This keto cranberry orange bread combines tart, juicy cranberries with bright orange flavor in a moist almond flour quick bread. Finished with a sugar-free orange glaze, it is a beautiful low-carb treat for breakfast, brunch, dessert, or holiday gifting.
Each slice has only 3.7 net carbs, and the recipe is naturally gluten-free and sugar-free. You can make it with fresh or frozen cranberries, so there is no need to wait for cranberry season to enjoy it.
The bread also freezes well. Bake it ahead, freeze it without the glaze, and thaw it overnight in the refrigerator when you are ready to serve it.
It's why I plan on baking a few loaves to share with the family for brunch. I think it will make a lovely gift to share during the holidays.
If you're a fan of keto quick bread make sure you also check out our entire collection of keto bread recipes!
For more seasonal inspiration, be sure to visit our keto cranberry recipes.
Why You'll Love This Keto Cranberry Bread
There is so much to love about this easy keto quick bread:
- Made with finely milled almond flour
- Filled with whole fresh or frozen cranberries
- Flavored with fresh orange zest and orange extract
- Topped with a sugar-free orange glaze
- Gluten-free and sugar-free
- Only 3.7 net carbs per slice
- Freezer-friendly and perfect for making ahead
- Delicious for breakfast, brunch, snacks, or dessert
Low-Carb Cranberry Orange Bread Made With ALmond Flour
This keto cranberry orange bread is made with finely milled almond flour instead of wheat flour. The cream cheese, butter, and eggs give the loaf its moist texture and help it hold together when sliced.
Whole cranberries add bright bursts of flavor throughout the bread. I prefer leaving them whole because it saves time and gives the finished loaf a beautiful holiday appearance.
For the orange flavor, I use fresh orange zest along with orange extract. The combination gives the bread plenty of citrus flavor without relying on a large amount of orange juice, which would add more carbohydrates and liquid to the batter.
The bread itself is not overly sweet because the sugar-free orange glaze adds another layer of sweetness after baking.
Ingredients Needed For Keto Cranberry Orange Bread
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The following are the ingredients you'll need to make this keto bread recipe. Note that the full printable recipe card is at the bottom page.
Keto-Friendly Cranberry Orange Bread Batter
- Finely milled almond flour
- Granulated sugar substitute
- Baking powder
- Sea salt
- Eggs, room temperature
- Full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
- Orange extract
- Unsalted butter, room temperature
- Fresh or frozen whole cranberries. Note that you do not have to thaw the cranberries if frozen.
- Orange zest
Use finely milled blanched almond flour rather than coarse almond meal. A fine flour produces a smoother batter and a better texture in the finished loaf.
Bringing the eggs, cream cheese, and butter to room temperature will also make it easier to create a smooth, evenly mixed batter.
Sugar-Free Orange Glaze
- Confectioners sugar substitute
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Heavy whipping cream
- Orange extract
- Orange zest
The glaze should be thick enough to drizzle over the loaf without immediately running off the sides. Add the liquid gradually until it reaches the consistency you prefer.
How To Make This Sugar-Free Cranberry Orange Bread
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease the loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving enough parchment extending over the sides to help lift out the baked bread.
Measure and sift the almond flour into a medium bowl. Add the baking powder and sea salt, and stir until evenly combined.
In a separate large bowl, use an electric hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the butter, cream cheese, orange extract, orange zest, and granulated sugar substitute until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl as needed so everything mixes evenly.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and combine until fully incorporated. The batter will be thick. Fold in the fresh or frozen cranberries, then spread the batter evenly into the prepared loaf pan.
Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
Check the loaf at the 60-minute mark. If the top is browning before the center is completely baked, loosely cover the pan with aluminum foil and continue baking.
Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Carefully transfer the loaf to a wire rack and let it cool for another 30 minutes before adding the glaze.
Whisk together the confectioners' sugar substitute, lemon juice, heavy cream, orange extract, and orange zest. Drizzle the glaze over the completely cooled loaf before slicing.
Can I Use Fresh or Frozen Cranberries?
You can make this keto cranberry bread with either fresh or frozen cranberries.
Frozen cranberries do not need to be thawed before adding them to the batter. Fold them into the batter directly from the freezer and bake the bread as directed.
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I leave the cranberries whole rather than chopping them. The whole berries create beautiful pockets of cranberry flavor and make the sliced loaf look especially festive.
Do not use sweetened dried cranberries as a direct replacement. Most dried cranberries contain added sugar, and they will not produce the same moisture or texture as fresh or frozen berries.
Perhaps, like me, you have a freezer full of cranberry bags you've hoarded. If that's you, then I encourage you to give this keto cranberry bread a try.
Or if you've never even used cranberries in your baked goods, then you should use this easy recipe to make your debut.
But be warned, you may need to make freezer space after you do to stock up on cranberries.
I'm just letting you know that hoarding cranberries is a real thing.
Best Sugar Substitutes Options For This Recipe
When choosing the best sugar-free sweetener, I have several options for you to choose from.
I really like Lakanto Monk Fruit Sweetener because the texture is spot on, there is barely any aftertaste, and it uses only natural ingredients.
This is a great one, especially if you are new to sugar substitutes, because it mimics sugar the most, in my opinion.
I'm also partial to Swerve, an erythritol blend, although you should keep in mind that it does have a bit more of a cooling aftertaste that some people dislike.
Alternatively, you could also use a stevia- and erythritol-based brand like Pyure.
This is if you prefer to use stevia in your baked goods. If you go this route, you need to reduce the amount by half since it is twice as sweet.
Lastly, if you can't easily find a more natural sugar substitute, you can also use Splenda with great success.
I know not everyone would agree with me here, and I respect that, but in my book, it's still better than regular sugar.
However, when it comes to icing, you will have to use a confectioner's sugar substitute. Both Lakanto and Swerve have great ones.
Tips for the Best Almond Flour Cranberry Bread
Use finely milled almond flour. Almond meal has a coarser texture and may produce a heavier loaf.
Bring the butter, cream cheese, and eggs to room temperature. This helps the ingredients blend together more smoothly.
Line the loaf pan with parchment paper. Keto quick breads can be delicate while warm, and the parchment makes the loaf easier to remove.
Do not thaw frozen cranberries. Adding them directly from the freezer helps prevent excess moisture from entering the batter.
Check the bread at 60 minutes. Cover it loosely with foil if the top is browning while the center still needs more baking time.
Allow the bread to cool before adding the glaze. Glazing a warm loaf will cause the icing to melt and soak into the bread.
For the best appearance after freezing, freeze the bread without the glaze. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and add the glaze before serving.
Keto Cranberry Orange Bread FAQs
I do not recommend replacing the almond flour with coconut flour. Coconut flour absorbs considerably more liquid, so the two flours cannot be substituted in equal amounts. Creating a coconut flour version would require changes to the eggs, butter, cream cheese, and other ingredients.
The eggs provide moisture, structure, and stability to the almond flour batter. They also work with the cream cheese and butter to create a loaf that holds together when cooled and sliced. I do not recommend reducing the number of eggs. Rest assured this loaf does not have an eggy taste.
Orange extract gives the bread concentrated orange flavor without adding a large amount of juice, carbohydrates, or additional liquid. Fresh orange zest provides more natural citrus flavor.
Yes. The bread can be served without the glaze, although it will taste less sweet. You can also lightly dust the cooled loaf with a confectioners' sugar substitute.
Yes. The batter can be divided between two 6-inch loaf pans. Begin checking the smaller loaves for doneness at approximately 35 minutes.
Store the cooled bread in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
Yes. Freeze the unglazed bread for up to three weeks. Wrap the completely cooled loaf or individual slices tightly before placing them in a freezer-safe container.
Thaw the bread overnight in the refrigerator. For the best results, add the sugar-free orange glaze after the loaf has thawed.
More Keto Cranberry Recipes
Cranberries add beautiful color and flavor to low-carb holiday baking. After trying this keto cranberry orange bread, visit these other keto cranberry recipes for more delicious ways to use fresh or frozen cranberries.
Be sure to try our keto cranberry orange cookies, another family favorite that combines tart cranberries with bright orange flavor.
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Keto Cranberry Orange Bread
This moist keto cranberry orange bread is made with almond flour, fresh or frozen cranberries, orange zest, and orange extract. Finished with a sugar-free orange glaze, each slice has only 3.7 net carbs.
Ingredients
Keto Cranberry Orange Bread Batter
- 2 ½ cups of finely milled almond flour
- 1 cup of granulated sugar substitute
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder
- ½ teaspoon of sea salt
- 8 eggs
- 8 ounces of room temperature full-fat cream cheese
- 2 teaspoons of orange extract
- ½ cup of room temperature unsalted butter
- 2 cups of fresh or frozen whole cranberries
- 1 tablespoon of orange zest
Keto Orange Glaze
- ¾ cup of confectioners sugar substitute
- 3 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon of orange extract
- 2 teaspoons of orange zest
Instructions
Keto Cranberry Orange Bread
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease and line with parchment paper a 10 by 5-inch loaf pan or two 6-inch loaf pans. (note if using two smaller pans check for doneness at the 35-minute mark)
- In a medium-sized bowl measure then sift the almond flour. To the sifted almond flour add the baking powder, and sea salt, and stir. Set this aside.
- In a large bowl using an electric hand-held mixer or stand-up mixer blend the butter, cream cheese, orange extract, orange zest, and sugar substitute until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Next add the eggs one at a time, making sure to scrape the bowl several times.
- To the wet batter add the dry ingredients and combine until well incorporated.
- Fold the fresh or frozen cranberries into the batter. Note that if using frozen you do not need to defrost before.
- Spread the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
- Bake for 60-70 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for about 30 minutes. Use the parchment paper to carefully lift the bread from the pan, then transfer it to a wire rack and cool for another 30 minutes before adding the glaze.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 weeks.
Sugar-Free Orange Glaze
- In a small mixing bowl whisk the confectioner's sugar substitute, lemon juice, orange zest, orange extract, and heavy cream. Stir until fully combined.
- Drizzle the sugar-free orange glaze over the completely cooled cranberry bread before slicing and serving.
Notes
Recipe Notes
- Use finely milled blanched almond flour rather than almond meal for the best texture.
- The batter will be thick. This is normal.
- Frozen cranberries can be folded into the batter without thawing.
- Begin checking the loaf at 60 minutes. If the top is browning before the center is fully baked, loosely cover it with aluminum foil.
- The bread must cool completely before adding the glaze, or the glaze will melt.
- For two 6-inch loaves, begin checking for doneness at 35 minutes.
- Store the bread in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
- Freeze the unglazed loaf or individual slices for up to three weeks. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before glazing.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1 sliceAmount Per Serving: Calories: 337Total Fat: 30.6gSaturated Fat: 11.4gCholesterol: 154mgSodium: 157mgCarbohydrates: 6.9gNet Carbohydrates: 3.7gFiber: 3.2gSugar: 1.9gProtein: 10.3g
Lynda says
Hi again. I baked it in a silicone loaf pan inside a regular loaf pan. Could that be why it got so dark on the outside but uncooked on the inside?
Hilda Solares says
Hi Lynda, This could explain why it did not bake correctly. Using two pans could have certainly contributed to this. I encourage you to use a regular pan and line with parchment paper.
Deborah says
Your directions do not say when to add in the orange zest or extract? I am assuming they go in after the eggs?
Hilda Solares says
Hi Deborah, thanks for making me aware of this. I updated the recipe so that it's added with sugar substitute
Tara says
I made this yesterday and it was amazing. I had to tweak it because I didn’t have 8 eggs. I had 5 eggs, so I added 2 teaspoons of vital protein’s beef gelatin which I gloomed on the tiniest bit of orange juice from 1/3 of the orange i zested. Then I added 2 tablespoons coconut flour. Baked for a total of 1 hr and 15 mins, w the timer to go off at 50 mins so I could cover with foil.
For anyone who doesn’t understand how to test for doneness, or if you use the toothpick method and it comes out clean but is still not done inside, use an instant read thermometer! I Pull Hilda’s pumpkin bread out at 160 because I like it a little underdone and it sets up as it cools- I slice it after 15 mins out of the oven and lay the slices on the rack to cool. Then I wrap and refrigerate and they are so good after they have been refrigerated. For the cran orange bread, I took it to 185 and then I had to leave, so I wrapped it back in foil on top of the stove to continue “baking” in its own heat and when I got back it was perfection. Lovely orange favor, tart cranberries (I used frozen) and a dense, moist crumb which is exactly what I wanted. My in-laws brought super-carby cran orange Bundt cake to Christmas and I had a piece but that long list of unpronounceable ingredients freaked me out. The texture is what I was craving and once again, Hilda delivered! Thank you so much and Happy New Year!
Hilda Solares says
Happy New Year Tara! Glad you enjoyed the keto bread darling.
Tara says
Ps everyone should own an oven thermometer as well. My oven, which is very a new, digital Samsung, when it says 350, the thermometer I keep inside is only at 335. So now I know to always set the oven 15 degrees higher than the recipe states.
Hilda Solares says
Yes, Tara, an oven thermometer can prove to be very beneficial.
Leslie Totten says
Hi. Can you make muffin with this recipe and what's time you would used.
Hilda Solares says
Hi Leslie, although I have not tested the recipe in muffin tins I am confident it would work. My guess is to bake them between 18-20 minutes and should make about 16 standard muffins. Hope this helps.