What happens when you take an amazing sourdough banana bread recipe and add beautiful ripe, red cranberries to it? You get this gorgeous sourdough cranberry banana bread!

Whether you need an easy fall breakfast or an easy to bake gift for friends or neighbours, this sourdough cranberry banana bread is exactly what you're looking for! And if you have lots of cranberries to use up, then you might also like this sourdough cranberry cake.

A close up of a slice of sourdough cranberry banana bread. You can see the red cranberries in the cake batter. There is also a cup of coffee in the background.

Why You'll Love This Recipe!

Tried, Tested & Loved - this recipe has been adapted from my tried and tested sourdough discard banana bread recipe, so you know it will work the first and every time you make it.

Use Fresh or Frozen Cranberries - this recipe works well with either fresh or frozen cranberries with no difference to the finished product.

Festive Flair - this recipe takes the humble sourdough banana bread and gives it some festive flair, making a lovely sourdough Thanksgiving recipe or homemade sourdough Christmas gift.

A loaf of sourdough cranberry banana bread that has been sliced up. There is a slice sitting on a small pink plate and some frozen cranberries decorating the scene.

Ingredients

Bananas - I've used 3 overripe bananas, weighing approximately 250g. Overripe, brown bananas will give you the best flavor for this recipe. They are also much easier to mash up than underripe bananas.
Eggs - I've used 2 eggs weighing around 60g each. If your eggs are smaller, I would advise using 3 eggs.
Butter - I've used melted, salted butter. You can use unsalted butter if you prefer.
Sourdough Starter - you can use either active sourdough starter or sourdough discard for this recipe. Because this sourdough quick bread uses baking powder for leavening, you can use either fed or unfed starter. If using discard, just make sure your discard isn't too sour or you will end up with an unpleasant tasting sourdough cranberry banana bread.
Sugar - I've used a mixture of both white and brown sugar to create a depth of sweetness for this recipe. The mixture of white and brown sugar also creates a better texture to the finished product.
All Purpose Flour, Baking Powder and salt
Cranberries - you can use fresh or frozen cranberries in this recipe. I've used frozen cranberries because I find it easier and love the way they bake. I don't recommend using dried cranberries as they change the texture of the finished quick bread.

Gifting Idea

If you are looking for a heartfelt festive gift, why not give a loaf of this sourdough cranberry banana bread along with a jar of this cranberry orange Thanksgiving jam.

How to Make Sourdough Cranberry Banana Bread

I've baked this sourdough cranberry banana bread in a loaf pan measuring 9"L x 5"W x 2.5"D. You could also use a smaller pan if you want to, the banana bread will rise up higher in a smaller pan, whereas in a larger pan you'll get a flatter, wider loaf.

Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Grease your pan with butter or line with parchment paper.

Mash the overripe bananas with the back of a fork until they are fairly smooth (a few lumps is fine).

Now lightly beat the egg and vanilla together and add that to the mashed bananas. Use your fork to lightly mix the egg mix through.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter on a low heat and then add that the egg and banana mixture.

Now add the sourdough starter to the egg mixture and mix throughly.

Add the brown and white sugars to the liquid ingredients and beat together with a whisk until smooth.

In a separate bowl, mix together the all purpose flour, baking powder and salt until well combined. Add the cranberries to the bowl and toss them to coat them in flour.

Now add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. It's ok if there's still a little dried flour visible.

Pour mixture into a buttered loaf tin. You can add some extra cranberries to the top of the loaf if there aren't many showing on the top.

Bake at 180C/350F for around 1 hour. Baking time will depend on the size of your tin and your oven.

The sourdough cranberry banana bread is cooked when a skewer is inserted and comes out clean.

Allow to cool for 30 minutes before removing from the tin.

A loaf of sourdough cranberry banana bread baked in a gold loaf pan.

Recipe Tips

To stop the cranberries from sinking to the bottom during baking, make sure you coat them in flour before adding to the liquid ingredients.
You can bake this recipe as individual mini loaves or muffins for something a little different.

How To Store + Freeze

This sourdough cranberry banana bread can be stored in an airtight container for around 3 days at room temperature. I recommend not slicing it until you want to eat it to ensure it stays moist. It will last longer if stored in the fridge.

This recipe freezes really well. You can wrap the whole baked loaf in aluminium foil and place into a ziploc bag and into the freezer for up to 3 months. You can also freeze individual slices wrapped in press and seal or placed into ziploc bags.