Celebrate the season with this delightful Christmas Cherry Nut Bread, a festive quick bread brimming with holiday flavors! This moist and tender loaf combines the sweetness of chopped maraschino cherries with the satisfying crunch of walnuts or pecans, all warmly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg for an aromatic touch. Perfectly balanced and easy to make, this recipe requires only 20 minutes of prep time and is ideal for gifting, holiday brunches, or enjoying with a cozy cup of coffee. Beautifully vibrant and irresistible in flavor, this cherry nut bread is a must-have addition to your holiday baking repertoire.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a standard 9x5-inch loaf pan with butter or cooking spray. Alternatively, line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together using an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Beat in the eggs, one at a time, ensuring each egg is fully incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and mix again.
Reduce the mixer speed to low and alternately add the dry flour mixture and milk to the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
Using a spatula, gently fold in the chopped maraschino cherries and the chopped walnuts or pecans until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.
Bake in the preheated oven for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
Once baked, remove the pan from the oven and allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then transfer the bread to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Serve as is or with a light dusting of powdered sugar for a festive touch. Enjoy!
Calories |
3712 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 171.4 g | 220% | |
| Saturated Fat | 71.7 g | 358% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.1 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 641 mg | 214% | |
| Sodium | 2311 mg | 100% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 510.0 g | 185% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 14.5 g | 52% | |
| Total Sugars | 303.7 g | ||
| Protein | 57.4 g | 115% | |
| Vitamin D | 3.3 mcg | 17% | |
| Calcium | 367 mg | 28% | |
| Iron | 16.8 mg | 93% | |
| Potassium | 1091 mg | 23% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.