Cranberry Cream Cheese Bread
Cranberry cream cheese bread is a popular sweet bread in Asia. The creamy texture of sweetened cream cheese with the sweet sour taste of cranberries make this bread a favorite choice!

Asian bread is known for its soft, fluffy texture and sweet taste, very different from European bread. There are so many variations in fillings, shapes, and flavor. Mostly the bread dough is with the same texture and softness.
The typical Asian bread with filling is with chocolate or cheese. Later some bakers develop different kinds of savoury fillings like chicken, beef, or potato.
I bumped into a unique one last week. It is cranberry cream cheese bread. There are a few bakers who shape it like a wallet or put the cream cheese on top with cranberry ornament on it.
I tried making one at home with my sweet bread recipe and it turned out very nice! My whole family loved it!
Variations
Cream cheese filling can be mixed with dried cranbery or dried blueberry or raisins. I have tried testing the sweetened cream cheese with those fruits. Cranberry is the winner!
Not only does it taste wonderful, but also beautiful with dots of red in a bed of creamy white cheese. So I decided Cranberry Cream Cheese Bread is the one!
Ingredients Overview
Dough
Asian sweet bread has egg yolk, and liquid ingredients like milk to make the bread soft and fluffy. On top of that, butter adds the moisture of the bread.
Filling
Cream cheese adds moisture and richness to the sweet bread.
Egg is added to make the cream cheese filling thicken when baked.
Cranberry adds some delightful sweet sour flavor to the cream cheese.
The Secret to Soft, Fluffy Bread
Why is Asian sweet bread so soft and fluffy? The secret lies in the ingredients and the fermentation process.
Egg yolk, milk, and butter determine the softness of the bread.
This type of bread goes through fermentation process two times. Do not over ferment, otherwise the bread will not have a strong texture and it gets dry easily.
Use a kitchen timer to watch the fermentation. It usually takes one hour to ferment the first time and around 40 minutes to ferment after shaping.
Cranberry Cream Cheese Bread Recipe
Bread recipe
- High protein flour 300 gr
- Full cream milk powder 15 gr
- Sugar 40 gr
- Yeast 5 gr
- Egg yolk 1
- Milk 185 gr (Or use this formula 1 egg yolk + milk = 200 gr)
- Unsalted butter 40 gr
- Salt 3 g
Cream cheese recipe
- Cream cheese 225 gr
- Sugar 50 gr
- 1 egg
How To
Dough
- Sieve 300 gr high protein flour.
- Add 15 gr milk powder, instant yeast, 1 egg yolk. Pour in milk. Use this formula: 1 egg yolk + milk = 200 gr. You can use this formula because egg yolk weigh differently.
- Mix with medium speed for around 17-20 minutes.
- When the dry ingredients are all mixed, put in the unsalted butter and salt. Continue mixing until the dough is no longer sticky.
- Take out from the mixing bowl. Knead with hands for a while.
- Shape the dough round. Leave it in a bowl to ferment. Cover with cloth or cling wrap to prevent dryness. Leave it for one hour.
- After one hour, the dough must have doubled its size. This depends on the room temperature or the weather in your place. It is faster if the weather is warm to hot.
- Punch the dough to let the air out. Knead with your hands. Divide into 10 small dough evenly.
- Shape the first five resembling a wallet. Watch the video.
- You have to pinch the sides tightly to prevent the filling coming out while baking. Use scissors to cut a little bit of the sides.
- The next five, roll the dough flat in round shape. Put 1-2 teaspoon of cream cheese and garnish with cranberry in the center.
- Brush the bread with eggwash.
- Bake in a preheated oven 180°C for 20-30 minutes. Take out from the oven and brush with evaporated milk while still hot to make the bread shiny.
- Enjoy while still warm!
Cream Cheese Filling
- Put the cream cheese in room temperature. Soften the cream cheese with a hand mixer.
- Add the sugar. Mix until well blended. You can use powdered sugar to make it easier to blend.
- Put one egg. Mix well with low speed. Divide into 2 parts. Add some cranberry in one part. Stir well.
Tips & Trick
- After whipping cream cheese, store it in the refrigerator so that it is not too runny and easier as a filling.
- Let the bread stand for 1 hour during the first fermentation. The second fermentation takes about ½ hour or until the bread has expanded. Fermentation time depends on room temperature.
- Bread is baked 15 minutes then turn the pan and bake another 15 minutes.
- Oven temperature 180 ° C low heat. For deck ovens, bottom temperature 180 ° C, top temperature 160 ° C.
Storage
Asian sweet bread is fresh up to 4 days if kept properly. Make sure it is in a closed container or wrapped in a plastic bag. This prevents dryness.
If you like it warm, you may reheat it in an oven for 5 minutes.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Q: Can I substitute cranberry with other fruits?
A: Yes, you can! Dried blueberry or dried apricot or raisins are suitable for cream cheese filling. It is better to mix it with dried fruit.
Q: Can I use this sweet bread recipe to make other Asian bread?
A: Yes, sure! This sweet bread recipe is the basic Asian bread recipe. You can use it for other types of Asian bread. Experiment and use your creativity to create a unique sweet bread.
Q: Can I make this bread in advance?
A: Yes, you can make this ahead of time. Please make sure you cover it with plastic to prevent getting dried.
If you like the sweet Asian bread, you can check the fluffy Japanese Milk Bread or Pandan Milk Bread.

Cranberry Cream Cheese Bun
Ingredients
Dough
- 300 gr high protein flour
- 15 gr full cream milk powder
- 40 gr sugar
- 5 gr instant yeast
- 1 egg yolk
- 185 gr milk Or use this formula 1 egg yolk + milk = 200 gr
- 40 gr unsalted butter
- 3 gr salt
Cream Cheese Filling
- 225 gr cream cheese
- 50 gr sugar
- 50 gr sugar
- 1 egg
Instructions
Dough
- Sieve 300 gr high protein flour.
- Add 15 gr milk powder, instant yeast, 1 egg yolk. Pour in
milk. Use this formula: 1 egg yolk + milk = 200 gr. You can use this formula because egg yolk weigh differently. - Mix with medium speed for around 17-20 minutes.
- When the dry ingredients are all mixed, put in the unsalted
butter and salt. Continue mixing until the dough is no longer sticky. - Take out from the mixing bowl. Knead with hands for a while.
- Shape the dough round. Leave it in a bowl to ferment. Cover
with cloth or cling wrap to prevent dryness. Leave it for one hour. - After one hour, the dough must have doubled its size. This
depends on the room temperature or the weather in your place. It is faster if the weather is warm to hot. - Punch the dough to let the air out. Knead with your hands. Divide into 10 small dough evenly.
- Shape the first five resembling a wallet. Watch the video.
- You have to pinch the sides tightly to prevent the filling
coming out while baking. - The next five, roll the dough flat in round shape. Put 1-2 teaspoon
of cream cheese and garnish with cranberry in the center. - Brush the bread with eggwash.
- Bake in a preheated oven 180°C for 20-30 minutes. Take out
from the oven and brush with evaporated milk while still hot to make the bread shiny. - Enjoy while still warm!
Cream Cheese Filling
- Put the cream cheese in room temperature. Soften the cream
cheese with a hand mixer. - Add the sugar. Mix until well blended. You can use powdered
sugar to make it easier to blend. - Put one egg. Mix well with low speed. Divide into 2 parts. Add
some cranberry in one part. Stir well.
Video
Notes
Tips & Trick:
- After whipping cream cheese, store it in the refrigerator so that it is not too runny and easier as a filling.
- Let the bread stand for 1 hour during the first fermentation. The second fermentation takes about ½ hour or until the bread has expanded. Fermentation time depends on room temperature.
- Bread is baked 15 minutes then turn the pan and bake another 15 minutes.
- Oven temperature 180 ° C low heat. For deck ovens, bottom temperature 180 ° C, top temperature 160 ° C.