Cherry Cheese Bread

This Cherry Cheese Bread is a sweet, moist quick bread made with cream cheese, maraschino cherries, and pure almond extract. It’s rich, buttery, and filled with pretty pops of red cherries in every slice. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, an afternoon treat, or wrapping up as a homemade gift!

Some recipes are just too good to be forgotten, and this old-fashioned cherry bread is definitely one of them!

This recipe has been on my website since 2017 and has been treasured ever since. The first time I made it, my Dad stopped over, and I sent a couple of slices home with him. He shared some with a friend of his, and she said that it was the best bread she had ever eaten!

I’d say that’s a pretty good review, wouldn’t you?

Why You’ll Love This Cherry Cheese Bread Recipe

• Incredibly moist: Cream cheese and butter give this quick bread a rich, tender texture.
• Wonderful flavor: Sweet maraschino cherries and almond extract are a match made in heaven.
• Easy to make: No yeast, no rising time, and no complicated steps.
• Pretty enough for gifting: Those bright red cherries make every slice look special.
• A tried-and-true recipe: This one comes from an old church cookbook my grandmother gave me years ago.

A Recipe Worth Passing Down

This recipe came from an old church cookbook my grandmother gave me way back when. I still dig those cookbooks out from time to time because the recipes are ALWAYS good.

I mean, think about it. Who wants to put their name on a bad recipe in a cookbook that everyone at church is going to buy? Nobody! Those are the tried-and-true recipes people have made for years, the ones they know everyone will love.

And honestly, that’s a big part of why I wrote my own cookbook, Savor It.

I wanted to gather the recipes my family and friends have loved over the years and put them all in one place. Recipes with memories attached to them. Recipes worth sharing, making again and again, and passing down to the next generation.

Just like those old church cookbooks my grandmother gave me, I hope Savor It becomes a cookbook you reach for often, with pages that eventually show just how well-loved it is.

If you don’t have a copy yet, I’d love for you to have one! You can order your copy of Savor It right here! It also makes a wonderful gift for anyone who loves to cook, especially with the holidays right around the corner.

Ingredients in Cherry Cheese Bread

You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make this delicious bread with cherries.

• Cream cheese: Gives the bread its rich, moist texture and a little tanginess to balance the sweetness. Make sure it’s softened before mixing.
• Butter: Adds buttery flavor and helps create a tender crumb. Use softened butter for easy mixing.
• Sugar: Sweetens the bread and balances the cream cheese and almond flavors.
• Pure almond extract: Adds that wonderful almond flavor that pairs so well with cherries.
• Eggs: Help bind the ingredients together and give the bread structure.
• All-purpose flour: Forms the base of this quick bread.
• Baking powder: Helps the bread rise without yeast.
• Maraschino cherries: Add sweetness, color, and little bursts of cherry flavor throughout the loaf. Drain them well and cut them into quarters before adding them to the batter.

Find the exact measurements in the printable recipe card below.

How to Make Cherry Cheese Bread

This cherry cream cheese bread comes together with just a few easy steps. No yeast or kneading required!

Prepare the pan. Preheat your oven to 325°F. Grease your loaf pan and set it aside.

Mix the wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened cream cheese, butter, sugar, almond extract, and eggs until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Add the dry ingredients. Add the flour and baking powder, mixing just until everything is incorporated.

Fold in the cherries. Gently fold the quartered maraschino cherries into the batter, distributing them throughout.

Bake. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake until the bread is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool and slice. Allow the bread to cool before slicing. Enjoy it slightly warm or at room temperature.

How to Store Cherry Cheese Bread

Because this quick bread contains cream cheese and has such a moist texture, I recommend storing it in the refrigerator.

• Refrigerator: Once completely cooled, wrap the loaf tightly or place it in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
• Freezer: Wrap the cooled loaf or individual slices tightly in plastic wrap, followed by aluminum foil or a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
• To serve: Thaw frozen bread overnight in the refrigerator. Let slices come to room temperature before serving, or warm them briefly in the microwave.

Tips for the Best Cherry Cheese Bread

Best Cherry Cheese Bread Tip: Drain those maraschino cherries really well! Too much extra cherry syrup can add unwanted moisture to the batter and cause streaks of red throughout your bread.

• Soften the cream cheese and butter. Room-temperature ingredients blend more smoothly.
• Don’t overmix the flour. Once the dry ingredients are added, mix just until combined to keep the bread tender.
• Use pure almond extract. It gives this bread its signature flavor.
• Check the center for doneness. This is a dense, moist quick bread, so the middle may need more time than you expect. If the top browns too quickly, loosely cover it with foil.
• Let it cool before cutting. The bread will slice more neatly once it has had time to set.

Cherry Cheese Bread Makes a Wonderful Homemade Gift

There is just something special about receiving a homemade gift, isn’t there? I’ve always loved giving gifts from my kitchen. Whether it’s a loaf of sweet bread, a batch of cookies, or a jar of something delicious, knowing someone took the time to make it just makes it mean a little more.

This Cherry Cheese Bread is perfect for gifting! The pretty red cherries make it especially festive for Christmas, but it’s just as lovely for Valentine’s Day, a hostess gift, or a little something for a neighbor or friend.

Wrap a completely cooled loaf in food-safe wrapping, tie it with a pretty ribbon, and add a handwritten tag. Be sure to include a note to keep the bread refrigerated.

Looking for more homemade gift ideas? Here are a few more delicious things you can make and share with the people you love.

Homemade Sugar Scrubs, Homemade Irish Cream and Homemade Kahlua, How to make a Cookie Bouquet, Hot Cocoa Mix and Moose Munch Popcorn. See ALL of my homemade gifts here.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can I use fresh cherries instead of maraschino cherries? Maraschino cherries give this bread its signature sweetness and flavor. Fresh cherries have a different moisture level and aren’t quite as sweet, so I recommend sticking with maraschino cherries for the original recipe. A fresh cherry version would need testing.
• Can I use vanilla extract instead of almond extract? Yes! Vanilla will give the bread a different flavor, but it should still be delicious. Almond extract is what gives this particular recipe its special flavor.
• Can I make this cherry bread ahead of time? Absolutely! This is a great recipe to make ahead for brunches, holidays, or gift-giving. Store it tightly wrapped in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve it.
• Can I freeze Cherry Cheese Bread? Yes! This bread freezes beautifully when wrapped tightly. You can freeze the whole loaf or individual slices for an easy treat later.
• Is this a bread or a cake? Technically, it’s a quick bread because it uses baking powder instead of yeast and doesn’t require rising time. But with cream cheese, butter, and sweet cherries, it has a rich, cake-like texture. It’s a little bit of both, and that’s part of what makes it so good!

More Homemade Bread Recipes to Try

If you love baking homemade bread as much as I do, here are a few more favorites to try:

• Peasant Bread: A simple, homemade bread that’s perfect alongside your favorite meals.
• Banana Applesauce Oatmeal Bread: A delicious quick bread filled with comforting flavors.
• Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread: (pictured above) Sweet, cinnamon-filled bread that’s perfect for sharing.
• The LAST Banana Bread Recipe you will EVER Need: There’s a reason for that name! This tried-and-true banana bread is wonderfully moist, full of banana flavor, and one you’ll want to make again and again.
• No Knead Crusty Dutch Oven Bread: Bakery-style bread made right at home! With a beautifully crisp, golden crust and soft, chewy center, this easy bread requires no kneading.
• Honey Cornbread: Sweet, tender, and full of buttery honey flavor! This homemade cornbread is the perfect side for chili, soup, or a big bowl of comfort food.
• Glazed Strawberry Bread: A moist, sweet quick bread bursting with strawberry flavor and topped with a delicious glaze. Perfect for spring brunches, gifting, or enjoying with your morning coffee.
• Garlic Rosemary Foccacia: A flavorful Italian bread with fragrant rosemary, garlic, and olive oil. Delicious served warm, dipped in olive oil, or alongside pasta.
• Applesauce Bread with Chocolate Chips: A soft, moist quick bread filled with cozy applesauce flavor and sweet chocolate chips. Perfect for breakfast, snacking, or tucking into lunchboxes.

Some of my favorite recipes are the ones that have been passed down through the years, and this Cherry Cheese Bread is a perfect example. It’s simple, delicious, and the kind of recipe you’ll want to make again and again.

Slice yourself a piece, pour a glass of cold milk or a cup of coffee, and enjoy!

If you make this Cherry Cheese Bread, I’d love to hear what you think! Please leave a comment and a five-star rating below. It means so much to me and helps other readers discover the recipe, too.

This recipe was originally posted on March 9, 2017. It has been updated to improve user experience and reshared on October 13, 2026.