Cranberry Orange Cinnamon Rolls

These cranberry orange cinnamon rolls are soft & pillowy brioche swirled with a cinnamon orange cranberry jam and topped with a sweet icing.

Take a break from all the Christmas cookie craze, and make these cranberry orange cinnamon rolls! The soft & pillowy brioche is rolled up with a dreamy cinnamon orange cranberry jam and baked into the most perfect gooey festive swirls. Top them off with a sweet cream cheese icing that melts into the warm centers, making them even more gooey!

For more holiday recipes, try Soft Brown Butter Molasses Cookies, Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies, and Gingerbread Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Why you'll love these cranberry orange cinnamon rolls

• Soft & Pillowy Brioche: My go-to soft & pillowy brioche with added orange zest!
• Tart Cinnamon Orange Cranberry Jam: This cinnamon orange cranberry jam is tart with just the right amount sweetness, as well as undertones of cinnamon & orange. 
• Sweet Cream Cheese Icing: This cinnamon roll icing does not have an overwhelming cream cheese flavor, but rather is more balanced and of a pourable consistency that melts into the warm cinnamon rolls and adds to that gooey factor! 

Ingredient Notes

Ingredient quantities are listed in the recipe card below. Here you'll find notes on why I chose certain ingredients, as well as ingredient substitutions.

• Active Dry Yeast or Instant Yeast: If using active dry yeast, combine  with milk and sugar and allow to sit for 15 minutes. If using instant yeast, there is no need to let the yeast sit in the mixture.
• Whole Milk: Use whole milk for optimum flavor, and warm the milk to about 110 degrees F to activate the yeast.
• Granulated Sugar: The sugar will need to be mixed in with the milk and yeast to help activate the yeast. 
• Eggs: You’ll need 3 eggs at room temperature.
• Vanilla Extract: A good quality vanilla paste or extract will give these cinnamon rolls a wonderful flavor!
• All-Purpose Flour: The best way to measure your flour, as well as the rest of the ingredients, is by weight.
• Unsalted Butter: I recommend using a high-quality European-style butter, like Kerrygold.
• Oranges: I used navel oranges!
• Cranberries: I used fresh cranberries, but you can absolutely use frozen.
• Cinnamon: Just one teaspoon of cinnamon added to the jam is enough for it to come through and complement the orange and cranberry flavors!
• Cream Cheese: For the icing, cream cheese mixes best when it is cold, so no need to bring to room temp!
• Powdered Sugar: I used about one cup of powdered sugar, but you can more or less based on your own preferences.

Kitchen Equipment

• Kitchen Scale
• Electric Mixer
• Mixing Bowls
• Plastic Wrap
• Pastry Brush
• Baking Dish
• Parchment Paper
• Oven Thermometer

Step by Step Instructions

STEP 1: Activate the yeast. Heat the milk to 110 degrees F and stir in yeast and sugar. Wait until the yeast activates and becomes foamy, as pictured above. Mix the eggs and vanilla into the milk yeast mixture.

STEP 2: Make the brioche. Combine the flour and salt together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Pour the wet ingredients into the flour and mix on low-medium speed for about 3 minutes, or until it forms a ball around the hook. Add in one piece of butter at a time, allowing it to fully incorporate before adding the next. Once all of the butter is incorporated, turn the mixer up to medium-high speed and mix for 8-12 minutes.

STEP 3: Preform the windowpane test. To check if the dough is ready, tear off a small piece and carefully spread it out to see if you can see the light through it without it tearing. If it tears, mix for another minute and check again. Once the dough is ready, transfer it to a lightly greased bowl, cover, and allow to proof overnight in the fridge. Alternatively, you can let the dough rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.

STEP 4: Make the cinnamon orange cranberry jam. Add all ingredients to a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat for 10-12 minutes stirring often until the cranberries start to break down. Reduce heat to low, and cook for another 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently until it has thickened. Remove from heat and use an immersion blender (or transfer to a blender) and blend until smooth. Pour into a glass jar to cool completely, then chill in the fridge until ready to use. 

STEP 5: Assemble the cinnamon rolls. Once the dough has proofed, punch it down and roll it out on a lightly floured surface to about ¼'' in thickness.

STEP 6: Spread on the jam. Spread about 225g (about 1 cup) of the jam out evenly over the dough.

STEP 7: Cut the cinnamon rolls. Roll the dough up from the long end and seal the edge. Cut off about an inch on either end of the log. Using a ruler (or you can eyeball it), measure out 9 1 ½-inch rolls by scoring lines with a knife. Use dental floss to cut each roll by placing the floss under the dough, wrapping around, and pulling to cut through. 

STEP 8: Proof the cinnamon rolls. Place each roll in a baking dish (measuring at least 10.5"x7.5"), cover, and allow to rise at room temperature for 30 minutes. Towards the end of the proof time, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the cranberry orange cinnamon rolls for 22-25 minutes until barely golden.

STEP 9: Make the cream cheese icing. While the cinnamon rolls are baking, make the icing. In a medium bowl, add the cream cheese, melted butter, and sifted powdered sugar. Whisk vigorously until smooth and the mixture flows off of the whisk. 

STEP 10: Enjoy! Spread the icing all over the warm cranberry orange cinnamon rolls. Top each roll with some orange zest, and enjoy!

Expert Baking Tips

• I recommend allowing your brioche dough to rise slowly overnight in the fridge. Cold dough is so much nicer to work with! But you can also let it proof at room temperature for one hour and make the cinnamon rolls immediately. 
• The cinnamon orange cranberry jam needs time to cool down, so I recommend making this the day before, as well!
• To get a clean cut of each cinnamon roll, use unflavored dental floss rather than a knife. 
• I used this baking dish to bake the cinnamon rolls, but you could also use a 9"x13" cake pan.

FAQ

Storage Tips

These cranberry orange cinnamon rolls are best the day they are baked. Store leftovers in an air-tight container at room temperature for 1-2 days. Warm up in the microwave for a few seconds and enjoy!

Baking in Grams

Other holiday recipes to try

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Cranberry Orange Cinnamon Rolls

These cranberry orange cinnamon rolls are soft & pillowy brioche swirled with a cinnamon orange cranberry jam and topped with a sweet icing.

Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 22 minutes mins

Servings9 cinnamon rolls

CourseBrioche

CuisineAmerican

AuthorSloane

Bake ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

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For the brioche:

• 170 g ¾ cup whole milk, warmed to 110 degrees F
• 30 g 2 ½ tablespoon granulated sugar
• 11 g 3 ¼ teaspoon instant or active dry yeast
• 3 eggs, room temp
• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
• 450 g 3 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• Zest of one orange
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 127 g ½ cup + 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temp

For the cinnamon orange cranberry jam:

• 12 oz fresh or frozen cranberries
• 50 g ¼ cup granulated sugar
• Zest of one orange
• 15 g 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

For the cream cheese icing:

• 56 g 2 oz cream cheese, room temp
• 56 g 4 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 113 g 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• Orange zest, for topping

Instructions

For the brioche:

• Heat the milk to 110 degrees F and stir in yeast and sugar. If using active dry yeast, allow to sit for 15 minutes. If using instant yeast, simply move on to the next step.
• Mix the eggs and vanilla into the milk yeast mixture.
• Combine flour and salt together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the flour and mix on low-medium speed for about 3 minutes, or until it forms a ball around the hook.
• Add in one piece of butter at a time, allowing it to fully incorporate before adding the next.
• Once all of the butter is incorporated, turn the mixer up to medium-high speed and mix for 8-12 minutes. To check if the dough is ready, tear off a small piece and carefully spread it out to see if you can see the light through it without it tearing. If it tears, mix for another minute and check again.
• Once the dough is ready, transfer it to a lightly greased bowl, cover, and allow to proof overnight in the fridge. Alternatively, you can let the dough rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.

For the cinnamon orange cranberry jam:

• Add the cranberries, sugar, orange zest, orange juice, cinnamon, and salt to a medium saucepan. 
• Heat over medium heat for 10-12 minutes stirring often until the cranberries start to break down. 
• Reduce heat to low, and cook for another 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently until it has thickened. 
• Remove from heat and use an immersion blender (or transfer to a blender) and blend until smooth.
• Pour into a glass jar to cool completely, then chill in the fridge until ready to use. 

For assembly:

• On a lightly floured surface, roll the brioche dough out into a rough rectangle about ¼'' in thickness.
• Spread about 225g (about 1 cup) of the jam out evenly over the dough.
• Roll the dough up from the long end and seal the edge. Cut off about an inch on either end of the log.
• Using a ruler (or you can eyeball it), measure out 9 1 ½-inch rolls by scoring lines with a knife.
• Use dental floss to cut each roll by placing the floss under the dough, wrapping around, and pulling to cut through. 
• Place each roll in a baking dish (measuring at least 10.5"x7.5"), cover, and allow to rise at room temperature for 30 minutes. 
• Towards the end of the proof time, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Bake the cranberry orange cinnamon rolls for 22-25 minutes until barely golden.

For the cream cheese icing:

• While the cinnamon rolls are baking, make the icing. In a medium bowl, add the cream cheese, melted butter, and sifted powdered sugar. 
• Whisk vigorously until smooth and the mixture flows off of the whisk. 
• Spread all over the warm cranberry orange cinnamon rolls. 
• Top each roll with some orange zest, and enjoy!

Notes

• I recommend allowing your brioche dough to rise slowly overnight in the fridge. Cold dough is so much nicer to work with! But you can also let it proof at room temperature for one hour and make the cinnamon rolls immediately. 
• The cinnamon orange cranberry jam needs time to cool down, so I recommend making this the day before, as well!
• To get a clean cut of each cinnamon roll, use unflavored dental floss rather than a knife. 
• I used this baking dish to bake the cinnamon rolls, but you could also use a 9"x13" cake pan. 

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