Cranberry Cinnamon Rolls

Have you seen my award-winning Old Fashioned Butterscotch Pecan Rolls yet? Well, cranberry cinnamon rolls are their fruity, delectable cousin.

 

The funny thing about these sweet rolls, they have a long history in my family dating all the way back to my mother’s childhood in Nebraska. For ages, my mother’s side of the family indulged in the buttery, airy crumb created by allowing yeast to rise twice, long kneading, and upside down baking on a bed of sticky goodness.

The Old Family Recipe

This was the type of breakfast that my great Aunt Beverly got up at 4 o’clock in the morning to bake and serve to hard working farm hands. A “normal” breakfast, laden with calories and a sugar high to get them through until lunch.

These days my sweet rolls are for special occasions only, like Christmas morning, birthdays and Saturdays (I consider Saturdays to be special occasions).

For me, cranberries are the ultimate holiday food, whether a main dish or an accoutrement, the beautiful deep red color will steal the show on any table, holidays or not.

Orange zest will fill your home with scents of the holidays without having to purchase an overpriced candle. They really are the perfect holiday specialty, whether for breakfast, dessert or a snack.

Why You’ll Love These Cranberry Cinnamon Rolls

Cinnamon roll dough topped with a homemade cranberry filling and baked to perfection- what’s not to love!

• Perfect for special occasions – These easy cranberry cinnamon rolls are perfect for the holiday season. Prep them Christmas Eve and they’re ready for the next morning.
• Something different – While I love homemade cinnamon rolls, this recipe takes plain cinnamon rolls up a notch with so much added flavor.
• Family favorite – This recipe is a fun twist on classic cinnamon buns, and it’s always loved by all who try it.

What You’ll Need

All of these simple ingredients can easily be found at your local grocery store.

• Active yeast – You will want one packet of active dry yeast (not instant yeast) in order to let the dough rise.
• Whole milk – Instead of using warm water to activate the yeast, we use warm milk. Whole milk is ideal for the right fat content.
• Sugar – We want the dough to be just slightly sweet, and granulated sugar is the best way to do that.
• Coarse kosher salt – If using salted butter to make these rolls, you can omit this ingredient.
• Eggs – Eggs help to to make the dough even ricker or finer. Make sure they are beaten well.
• Flour – Regular all purpose flour is all you need to make these cranberry cinnamon rolls.
• Vegetable shortening – You can certainly use butter and shortening interchangeably, but we prefer shortening here.
• Unsalted butter – I always prefer to use unsalted butter so that I can control the amount of salt in the recipe.
• Dark brown sugar – You could use light brown sugar if you’d like to, but I like the punch of molasses that dark brown sugar adds.
• Cinnamon – You can’t have cinnamon rolls without cinnamon!
• Light corn syrup – This is what we use to help gain the consistency of the cranberry topping.
• Fresh cranberries – These are super easy to find in the produce section around the holidays. You can use frozen, just make sure to thaw them first.
• Orange – We will use both the orange zest and fresh orange juice for the topping. I always prefer fresh juice to the bottled variety, and since you need the zest anyways, it works out perfectly.

Variations

There are several ways you can make these cranberry orange cinnamon rolls your own.

• Use leftover cranberry sauce – Instead of making the cranberry orange topping, use your leftover homemade cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving as a shortcut!
• Cream cheese glaze – If you want to make these more like regular cinnamon rolls, try topping them with a cream cheese frosting. Keep in mind they will be very sweet.
• Orange rolls – For even more orange flavor, you can add some orange extract to the bread dough itself.
• Orange icing – You could make an orange icing with powdered sugar, milk, and orange juice to drizzle on top.
• Extract – Add vanilla extract for a warm aroma or almond extract for a nutty flavor.
• Spices – Sprinkle in some nutmeg, cloves, or allspice.

How to Make Cranberry Cinnamon Rolls

While this is a labor of love, the end result is more than worth it!

1. Activate yeast. Heat milk in the microwave. Using the dough hook attachment, place the yeast, sugar, and salt in the bowl and stir. Add the hot milk and allow to sit until yeast has activated, bloomed, and smells fragrant.
2. Add remaining dough ingredients. Stir in the eggs and then half of the flour. Mix until the mixture is fully incorporated and the dough drapes off of the hook. Add in shortening and remaining flour. Continue to knead until the dough is smooth and elastic.
3. Allow dough to rise. Roll the dough into a ball and place it in a mixing bowl. Turn once to cover all exterior with cooking spray. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and set aside to rise. The dough will double in size.
4. Make cranberry topping. Combine the butter, sugar, corn syrup, cranberries, and the zest and juice one fresh orange. Stir until the sugar is dissolved and the cranberries start to pop. 
5. Make cinnamon filling. In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
6. Add cranberry topping to dish. Spray the baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon the cranberry topping into the bottom, tipping the dish around until the bottom is fully covered.
7. Roll dough and top with cinnamon mixture. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a rectangle. Baste the dough with melted butter and sprinkle with the brown sugar mixture.
8. Slice rolls and add to pan. Roll the dough tightly from the short end. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut into equal slices. Place slices directly on a thin layer of cranberry-orange topping. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and allow to rise again.
9. Bake. Bake uncovered until the tops of the rolls reach a golden brown color.
10. Cool and flip over. Allow to cool, then place a serving platter. Using oven mitts, carefully and promptly turnover. If any of the topping sticks to the bottom of the dish, use a spatula to put it back on the rolls.

What to Serve with Cranberry Cinnamon Rolls

Because this is a breakfast recipe, some of my favorite things to serve these warm rolls with are other breakfast favorites. Bacon, sausage, or any other breakfast meats are great options.

You could also serve them with a breakfast casserole. Savory ones like Eggs Benedict Casserole or Hash Brown Sausage Casserole or even sweet ones like Cranberry French Toast Casserole are perfect.

Storage and Freezing

Storage: You can store any leftover cranberry cinnamon rolls in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap. 

Freezing: You can also freeze these orange cranberry cinnamon rolls. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then store in a freezer bag.

More Sweet Breakfast Recipes

Need more ideas for breakfast? Here are some of our favorites!