Perfect for the holidays, this cranberry white chocolate bread with streussel-topping is moist, delicious, and sure to impress.

Seriously, who am I and what have you done with Mel? Or should I say, what has white chocolate done to Mel? All this white chocolate talk is not like me.

But for some reason, me and my dark chocolate loving roots always feel a little fondness towards white chocolate during the holidays.

A slice of cranberry bread split in half on a white plate.

This cranberry bread just might be the winner of all my white chocolate favorites. Maybe it’s because the white chocolate is hardly there. I mean, it’s there. But it’s not a prominent flavor.

The melted white chocolate in the batter must contribute to this being the softest, moistest, most tender quick bread I think I’ve ever tasted.

Two thick slices of white chocolate cranberry bread cut of the loaf.

Perhaps we ought to think about putting white chocolate in all quick breads for the rest of forever? Or not. That would be taking it a couple steps too far, I believe.

The crumb on this lovely cranberry bread is just so…so…so perfect. Lightly sweet with those little pops of tart cranberries. And the buttery, crunchy streusel sitting right on top of that there bread is pure delight.

Slices of cranberry quick bread on a white plate.

Festive and delicious, this bread is sure to unite everyone in the name of white chocolate and cranberries. A true Christmas miracle.

Streusel-topped cranberry quick bread with two slices cut off on a white plate.

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Streusel Topped White Chocolate Cranberry Bread

Streusel-Topped Cranberry White Chocolate Bread

4.90 stars (19 ratings)

Ingredients

Bread:

  • 2 cups (284 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ cups (170 g) fresh cranberries, lightly chopped
  • 1 cup (212 g) lightly packed brown sugar
  • cup light olive oil, melted coconut, avocado, or vegetable
  • 4 ounces (113 g) white chocolate, melted (see note)
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (227 g) sour cream

Streusel:

  • ¼ cup (36 g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup (85 g) finely chopped pecans
  • 3 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9X5-inch loaf pan and line the bottom with parchment paper to fit.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Toss the chopped cranberries with the dry ingredients.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, oil, white chocolate, egg, vanilla and sour cream until smooth.
  • Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix just until combined.
  • Pour the batter and spread evenly in the prepared baking pan.
  • For the streusel, whisk together the flour, brown sugar and pecans. Add the butter pieces and using your fingers or two knives, a pastry blender or a fork, crumble the mixture together until pea-sized crumbs form.
  • Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the bread batter and bake for 55-60 minutes. Cool for a few minutes in the pan before carefully turning out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

Notes

For the White Chocolate: since it’s melted, I highly encourage using white bar chocolate (not almond bark, real chocolate) and not chocolate chips. White chocolate chips tend to seize up instead of melting.
Serving: 1 Slice, Calories: 355kcal, Carbohydrates: 46g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 33mg, Sodium: 238mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 27g

Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe (inspired by this recipe)