Pumpkin Cranberry Bread With Caramel Glaze

This uber-moist pumpkin cranberry bread is perfectly spiced, overloaded with craisins and pecans, and topped with a sweet caramel glaze.

 

Today, I’m sharing a delicious pumpkin cranberry bread recipe that is perfect for fall. Get ready to drool!

There are lots of different quick bread recipes on Southern Plate. There’s banana bread, strawberry bread, sweet potato bread, apple bread, and zucchini bread to name just a few. But today we’re putting pumpkin in the spotlight. Thanks to the pumpkin and the addition of applesauce, this pumpkin bread is extremely moist, tender, and dense like a delicious slice of pumpkin cake. Plus, every bite includes craisin bursts and crunchy pecan pieces.

Fortunately, this pumpkin cranberry bread recipe is super easy to make. First, we mix together our dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and delicious spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. In another bowl, we mix together the wet ingredients: canned pumpkin, oil, apple sauce, and eggs. All that’s left to do is combine the wet and dry mixtures, fold in the craisins and pecans, and pour the batter into two loaf pans. Oh yeah, did I say this recipe makes two delicious pumpkin loaves?!

In one hour your kitchen is going to smell amazing as you take your cranberry pumpkin bread out of the oven. Now, I’ll be the first to say that it tastes fantastic on its own. But I tell you what, that caramel glaze adds a very special touch. It’s very easy to make and all you need is butter, three types of sugar, whipping cream, and vanilla. 

Glazed or not, I hope you make this scrumptious pumpkin cranberry nut bread this fall.

Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Pumpkin Cranberry Bread:

Pumpkin Cranberry Bread

• All-purpose flour
• Sugar
• Baking soda
• Ground cinnamon
• Ground nutmeg
• Ground ginger
• Solid pumpkin 
• Olive oil
• Applesauce
• Eggs
• Chopped pecans
• Craisins
• Water

Caramel Glaze

• Butter
• Granulated sugar
• Brown sugar
• Powdered sugar
• Whipping cream
• Vanilla extract

Helpful Kitchen Tools

• Mixing Bowl
• Loaf Pans
• Cooling Rack

How to Make Pumpkin Cranberry Bread

Combine dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in a bowl.

In another bowl, combine the wet ingredients for the pumpkin cranberry bread: pumpkin, oil, applesauce, eggs, and water. Mix well.

Stir wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients, just until combined.

Fold in pecans and craisins.

Spoon into two prepared loaf pans.

Sprinkle more pecans and craisins on top.

Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the pumpkin cranberry bread loaf comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

Caramel Glaze

This bread is perfectly delightful without the glaze. But if you want to take it over the top and impress both your and your family’s taste buds, add the glaze.

In a saucepan, combine butter, sugar, brown sugar, and cream.

Cook until sugars are dissolved and then cool for 20 minutes.

Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth.

Drizzle over cooled loaves of pumpkin cranberry bread.

Storage

• Store leftover pumpkin cranberry bread in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days (so the glaze doesn’t melt). 
• You can also freeze leftovers for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before serving.

Recipe Notes

• Here are some substitutions and variations to make this pumpkin bread recipe work for you:
  • Substitute the individual spices for 1 heaping tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice (or even apple pie spice) instead.
  • Substitute the olive oil for your favorite oil or whatever you have on hand, such as vegetable oil.
  • Use orange juice instead of water for a boost in flavor.
  • Use craisins, dried cranberries, or even fresh cranberries or frozen cranberries.
  • Omit the pecans for nut allergies.
  • On the other hand, substitute the pecans for chopped walnuts instead.
  • Top the bread with cream cheese frosting instead of caramel glaze.
• Remember you want to use canned solid pumpkin or pure pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling, as that has a different texture and added sugar.

Recipe FAQs

What do you serve with pumpkin cranberry bread?

If you don’t want to top your pumpkin bread with caramel glaze or cream cheese frosting (mentioned above), you can keep it plain or serve it with a smear of softened butter or cream cheese or a drizzle of honey.

Check out these other perfect pumpkin recipes for fall:

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pie

Pumpkin Praline Cake With Cream Cheese Icing

No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting

Pumpkin Bars With Cream Cheese Frosting & Candied Pecans

Mini Pumpkin Pies

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“The best inheritance a parent can give to their children is a few minutes of their time each day.”

~M. Grundler