Looking for a yummy cranberry walnut bread recipe? This bread combines the sweetness of apples and the tartness of cranberries with a crunchy, sugary crust.
So I finally made the walnut cranberry bread recipe that I put on the wall.
I felt like I had to.
Every time I would walk into the kitchen, there it was….the recipe wall. Staring right at me in all it’s apple-cranberry bread recipe glory.
I mean, who does that? Who puts a recipe on the wall that they’ve never even made before? Maybe the same person who makes silver stamp mistakes and eats all the watermelon samples for lunch because they spent all their money at the 400-mile yard sale.
Yeah. That type of person.
Gotta love ’em.
When I made the recipe wall, I wasn’t really concerned about how the recipe tasted. I didn’t have time for that….I had a wall to decorate. I just picked out the cutest recipe. The recipe with plenty of directions and ingredients and lots of 3/4 cup and 1 TSP and other cute things like that. I never actually thought I would make it.
After all, it has 11 ingredients.
And I’m more of a 4 ingredient kind of girl.
But it was getting embarrassing. Everyone always asking me “where I got the recipe” and “how it tasted” and “did I like cranberry bread with nuts” and “did the apples make it taste better.” I tried to explain, but it seems like no one really understood the “cute recipe” concept.
So today?
Today I made the cranberry walnut bread recipe.
And I put my own spin on it.
A little twist to make the crust crunchier.
Cranberry Walnut Bread Recipe
adapted from allrecipes.com
Ingredients:
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups chopped, peeled tart apples
- 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 2 tablespoons white sugar (for crust)
(1) In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs, sugar and oil.
(2) Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt; add to egg mixture just until combined (batter will be very thick).
(3) Stir in the apples, cranberries and walnuts.
(4) Coat an 8-in. x 4-in. x 2-in. loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle in 2 tablespoons of sugar. Spread the sugar out all over the base and side of the pan. Keep shaking and turning until the entire inside is coated. This will add a layer of crispness to the crust.
(5) Bake at 350 degrees F for 60-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
(6) Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
It is delicious.
Delicious in your non-typical cranberry bread way. It has a little bread and a lot of extra stuff. Yummy extra stuff, like walnuts and apples and cranberries. The crust is extra crispy and full of flavor.
I’m making it again and again and again.
The recipe wall has been put to the test and emerged victorious.
And really, really cute 🙂
PS If you want to see how I made the plate rack click here.
PPS If you want to see how I added the recipe to the wall (without even using a level)….click here.

Cranberry Walnut Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp canola or vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 cups chopped, peeled tart apples
- 1 cup frozen cranberries
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 2 tbsp sugar
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs, sugar and oil.
- Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt; add to egg mixture just until combined (batter will be very thick).
- Stir in the apples, cranberries and walnuts.
- Coat an 8-in. x 4-in. x 2-in. loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle in 2 tablespoons of sugar. Spread the sugar out all over the base and side of the pan. Keep shaking and turning until the entire inside is coated. This will add a layer of crispness to the crust.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 60-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
- Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
That's so funny that you put it on your wall without making it...what if it was horrible? ;-) Seriously, it looks amazing and if I'm ever in the mood to use 11 ingredients (!) I'll definitely try it. And your photography is just stunning.
Kari....I'm tossing out the "boxed cranberry bread" and will make this "from scratch" cranberry bread that you have made famous all over blogland. If Olan Mills does not have any openings, you can definitely become a food stylist!.....as you are so photogenic. So if you feel the earth move under your feet, and the skies tumbling down..don't worry, it would not be a natural disaster....it will just be me, making your beautiful cranberry bread....It looks wonderful...Again, you are so very photogenic!!!
Oooh, so this is the bread that took hours and hours! And you really do have the recipe on the wall! Well, that is just the funnest idea ever. I may copy this. Except with a recipe I'll actually make. Like one with only 4 ingredients. :)
I totally understand the "cute recipe" concept and the fact that it needed to be wall friendly and less important that it tasted yummy. I even understand the fact that there is way more time to make cranberry bread in June when there are no cranberries to be found instead of the day before you are having 20 people over for a 10 course meal and the grocery store shelves are loaded with fresh cranberries. You don't have to explain anything to me. :D It does look wonderful and I love the added apples. Yum.
Now, aren't you about to bust your buttons? This is a hallmark year for you, KariAnne. You keep this up, and you're going to find all of us at your door for coffee and home baked goodies. Maybe one of your siblings got the "love to cook genes" in your family. Me? I'm an only child, and they tried to stuff all the genes into me. I am afraid that didn't exactly turn out as the excellence they were probably desiring. But, I got what I got, and I try to make the best of it. Umm! Cranberries, applies and walnuts. Ummm hmmmm!♥
Kinda like putting pictures that are 100 years old and everybody keeps asking who they are, and you have not a bleepi' clue. I haven't seen cranberries, but I've seen lots of fresh cherries...
Baking for the sake of the blog. You have inspired me. Surly I need to bake something yummy if only for posting purposes right? Forget that I pinned that recipe wall a while ago in hopes of making my own. Probably easier for me to bake your cranberry bread. I'll get around too it, by fall when they are in season. ~Bliss~
It's about time.
Yummy!! This is right up my family's alley (may have to double the recipe for this crew, but what the heck?). Thanks for sharing!! xo Heidi
love the wall....not baking the bread over here but i love LOVE the wall!
looks delicious! we have an orange cranberry bread we make which i really yummy, too!
Funny! I understand the cute recipe thing. I have a recipe for banana bread that everyone is trying to get from me. lol Maybe I'll put that on my wall, but leave out an ingredient or two. hee hee. Then visitors can feel free to copy away! Have a great Friday!
For a lady who says she can't cook how many recipes have you posted about exactly? ;) This one looks yum, too!! Can't wait to see you next week!!! :)
Umm the bread is delicious! And for the record if you ever need a recipe tested just let me know!!! I had made this recipe already... umm within say a week of seeing it. but we used toasted pecans instead of the walnuts because I like to breathe and added just a little bit of orange zest. Would you like all the different variations I've made of this recipe so far? Seriously I would love being your personal recipe tester!!! 'cause you know I'm just that kinda girl.... anyway it helps me build up my repertoire for when I finally decide to take the plunge and open up that cafe/bookstore/tea room one of these years. :) And if I haven't told you already... I really love your recipe on the wall idea! I just keep trying to figure out where I could do something like it. Well you have a great day now. I am off to try and figure out how to beat last year's carved watermelon shark head for our youngest's birthday tomorrow... I'm thinking an ice cream cake with multiple thin layers of "magic shell" (homemade version), cookie crumbles, and maybe bits of butterfingers. We shall see... getting past the fact that he will be 13 is getting me. Keep up the wonderful work, my dear! You truly, truly are an inspiration!!!! (ok.... can you stop over sometime? did you see my tomato cage chandelier? sorry but it just has me so excited!) Toodles, peggy
I love the wall!! Is that a template you can buy or did you make it using a cricut?? Love it!! Your photography is stunning and the bread looks yummy!! Love receiving your emails and new posts!
You've done it!! And what fabulous eye candy - that bread is ready for her close-up. I see she's got her lipstick and eyebrows all primped for the occasion! Kelly
The recipe wall is so adorable. I must go see how you did this. The bread looks and sounds delicious. xo bj
Those pics look scrumptious! I wish I had a piece right now. I love your wall. I wish I could tour your house. I wish you were my neighbor. We'd have fun together! Iron Mom lol.. ~betty
lol! Guess that's yet another way that blogging makes you grow! Thank you for FINALLY tackling that recipe so we can all know how it turned out before trying it - :) You're so cute!!! Have a great weekend KariAnne! xox
Yum..love the recipe wall.clever idea..
You are so danged cute. You never fail to make me grin. I make a bread quite similar every fall then pretty much all through winter. It's great comfort food! It also makes GREAT gifts - I have lots of mini loaf pans for such things, tie with twine - too easy. The mini loaves are good for tea parties too. Just the right size!
WooHoo Karianne, What a beautiful post/tutorial! Your bread looks amazing and yummy too. Now you'll have to come up with a recipe to use up the leftover flour, eggs, and baking powder. : ' ) Have a great weekend. Joyous Wishes, Linda
Hi Sweetie~ ~ You are so funny. I am a new follower to your blog and this is only my second time here so now I have to go read the post about the recipe wall. I am really glad the recipe turned out to be a winner or you might have had to start all over again with the wall? The recipe wall is a great idea. Love it. Last year as part of my Christmas Decor I did a big poster and hung it in the foyer with my Mothers Fruit Cake recipe on it because at 91 she is still famous for her cake. People who don't like fruit cake love this one. Everyone thought it was great. If I had a free wall I might copy your idea. Have a great weekend. ~ ~Ahrisha~ ~
I am more impressed by the photos than the baking! (Because I'm pretty much a 4-ingredient cook myself...as evidenced by my habitual inability to post anything about food on my Friday Food non-feature :-) Nice to live vicariously through you!
Your bread looks almost as delicious as the walls, lol!
This looks delicious and you know I love the recipe wall! Before you know it you're going to be a professional cook... :-)
Yum! Pinned!
Seriously drooling.... ...you think I'm joking? ;)
you are so funny! and you bake! awesome:) happy weekend, karianne!
Yum! I am going to pin this to my board and make it someday :) In the fall! Hugs, Bj
The wall is too cute! Recipe sounds delish too. But what I keep staring at are your pictures. I love your photography! What kind of camera and lens do you use? It seems like the more I use my camera the worse I get. :( Did you take a class or learn by reading online?
This was a.hoot! I enjoy reading your posts. No---we have not "done" anything about that hideous fireplace. Some months ago I asked a question---you promptly answered. If and when we do something, I will send you the before and after pictures. Thank you for the recipe. It will be used at Thanksgiving.
Delicious you say I will take your word for that since I will never every get to taste it......................you could send it to me but it would be old and stale by the time it got here......................lol I really do love the recipe wall.............
That recipe looks yummy! Good thing you liked it after you made it too. Ha! I think that wall looks so pretty like that. It's such a unique touch.
WoW Kari, I am still smiling from your first loaf of bread from the 'Impossibilities Challenge' and now you have gone seriously gourmet chef ! I am suitably impressed and am looking forward to your next bread surprise in store....... Come on...you know you can do it ! lol x
Kari Ann, This is such a great story! I had to giggle... I guess you almost had to make the Cranberry Bread Recipe! Now you will have to make some and freeze it for when someone comes over. It could be Thistlewood farms signature goodie! I hope you will join me with this yummy recipe at ON THE MENU MONDAY. Linky goes live Sunday night at 8:00. Hope to see you there!
I love that you had never made that recipe before writing it all over your wall. You're right - you HAD to do it. I hope you're patting yourself on the back for accomplishing this huge task. It looks delicious!
I don't know why- but this post struck me as so funny. Even from your first line- I finally made the bread. But like, you're kinda right. Who does put a recipe on the wall for looks...without even knowing if it tastes good.. You know who? People like us.. Cause we care about how it looks on the wall, more than how it tastes. So funny! xo Becca
Oh it looks great! I read about the wall when you posted it, but I guess I never gave much thought to the recipe either. I do have flour and baking powder, but all of those ingredients would have scared me away, too!
Hi--What kind of cranberries did you use since it sounds like fresh weren't available?? Thanks!!!
Hi! I am new to your blog and just trying to catch up with some posts. I rarely comment on bog posts, but had to today! This post made me LAUGH OUT LOUD, seriously, I'm sitting at my desk laughing. I mean really, who DOES put a recipe on the wall for the sake of decor not knowing what it taste like? I WOULD This is SO great! LOVE I think we could be besties. Just saying.. I'm kinda stalking you the last little while and have become a great fan of your blog. Very well done! Thanks, I feel like I'm visiting a friend when I read your blog or a face book post. Have a spectacular day!