Apple Cranberry Bread
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Apple Cranberry Bread – A cinnamon spiced quick bread filled with apples and fresh cranberries and topped with a pecan streusel.

I’m giddy with excitement because my favorite time of year is here – HOLIDAY BAKING SEASON! I have been training for this; it’s like the Olympics for me. Ha! This Apple Cranberry Bread is sure to be a win for the holidays! Loaded with apples, fresh cranberries and topped with the most amazing streusel!
In all seriousness, I really do love this time of year. The weather is cool, the house feels cozy, bathing suit season is over, and New Year’s resolutions haven’t yet begun (woohoo)! It really is the most wonderful time of the year.
I’ve already been baking up a storm this holiday season. We’ve had Chocolate Coconut Pecan Pie Bars, Pumpkin Carrot Cake, Pumpkin Bread with Caramel Glaze, Cream Cheese Cranberry Bread and Apple French Toast. And up next – a new cranberry recipe.
Apple Cranberry Bread.

This recipe is for a quick bread. It comes together quickly, without the use of a mixer. It closely straddles the line between bread and cake (and what a delicious line that is). It’s cozy and comforting and filled with fall and winter flavors. You guys adore this Cream Cheese Cranberry Bread Recipe and this Honey Cranberry Bread, so I’m going out on a limb and hoping you’ll enjoy Apple Cranberry Bread too! Cranberry Cake with Caramel Sauce Recipe is a Moist vanilla cake filled with cranberries and covered in a warm caramel sauce you will also want to try.
The bread is sweet and lightly spiced and it’s filled with diced apples and fresh cranberries. The loaf is topped with a brown sugar pecan streusel, which adds the perfect finishing touch. I absolutely love the contrasting textures between the tender bread and the crunchy, buttery streusel.
I should not be left alone with a loaf of this bread because there’s a good chance I will pick every last bit of streusel off the whole loaf. If anyone in my family asks I’ll pretend like I forgot to put the streusel on. Sshhhh. 😉
Apple Cranberry Bread Ingredients
- Vegetable or canola oil
- Applesauce
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Pure vanilla extract
- All purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Ground cinnamon
- Apple
- Fresh cranberries
- Brown sugar
- Pecans
- Melted butter

If you have any other holiday baking inspiration, send it my way. I’m already daydreaming about what should come next.
For now, I’ll be cozied up with a big ol’ cup of coffee and a slice of Apple Cranberry Bread (I’m grabbing the slice with the most streusel!)
Tools Used to Make Apple Cranberry Bread
Happy baking, friends!
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!

Apple Cranberry Bread
Ingredients
Bread
- 1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 1/4 cup applesauce
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup finely chopped apple I left the skin on
- 1 cup fresh cranberries I halved the larger berries
Streusel topping
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped pecans
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
Bread:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×5 loaf pan and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk oil, applesauce, sugar, eggs and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside 1/4 cup of the dry ingredients. Add the remaining dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir with a spoon or rubber spatula until almost completely combined.
- Toss the apples and cranberries with the reserved 1/4 cup flour, then add to the batter. Stir carefully until fully combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
Topping:
- Stir together all topping ingredients until well combined. Crumble the topping over the batter.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Tips
Nutrition Information
More from Celebrating Sweets:


Linda says
Delicious! ….our new fall fav! The topping adds the perfect crunch and sweetness! Thank you for sharing!
Lily says
Instead of fresh cranberries may i use craisins?
Julie Evink says
Yes it will just change the texture.
Chelsea Bee says
We needed to use up some apples and cranberries so this recipe fit the bill. I doubled the batch and made 2 loaves. This recipe is fantastic! My whole family wolfed it down. The apples were a nice compliment and we made the apple sauce from scratch (pureed apple with skin on only). The only addition/change was 1/2 tsp. of nutmeg (I doubled my recipe so 1/4 tsp. for the original quantities).
Julie Evink says
I wish I was there to taste it! Sounds amazing Chelsea!! Thanks for commenting and rating the recipe!
Donna says
This is a fantastic recipe! I’m wondering if it would work if I made mufffins instead of a loaf? Ant special instructions? Thanks for sharing such a tasty treat!
Julie Evink says
That should work great, but remember to adjust the time accordingly! I usually do 425 degrees for 5 minutes and then 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes when I make muffins in other recipes.
Donna says
Thanks! Trying it today!
Julie says
Hope you enjoy it!
Donna says
Amazing that such a simple recipe creates such a delectable delight! My new go-to, especially around the holiday! Thanks for sharing! Btw, I used a red delicious for this and it works well here!
Julie says
Excellent! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Buckley says
I was looking for a recipe with cranberries as a local farm gave us some fresh cranberries and I froze them, I came across this recipe and it will probably be a regular thing I make now. I recommend putting the berries in the bread frozen. They tend to keep their flavor and shape more then putting them in room temp.
Julie says
Awesome! I’m glad you loved it!
Fran Di Gaetano says
Julie by mistake I bought hole cranberries in the can tell me how to go about it and wat I omit
Julie says
I have only ever made this with fresh cranberries. I’m not sure how canned cranberries would turn out, I’m sorry!
Doreen says
Hi Julie,
Anxious to try your apple cranberry bread; it looks divine! I am assuming you used baking apples; but would you please be able to tell me the baking apple that you recommend. Can’t wait to make this for company tomorrow night? Thank you for your time and expertise!
Julie says
We used honeycrisp apples for this one but you can really use any baking apple that you prefer!
Linda says
Sounds fabulous! Does it freeze well?
Julie Evink says
Yes I think it would!
Valentina @Valentina's Corner says
I am in love with this bread. Best kind of breakfast with a hot cup of coffee.
Julie Evink says
Now if we could only share it together!
Danielle Green says
Oooooh, love the combination of cranberry and apple in a bread. Sounds amazing, and I will be trying it soon!
Malinda says
Lol, training like the Olympics, I love it! This bread looks fabulous and I don’t think I could be left alone with this bread either!
Erin @ The Speckled Palate says
Welp, this bread looks FANTASTIC! There’s not much more I love than a good ‘ol holiday baked good, and the combination of cranberries and apples just seals the deal for me! Yum!
Kelly @ Kelly Lynns Sweets and Treats says
Looks like the perfect bread for the holidays! Love the colors too. So festive 🙂
Melissa Howell says
I love holiday baking season, too! This bread sounds delicious!