Cranberry cream cheese loaf is the perfect healthy bread to have on Christmas morning {or really any morning}. It’s lightly sweet, with a creamy cream cheese layer and bursting with sweet-tart cranberries. Try not to eat the whole loaf before your family gets to it.
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When I first started thinking about developing this recipe, I thought it would live under my ‘Sweet Indulgences’ recipes. I felt like this recipe was crying out for all things butter and white sugar. Especially those tart little cranberries. The sugar would have just evened things out.
But, as I thought more about this recipe, I knew I could make it just as tasty without all of the butter and sugar. And man am I happy my mind decided to do a 180° into the healthy treats territory.
This cranberry cream cheese loaf is everything you would want it to be for Christmas time. Soft, cinnamon crumb, creamy cream cheese and sweet-tart cranberries. It’s what you would want to wake up to after indulging heavily in eggnog the night before.
In less than an hour you could be eating this “tastes-decadent-but-isn’t” cranberry stuffed loaf of goodness. So make this loaf the night before {preferably before the eggnog sets in} and warm it in the oven the next morning. Your Christmas morning self will thank you.
The ingredients list may seem a bit long on this one, but your prep time is only 10 minutes. And the list of wholesome ingredients is just what you will need to cure the hangover that has set in. What? You’re not hungover? Because you ate all of the bread in the middle of the night? Well, in that case, just whip up another quick cranberry cream cheese loaf {remember, 10 minutes} and no one will be the wiser. Maybe clean up the crumbs strewn across the counter first though.
I would suggest using the coconut flour this recipe calls for. It helps to make that nice light crumb. But, if you don’t have it/can’t find it {check the health/gluten free section of your grocer} just use the same amount of whole wheat flour.
The rest of the recipe is fairly simple, and contains no butter or major amounts of sugar. Speaking of sugar, I love using this Truvia Brown Sugar Blend. It has fewer calories than brown sugar, and you can use less than normal brown sugar. Win-Win in my book. If you can’t find this one either, just use 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp of regular brown sugar.
Once your batter is all ready to go, it’s time for the good stuff. Layer half of the batter in your loaf pan, the spread on that cream cheese. I stirred in just a bit of vanilla to make it so much extra. Then for those gorgeous cranberries, and what this whole tasty treat is all about. Top off with the rest of the batter and bake for 45 minutes.
So now you have 45 minutes to relax, drink some eggnog {or coffee} and enjoy the Christmas spirit.
Merry Christmas to one and all!
- ¾ cup white whole wheat flour
- ½ cup coconut flour*
- ¼ cup + 1 Tbsp. packed Truvia brown sugar blend, divided**
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 2 ½ tsp. cinnamon
- 1 ½ tsp. ground ginger
- ¼ tsp. salt
- ½ cup no sugar added applesauce
- ⅓ cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ tsp. vanilla, divided
- 1 cup fresh or frozen thawed cranberries
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
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Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a loaf pan.
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In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, ¼ cup brown sugar, baking powder and soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt.
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In a medium bowl, stir together the applesauce, yogurt, oil, eggs and 1 Tbsp. vanilla until smooth.
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Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
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In a small bowl, stir together cranberries and remaining 1 Tbsp. brown sugar.
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In a separate bowl, stir together cream cheese and remaining ½ tsp. vanilla.
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Pour half of the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth out. Spread the softened cream cheese over the top and smooth out. Spread cranberries on top. Pour the remaining batter over the top and smooth out.
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Bake for 45 minutes until bread starts to pull away from the edges and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. {It does not rise like a traditional bread. The top will be flat}.
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Place on wire rack to cool. Run a butter knife around the edges and remove the bread from the pan. Continue to cool on the wire rack.
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Slice and enjoy!
*Note: if you can’t find coconut flour, use the same amount of whole wheat flour. **Note: if you can’t find Truvia brown sugar blend, use ½ cup + 2 Tbsp. regular brown sugar.
