Cranberry Clementine Quick Bread

ByRenee N Gardner
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This bright, citrusy quick bread brings warmth to your table in just over an hour. The tender, moist crumb studded with tart cranberries and delicate poppy seeds creates the perfect texture contrast in every bite. The clementine zest infuses the entire loaf with vibrant flavor that’ll have everyone reaching for a second slice. It’s the kind of recipe that’s the first to go at brunches and always leads to recipe requests—simple to make but will grab everyone’s attention.

Sliced cranberry clementine bread on a cutting board with a halved clementine leaning against it.

Clementine Muffin Bread

This clementine muffin bread with cranberries and poppy seeds turns ordinary breakfast into a special occasion without any fuss. It’s the perfect low-effort, high-reward recipe that busy bakers will appreciate—mix it up in minutes, then let your oven do the work while you sip your morning coffee. The citrus flavor make it perfect during winter months when clementines are everywhere.

Why I Love This Recipe:

  • It mixes up like a muffin batter. Mix the ingredients together, pour it in a bread pan, and bake until the top is golden brown.
  • It will fill your home the scent of sweet clementines. Yum!
  • Tangy dried cranberries and crunchy of poppy seeds are wrapped up in a light and tender clementine cake. Delicious enough to share.

What We Need

I’ve separated the ingredient list for this quick bread based on the recipe steps. You’ll need dry ingredients from your pantry: all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. You’ll mix those with the wet ingredients: eggs, vegetable oil, sugar, clementine zest, Greek yogurt, milk, clementine juice, and vanilla extract. Once you’ve got the basic recipe together, we add the mix-ins: poppy seeds and dried cranberries. See the recipe card below for exact measurements.

Ingredients for cranberry clementine quick bread. Sugar, baking soda, salt, greek yogurt, clementines, flour, vanilla, avocado oil, milk, eggs, poppy seeds, dried cranberries.
Ingredients for cranberry clementine quick bread. Top row: granulated sugar, salt, baking soda, greek yogurt, clementines. Middle row: flour, vanilla, avocado oil, milk. Bottom row: eggs, poppy seeds, dried cranberries.

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How to Make Title Cranberry Clementine Quick Bread

Before we get into the steps, this quick bread follows the simple muffin method: dry ingredients in one bowl, wet in another, then a quick mix to bring them together. You’ll know it’s almost done when the citrus fragrance fills your kitchen. Grab your tools and ingredients, preheat the oven to 350ºF, and butter a 9×5″ loaf pan. Let’s get baking!

  • Halved clementines on a cutting board with zest, a microplaner, a citrus reamer and a glass measuring cup with some orange juice in it.
    Roll the clementines on the countertop to release the juices, zest them with a microplane, then cut in half and juice them.
  • A white bowl with flour, baking powder and salt next to measuring spoons and a whisk.
    In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  • A white bowl with flour and a whisk next to two measuring spoons.
    Whisk the flour mixture to combine completely, ensuring there are no lumps.
  • Wet ingredients for clementine cranberry bread in individual bowls next to a large bowl with beaten eggs and a whisk.
    Grab all the wet ingredients, measuring cups & spoons, and a large mixing bowl. Crack the eggs into the bowl and whisk until scrambled.
  • All the wet ingredients for cranberry clementine bread in a bowl with a whisk, un-mixed, next to a green silicone spatula.
    Add the remaining wet ingredients to the eggs, then whisk until everything’s smooth.
  • Two white bowls, one with a flour mixture, the other with an eggy mixture and a whisk, with a green spatula.
    Next, we combine the wet and dry ingredients together in two steps.
  • Two white bowls, one with a flour mixture, the other with an eggy mixture and a whisk with some of the flour on top.
    Transfer half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredient bowl.
  • Two white bowls, one with a flour mixture and a green spatula, the other with an eggy mixture and a whisk.
    Whisk together, add the second half of the dry ingredients, then whisk again.
  • A large mixing bowl with a batter, a green spatula, and cranberries and poppy seeds on top.
    Once everything is combined, add in the poppy seeds and dried cranberries.
  • A bowl of cranberry clementine quickbread batter next to a prepared 9" by 5" bread pan.
    Once mixed, it’s time to bake! Grab your prepared 9″ x 5″ loaf pan.
  • Cranberry clementine quickbread poured into a breadpan ready to be baked.
    Pour the batter into the pan and place it in the hot oven on the center rack.
  • Once the top turns golden brown and the edges pull away from the sides of the pan, it’s done. Let it cool in the pan about 5 minutes, then transfer onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

The Muffin Method

The muffin method is a simple measure-and-mix method for making quick bread and muffins. It’s a super easy method, great for learning how to bake.

You’ll need two bowls, one for the dry ingredients and one for the wet ingredients. Measure and mix each individually, then combine them together in the larger bowl and mix to combine. From there, you can add mix-ins of choice, such as fruits, nuts, seeds, or chocolates, then pour into a pan or scoop into muffin cups and bake.

Tips for Success

When baking a new recipe for the first time, it’s always helpful to have a few extra tips to guide you. Here are a few of my favorites for getting this recipe done right the first time.

  • Grease your baking pan. While baking spray does the job, I like the flavor that butter adds to the bread.
  • Bake this bread in the center of the center rack.
  • You’ll know it’s done when three things happen: the top will turn golden brown, the bread will pull away from the edges of the pan, and a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean.
  • Let the bread cool in the pan for about 5 – 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
A stack of three slices of cranberry clementine quick bread piled next to a loaf of bread and a sliced clementine.

Serving Suggestions

I love having these for breakfast and they go so well with coffee or tea, but it’s equally great on a dessert plate with a dollop of whipped cream. For brunch get-togethers, slice it thin and arrange on a platter with butter and honey on the side. The bright citrus flavor pairs nicely with winter fruit salads and other citrus varieties.

Overhead shot of a loaf of cranberry clementine quick bread on a cutting board with a blue and white towel, bread knife, and whole clementines.

How to Store and Reheat

You can store this cranberry clementine quick bread at room temperature in an airtight container. It should keep fresh for about three days.

If you want or need to keep it longer, place it in the freezer for 3 – 6 months instead. To make easily accessible single servings, slice the entire loaf and separate the slices with wax or parchment paper before freezing. A whole loaf thaws in about 30 minutes at room temperature, while a single slice will thaw in a matter of minutes.

If desired, you can microwave each slice for 10 – 15 seconds for a warm and comforting treat.

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Sliced cranberry clementine bread on a cutting board with a halved clementine leaning against it.

Cranberry Clementine Quick Bread

author: Renee N Gardner
This bright, citrusy quick bread brings warmth to your table in just over an hour. The tender, moist crumb studded in tart cranberries and delicate poppy seeds creates the perfect texture contrast in every bite. The clementine zest infuses the entire loaf with vibrant flavor that'll have everyone reaching for a second slice. It's the kind of recipe that's the first to go at brunches and always leads to recipe requests—simple to make but will grab everyone's attention.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 10 slices
Calories 409 kcal

Ingredients
  

Dry Ingredients

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients

  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon clementine zest
  • 2/3 cup greek yogurt
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1/3 cup clementine juice about 3mentines
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix Ins

  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees then grab two medium to large mixing bowls. 
  • Measure the dry ingredients – flour, baking powder, and salt – into one bowl. Then measure the wet ingredients – eggs, vegetable oil, sugar, clementine zest, greek yogurt, milk, clementine juice, and vanilla extract – into the other bowl. In the interest of doing fewer dishes, grab your whisk and mix together the dry ingredients, then use the same whisk for the wet ingredients.
  • Once they are both mixed separately, add the wet ingredients and the dry ingredients together. Mix until just combined. 
  • Add in the poppy seeds and dried cranberries. Mix again until just combined, but avoid over mixing.
  • Liberally butter a 9″ x 5″ loaf pan or spray with your favorite baking spray.
  • Pour the batter into the pan and place it in the hot oven on the center rack. 
  • Total bake time should be between 50 – 55 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when the top turns a golden brown, the bread starts to pull away from the edges of the pan, and a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean.
  • Let the bread cool in the pan for about 5 – 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a cooling rack to cool completely. 

Notes

Stored in an airtight container this bread will keep at room temperature for about 3 days. For longer storage it will keep in the freezer for 3 – 6 months. If you want single servings from the freezer, prior to freezing slicing it and separate the slices with wax or parchment paper. The whole loaf will thaw in about 30 minutes at room temperature, while a single slice can be microwaved for 10 – 15 seconds for a warm and comforting treat.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 409kcalCarbohydrates: 60gProtein: 7gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 48mgSodium: 360mgFiber: 2gSugar: 34g
Keyword afternoon tea, baking, bread, bread baking, cake, dessert, quick bread
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I'm the recipe developer, food photographer, and creator behind Ruthybelle Recipes, where I share garden-fresh recipes inspired by seasonal ingredients. No fancy fads here, just high-quality, well tested recipes and kitchen gardening tips.