I don’t think it gets any more festive than this beautiful bread for my Crazy for Cranberry event.
Similar to a quick bread, this loaf is moist and dense, with a lovely soft crumb (you might not even realize it’s grain-free!) and sweet aroma, thanks to the addition of a little mahlab. (Mahlab makes so many things a little more special; I talk more about it here.)
This loaf has a subtle coconut flavor that mellows over time (side note: this bread gets better and better as it sits in the fridge for a few days) or if the bread is toasted (side note two: toasting this bread is amazing; it takes an already delicious bread and makes it spectacular – no need even to butter it!).
If you’re worried about this bread being tart, put your fears to rest. It’s a sweet bread (but not overly so), with pleasant tart bursts of cranberry flavor that nicely offset the nutty crunch of pecans. I find that dried cranberries are used more frequently than fresh cranberries in baked goods, which is why I like using fresh here – it’s a fun change.
Once you’ve made this bread once, beware! When it’s gone, you will certainly want to make it again as soon as possible (as in, the next time you head into the kitchen). During the holiday season, this quick bread is one of the few things that I make over and over. It’s a hit with everyone (adults and kids alike), and because it’s nutrient-dense, it works for breakfast, snack time, or dessert.
But the fact that it can keep for up to a week in the fridge totally seals the deal for me.
- 4 tablespoons coconut oil, melted, plus more to grease the loaf pan
- ¾ cup (115 g) coconut sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 2⅓ cups (195 g) almond meal
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground mahlab
- 1 cup (115 g) toasted pecans, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup (110 g) whole fresh cranberries, rinsed and dried
- 1 tablespoon coconut flour
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper so that it hangs over all 4 sides, and grease the paper with coconut oil.
- Use a handheld electric mixer to beat together the coconut sugar and coconut oil in a large bowl, then beat in the eggs, and finally the vanilla and apple cider vinegar. Beat in the almond meal, baking soda, salt, and mahlab.
- Toss the pecans, cranberries, and coconut flour together to coat in a large bowl, and then fold them (along with any excess coconut flour) into the batter.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and bake at 350F for 30 minutes, and then turn the heat down to 325F and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. (When finished, a wooden pick inserted into the center of the loaf should come out clean or with just a couple crumbs.)
- Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, and then use the parchment paper to pull the loaf out. Let it cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
- If there is any bread left the second day, store the leftovers wrapped in plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 1 week.
I’m Faith Gorsky, the writer, cook, and photographer behind An Edible Mosaic. My goal is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and try something new! Feel free to 
Rosa says
November 7, 2014 at 3:27 amSo moist and delicious looking! This loaf is perfect.
Cheers,
Rosa
Ksenia @ At the Immigrant's Table says
November 7, 2014 at 10:57 amThis is great, and I have a few pints of fresh cranberries in the fridge. Thanks for sharing!
Julia says
November 7, 2014 at 12:32 pmEverything about this bread is calling to me! Amazing how quickbreads become more flavorful after a couple of days. It’s almost worth waiting to dig into them before heating up a thick slice. Love all the health benefits to this bread – I could put this thing on repeat for sure!
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
November 7, 2014 at 7:19 pmBeautiful loaf, love the combination of cranberry and pecan!
LauraJ says
February 9, 2015 at 12:37 amCan the bread be made without the mahlab?
Faith says
February 9, 2015 at 9:05 amLauraJ, Yes, you can omit the mahlab, or try adding 1/8 teaspoon pure almond extract if you have that on hand. Hope you enjoy it if you give it a try! :)
LauraJ says
February 9, 2015 at 9:25 amAwesome! Can’t wait to make it!
LauraJ says
October 20, 2015 at 12:01 pmHaven’t made this in a while & forgot about needin almond meal. All I have on hand is brown rice flour, whole wheat flour or regular flour – I know with2 of them it will not longer be paleo, but can any of these work?
Faith says
October 20, 2015 at 8:12 pmLaura, I haven’t tried this recipe using another type of flour in place of the almond meal, so I’m not sure how well another type of flour would work here (because different types of flours absorb liquids differently). If you decide to give it a try, you may need to add slightly more or less flour (I’d go with all-purpose flour if you want to experiment with it). If you decide to give it a try, let me know how it goes! Otherwise, you might be interested in another quick bread recipe (many of them call for all-purpose flour and a few use whole wheat flour): http://www.anediblemosaic.com/baking/quick-breads/.
Natalia says
November 30, 2017 at 4:02 pmI made this for Thanksgiving and it was a hit! Incredibly tasty and sweet enough even with 1/2 cup of sugar. I’m intolerant to eggs though. Is there anything I can replace eggs with here? I want to be able to enjoy this more than once a year. Thanks!
Faith says
December 1, 2017 at 9:36 amHi Natalia, I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe! I haven’t tried this recipe without the eggs, so I can’t say for sure, but you might want to play around with it using “flax eggs” instead (for every 1 egg, mix together 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal (preferably golden) with 3 tablespoons water until it becomes thick like an egg, about 5 to 10 minutes. If you give it a try, please let me know how it goes!
jo says
December 16, 2017 at 9:45 amThis is a fabulous recipe. I cut way back on the sugar and it was still delicious.
Faith says
December 17, 2017 at 9:01 amJo, I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thank you so much! How much sugar were you able to cut out?
joann strack says
December 22, 2017 at 10:46 amThis recipe is fantastic! I made it using just one tablespoon of sugar and it makes it more like a bread. An excellent, low-carb healthy nut bread. Love!