This Keto Cranberry Orange Bread smells and tastes like the holidays. It’s bursting with bright cranberries and zesty orange, and has only 3g net carbs per slice!
Stop whatever you are doing and grab a pen. Add this delicious Keto Cranberry Orange Bread to your holiday menu right now. Better yet, skip the note-taking and go make it right now. You won’t regret it!
I rave about a lot of my recipes. It goes with the territory as a recipe developer. I am supposed to tell you how wonderful everything is and why you want to make it. It’s always genuine, since I don’t post keto recipes that don’t work out that well or need more testing.
But I am raving with extra enthusiasm about this sweet coconut flour bread. It smells like Christmas while it’s in the oven, and tastes just as good. I ate it for breakfast every day for a week. And I am already planning a loaf for a holiday brunch!
Cranberry lovers, don’t miss my Sugar Free Cranberry Sauce and these Keto Cranberry Bliss Bars.
Why you will love this recipe.
So this recipe is actually part of a super secret project I’ve been working on for a few months. And I am ready to spill the beans! I’ve got a new e-book coming out and it’s devoted to the holidays.
It has over 50 keto recipes for Thanksgiving and Christmas – everything from breakfast to dinner to dessert. Be on the lookout because I am releasing it very soon!
I created this Keto Cranberry Orange Bread as a new holiday brunch recipe. I thought it was a good one to complement the other recipes in the book. But I was so blown away by the flavor and texture of this bread that I couldn’t wait to share.
I used coconut flour, so it has a similar texture to my Keto Blueberry Bread. And although I put some walnuts in mine, you can make it entirely nut-free if you like. It’s easy to make, super tender, and really tastes like Christmas morning.
Ingredients you need
- Coconut flour: I created this recipe using coconut flour for a lighter consistency. If you prefer almond flour, try using my almond flour cake recipe for the base. Then simply add the berries, zest, and flavorings as directed.
- Brown Sweetener: I like the flavor that a brown sugar replacement adds to this bread, but you can use granular instead. See the Expert Tips section for more sweetener options.
- Protein powder: Adding protein powder to keto baked goods helps them rise and hold their shape better. You can use whey or egg white protein powder. Some plant-based proteins will also work.
- Butter: Try using avocado oil or coconut oil for nut free.
- Eggs: Coconut flour requires more eggs than other keto flours. Don’t try to cut back or your keto cranberry orange bread won’t rise or hold together properly.
- Orange flavor: By using freshly grated orange zest AND orange extract, you will get all that fabulous orange flavor without adding carbs.
- Fresh cranberries: I recommend fresh cranberries for this recipe but frozen should be fine as well. Let them thaw completely before adding to the batter.
- Nuts: For extra crunch and protein, add chopped walnuts, pecans or almonds.
- Pantry staples: Vanilla extract, baking powder and salt.
Step-by-step directions
1. Combine the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut flour, sweetener, protein powder, baking powder, and salt.
2. Add the wet ingredients: Stir in the butter, eggs, orange zest, and extracts until well combined. Then stir in the water until the batter is smooth. If the batter is overly thick, add more water 1 tablespoon at a time. The batter should be easily spreadable.
3. Fold in the cranberries: Stir in the cranberries and walnuts. Transfer the batter to a greased 8×4 metal loaf pan and smooth the top.
4. Bake until golden: Bake at 350ºF 50 to 60 minutes, until golden brown and firm to the touch. Remove and let cool at least 30 minutes.
5. Remove from pan: Then run a sharp knife around the edges of the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Expert tips
Cutting the cranberries in half gives you better distribution throughout the bread. It also makes the bread less likely to tear as you try to slice it.
I baked this keto cranberry bread in an 8×4 inch metal loaf pan. You can use a 9×5 pan but your bread will bake faster so keep your eye on it.
Glass and ceramic pans don’t conduct heat as efficiently and may take quite a bit longer to bake through properly. You also want to drop the temperature by 25 degrees so the sides of the bread cook more slowly. Otherwise, they can get overdone.
Don’t let it cool completely in the pan. I’ve noticed that there is a sweet spot between 30 minutes to an hour in which to get keto breads out of pans. After that, they start sticking again.
Be sure to let it cool completely before slicing, so it holds together better!
Sweetener Options
The bread doesn’t rely on a particular sweetener for consistency, so you can use what you like best. I think brown sugar replacements add a richer flavor.
One thing to keep in mind is that allulose-based sweeteners will make the bread brown faster. The new Swerve Brown contains some allulose, but it’s mostly erythritol so it’s not as much of an issue. But full allulose will cause too much browning.
You can offset this a bit by lining the pan with parchment paper and reduce the temperature by 25 degrees. The bread will take longer to bake so keep your eye on it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Many people assume cranberries are high carb because dried cranberries contain so much sugar. But the fresh, raw berries are one of the lowest carb fruits you can choose. A cup of these tart berries has 12g of carbs and 3.6g of fiber, so you can use them in your keto holiday recipes without concern.
You can store the bread, tightly wrapped up, on the counter for 3 days or so. But coconut flour bread tends to be quite moist so refrigerate it if you think it will be around longer than that. You can also freeze it for several months.
This keto cranberry orange bread recipe has 6.3g of carbs and 3.3g of fiber per serving. That comes to 3g net carbs per slice.
More delicious keto cranberry recipes
Keto Cranberry Orange Bread Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (90 g) coconut flour
- 2/3 cup (121.33 g) brown sugar replacement
- 1/3 cup (36 g) unflavored whey protein powder
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (113.5 g) butter, melted
- 6 large eggs
- 2 tsp freshly grated orange zest
- 1 tsp orange extract
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup (78.86 ml) water
- 1 cup (100 g) fresh cranberries, chopped in half
- 1/2 cup (58.5 g) chopped walnuts or pecans, (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and grease an 8×4 inch metalloaf pan very well. You can also use 9×5 but your bread will bake faster.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut flour, sweetener, protein powder, baking powder, and salt.
- Stir in the butter, eggs, orange zest, and extracts until well combined. Then stir in the water until the batter is smooth. If the batter is overly thick, add more water 1 tablespoon at a time. The batter should be easily spreadable.
- Stir in the cranberries and walnuts. Transfer the batter tothe prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake 50 to 60 minutes, until golden brown and just firm to the touch. Remove and let cool at least 30 minutes. Then run a sharp knife around the edges of the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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Very moist, tasty. Perfect replacement for any orange/cranberry pastry
A thanks for the recipe delicious!
Love these recipes, but I do have a concern. There have been some health concerns about erythritol lately, so wondered what your take was it. I shifted from some other stevia type sweeteners like Truvia, since it had erythritol in it.
https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/is-erythritol-safe/
will plant protein work in this recipe?
Probably but it will likely add a strong flavor that overpowered the orange.
I’ve made this a few times couple years in a row and it absolutely delivers. This loaf is delicious, tender and moist with all the seasonal flavors you’re looking for! Can’t wait to make it again and again.
Can I use frozen cranberries?
Sure, that works!
I always love your recipes! You do what we wish we had the ability, time, and ingenuity to do. With that said,….
I will always be the follower that wonders when something is made with coconut flour, “could I make this with almond flour.” (There’s always gotta be one in the bunch, right?” My family does not like coconut flavor. Is there a way to convert coconut to almond?
I belong to a gals club, and I plan to make food from your recipes in the next few months. N(They think they are keto, but they’re way off, so my daughter and I do the main cooking so we stay low carb. Hoping to convert them to Real keto with your wonderful recipes. Thank you for your efforts and hard work.
I read in the notes that you can follow her Almond Flour Cake recipe, then add the berries, zest and flavorings as directed. 😊
Make sure you read the blog post! 🙂
Cranberry and Orange my most favorite combination, all year round, not just in the fall. Looking forward to making this as soon as fresh cranberries are available in North Carolina, lol
I so sincerely apologize! I became so excited that I immediately jumped to the recipe, instructions and nutritional facts to ensure this was in my range of set carbs, and then asked about baking in a glass pan. Although not my normal procedure, I than went back and read your initial notes, where, of course, I found my answer. Again, my apologies.
No worries!
Oh, my! I’ve been wanting to find a low-carb cranberry-orange bread recipe since last Christmas when my daughter made a fabulous cranberry-orange bread…but I was also diagnosed with T2 Diabetes during Christmas weekend. To say I’m excited about this recipe is a major understatement!!
That said, however, I’ve always baked only in glass loaf pans. Do you have any suggestions…shorter bake time, etc…to make this work in a glass loaf pan? I’m so hopeful.
I just stumbled across this recipe while looking for something else. So glad I found it. I made a batch of your sugar free craisins a while back and was wondering if they might work in this recipe instead of the fresh cranberries. I used half the batch in a recipe and stuck the other half in the freezer waiting for another recipe that caught my eye. I’m going to try it. Do you think they might not work for some reason? Should I soak them first? What do you suggest?
This orange cranberry bread was outstanding. It would be difficult for me to tell the difference between this keto friendly bread and the full carb cranberry orange bread I used to make. Thanks for the healthy and delicious alternative. Can I make it with blueberries instead of cranberries?
What would you suggest for Coconut flower replacement as mu roommate is allergic to Coconut. She and a friend are diabetic so I try to bake for them.
Sorry, I think you will need to find a different recipe.
Yummy! I doubled recipe and replaced orange juice for water to amp up orange flavor. I also did not have protein powder so used 1/3 cup almond flour, 1/6 cup instant vanilla sugar free pudding and 1/6 cup regular cup flour as a “sub”. worked in a pinch, but increased carb count…better than a last minute trip to the store!:)
As I usually do with your bread recipes, I made muffins, with a shortened cook time to about 40 minutes for a double batch of 24 muffins. Using frozen cranberries, and the juices from the thawing process, I skipped the 1/3 C water as the batter was the right texture without it. Came out perfectly. Possibly the lack of need for water was also impacted by using avocado oil instead of the butter. With all the eggs, I need to do what I can to improve the heart healthiness of the recipe, and am very grateful for the suggestion to swap out the butter for avocado oil. Really wish I could properly express how helpful your blog has been to my family and to those I have sent the link to. I have been low carbing for about 25 years. For the first 10 years or so, I had to pretty much create my own recipes. Amazing to have tried and true already proofed recipes for us to use, along with the carb count for the diabetic in the family. Have a happy holiday and thank you for the gifts you continually give.
This is amazing. Delicious, very flavorful. Made as written, and it turned out perfect. I cut up some into fours and covered them with chocolate. Another goto recipe. Thank you.