Discover the ultimate treat that combines the classic comfort of a cinnamon roll with a cranberry and orange twist. This double dose of fall flavor is sure to get you in the mood for the holiday season. These swirly beauties feature a soft, fluffy tangzhong dough, brown sugar cinnamon butter, and cranberry sauce, creating a sweet-tart contrast that will make you want to sneak a second helping. Topped with a creamy sweet orange glaze and baked in a bit of heavy cream, this dessert (or breakfast!) is sure to become the star of the sweets table at your next holiday party.
What is tangzhong?
Tangzhong is a method used to improve the texture and shelf life of yeasted bread that emerged from a similar Japanese method called yudane. Popularized by Japanese milk bread, the tangzhong method involves combining liquid and bread flour and heating the mixture until it resembles a soft pudding, then adding that mixture to a yeasted bread dough before kneading. The heating process causes the flour and water to gel, trapping the water molecules so that they don't evaporate once the bread is baked. The result is bread that starts out pillowy soft and stays softer for longer.
How to get a tight cinnamon roll spiral:
Half the joy of baking cinnamon rolls is getting to look at the mesmerizing spiral they create once you've rolled the fillings into the dough, but that can be hard to achieve a neat result when working with such a soft yeasted dough. To increase your chances of success, we added a step for chilling the sheet of dough after you add the brown sugar, cinnamon butter, and cranberry sauce. This will make the dough more stiff and easier to tuck and roll. Work quickly! The heat from your hands will warm the dough as you roll.
Does pouring heavy cream on your cinnamon rolls really work?
Sometimes things go viral for good reason, and this is one of those times. Topping the risen rolls with heavy cream right before they go into the oven creates a layer of gooeyness that you can usually only find at your favorite cinnamon bun-slinging mall chain.
Feeding a crowd? Try our giant cinnamon roll!
Make this recipe? Let us know how it went in the comments!
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- Yields:
- 12 serving(s)
- Prep Time:
- 10 mins
- Total Time:
- 3 hrs 30 mins
- Cal/Serv:
- 464
Ingredients
Dough
- 1/3 c.
plus 1/2 c. whole milk
- 3 tbsp.
packed dark brown sugar, divided
- 2 1/4 tsp.
(1/4 oz.) active dry yeast
- 1/4 c.
(30 g.) plus 3 c. (360 g.) bread flour
- 2
large eggs, room temperature
- 6 tbsp.
unsalted butter, melted, slightly cooled
- 2 tsp.
finely grated orange zest
- 1 tsp.
kosher salt
- 1 tsp.
pure vanilla extract
Cooking spray
Filling
- 2 c.
frozen or fresh cranberries (8 oz.)
- 1/4 c.
fresh orange juice
- 1/4 c.
plus 5 tbsp. packed dark brown sugar
- 6 tbsp.
unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 tsp.
ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp.
ground cardamom
Breadflour, for surface
- 1/2 c.
heavy cream
- 1
large egg, beaten to blend
Glaze
- 2 c.
(230 g.)confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 c.
heavy cream
- 2 tsp.
finely grated orange zest
- 2 tbsp.
fresh orange juice
- 1/2 tsp.
pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp.
kosher salt
Directions
Dough
- Step1In a small heatproof bowl, combine 1/3 cup milk and 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Microwave until an instant-read thermometer registers 110°, about 15 seconds. Stir to dissolve sugar. Sprinkle with yeast. Gently stir and let rest until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.
- Step2In another small heatproof bowl, whisk 1/4 cup flour and remaining 1/2 cup milk until smooth. Microwave in 15-second increments, whisking between each, until smooth and the texture of pudding, about 1 minute total.
- Step3In the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine yeast mixture and flour mixture. Add eggs, butter, orange zest, salt, vanilla, and remaining 3 cups flour and 2 tablespoons brown sugar. Beat on medium-low speed, scraping down sides of bowl, until dough starts to pull away from sides of bowl and is slightly sticky to the touch, 10 to 12 minutes.
- Step4Spray a large bowl with cooking spray and place dough in bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until dough is doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Filling
- Step1In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook cranberries, orange juice, and 1/4 cup brown sugar, stirring occasionally, until cranberries have burst and mixture becomes jammy and thick, about 15 minutes. Let cool.
- Step2In a small bowl, stir butter, cinnamon, cardamom, and remaining 5 tablespoons brown sugar until smooth.
- Step3Remove plastic wrap from dough and gently punch down dough. Place a long piece of parchment (at least 20") on a work surface and lightly dust parchment with flour. Turn dough out onto parchment. Using a floured rolling pin, gently roll dough to an 18"x10" rectangle. Using a rubber spatula, spread brown sugar butter over dough. Spread cranberry sauce over brown sugar butter. Using parchment, slide dough onto a large sheet tray and refrigerate until cold, about 15 minutes.
- Step4With the long side of dough parallel to the countertop, tightly roll dough away from you, creating a spiral, ending seam side down. Using a serrated knife, cut dough into 12 (1 1/2") sections.
- Step5Arrange dough cut side up in a 12" cast-iron skillet. Cover skillet with plastic wrap and place in a warm area to rise until almost doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Step6Preheat oven to 350°. Remove plastic wrap from skillet. Add a splash of water to beaten egg and whisk to combine. Pour cream over risen dough and brush with egg wash.
- Step7Bake rolls until tops are golden brown and cream is absorbed, 28 to 32 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes.
Glaze
- Step1In a medium bowl, whisk confectioners’ sugar, cream, orange zest, orange juice, vanilla, and salt until combined and smooth. Add additional confectioners' sugar 1 tablespoon at a time if you desire a thicker consistency.
- Step2Top rolls with glaze.
Related Video: Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
Brooke Caison
Food Editor
Brooke Caison is the food editor at Delish, where she develops and styles original recipes, writes the weekly membership newsletter, and appears as occasional on-camera talent for Delish's YouTube channel. She's obsessed with the idea of bringing restaurant methods to the home cook with foolproof techniques and organized cooking (like how to safely shuck a clam or tackle a complex baking project). A graduate of ICE, she was previously a line cook, hospitality manager for the opening season of Little Island, and culinary assistant to Top Chef judge and food expert Gail Simmons. Her work has also appeared on Martha Stewart. There's no food she won’t try, but cranberry whipped feta dip has her heart.
