Have you seen my award winning Old Fashioned Butterscotch Pecan Rolls yet? Well cranberry sweet rolls are their cousin.
Cranberry sweet rolls are perfect for any holiday breakfast or even dessert. Orange cranberry bread in sweet roll form is an award winning recipe!
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.
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 Christmas time I swap the traditional brown sugar base for a festive and aromatic cranberry-orange sauce for cranberry sweet rolls!
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.
You’ll love these other sweet breakfast recipes:
- White Chocolate and Raspberry Pancakes
- Beet Smoothie Bowl
- Easy Apple Cream Cheese Strudel
- Large Cinnamon Rolls
- Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
Cranberry Sweet Rolls
Ingredients
Bread Dough:
- 3 teaspoons active yeast or 1 packet
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs well beaten
- 3 1/2 cups flour
- 1/4 cup melted shortening not oil
- Cooking Spray
Filling:
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons Cinnamon
Cranberry-Orange Topping:
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 12- ounces fresh cranberries
- 1 orange zested and juiced
Instructions
- Heat whole milk in the microwave for 1 minute. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a bread hook, or a large mixing bowl, place yeast, sugar and salt, stir. Add hot milk and allow to sit for approximately 10 minutes, or until yeast has activated, bloomed and smells fragrant.
- Stir in well beaten eggs and then half of the the flour. Mix with the bread hook until mixture is fully incorporated and dough drapes off of the hook. You can also use a large wooden mixing spoon. Stir in melted shortening and then remaining flour. Continue to knead with the bread hook or hands until dough is smooth and elastic, approximately 3-5 minutes.
- Roll dough into a ball and place into a large, well lubricated mixing bowl. Turn once to cover all exterior with cooking spray. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and set aside to rise for 30 minutes. Dough will double in size.
- While dough rises, make the cranberry topping. Place all cranberry-orange topping ingredients into a medium sauce pan. Melt over low heat, sitting occasionally. It is very important that the mixture does not reach a boil, or even a simmer. Stir until sugar is dissolved and fully incorporated. Spray a 9×13 rectangular baking dish or two 9-inch circular pie plates with cooking spray. Cover bottom(s) of baking dishes with cranberry-orange topping, set the rest aside.
- Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a rectangle, approximately 14×22 inches. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon in a small mixing bowl. Brush melted butter over dough and sprinkle evenly with cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Roll dough tightly from the short end. Using a sharp knife, cut into 12 equal slices. Place slices directly on thin layer of cranberry-orange topping (either all 12 in the 9×13 or 6 and 6 in pie plates). Cover with a damp kitchen towel and allow to rise for an additional 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. If the tops start to brown, loosely lay a piece of aluminum foil over top.
- Allow to cool for 5 minutes. Now is the tricky part, you have to flip this bad boy onto a large platter. Choose a serving dish that is larger than your cookware. Be careful not to burn yourself. Serve immediately and enjoy your Cranberry-Orange Sticky Buns.
- If you have tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was!
Can’t get enough cranberry this time of year! Love this pairing!
Such a perfect holiday treat! I bet they smell amazing!
I have never had anything like this before. Sticky buns..with cranberries and orange? What time is breakfast?
I love orange and cranberry together. These must taste so good!
Cranberry and orange is such a great combination! These look absolutely delicious!
I have never tried sticky orange buns before. This looks really good and something even my kiddos would enjoy.
I love this! Very different from any sticky buns that I have had and I love the flavor combination. This would be great over the holidays!
Wow – that looks gooey and messy and delicious all at the same time. Thanks for the recipe.
I love sticky because that means sweet! I’m not a big cranberry person but I’d love to try it with something else because it looks soooo good
Oh my. I really think I slobbered. Those look good.
Those look so good! I bet they would be perfect for Christmas breakfast. I like to make sticky buns for our Christmas breakfast and was looking for a new recipe to try this year.
This combines three things I love. Especially the cranberry, I can’t live without those.
These look super tasty. I love all things that have cranberries so these would be delicious!
Yummy! These look amazing. They would be perfect on Christmas morning.
I can’t believe this, they look so good. I almost never get to use cranberries outside of the holidays.
I have never tried a cranberry and orange sticky bun before, looks good! Thanks for sharing!
Those look amazing and they must smell so divine! So appropriate for the holiday – and easy to make!
Oh my goodness these look so good! Extra sticky for me please!
This looks really yummy. This would be great with coffee on Christmas morning.
Heaven on a plate. I bet the cranberry and orange compliment each other perfectly. NOM.