This moist and delicious cranberry banana bread is easy to make for fall with sweet bananas and fresh, tart cranberries! It’s so soft, fluffy and full of flavor.

Sliced cranberry banana bread on a cooling rack with a bowl of fresh cranberries nearby.

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Easy Cranberry Banana Bread Recipe

I had some extra cranberries in the fridge and a few spotty bananas on the counter, so I decided to make a cranberry banana bread. I started with my favorite easy banana bread base and added the tart pop of cranberries, the result was the perfect mix of sweet and tangy flavor!

Cranberries are a holiday favorite and taste delicious in so many winter and seasonal recipes. I stock up every year and buy multiple bags to make this quick bread or my cranberry orange bread!

Why I Love This Recipe

  • Bursting with flavor: Sweet bananas, tart cranberries, and creamy white chocolate chips make every bite perfectly balanced.
  • Tender and moist: Butter adds richness while sour cream keeps this cranberry banana bread soft and irresistibly moist.

Recipe Ingredients

Cranberry banana bread ingredients on a marble counter.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

  • Baking staples: Traditional ingredients such as unsalted butter, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
  • Bananas: The riper the bananas, the sweeter the bread, so I recommend using bananas that are soft with brown spots. You’ll get the best flavor this way, as well as a super moist texture.
  • Cranberries: Using fresh cranberries really takes this recipe up a notch. If you can’t find fresh, frozen cranberries can be substituted instead, no need to thaw.
  • Sour cream: The secret ingredient in all of my banana bread recipes! It makes the texture super soft and moist.
  • White chocolate chips: Rich and creamy white chocolate chips are mixed throughout the batter to add a layer of sweetness. White chocolate and cranberries taste great together just like in my white chocolate cranberry cookies.

How to Make Cranberry Banana Bread

Cream the butter and sugars together in a mixing bowl. Make sure it gets nice and fluffy. Then mix in the eggs, vanilla and sour cream. In a separate bowl whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and stir until combined.

Butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla and sour cream mixed in a bowl.

Fold in the mashed bananas, fresh cranberries and white chocolate chips (or chopped nuts) until combined.

Cranberries, bananas and white chocolate chips in a bowl.

Pour into two greased loaf pans and bake for an hour at 325°F. The top of the bread should be lightly golden when ready. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Two loaves of unbaked cranberry banana bread.

Slice into nice thick slices (about 1/2-inch) and then serve and enjoy!

Two loaves of cranberry banana bread on a cooling rack.

Recipe Tips

  • Add-ins: Add chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts) in place of white chocolate chips, or add them in addition to the chocolate.
  • Type of chocolate: If you prefer a classic chocolate chip banana bread, you could also substitute the white chocolate for milk chocolate chips.
  • Even easier: Start with my banana bread recipe using cake mix as the base batter to make it even easier to make!
  • Glaze: This cranberry banana bread recipe would also taste delicious drizzled with a sweet powdered sugar glaze or cream cheese glaze before serving.
  • Toothpick test: Insert toothpick into center of bread. If there is batter on the toothpick, bake for a few more minutes until toothpick comes out clean.
  • Cover with foil: If the exterior of the bread starts to brown before the center is done, cover with foil and continue baking.
Sliced cranberry banana bread on a white plate.

Beyond cranberry sauce, there are so many delicious ways to use fresh cranberries! Try them in our favorite cranberry salad or apple cranberry pie.

More Easy Quick Bread Recipes

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Sliced cranberry banana bread on a cooling rack.

Cranberry Banana Bread

5 from 18 votes
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Cool Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 24
This moist and delicious cranberry banana bread is easy to make for fall with sweet bananas and fresh, tart cranberries! It's so soft, fluffy and full of flavor.
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Video

Ingredients 

  • ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
  • 1 ⅓ cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1  teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3 small bananas)
  • 1 cup fresh cranberries , can substitute for 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • ½ cup white chocolate chips , or chopped nuts

Instructions

  • Prep. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Spray 2 loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray. You may also use 4 small loaf pans or a muffin tin.
  • Wet ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream 1/2 cup butter and 1 1/3 cups sugar over medium speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 cup sour cream.
  • Dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 teaspoon salt. Slowly add to butter mixture and mix until combined. Fold in 1 cup mashed bananas, 1 cup cranberries, and 1/2 cup white chocolate chips. Pour into pans.
  • Bake 1 hour in a loaf pan (35 to 45 minutes in a small loaf pan or 25 minutes in a muffin tin), or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. You want the bread to be lightly browned. Cover with foil while baking if it begins to brown too fast.
  • Cool: Transfer from the pan to a cooling rack to cool completely.
  • Slice the cranberry banana bread in 1/2-inch slices. Store in a covered container.

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

Glaze: This bread would taste delicious drizzled with a powdered sugar icing or cream cheese glaze. 
Storage: Store in a covered container at room temperature up to 3 days. 
Freezer instructions: Wrap in foil or plastic and freeze up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 168kcal, Carbohydrates: 24g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 32mg, Sodium: 156mg, Potassium: 84mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 15g, Vitamin A: 208IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 30mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use dried cranberries in this bread?

Yes, you can substitute dried cranberries, but it will change the texture. I would only add 1/2 cup if you do.

Can I substitute yogurt for sour cream?

Yes, you may use Greek yogurt in place of sour cream to lighten up the recipe a bit. However making cranberry banana bread with sour cream is my preference for the absolute best texture!

Can I make one loaf instead of two?

Sure, simply cut the recipe in half to make only one loaf of cranberry banana bread. I always love to make the full recipe with two loaves so that I can pop one in the freezer for later!

Can I make this into muffins or mini loaves?

You can use this easy banana bread with cranberries recipe to make 4 mini loaves of banana cranberry bread, or make cranberry banana bread muffins instead. They will bake at the same temperature as making a regular-sized loaf (325°F), however the baking time will decrease. For small loaves, bake for 35 to 45 minutes and only about 25 minutes for muffins.

Does banana cranberry bread need to be refrigerated?

Cranberry bread can be left on the counter for up to 3 days. Storing it in the fridge or freezer will extend the shelf life. It will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Holiday Gift Idea

You can also bake this cranberry banana bread in little baking dishes (I found these ones at Michaels for $1 a few years ago). Then I packaged them up with clear wrap and a fun bow. Perfect treat for friends and neighbors.

Packaged cranberry bread.