The best pumpkin bread recipe just keeps on giving!
This pumpkin bread is studded with tart cranberries and creamy white chocolate chips, and finished with an optional cream-cheese-style icing for a cake-like loaf that’s perfect for the holidays. The icing is optional—the loaf is moist and delicious on its own.
A guaranteed favorite for holiday baking
For me, white chocolate, pumpkin and cranberries are a natural combination. If you prefer to omit the white chocolate or the cranberries, the loaf still bakes up beautifully—feel free to adapt it to your tastes.
Festive finishing touches: candied cranberries and rosemary
I kept the presentation festive by topping the loaf with candied cranberries and a few rosemary sprigs. Those garnishes are optional but they turn a simple loaf into a show-stopping centerpiece.
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Notes for Success:
I use a standard 1 lb loaf pan for this recipe. If your pan is larger or smaller, adjust the baking time accordingly.
White chocolate chips and cranberries are optional. I prefer frozen cranberries because they break down slightly as they thaw and distribute flavor through the batter while still holding some texture.
The spice mix includes cardamom, but you can omit it if you don’t have any. Alternatively, use 1½ teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice instead of measuring each spice individually.
A video demonstration exists for this recipe, showing technique and texture, but the full written method below includes everything you need to bake this loaf.
Cranberry Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Bread
- 6 Tbsp vegetable oil (about 90 ml)
- ½ cup light brown sugar (105 g)
- ½ cup plant milk (118 ml)
- ½ cup canned pumpkin (120 g)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (5 ml)
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (250 g)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground cardamom (optional)
- Pinch ground cloves
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¾ cup fresh or frozen cranberries
- ½ cup white chocolate chips (optional)
For the Candied Cranberries & Rosemary (optional)
- ¾ cup water
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 cups cranberries
- Sprigs of rosemary, as needed
Icing (optional)
- ½ recipe of a cream-cheese-style icing (use your preferred recipe)
Instructions
- Grease a standard loaf pan and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a large bowl whisk together the plant milk, oil, brown sugar, salt, pumpkin and vanilla until smooth and combined.
- Sift the flour with the baking soda and all spices, then add the dry mix to the wet ingredients and whisk just until smooth—do not overmix.
- Gently fold in the cranberries and white chocolate chips so they are evenly distributed through the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake in the preheated oven for about 40–50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If the top is browning too quickly, reduce the oven to 300°F (150°C) about halfway through baking and continue until done.
- Allow the loaf to cool in the pan until you can touch the sides without burning yourself, then invert the loaf onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the candied cranberries and rosemary (optional): combine sugar and water in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil and cook 3 minutes. Remove from heat, add cranberries and rosemary, and let steep for about 5 minutes.
- Drain the cranberries and rosemary, toss them in sugar to coat, shake off the excess, and spread on parchment to dry for about an hour or up to overnight.
- Prepare the optional icing according to your chosen recipe. When the loaf is completely cool, spread the icing over the top and garnish with candied cranberries and rosemary sprigs for a festive finish.
Notes
Storage: Keep pumpkin bread loosely covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage refrigerate for up to a week or freeze well wrapped for up to one month. Thaw frozen slices gently before serving.