if it begins to brown too fast.
- Cool: Transfer from the pan to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Slice the cranberry banana bread in 1/2-inch slices. Store in a covered container.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can substitute dried cranberries, but it will change the texture. I would only add 1/2 cup if you do.
Yes, you may use Greek yogurt in place of sour cream to lighten up the recipe a bit. However making cranberry banana bread with sour cream is my preference for the absolute best texture!
Sure, simply cut the recipe in half to make only one loaf of cranberry banana bread. I always love to make the full recipe with two loaves so that I can pop one in the freezer for later!
You can use this easy banana bread with cranberries recipe to make 4 mini loaves of banana cranberry bread, or make cranberry banana bread muffins instead. They will bake at the same temperature as making a regular-sized loaf (325°F), however the baking time will decrease. For small loaves, bake for 35 to 45 minutes and only about 25 minutes for muffins.
Cranberry bread can be left on the counter for up to 3 days. Storing it in the fridge or freezer will extend the shelf life. It will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Holiday Gift Idea
You can also bake this cranberry banana bread in little baking dishes (I found these ones at Michaels for $1 last year). Then I packaged them up with clear wrap and a fun bow. Perfect treat for friends and neighbors.
If you don’t have any leftover cranberries, add them to your shopping list. You must make this before the end of the year. Mmm… so good. Off to add cranberries back onto my shopping list! ;)
Categorized as: American, Bread, Christmas, Desserts, Freezer-Friendly, Fruit Desserts, Nut-Free, Quick Bread, Vegetarian
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
I have made this bread the last 2 years every one raves about it at work and home.
That’s great to hear Heidi! So glad everyone enjoys the cranberry banana bread, it’s a great combination!
Great stuff! Mom would have approved
This would be great as it is written! Because I was almost out of sour cream I used 1/2 cup of that and 1/2 cup of coffee flavored Greek yogurt that was in my fridge, then added 1 tsp of espresso powder because why not? I also used semi-sweet chocolate chips instead of white because that’s all I had, and it all worked out surprisingly well. This recipe is a keeper, and proved to be versatile. I’ll try again with the white chocolate chips when I can.
The tart cranberries with the sweet banana bread is a perfect balance! I added the white chocolate chips, and we thought they made it extra yummy. :)
Thanks for sharing your success, Kara. This is a good one.
I’ve been wanting something like this for so long but had no idea how to make it! This recipe was exactly what I was looking for, and it was so delicious. Thank you!
I am glad you found what you were looking for, Jessica. Enjoy!
Made this for my family for thanksgiving as I had spare cranberries, white chocolate and ripe bananas and searched up recipes. It is so go! The sugars kind of caramelize the bottom to be slightly crunchy but the bread itself is so moist. A must bake!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Dawn! Thank you for your comment and review :)
Cranberry banana bread
This is SO good! I used 3 bananas and fresh cranberries and it turned out very tasty! I went with 2 tbsp of milk for the glaze but with the added vanilla it was too thin and runny. I would recommend starting with 1 tbsp of milk for the glaze to start with. I will definitely be making this again soon!
Have you ever made this in a Bundt pan?
I haven’t, but that should work great!
Love this bread! Made with blueberries and it was delicious!
Sounds amazing! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! :)
Hi can you interchange applesauce and yogurt for oil and butter in all bread recipes?
It should work in this recipe, but I’m not sure about every bread recipe on the site.
Love this combo! <3
Looks really delish and I love both banana and cranberry, with this combi I’m gonna try making it very soon.