Cranberry Sweet Rolls
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Delicious homemade dough is layered with a cranberry filling and twisted together to create these Cranberry Sweet Rolls. A cream cheese drizzle finishes this sweet treat making it perfect for breakfast, dessert, or anything in between.
Let’s Make Holiday Sweet Rolls
The holiday season is officially upon us! I’m kicking things off in the kitchen with these Cranberry Sweet Rolls. Around this time of year, it seems I’m always inspired to break out my dough-making skills and make some sort of sweet roll. In the past, I’ve done:
As you might know, I love everything cranberry this time of year. In fact, I have an entire blog post dedicated to some of my favorite cranberry recipes. You can find that HERE.
With that in mind, I have decided to take a classic enriched sweet dough recipe, combine it with cranberries, and top it with a cream cheese drizzle to create these amazing cranberry sweet rolls.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
I’m loving this recipe for many reasons:
- Thanks to the cranberries, this recipe works for Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, Christmas, and beyond!
- This recipe is perfect for breakfast or brunch but also doubles as a dessert.
- Because you make the dough the night before, you save time the next day.
- It’s loaded with seasonal flavor thanks to the fresh cranberries and orange zest.
- Then rolls look like they are from a fancy bakery. With just a twist of dough, you can create something very gourmet looking.
Ready to give these cranberry sweet rolls a try? Let’s get to it!
Before we get into the recipe details, I want to mention that I’m once again joined by my Tastes of the Season blogger friends. We are all sharing a delicious cranberry treat to help add a little sweetness to your Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations.
If you’re looking for some new holiday recipe ideas, I’ve linked everyone below. They’ve posted some tasty treats, so be sure to check them out before clicking away.
I think we’re ready to bake. Grab your apron and meet me in my kitchen.
How to Make:
I’ll walk you through the basic steps of the recipe here. You can find a detailed version along with an ingredient list in the printable recipe card below.
- Begin by making the dough in advance. Place the dough in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 6 to 24 hours.
- Prepare the cranberry filling in a small saucepan. Cook uncovered for 15 minutes or until thickened to a jam-like consistency.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
- Punch down the dough and let it rest for about 15 minutes.
- Roll it into a 13- by 18-inch rectangle.
- Spread the cooled cranberry mixture over the dough.
- Fold the rectangle in thirds to create a 13- by 6-inch rectangle.
- Cut the rectangle into twelve 6-inch strips.
- Loosely twist each strip and form into a roll tucking the ends under.
- Place the rolls onto parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Cover with a tea towel and let rise in a warm location.
- Bake for about 15 minutes at 375 degrees F. Allow to cool.
- Prepare the cream cheese drizzle.
- Drizzle it onto your sweet rolls and sprinkle with chopped walnuts.
As I mentioned above, this is a quick rundown of the steps you’ll take to make these cranberry sweet rolls. Reference the recipe below for complete instructions.
These sweet rolls do take some planning and time to prepare. However, nothing beats a homemade sweet roll, especially during the holidays. I know you’re going to love them!
Recipe Variations:
Love this recipe and want to try it a different way? Here are a few ideas:
- Try a different berry. Use blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, etc.
- Cut the rolls in a different way. Instead of doing a twist method, cut them like cinnamon rolls.
- Use a different glaze. Brush with orange marmalade or create a citrus glaze to top your rolls.
- Add Nuts. While I sprinkled nuts on the top of my rolls, maybe you could add some to your dough before folding.
Have fun with this recipe and make it your own.
How to Store Sweet Rolls:
You can store these cranberry sweet rolls in a few ways:
- Countertop: Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to two to three days.
- Refrigerator: Store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to five days.
- Freezer: Store in an airtight freezer-friendly container for up to three months. (I recommend freezing before adding the cream cheese drizzle.)
Happy Holiday Baking!
And that’s a wrap on these Cranberry Sweet Rolls. If you’re looking for a new breakfast, brunch, snack, or dessert idea to serve up this holiday season, I can’t recommend these enough. Not only are they delicious, but they are going to leave your entire home smelling like the season.
Enjoy them!
Tastes of The Season Cranberry Recipes:
Ready for more cranberry goodness? Be sure to visit my blogger friends below. Don’t their recipes look wonderful? They are perfect for the holidays! I’m confident you’ll find more deliciousness to try.
Cranberry Orange Muffins by Ella Claire & Co. | Cranberry Sweet Rolls by Inspired by Charm | Cranberry Topped Cake by French Country Cottage
Cranberry Crisp by Zevy Joy | Easy Cranberry Citrus Cake by Handmade Farmhouse
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Cranberry Sweet Rolls
Ingredients
Bread Dough:
- 4 – 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 package active dry yeast
- 1 cup whole milk
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 eggs
Cranberry Filling:
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped candied ginger
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
Cream Cheese Drizzle:
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ⅔ cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- pinch of salt
- 1 – 2 tablespoons of milk
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts optional
Instructions
- Begin by making the dough in advance. In a large bowl, whisk together two cups of flour with the yeast.
- In a medium saucepan, add the milk, sugar, butter, and salt. Over medium-low heat, stir and heat until around 125 degrees F.
- Add the warmed milk mixture and eggs to the flour mixture. Beat on low/medium for about 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl as needed. Beat on high for three minutes, scraping the bowl as needed.
- Stir in enough of the remaining flour until the dough starts to pull away from the side of the bowl. (The dough will still be slightly sticky.)
- Place the dough in a greased 3-qt bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 6 to 24 hours.
- When you are ready to make your sweet rolls, start by preparing the cranberry filling. In a small saucepan combine the cranberries, sugar, water, ginger, and orange zest. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cook uncovered for 15 minutes or until thickened to a jam-like consistency. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Punch it down and let rest for about 15 minutes.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 13- by18-inch rectangle. Spread the cooled cranberry mixture over the dough. Fold the rectangle in thirds to create a 13- by 6-inch rectangle.
- Cut the rectangle into twelve 6-inch strips. Loosely twist each strip and form into a roll tucking the ends under.
- Place the rolls onto your prepared baking sheets. Cover with a tea towel and let rise in a warm location for about 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden. Cool on baking sheets for about five minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack.
- While the sweet rolls cool, make the cream cheese drizzle by adding the cream cheese and butter to a bowl. Beat with a mixer to combine. Add confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Beat until smooth. Add enough milk to reach desired consistency.
- Drizzle the cream cheese mixture onto your sweet rolls and (optional) sprinkle with chopped walnuts.
Amazing! Who would have thought to use cranberry!? Well, I guess you did. I’m making these again for Christmas!
I know! I love the cranberry here. Thanks Donna!
xo Michael