Cranberry Orange Rolls

These bakery-style Cranberry Orange Rolls are a show-stopping addition to any special occasion or holiday brunch. Bursting with bright orange flavor and tart cranberries, this classic flavor combination delivers soft, fluffy rolls that are as beautiful as they are irresistible.

Easy Cranberry Orange Sweet Rolls Recipe

These homemade orange sweet rolls are the perfect companion to a cozy cup of hot tea or freshly brewed coffee. While the bright orange and cranberry flavor combination is often associated with the holidays, canned cranberry sauce is readily available year-round in most grocery stores. That means these soft, bakery-style sweet rolls can easily grace your dessert, tea time or brunch menu on a whim, making them just as fitting for everyday indulgence as they are for special occasions.

Checkout this quick list of key ingredients you’ll need to make simple Cranberry Orange Rolls Recipe: (Scroll down for full printable recipe card.)

• Flour – All purpose flour forms the base of the yeast dough.
• Yeast – Rapid rise yeast gives rise to the dough for a fluffy texture.
• Melted Butter – Salted butter or unsalted butter for richness.
• Sugar – Granulated sugar for sweetness.
• Salt – Salt helps balance the flavor of the dough.
• Liquid – Warm whole milk activates the yeast.
• Orange Juice – Orange juice gives these rolls their citrus flavor.
• Whole Egg – One large egg stabilizes the dough.
• Cranberries – Canned whole berry cranberry sauce for the filling plus dried cranberries for texture.
• Orange Glaze – Powdered sugar, heavy cream, additional fresh orange juice and fresh orange zest for the glaze.

How to Make the Best Cranberry Orange Rolls Recipe

• Sift the Dry Ingredients – In the bowl of a stand mixer, sift together all purpose flour, sugar, yeast and salt.
• Warm the Liquid Mixture – Simmer over medium-low heat the butter, milk and orange juice until it reaches a temperature of 120°-125F.
• Combine – Add warm milk mixture and egg to flour mixture in the mixing bowl. Continue to mix using the dough hook on low speed, adding additional flour one cup at a time until it forms a soft dough, then knead.
• Let Dough Rise – Cover with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled.
• Fill the Dough – On a lightly floured surface, roll into roughly an 18×14-inch rectangle.
• Cranberry Filling – Spread cranberry sauce from end to end, sprinkle with dried cranberries. Roll jelly rolls style beginning with the long side.
• Cut into Even Portions – Arrange in buttered 13×9-inch baking pan lightly buttered or sprayed with cooking spray. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled.
• Oven – Preheat the oven. Bake per the cooking time in the recipe until golden brown.
• Make the Orange Glaze – Pour and spread over the rolls.
• Serve – Garnish with additional fresh orange zest ans enjoy.

Kitchen Equipment to Make Orange Cranberry Rolls

• Stand mixer or a hand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
• Large bowl, medium bowl and small bowl.
• Balloon whisk.
• Measuring cups and spoons.
• Medium saucepan and thermometer to test the liquid.
• Citrus juicer and zester.
• Sharp knife or dental floss for separating the rolls.
• 13×9-inch baking pan or baking dish.

Recipe Variations, Tips and Substitutions

• Special Note – The dough for these sweet rolls is made very much like classic cinnamon roll dough. While classic cinnamon rolls require you to “bloom” the yeast, the yeast is mixed into the dry ingredients for this recipe.
• Active Dry Yeast – You can use active dry yeast in place or rapid rise yeast. When using active dry yeast the orange rolls will take longer to rise. 
• Flour – You can use bread flour in place of all purpose flour. Bread flour has a higher protein content and will result in a chewier texture. I recommend using all purpose flour.
• Cranberry Sauce – Whole berry cranberry sauce is usually located in the canned fruit section of most grocery stores. It can usually be found year-round along with canned pumpkin.
• Chocolate Chips – To add another layer of texture, you can sprinkle the cranberry sauce filling with 1/2 cup white chocolate chips.
• Double the Orange Glaze – The glaze can be easily doubled to suit your taste. You can also add two ounces of softened cream cheese to the glaze ingredients for an orange cream cheese glaze. When doing so, add more heavy cream or orange juice until it reaches spreading consistency.
• Knead the Dough by Hand – If you don’t have a mixer that uses a dough hook, you can certainly knead this dough by hand on a lightly floured non-stick surface, instead. It typically takes longer to knead dough by hand, so knead until the dough is smooth and elastic.
• Check the Temperature with a Thermometer – It’s important to use an instant read thermometer when heating the liquid. This allows you to monitor the temperature so it doesn’t become too hot or it could possibly kill the yeast and you’d have to start over.

Storage and Leftovers

• Make-Ahead Instructions – You can assemble the rolls then cover with plastic wrap and let rise overnight in the fridge to save time. Allow some time on the counter to warm then bake per the recipe.
• Leftovers – Store glazed Cranberry Orange Sweet Rolls covered with aluminum foil or in an airtight container chilled in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Reheating – You can enjoy homemade orange rolls chilled, at room temperature or gently reheated in the microwave.
• Freezer – You can make the orange rolls and freeze them before the second rise up to 2 months in advance. Remove them from the freezer and arrange them in a prepared pan. Let the bread rolls thaw and rise overnight in the fridge or on the counter, just before baking per the directions in the recipe. They will take longer to rise.

More Cranberry Recipes to Make

Whether you’re preference is fresh or dried cranberries, there are so many ways to enjoy them. A few other recipes using cranberries you may like to add to the menu:

• Cranberry Orange Yogurt Bread is a cake-like quick bread that’s easy to make.
• Sweet and fluffy Cranberry Fluff is a dreamy side dish or dessert to add to your holiday menu.
• Cranberry Apple Rice Pilaf is a tasty side dish to go with turkey, pork or chicken.
• Homemade Cranberry Muffins.
• Homemade Cranberry Sauce is next level deliciousness.
• Poppy Seed Cheddar Turkey Sliders are a fun way to use leftovers or serve with deli turkey as a snack or appetizer.
• Christmas Cranberry Cake for holiday brunch or dessert.
• Cranberry Pretzel Salad is a seasonal spin on strawberry pretzel salad.
• Cranberry Sangria Punch from Southern Living.

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Helpful Kitchen Items:

• 13×9-inch Dish
• Silicone Spatulas
• Measuring Set
• Mixing Bowls