almond cranberry bread

Jump To Recipe November 22, 2015 // 11 Comments »

This almond cranberry bread is a healthy, refined sugar-free and whole grain recipe that makes a super holiday gift from the kitchen. It is also a kid-friendly snack for after school, or perfect to bring along if you are going to visit friends or family over the holidays.

Thank goodness the challenge for this month’s Recipe Redux was to make a healthier quick bread, or this quick bread recipe would still be back in the depths of my imagination, never to grace ovens the world over.
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The holiday baking season is upon us. And this month we’re going way beyond grandma’s banana bread. From sweet to savory and whole grain to gluten-free, show us your new quick bread creation fresh from the oven. And if you have a tip for wrapping and giving your lovely loaf, please share that too!
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Now, I know saying things about “gracing ovens” and such sounds a bit grandiose. But this almond cranberry bread IS grand. It’s stupendous!

For real, this almond cranberry quick bread is officially my new favorite quick bread recipe. Don’t tell the Sweet Potato Praline Bundtlettes or the Pumpkin Eggnog Bread that I said so, but I really heart this bread. Like, I want to go steady with it—heart it.

Creating This Quick Bread Recipe

This quick bread is almost cake-like in its texture. In fact, the first version of it that I made was so sweet and cake-like I felt guilty calling it bread, since really it WAS cake. I had to pull back a bit so I could put my healthy stamp of approval on it. I did. Less oil. Less sweetener. It’s still crazy good, and is loaded with fresh cranberries and whole grains.

Now it is just right and refined sugar-free! It has a pleasant almond flavor reminiscent of marzipan with the surprise of tart cranberries to balance it.

Tips for Making This Almond Cranberry Bread

I know you’re probably wondering how a bread that’s loaded with whole grains can actually taste like cake. Lucky for you, I’m willing to share my secrets!

The key to achieving the right quick bread texture is to whip the egg whites until medium peaks form. Whole wheat flour doesn’t make for fluffy baked goods like all-purpose flour does, but by whipping the egg whites and gently incorporating them into the bread batter your almond cranberry bread will turn out perfectly moist and fairly light in texture.

The other key thing to remember when making this easy bread recipe is to use almond flour, not almond meal. If you’ve never worked with almond flour before, it can be a little confusing figuring out what to buy at the store. Almond meal contains the almond skins and makes for a denser baked good, whereas almond flour is a little more refined and doesn’t weigh down this bread as much.

As long as you keep these two things in mind, your almond cranberry bread should turn out beautifully.

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Hey, one more thing! Did you know you can order signed copies of my cookbook online? Here is the link. All you have to do is fill out how you want me to personalize it and we’ll ship it right to you (or whomever you’re giving it to.) It’s thoughtful holiday shopping at the click of a mouse!