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Cranberry Pistachio Bread

Cranberry pistachio bread with a tender crumb and jewel-like red cranberries baked in a 9x5 loaf pan. Finished with a white orange glaze and a crunchy pistachio sprinkle for a bright, bakery-style slice.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 380
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

all-purpose flour
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
baking powder
  • 1.5 tsp baking powder
baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
salt
  • 0.5 tsp salt
sugar
  • 0.75 cup sugar
orange zest
  • 1 tbsp orange zest
eggs
  • 2 eggs
plain yogurt or sour cream
  • 0.75 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
butter, melted
  • 0.5 cup butter, melted
orange juice
  • 0.25 cup orange juice
  • 2 tbsp orange juice for glaze
vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
fresh or frozen cranberries, halved
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, halved
shelled pistachios, chopped
  • 0.75 cup shelled pistachios, chopped
powdered sugar
  • 1 cup powdered sugar

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F, then grease and line a 9x5-inch loaf pan. Stop and make sure the pan is ready before mixing so the batter bakes right away.
Mix the wet ingredients
  1. Rub the sugar and orange zest together. You’ll see the sugar become fragrant and slightly moistened as the zest oils release.
  2. Whisk in the eggs, yogurt or sour cream, melted butter, orange juice, and vanilla extract until smooth. Mix until the batter looks glossy and evenly combined.
Mix the batter
  1. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Keep whisking until the dry ingredients look evenly speckled.
  2. Fold the dry mixture into the wet mixture just until combined. The batter should look lumpy with no streaks of dry flour.
Add fruit and bake
  1. Fold in the cranberries and 1/2 cup of the chopped pistachios, then spread the batter into the pan. The batter should fill the loaf pan evenly.
  2. Bake for 55-60 minutes at 350F until a toothpick comes out clean. The top should be golden and the loaf should pull slightly away from the pan.
  3. Cool the loaf completely before glazing. Let it rest until warm is gone so the glaze stays on top.
Glaze and finish
  1. Whisk powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons of orange juice until smooth. The glaze should pour in a ribbon without being overly runny.
  2. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled loaf, then sprinkle with the remaining pistachios. Finish with a visible, jewel-like scatter over the top.

Notes

Pro tip: when rubbing sugar and orange zest, take a full 30-45 seconds to release the citrus oils for a stronger aroma. Store the bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 6 days. Freeze slices in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months—thaw overnight in the fridge and warm briefly if you like. For a dairy-light option, use plain nonfat or low-fat yogurt in place of sour cream, keeping the same amount.