Description
Delight in these festive Cranberry Orange Cinnamon Rolls featuring a soft, cinnamon-spiced dough filled with zesty orange and tangy cranberries. Perfectly tender with a sweet powdered sugar glaze, they’re an irresistible treat for breakfast, brunch, or any cozy occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2¼ tsp active dry yeast
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup warm milk (110°F)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
Filling
- 1 cup fresh or dried cranberries, chopped
- Zest of 1 orange
- Butter for spreading (approximately ¼ cup, softened)
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: Warm the milk to 110°F, combine it with sugar and active dry yeast in a bowl. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes until it becomes foamy and bubbles form, indicating the yeast is active.
- Prepare Dough: In a large bowl, add the flour, salt, softened butter, and ground cinnamon. Then pour in the foamy yeast mixture. Knead the dough for 5-7 minutes until it is smooth and elastic. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover it. Let it rise for about 1 hour, or until it doubles in size.
- Shape Rolls: Roll the risen dough into a large rectangle on a floured surface. Spread softened butter evenly over the dough, then sprinkle the chopped cranberries and orange zest on top for the filling. Tightly roll the dough into a log and slice it into 12 even pieces, ensuring uniform thickness to allow even baking. This step takes approximately 15 minutes.
- Second Rise and Bake: Arrange the cinnamon rolls spaced on a baking tray or pan. Let them rise a second time for 30 minutes to become puffy. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the rolls for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and an internal temperature of 190°F is reached. Once baked, drizzle with powdered sugar glaze while warm.
Notes
- Use fresh cranberries for a tart burst or dried cranberries for a sweeter filling.
- Make sure the milk is not too hot to avoid killing the yeast; 110°F is optimal.
- You can prepare the dough a day ahead and refrigerate it after the first rise to bake fresh rolls the next day.
- For a richer glaze, add a splash of orange juice or vanilla extract to the powdered sugar.
- Ensure even slicing so all rolls bake uniformly.
