This Bread Machine Cranberry Bread is everything I look for in homemade bread. It has a soft, tender crumb with just enough sweetness to make it feel special without crossing into dessert territory. It’s the kind of bread machine recipe that smells like a bakery while it bakes and slices beautifully once it cools.
I make a lot of bread in my kitchen. When I started working on this cranberry bread for the bread maker, I wanted something we could enjoy as a quick snack or in a chicken salad sandwich throughout the year, that was also festive enough for a brunch buffet. This recipe hits the sweet spot.
The dough is rich but not heavy, the cranberries stay evenly distributed, and if you add walnuts, you get that extra little crunch that makes each slice feel bakery-worthy.
If you’re already using your machine for things like my Bread Machine Dinner Rolls, Bread Machine Brioche or Bread Machine Banana Bread, this cranberry bread bread machine recipe is a natural next bake. It’s forgiving, reliable, and doesn’t require babysitting.
I like to let my bread machine make the dough, and then transfer it to a bread pan and let it rise to be baked in the oven. That gives you a higher rise and makes for a prettier loaf. On days that I don’t have time for that, the bread machine can do all the work. Both methods work beautifully, which is why this cranberry bread machine recipe stays in my regular rotation.
Ingredient Talk
Please note that bread machine yeast is not the same as active dry yeast. If all you have is active dry yeast, I’d recommend an extra ¼ teaspoon of yeast.
Butter matters here. I tested this with oil once, and I didn’t love it. The flavor just wasn’t as rich. Melt it, then let it cool a bit so it blends smoothly into the dough. Margarine works, but we prefer butter.
When I tested this cranberry bread in the bread machine with all-purpose flour, the loaf rose fine, but the dough was a little too moist. It sliced a little softer and had less structure. Bread flour gives a better chew and a taller loaf.
Dried cranberries are the star. I stick with standard dried cranberries, not the sweetened ones. If they’re very dry, I sometimes give them a quick soak and pat them dry before adding.
Walnuts are optional. My kids don’t like nuts, so I usually make it without them. But if it were up to me, I’d make this a cranberry walnut bread every time. I always toast them first. I tested this with raw walnuts and didn’t like the slightly bitter edge. Toasted walnuts add warmth and crunch without stealing the spotlight. If walnuts aren’t your thing, pecans work well, but I don’t love almonds in this loaf. They’re too firm for the soft crumb.
If you are making this around the holidays, a teaspoon of cinnamon, a tablespoon of orange juice, and orange zest are nice additions.
Step-by-Step
Troubleshooting
Loaf rising too high or overflowing
If your cranberry bread machine recipe regularly domes over the pan, reduce the yeast slightly or switch to the dough cycle and finish baking in the oven. With oven baking, don’t let it rise longer than the suggested time. This loaf rises A LOT while baking, so you want the dough to be slightly under the rim of the pan when you put it in.
Dense or heavy crumb
Bread flour gives better structure than all-purpose flour in a cranberry bread recipe bread machine style. Also make sure the dough looks soft and slightly tacky during the first mix. If it looks stiff, add water one tablespoon at a time.
Cranberries sinking or clumping
Always add dried cranberries at the mix-in beep. Adding them too early breaks them down and turns the dough pink. You can toss the cranberries lightly with flour if they seem sticky. This helps them stay evenly distributed in a cranberry bread machine recipe.
Overly Dark Crust
Many bread machines run hot. If the crust is getting too dark, use a light crust setting or remove the loaf a few minutes early. This is especially common with cranberry walnut bread machine recipes because nuts brown faster than dough. If you are baking in the oven and your loaf turns dark brown,
Gummy slices
Cutting too soon is a classic mistake with homemade bread. The crumb continues to set as it cools. Let the loaf cool completely before slicing, or it will feel dense and sticky, even if it baked properly.
Bread Machine Cranberry Bread
Equipment
- Bread Machine
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup whole milk
- ½ cup water
- 1 egg beaten
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- 4 cups bread flour 480 grams
- ¼ cup light brown sugar sugar
- 2 teaspoons bread machine yeast
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ¾ cup dried cranberries
- Optional: ½ cup toasted walnuts
For oven baking:
- 1 egg beaten
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Place the milk, water, egg, butter, flour, brown sugar, yeast, and salt in the bread machine
Baking in the Bread Machine
- Select the appropriate cycle for your bread machine. For my machine, it is white bread. Select start. When the timer goes off, add the cranberries. If you are adding nuts, you should add them now too.
- Allow to continue to cook and bake according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- When the time is up, use oven mitts to turn the bread out onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely before slicing.
Oven Baking
- Press the dough cycle button, and start. When the machine beeps for add ins, add the cranberries, and nuts if using. Allow to process according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Turn the dough out and form into a 8 by 4 inch loaf. You can transfer to a bread ban, or to a prepared baking seed with the seem sided dough.
- Let rise until in increases by about half, about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Use a sharp knife or razor to slice a slash down the center of the bread. Beat the egg, and add a pinch of salt.
- Brush with the egg wash.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the temperature reaches 205°F.
- Remove from the pan to a wire rack and cool completely before slicing.
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