Cranberry Eggnog Bread
This delicious Cranberry Eggnog Bread brings a little holiday magic to your kitchen. A moist, tender loaf subtly infused with the creamy warmth of eggnog and dotted with tart, juicy cranberries. This quick bread is perfect for breakfast, brunch, a snack or dessert.
I recently made the mistake of asking out loud what holiday baking I should make next. Immediately I got requests for my Eggnog Cookies and Eggnog Cupcakes. The kids also love decorating their own Eggnog Donuts.
While I wanted to refrain from making the usual, I did notice a theme here. Eggnog is officially in stores and screaming to be consumed! This easy bread recipe is your excuse to buy more, or use up leftover eggnog.
While it’s good for drinking as is, how often do you use eggnog as a baking ingredient? Eggnog recipes are so delicious to make during the holiday season!
While I love to make loaves like Banana Bread, Amish Cinnamon Bread and Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread, this recipe is a tasty and flavourful holiday bread that is perfect for this time of year.
If you’re looking for more holiday bread recipes, try our Gingerbread Loaf – all the classic gingerbread flavors, in a moist loaf.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Total Time: <2 Hours
- Serves: 10
I love a slice of this holiday bread in the morning with a cup of coffee and my homemade eggnog coffee creamer – Powdered Eggnog Creamer. YUM.
This christmas eggnog bread has that delicious eggnog flavor without being too intense. The addition of the cranberries adds that punch of taste and texture.
Eggnog Cranberry Bread would also make a great gift for the holidays like our Easy Cranberry Jelly does. Yo can also bring this as a potluck item for the christmas season. Everyone will want this on their holiday table.
Ingredients and Substitutions
As always, the full ingredients and recipe is on the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
Recipe Variations
- Icing this loaf is totally optional. Without the icing, you have a moist flavourful bread that is both sweet and tart. Yet I love the contrast in textures and flavors with icing. It also gives it that dessert-like taste.
- Add Nuts: Try folding in chopped pecans or walnuts for a crunchy texture that complements the soft bread and tart cranberries.
Tips for Success
How to Make Cranberry Eggnog Bread
This easy eggnog bread is such an easy recipe, for the eggnog lover to the holiday obsessed. This quick eggnog bread is a mix and dump recipe with simple ingredients. Here’s how to make it:
- Preheat the oven to 350 and grease a bread pan (or loaf pan) with non-stick baking spray. You can also line it with parchment paper if you want to.
- In a large bowl, add the instant pudding mix, white sugar and butter. Cream together using a wooden spoon or a spatula.
- Add the eggs, the vanilla extract and the rum extract. Cream together again. Then add the eggnog and stir.
- In a separate bowl, you’re going to add the dry ingredients. So add together the all purpose flour, baking powder and nutmeg.
- Then add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, and stir until combined.
- Fold in the cranberries and pour batter into the baking pan.
- Bake for 60-80 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick or knife comes out clean from the centre of the eggnog loaf.
- Remove from the oven and cool bread in the pan for a bit before taking it out of the pan and placing onto a wire rack.
- Make the EGGNOG GLAZE: mix the eggnog and icing sugar together in a small bowl. Add more or less icing sugar depending on how thick you want the icing.
- Pour the sweet eggnog glaze over the top of the loaf or poke holes in the bread to allow some of the icing to seep in. You can also top with additional cranberries if you wish. Slice and enjoy!
How to Make Mini Eggnog Loaves
With this recipe you also have the option of using the bread batter with mini loaf pans or muffin tins to instead make muffins or mini-loafs (instead of one large loaf). Of course remember that bake time will vary in doing so. Keep an eye on it, and when an inserted toothpick or knife comes out clean, it’s done.
Storage
Store this completely cooled bread at room temperature and tightly sealed. It’ll keep for 3-4 days. It does not need to be refrigerated.
After I make my Cranberry Eggnog Bread Recipe (and if it’s staying with us at home), I use a larger taller airtight container to store. This ensure all that great icing stays on the loaf.
Can you Freeze Eggnog Bread?
Yes, you sure can! Once the bread is cooled, tightly wrap in plenty of plastic wrap or in a freezer ziploc bag. If doing so, I’d wait and ice the loaf after unthawing, so that it doesn’t come off on the wrap.
So, here’s to the season. Eggnog anyone? This Cranberry Eggnog Bread brings all the wonderful flavors of the season into a delicious eggnog bread waiting to be enjoyed.
Recipe FAQ
Yes, dried cranberries can be used, but you might want to reduce the sugar slightly since they are sweeter. You can also rehydrate them in warm water for 10 minutes before using if you want a juicier texture.
At room temperature, it’s best enjoyed within 3-4 days for optimal freshness and flavor.
More Holiday Recipes
And if you love the delicious taste of eggnog, you have to try my favorite Christmas cookies, Eggnog Cookies. Better yet, these amazing Eggnog Cupcakes are perfect for any holiday parties you’ll attend this year.
If you’ve tried this Eggnog Cranberry Bread or any other recipe on my blog please let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you. Finally, consider leaving a 🌟 star rating while you’re here. Thanks!
Cranberry Eggnog Bread
Ingredients
FOR THE BREAD
- 1 box instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup butter (softened)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp rum extract
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cup eggnog
- 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1 1/4 cup fresh cranberries (whole, chopped, or cut in half)
EGGNOG ICING
- 1/4 cup eggnog
- 1 1/4 cup icing sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 and grease a loaf baking pan with non-stick baking spray
- Add the instant pudding mix, sugar and butter into a bowl and cream together using a wooden spoon or a spatula
- Add the eggs, both extracts and cream again. Then add the eggnog and stir.
- In another bowl, add together the flour, baking powder and nutmeg. Then add the dry mixture to the batter mixture until combined.
- Fold in the cranberries and fill the baking pan.
- Bake for 60-80 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick or knife comes out clean from the centre.
- Remove from the oven and allow the bread to cool in the pan before taking it out of the pan
- TO GLAZE: mix the eggnog and icing sugar together in a bowl. Add more or less icing sugar depending on how thick you want the icing.
- Pour over the loaf or poke holes in the bread to allow some of the icing to seep in.
- Slice and enjoy!
Notes
- The cranberries can be left whole, sliced in half or chopped based on preference.
- Use this batter to make muffins or mini-loafs. Yet, adjust bake time to suit.
- Store this completely cooled bread at room temperature and tightly sealed. It’ll keep for 3-4 days. It does not need to be refrigerated.
We love this eggnog bread for the holiday season. Easy and delicious!
Can I use whole canned cranberries instead of the cranberries?
I don’t see why not, though I haven’t tried.
This was absolutely delicious! I only added some grated orange rind as I had one to use. It’s very flavorful and look forward to making a second one soon.
Great addition, I’ll have to try that next time!
Is it a small box of vanilla pudding?
I used the small one, yet I think this recipe would be just fine with the other as well.
I just enjoy recipes that can be frozen – especially when I have a lot of guest who bring nothing. My sister is the only one who brings over fresh desserts.
This combination sounds delicious. Just printed and pinned the recipe. Thanks for sharing.