Is there any flavor combination that screams Christmas more than cranberry orange? If so, I’d love to hear what your favorite flavor combo is in the comments below. But for me, with dried oranges hanging as garland above my kitchen sink, and cranberries and popcorn strung up on the Christmas tree, I don’t think there is anything better. And this Christmas bread with cranberry orange and sourdough might just become an annual tradition in your home, as it is in mine.
A New Spin on a Classic Cranberry Orange Bread
Has someone ever told you that you were born in the wrong generation? Well, I think those of us who have been told that, are simply born to keep traditions alive. One of the most wonderful Christmas traditions is baking. Whether that be cookies, cakes, gingerbread houses or breads, baking is an important part of our holiday traditions. I have so many fond memories of spending the entire month of December baking with my mom. It’s what made Christmas magical. Not the presents under the tree, but the smell of fresh baked cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning.
But today, many of us are very health conscious. We know that consuming copious amounts of sugar and terrible foods during the holidays are what leads to the sicknesses that seems to spread starting on January 2nd. So, I have vowed to create Christmas baked goods, that will still spread cheer throughout the hearts of my children, but help to avoid a sugar crash and meltdowns.
Healthy Ingredients in Cranberry Orange Bread
So we all know that sugar is bad. But what about the other foods that contribute to our modern health issues? Seed oils, gluten, dairy, etc.? All the foods that the ‘experts’ are telling us to avoid. Are we supposed to just forgo holiday baking all together? Or do we buy into the fake frankenstein foods? Absolutely not! It is all about the quality of your ingredients.
For this Christmas bread I used organic einkorn flour. Have you tried einkorn flour yet? If not, and you’d like to learn more about this incredible flour, click here. Or click below to purchase. Next up we have sourdough discard, because sourdough is one of the best ways to make gluten more tolerable. Then we have our grass-fed butter, whole milk yogurt from grass-fed cows, pasture-raised eggs, fresh organic cranberries and fresh orange juice. The only sugar in this bread is 1/3 cup coconut sugar. But you can even cut that back to 1/4 cup if you don’t mind your bread a little less sweet. Now, let’s get baking.
Click each item below to view or purchase my favorite recommendations for this recipe.
- All purpose einkorn flour
- Coconut sugar
- Whole milk yogurt
- Standard glass loaf pan
- Glass mixing bowl set
- Cooking utensils
How to Make Christmas Bread (Cranberry Orange with Sourdough Discard)
A traditional Christmas bread made with cranberries, oranges, einkorn flour, sourdough discard and coconut sugar for a sweet and sour bread that will fill your home with Christmas cheer.
Prep Time
25-30 minutes
Cook Time
60 minutes
Yield
One standard loaf
Meal
Breakfast/Dessert
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar
- 1/3 cup whole milk yogurt
- 4 tbsp butter, melted
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1/2 cup sourdough discard
- 2 eggs
- 1 and 3/4 cup all purpose einkorn flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 cup cranberries (whole or halved)
- Topping:
- 1 tbsp raw turbinado cane sugar and the zest of 1 orange
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Grease or line a standard loaf pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, yogurt, melted butter, orange juice, discard and eggs until just combined.
- Then add in the dry ingredients one at a time and stir until well combined. Do not over mix. Next, fold in the cranberries until evenly distributed.
- Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan. Add the toppings of cane sugar and orange zest to the top of the batter evenly.
- Bake at 350 F for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely before slicing. Enjoy!
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