Toasty Cranberry Herb Bread (Printable)

Aromatic loaf with toasted nuts, dried cranberries, and fresh herbs, perfect alongside salads or soups.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
03 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
05 - 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Wet Ingredients

06 - 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 1/4 cup olive oil or melted unsalted butter

→ Add-Ins

09 - 1 cup dried cranberries
10 - 1/2 cup toasted walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
12 - 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
13 - 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

→ Optional Topping

14 - 1 tablespoon rolled oats or extra chopped nuts

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
03 - In another bowl, whisk milk, eggs, and olive oil or melted butter until fully combined.
04 - Add wet mixture to dry ingredients; stir gently until just combined without overmixing.
05 - Carefully fold in dried cranberries, toasted nuts, parsley, rosemary, and thyme.
06 - Pour batter into prepared pan; sprinkle rolled oats or extra nuts on top if desired.
07 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and crust is golden.
08 - Allow bread to cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It transforms simple pantry ingredients into something that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen, but it really only takes an hour total
  • The combination of toasted nuts and fresh herbs creates an aroma that fills your entire home and makes everyone ask what you're baking
  • It's the perfect bridge between sweet and savory—a slice pairs beautifully with morning coffee or a bowl of soup at dinner
  • You can make it vegan, swap the cranberries for dried cherries, or adjust the herbs based on what's fresh in your garden
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients are not optional—I learned this the hard way when a cold egg caused my batter to seize and my bread came out dense. Now I always let eggs and milk sit out for 30 minutes before baking.
  • Don't overmix once you've combined wet and dry ingredients. Every extra stir develops gluten and toughens the crumb. Mix until just combined and trust that it will all come together in the oven.
  • Toast your own nuts if possible. Pre-toasted nuts from the store sometimes sit on shelves too long and taste stale. Five minutes in a dry skillet brings them back to life.
03 -
  • If you don't have fresh herbs, freeze them in ice cube trays with a little olive oil during peak season. These cubes add brightness to winter baking when fresh herbs aren't available.
  • Invest in a good instant-read thermometer. Bread is perfectly baked when the internal temperature reaches 190°F—this takes the guesswork out of the toothpick test.
  • Make extra loaves and freeze them wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil. They thaw beautifully and taste nearly as good as fresh, perfect for unexpected moments when you want to share something homemade.

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