Description
These cranberry orange cinnamon rolls are a delightful twist on the classic, filled with tangy cranberries, fresh orange zest, and cinnamon, then topped with a creamy cream cheese frosting. Perfect for a festive breakfast or holiday treat.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- For the dough:
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- For the filling:
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup fresh or dried cranberries, chopped
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- For the cream cheese frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, warm the milk until it’s just slightly warm to the touch (about 110°F). Remove from heat and stir in the sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over the milk and let it sit for 5-10 minutes, or until it becomes foamy.
- In a large bowl, combine the melted butter, salt, eggs, and orange zest. Add the yeast mixture and mix well.
- Gradually add the flour, 1 cup at a time, stirring until a dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 5-7 minutes, or until it’s smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover it with a clean towel, and let it rise for 1-1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.
- While the dough rises, prepare the filling. In a small bowl, mix the softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, chopped cranberries, and orange zest until well combined.
- Once the dough has risen, punch it down and turn it out onto a floured surface. Roll it into a rectangle about 12×18 inches in size.
- Spread the cranberry-orange filling evenly over the dough. Starting from the long edge, roll the dough into a tight log. Slice the roll into 12 even pieces and place them in a greased 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Cover the dish with a towel and let the rolls rise for 30-45 minutes, or until puffy.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown on top and cooked through.
- While the rolls bake, prepare the cream cheese frosting. In a medium bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and orange juice, and continue to beat until fluffy and smooth.
- Once the rolls are done baking, remove them from the oven and let them cool slightly. Spread the cream cheese frosting generously over the warm rolls.
- Serve the rolls warm and enjoy the tangy cranberry and orange flavors with the creamy frosting!
Notes
- If you prefer a sweeter frosting, you can add an extra tablespoon of powdered sugar.
- For a more intense orange flavor, you can add additional orange zest to the frosting or the filling.
- These rolls can be made the night before; after rolling and placing them in the baking dish, cover them with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Let them come to room temperature and rise before baking in the morning.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 roll with frosting
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 36g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 49g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 45mg