I unearthed a 1969 Oatmeal Loaf recipe that’s surprisingly moist and hides a quirky ingredient and backstory worth exploring.

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I stumbled on an old 1969 recipe for Cranberry Orange Oatmeal Bread and couldn’t resist trying it. I like that the old fashioned rolled oats give the loaf a real chew, and the grated orange zest makes each bite wakeful instead of flat.

It’s moist, a little imperfect, reminds me of a Cranberry Date Bread my aunt used to make though this one has its own stubborn personality. Sometimes I call it an Oatmeal Loaf Bread when I’m telling friends, mostly cause it bridges breakfast and snack in a weirdly stubborn way.

Try one slice and you’ll be curious what makes it tick.

Ingredients

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Adds hearty texture, fiber and slow carbs it keeps loaf moist and filling.
Bright tartness that balances the sweet, loaded with vitamin C and antioxidants.
Citrus zing, fragrant oils in zest boost aroma, juice adds fresh moisture.
Rich fat for tender crumb, adds flavor, makes loaf feel indulgent.
Sweetens and helps browning, you can lower it if you want.
Binds the batter, adds lightness and protein, helps structure hold together.
Crunchy texture, nutty fats and protein, optional but tasty when toasted.

Ingredient Quantities

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats

1 cup boiling water

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup milk or buttermilk

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon grated orange zest (about 1 medium orange)

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, coarsely chopped if large

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, optional

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan or line it with parchment; let the oats soak: put the rolled oats in a bowl and pour the 1 cup boiling water over them, stir and set aside about 10 minutes so they soften and cool a bit.

2. While oats soak, melt and cool the butter; zest one orange and squeeze 1/4 cup fresh orange juice; if you want some tang use buttermilk in place of milk.

3. In a large bowl cream the cooled melted butter with the sugar until somewhat smooth, then beat in the egg, vanilla, the orange zest and orange juice, and the milk or buttermilk; it may look a little loose, that’s fine.

4. In another bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt so it’s evenly mixed; set aside.

5. Stir the soaked oats into the butter-sugar mixture, scraping the bowl so nothing’s left. Let the oats cool enough so they don’t cook the egg if they are still warm.

6. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and fold gently until just combined; do not overmix or the bread gets tough, a few lumps are okay.

7. Toss the cranberries (fresh or frozen) with a tablespoon or two of the flour mixture so they don’t all sink to the bottom, then fold the cranberries and the optional chopped walnuts or pecans into the batter.

8. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smooth the top with a spatula, and bake on the middle rack for about 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.

9. Let the bread cool in the pan about 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing; the texture improves as it cools so try not to slice too hot.

Equipment Needed

1. 9×5 inch loaf pan, greased or lined with parchment
2. Large mixing bowl for the wet stuff
3. Medium mixing bowl for the dry ingredients
4. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
5. Whisk for the dry mix and eggs
6. Rubber spatula to scrape and fold (you’ll use this a lot)
7. Sturdy wooden spoon or a hand mixer if you wanna speed things up
8. Microplane or fine grater and a citrus reamer or small juicer for zest and juice
9. Wire cooling rack
10. Oven mitts and a toothpick or cake tester for checking doneness

FAQ

Q: Can I use quick oats instead of old fashioned rolled oats? A: Yes, you can, but quick oats will make the crumb softer and a bit mushier. Use the same amount, but only let them sit a few minutes in the boiling water instead of a long soak so they dont turn to paste.

Q: Can I use frozen cranberries or do I have to thaw them first? A: Use frozen if you like, dont thaw them. Toss frozen berries in a tablespoon of flour before folding into the batter so they dont sink or bleed too much color into the loaf.

Q: How do I keep the cranberries from sinking to the bottom? A: Toss berries with a teaspoon or so of flour, fold them in gently, and reserve a few to press on top. That helps distribute them and keeps the bottom from getting a cranberry-heavy patch.

Q: Any tips for making this dairy free or egg free? A: Swap milk for any plant milk, use melted coconut oil or vegan butter for the butter, and replace the egg with a flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water, set 5 minutes). Texture will be slightly different but still tasty.

Q: Can I make muffins or two small loaves instead of one large loaf? A: Yes. For muffins bake at 350 F about 18 to 22 minutes. For two small 8×4 loaves check around 40 to 50 minutes. For one large loaf bake 55 to 65 minutes. A toothpick in the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

Q: How should I store or freeze the bread? A: Store wrapped at room temp up to 2 or 3 days, in the fridge up to a week. To freeze slice first, wrap tightly and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw slices on the counter or pop in the toaster to warm.

Cranberry Orange Oatmeal Bread Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Milk or buttermilk -> Almond, soy or oat milk (use same amount). If you need the tang of buttermilk stir 1/2 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar into the milk and wait 5 minutes, works fine.
Unsalted butter -> Melted coconut oil or neutral vegetable oil, 1:1 swap. Coconut gives a slight flavor, oil keeps the crumb more tender.
Granulated sugar -> Brown sugar 1:1 for a deeper, moister loaf; or honey/maple syrup use about 3/4 cup and reduce other liquids by ~2 tbsp, batter may brown quicker so watch baking time.
All purpose flour -> Whole wheat pastry flour 1:1 for nuttier flavor (may be a bit denser so add 1-2 tbsp extra milk if batter seems dry), or use a 1:1 gluten free flour blend that contains xanthan gum for a gluten free loaf.

Pro Tips

1) Let the oats cool completely before you add them, seriously dont rush this — if theyre warm theyll start cooking the egg and you’ll get tiny cooked bits in the batter. If youre in a hurry stick them in the fridge for 10 minutes.

2) Toss the cranberries with flour like the recipe says but also consider using frozen cranberries straight from the freezer or chopping the big ones smaller, they hold up better and are less likely to all sink to the bottom. Press a few extra berries on top for a prettier loaf.

3) Use room temp egg and cooled melted butter so everything emulsifies better, beat the sugar and egg well to add a little lift, but fold the dry ingredients just until combined — overmixing = tough bread.

4) If the top is getting too dark near the end of baking, loosely cover the pan with foil and finish baking until the center tests mostly clean. Let the loaf cool completely (or at least an hour) before slicing, the texture firms up and slices much cleaner.

Cranberry Orange Oatmeal Bread Recipe

Recipe by Louise Nightin

0.0 from 0 votes

I unearthed a 1969 Oatmeal Loaf recipe that's surprisingly moist and hides a quirky ingredient and backstory worth exploring.

Servings

servings

Calories

281

kcal

Equipment: 1. 9×5 inch loaf pan, greased or lined with parchment
2. Large mixing bowl for the wet stuff
3. Medium mixing bowl for the dry ingredients
4. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
5. Whisk for the dry mix and eggs
6. Rubber spatula to scrape and fold (you’ll use this a lot)
7. Sturdy wooden spoon or a hand mixer if you wanna speed things up
8. Microplane or fine grater and a citrus reamer or small juicer for zest and juice
9. Wire cooling rack
10. Oven mitts and a toothpick or cake tester for checking doneness

Ingredients

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk or buttermilk
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon grated orange zest (about 1 medium orange)
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, coarsely chopped if large
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan or line it with parchment; let the oats soak: put the rolled oats in a bowl and pour the 1 cup boiling water over them, stir and set aside about 10 minutes so they soften and cool a bit.
While oats soak, melt and cool the butter; zest one orange and squeeze 1/4 cup fresh orange juice; if you want some tang use buttermilk in place of milk.
In a large bowl cream the cooled melted butter with the sugar until somewhat smooth, then beat in the egg, vanilla, the orange zest and orange juice, and the milk or buttermilk; it may look a little loose, that's fine.
In another bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt so it's evenly mixed; set aside.
Stir the soaked oats into the butter-sugar mixture, scraping the bowl so nothing's left. Let the oats cool enough so they don't cook the egg if they are still warm.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and fold gently until just combined; do not overmix or the bread gets tough, a few lumps are okay.
Toss the cranberries (fresh or frozen) with a tablespoon or two of the flour mixture so they don't all sink to the bottom, then fold the cranberries and the optional chopped walnuts or pecans into the batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smooth the top with a spatula, and bake on the middle rack for about 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
Let the bread cool in the pan about 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing; the texture improves as it cools so try not to slice too hot.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.