Strawberry Limoncello Orange Bread 🍓🍋🍊

A sweet, citrus‑kissed celebration of flavor!

This easy, yeasted bread is a delightful bit of sunshine folded into dough. Strawberry Limoncello Orange Bread: bright, fragrant, bread beauty built on the magic of locally made strawberry limoncello preserves.

It starts with the yeast: awakened not with water, but with fresh orange juice. The natural sugars help it bloom so enthusiastically, creating a dough that rises with a kind of joyful energy. Into that dough goes a full block of cream cheese, adding tang, tenderness, and a velvety richness that makes every slice feel indulgent.

The preserves swirl through the dough like ribbons of ruby light, bringing sweetness, citrus sparkle, and that unmistakable limoncello brightness. A touch of extra sugar, a whisper of salt, and finally a whole bag of crispy freeze‑dried strawberries folded in for texture and concentrated berry flavor. They soften just enough during baking, becoming tiny pockets of tart crunch that play beautifully against the soft crumb.

The result is a sweet, sensational winner. This is a bread that’s part brioche, part fruit loaf, part dessert, and entirely irresistible. It’s celebratory without reason, perfect for brunch, gifting, or slicing warm and enjoying with a cup of your favorite beverage.

Strawberry Limoncello Orange Bread 🍓🍋🍊

¾ Tbs. (one packet) dry, active yeast
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice, room temperature
2 Tbs. white sugar
9 oz. Strawberry Limoncello Preserves
8 oz. cream cheese, softened to room temperature
½ tsp. sea salt
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups freeze-dried strawberries

In a large bowl, bloom the yeast with the room temperature orange juice for about 15 minutes. The yeast will begin to bubble.

Add the sugar, preserves, cream cheese, and salt.

Using a stand mixer with the dough hook, or by hand, mix well.

Add the flour 1 cup at a time, until fully combined.

Fold in the strawberries.

Loosely cover and let rise for 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Prepare a large loaf pan with spray oil or parchment paper.

Transfer the risen dough to the baking pan.

Bake for 45 minutes, until brown on top (not burned – as shown – 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂 ).

Remove from the oven and cool for several hours in the bread pan before inverting, removing from the pan, and slicing to serve.