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Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: Bright and tart cranberries against the sweet orange icing offers the perfect balance of flavors. Certainly not cloying like store-bought rolls can be!
Texture: Pillowy soft dough wrapped around a jammy, spoonable filling… these rolls are SO incredibly soft but still hold their shape for a beautiful presentation.
Ease: This is more of a weekend baking project, but the dough is a dream to work with.
Why you’ll love this recipe: The perfect festive treat for a holiday breakfast or brunch!
I wish I could share the aroma of these Cranberry Orange Rolls through the screen. They make your whole house smell like the holidays.
The base dough recipe is based on my beloved Gooey Cinnamon Rolls. Swapping out a cinnamon sugar filling for a homemade cranberry sauce is such a fun twist on the classic. I could eat the orange icing with a spoon!
Although this is more of a weekend baking project, I’ve given options below for how to make ahead so you can impress any holiday house guests.
Recipe Ingredient Notes
Whole Milk: The richness of whole milk helps to make tender and soft rolls. You can swap in 2% in a pinch if needed.
Butter: This adds richness. Don’t skimp! If using salted butter, reduce the salt in the recipe by ¼ teaspoon.
Sour Cream: My secret ingredient! It tenderizes the rolls while adding richness and balancing sweetness. Swap in with full-fat plain Greek yogurt if you don’t have it.
Orange: You will need fresh orange zest for the dough and filling, and fresh orange juice for the filling and icing. I recommend buying 3 oranges to be sure you have enough, you can always use leftovers for a pretty garnish!
Yeast: The recipe uses instant, but it can be easily swapped for active dry yeast at a 1:1 ratio, no other changes needed. Just note the dough may take up to 20% longer to rise.
Eggs: Essential for that rich, soft, and squishy brioche-style bread that makes this recipe oh so craveworthy. I don’t know of any suitable substitutes.
Cranberries: You can use fresh or frozen! No need to thaw if using frozen, but you might need to add a few minutes to the filling cooking time.
Cornstarch: This is essential to thicken the filling. Without it, it’ll be too watery to use in the recipe.
How to Make Cranberry Orange Rolls (Step by Step)
Prepare dough. Be careful not to add too much extra flour! It should be slightly sticky. Let rise until doubled in size.
Punch down. Once doubled, press down dough and turn out onto a floured work surface.
Prepare filling. While the dough rises, combine filling ingredients and cook until cranberries burst and mixture thickens.
Cool filling. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool completely. You can also make ahead and refrigerate until ready to use.
Roll out dough. Using a rolling pin, roll into a 16×12-inch rectangle.
Spread filling. Leave a border to prevent the filling from squeezing out when you shape.
Slice into strips. A sharp knife, pastry cutter, or pizza wheel work nicely here.
Form spirals. Roll each strip tightly into a spiral and place in pan.
Repeat. Shape all dough into 12 rolls and place in pan.
Let rise. Until doubled in size.
Bake. At 350°F for about 28-30 minutes, or until just lightly golden.
Make icing. Combine all ingredients until a smooth, pourable icing forms.
Drizzle & serve. Spread evenly over the rolls. Serve warm the day they’re baked for best texture.
Tessa’s Tips
- Allow the dough to be sticky. It shouldn’t be unbearably sticky, but feel very soft and tacky when done kneading. Avoid adding too much extra flour early on as this will yield a dense or dry roll. The dough will become less sticky at the first rise!
- Give the dough a warm spot to rise. Especially if making in the winter, otherwise your dough may take more time to double in size. I use my oven’s “proof” setting, but you can also place it in a warm room in your home (near a sunny window, on top of a warm drying machine, etc.).
- Keep an eye on the baking time. Ovens can vary, as can baking pans. The rolls are done baking when they’re lightly golden on the top. If you carefully press a fingertip onto the center of a roll, it should spring back.
Storage & Make ahead
Make Ahead: Shape the rolls, then let rise until they’ve grown by about a quarter, not fully doubled. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, remove the pan and allow to come to room temperature and finish rising until doubled, at least 2 hours. Bake as directed.
Storage: Rolls are best served the day they’re baked. Leftover rolls can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. If desired, rewarm in the microwave for about 20 seconds, or in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes, or until heated through.
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Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 cup (227 grams) whole milk
- 1 stick (1/2 cup, 113 grams) unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup (57 grams) sour cream or full-fat plain Greek yogurt, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- Zest of 1 orange (1 teaspoon), save juice for the icing
- 1 envelope (2 1/4 teaspoons) instant yeast*
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 to 4 1/4 cups (508 to 540 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
For the filling:
- 3 cups (340 grams) fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- Juice of 1 orange (1/4 cup, 60 grams), zest first
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon water
- Zest of 1 orange (1 teaspoon)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the icing:
- 2 cups (250 grams) powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup (60 grams) fresh orange juice, reserved from the dough
- 2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the dough:
- In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the milk and butter until the butter melts. Remove from the heat and stir in the sour cream until smooth. Let cool until lukewarm, about 110°F.
- Add the sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Rub the orange zest into the sugar with your fingers until fragrant and evenly combined.
- Add the cooled milk mixture, yeast, egg, egg yolks, and vanilla. Mix with a spatula until combined.
- Add about half of the flour and the salt. Mix until combined.
- With the mixer on low, gradually add the remaining flour until a dough begins to form. Add only as much flour as you need to form the dough. Too much flour will yield dry or dense rolls.
- Increase the speed to medium and knead for 8 to 10 minutes, until the dough is very soft, smooth, elastic, and no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl. If the dough is extremely sticky, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Lightly grease a large bowl. Shape the dough into a ball and place in the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Make the filling:
- While the dough rises, make the cranberry orange filling. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the cranberries, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and orange juice. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until some of the cranberries begin to pop and lose their skin.
- In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt, and water. Add to the cranberry mixture and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for 2-3 more minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened.
- Remove from heat and stir in the orange zest and vanilla. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. If making ahead, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Shape the rolls:
- Punch down the risen dough and turn out onto a lightly floured work surface. Use a rolling pin to shape into a 16 by 12-inch rectangle, with the long side facing you.
- Leaving a 1/2–inch border along the top edge, spread the cranberry filling evenly over the dough. Brush the border with water to help seal.
- Grease a 9 by 13-inch baking dish or two 9-inch pie pans.
- Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough from top to bottom into 12 equal strips. Roll each strip tightly into a spiral and place cut side up in the prepared pan.
- Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden brown. Place pan on cooling rack to cool for 5 minutes while you make the icing.
Make the icing:
- Combine the icing ingredients in a small mixing bowl until smooth, pourable icing forms.
- Once the rolls have cooled for 5 minutes, spread icing evenly over the tops. Serve warm the day they’re baked. Store leftovers in an airtight container at cool room temperature for up to 2 days. Gently rewarm in the microwave for about 20 seconds or in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes, or until heated through.
Notes
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Photos by Joanie Simon.
