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Tender Cranberry Cinnamon Rolls Recipe Easy Homemade with Zesty Orange Glaze

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These tender cranberry cinnamon rolls feature a soft dough filled with cinnamon and cranberries, topped with a bright and zesty orange glaze. Perfect for holidays, brunches, or cozy mornings, they combine classic comfort with a citrusy twist.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 cups (480g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast (one packet)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (240ml) whole milk, warmed (not hot)
  • 1/4 cup (57g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1/3 cup (75g) unsalted butter, softened (for filling)
  • 1 cup (220g) packed brown sugar (light brown recommended)
  • 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup (140g) dried cranberries (or fresh chopped cranberries)
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest (for filling)
  • 1 1/2 cups (180g) powdered sugar, sifted (for glaze)
  • 3 tablespoons (45ml) fresh orange juice, preferably freshly squeezed
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest (for glaze)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional, for glaze)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Dough: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, instant yeast, and salt. In another bowl, warm the milk until lukewarm (about 110°F/43°C). Add melted butter and eggs to the milk and whisk to combine.
  2. Mix Wet and Dry Ingredients: Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix until a shaggy dough forms. Knead by hand or with a stand mixer dough hook for 8-10 minutes until smooth and slightly sticky. Adjust flour or milk as needed.
  3. First Rise: Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with towel or plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 to 1.5 hours.
  4. Prepare Filling: Mix softened butter, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, dried cranberries, and orange zest until combined.
  5. Roll Out Dough: Punch down risen dough and roll on floured surface into a 15×10 inch rectangle. Spread filling evenly over dough.
  6. Form Rolls: Roll dough tightly from the longer edge into a log. Pinch seam to seal. Cut into 12 even slices about 1.5 inches each using a sharp knife or dental floss.
  7. Second Rise: Place rolls in a greased 9×13 inch baking dish with space between. Cover and let rise for 30-45 minutes until puffy.
  8. Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake rolls for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and cooked through (internal temp ~190°F/88°C). Tent with foil if browning too fast.
  9. Make Orange Glaze: While baking, whisk powdered sugar, fresh orange juice, orange zest, and vanilla extract until smooth.
  10. Glaze and Serve: Remove rolls from oven, cool 10 minutes, then drizzle glaze generously. Serve warm.

Notes

Warm milk is key to activating yeast without killing it. Use softened butter for filling to spread evenly. Use dental floss for clean roll slices. Tent rolls with foil if browning too fast. Glaze rolls while warm for best absorption. For gluten-free, use gluten-free flour blend; for dairy-free, use plant-based milk and vegan butter.

Nutrition

Keywords: cranberry cinnamon rolls, orange glaze, homemade cinnamon rolls, holiday breakfast, easy cinnamon rolls, tender cinnamon rolls, festive brunch, sweet rolls

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