Cranberry Orange Rolls

Easy cranberry orange rolls with cream cheese glaze. These soft bakery-style sweet rolls are soft and buttery, they freeze beautifully, and are packed with orange and cranberry flavor. Warm and gooey, they are perfect for breakfast or brunch, or as a holiday treat!

Discover how to bake soft breakfast rolls swirled with bright cranberry and orange! These Cranberry Swirl Buns are a festive twist on the classic cinnamon roll-sweet, tart, and bright with orange zest in every bite. A homemade cranberry-orange sauce is swirled into soft, buttery dough, then topped with a luscious orange cream cheese glaze that melts into the warm buns.

If you love cranberry and orange combination, try this Cranberry Orange Bread with Vanilla Glaze. You might also like other Breakfast and Brunch Recipes.

Why you'll love this recipe

• Quick and Easy: This beginner-friendly recipe uses detailed step by step photo instructions, troubleshooting, tips and FAQs to guide you along the way.
• Make-Ahead Breakfast: You can also freeze the dough for make ahead breakfast, so it's ideal for beginners or busy mornings, and a make-ahead breakfast for holidays or any special occasion.
• Sweet and Tangy: With every bite, you'll get bright citrus flavor and juicy berries wrapped in pillowy dough and topped with luscious cream cheese glaze.

Key Ingredients

• Cranberries (fresh or frozen): They add tartness and color to the inside of each roll. Cranberries also keep flavors balanced and prevent the cranberry orange rolls from being overly sweet.
• Sugar: Sweetens the cranberries as they cook down, balancing their natural sourness. It also feeds the yeast so that it can grow and make the dough rise. Sugar also helps the cranberry filling become slightly thick and sticky, so it stays in the rolls.
• Salt: Salt brings out flavor and keeps the rolls from tasting bland. It also slows down the yeast just a bit so your dough isn't over-inflated, resulting in the right chewy texture.
• Cream cheese: The base of the glaze that makes the glaze creamy instead of runny. This pairs really nicely with the tart filling.
• Butter: Adds smoothness and richness so the glaze and makes it spread easily over the rolls.
• Powdered sugar: Sweetens the glaze and creates that classic smooth, glossy texture that sits beautifully on top of the warm rolls.
• Orange juice: Loosens the glaze to the right consistency and brings bright, citrusy flavor to match the filling.
• Milk: Adds moisture so the dough comes together and isn't dry. Milk also helps make the dough softer and gives a richer, more tender crumb (that's the inside texture of the bread).
• Butter (melted): Butter is fat, and fat keeps the dough rich and soft. It also adds that comforting, classic roll flavor you expect and helps keep the baked rolls from drying out.
• Egg: Helps bind everything. Egg also makes your dough a bit fluffier, adds color, and gives extra richness to the finished rolls.

Plus vanilla and orange zest.

How to Make Cranberry Orange Rolls

This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients, measurements & instructions are in the recipe card below. 

1. Proof Yeast

Warm the milk, then mix it with sugar and yeast until it becomes foamy (that's how you know the yeast is alive).

2. Combine the dry and wet ingredients

1. Dry Ingredients: Flour, sugar and salt
2. Wet Ingredients: Eggs, butter and vanilla

3. Knead the Dough and Let It Rise (First Rise)

1. Mix until a shaggy dough forms. Knead on a floured surface for 8-10 minutes (or in a stand mixer with a dough hook for 5-6 minutes) until smooth and elastic.
2. Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size-about 1 to 1½ hours.

4. Prepare the Cranberry Filling

Cook cranberries with sugar, zest, juice, and a pinch of salt until the berries burst and the mixture thickens into a jam-like sauce. Let it cool before spreading-hot filling would make the dough soggy.

5. Roll the Dough

Roll the dough into a rectangle first.

6. Spread Cranberry Filling

Next spread the cooled cranberry filling evenly over the dough, leaving a ½-inch border.

Roll up tightly from the long side and slice into 12 equal pieces using unflavored dental floss or a sharp knife.

7. Second Rise

Cover and let the rolls rise for 45 minutes.

8. Bake the Rolls

Bake at 350 F. until golden brown and fragrant. The kitchen should smell like sweet oranges and warm bread.

9. Make and Add the Glaze

Beat together cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, orange juice, and zest.

Spread over the rolls while still warm so it melts slightly into the swirls.

If you make this - tag me on instagram or join me on Facebook so I can see your "cranberry orange rolls" creation!

Success Tips for Easy Cranberry Orange Rolls

• Add flour gradually: Sprinkle in flour a little at a time to avoid a dense dough. The dough should be soft, slightly tacky, and easy to knead, but not dry or crumbly - resist the urge to add extra flour too quickly.
• Room temperature egg blends more easily into the dough than a cold one.
• Knead well: Knead dough until smooth and elastic; it should bounce back when poked. Don't add too much flour on the work surface or hands.
• Rising environment: Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot. If the kitchen is cold, use the oven trick: turn oven to 150°F (66°C) for a few minutes, turn it off, then place covered dough inside, leaving the door slightly cracked. Let it finish rising with the door closed.
• Don't skip cooling the filling: Hot compote can make the dough soggy or difficult to roll.
• Make-ahead tip: Cover and refrigerate the shaped rolls overnight. Let them come to room temperature and rise for about 45-60 minutes before baking.
• Try a drizzle: For a more casual finish, thin the glaze and drizzle it on with a spoon.
• Use frozen orange juice concentrate in the cream cheese glaze for extra flavor.
• Double the glaze recipe to make the buns extra decadent!

Key Yeast Tips for Beginners

• Use fresh, reliable yeast: Choose a quality brand like Red Star Platinum or Fleischmann's Rapid Rise for most consistent results. Always check the expiration date, as expired yeast won't rise properly.
• Proofing yeast: Warm the milk or water before adding yeast, but never too hot - it should be between 100-110°F (38-43°C), feeling just warm to the touch. Too-hot liquids will kill the yeast, while cool liquids won't activate it; use an instant-read thermometer if available.
• Wait for foam: When proofing, the yeast mixture should look foamy after 5-10 minutes. If not, start over - either the yeast is old, or the liquid was at the wrong temperature.
• Room temperature ingredients: Butter and eggs should be at room temperature to keep yeast activity optimal and avoid accidentally chilling or overheating the dough. Warm but not hot milk is key to activating (not killing) the yeast.

Why Did My Cranberry Orange Rolls Not Rise?

• Dead or Expired Yeast: The most common culprit! Always check your yeast's expiration date and proof it before mixing by combining it with warm liquid (105-115°F) and a pinch of sugar - it should become frothy and bubbly within 5 minutes.
• Too Much Salt (Wrong Salt) or Sugar: Excess salt or iodized salt can both slow or kill yeast.
• Cold Kitchen: If your kitchen is below 70°F, the yeast will work very slowly or not at all. Find a warm spot like inside a slightly warmed (then turned off) oven, on top of the refrigerator, or near a heating source to encourage proper rising

How to Prevent Dry Rolls

• Check Internal Temp: Rolls are done at about 190-200°F; beyond that, they'll dry out.
• Avoid Overbaking: If the tops brown too fast, cover loosely with foil halfway through baking.
• Add Heavy Cream: Pouring a little cream over the rolls before baking keeps them ultra-soft and gooey.

Oven Steam Trick: If you want to rescue an entire dry batch, place the rolls on a baking sheet, spritz lightly with water, then cover with foil. Bake at 300°F for 10 minutes. The foil traps steam, which softens the structure inside while reviving the crust without hardening it.

Easiest Way to Spread Sticky Cream Cheese Glaze

1. Use softened cream cheese and butter for a lump-free glaze that's easy to spread.
2. If the glaze is still too thick, very gently microwave it in 10-second bursts and stir between intervals until easily spreadable-avoid overheating, as it can get runny or separate.
3. Spread glaze while the rolls are still warm, as the residual heat will help it melt and coat every nook and cranny.

Essential Tools

• Dough Whisk. You'll want to use the stainless steel dough whisk to easily knead the dough before rolling it out. You can also knead the dough by using a dough hook in your food processor or by hand.
• Wooden spoon. I recommend mixing your dough together with a
• Rolling pin. You can also use a wine bottle - empty one of course.
• Serrated knife. This razor sharp knife will cut your cranberry orange rolls seamlessly right after baking! Or, ... use floss (clean one please).
• 9x13 inch pan. I also recommend using 9x9-square inch, or 9-inch circular pan so that the cinnamon rolls fit well and bake properly.

To Make Cranberry Rolls Gluten Free

Look for a gluten-free bread flour blend or all-purpose blend that contains xanthan gum or guar gum-these help mimic the structure and elasticity of gluten, which is key for soft, chewy rolls.

Dairy-Free Substitutions

• Milk: Use unsweetened almond milk, oat milk, or soy milk instead. These add moisture without changing flavor or texture.
• Butter: Substitute with vegan butter, margarine, or coconut oil. Vegan butter works best for a classic taste and soft texture.
• Cream cheese (for glaze): Choose a dairy-free cream cheese such as Tofutti, Kite Hill, Violife, or homemade cashew cheese. These mimic the tang and texture of traditional cream cheese.

Storage Tips: Keeping Rolls Soft After Baking

For extra softness, consider brushing the rolls with melted butter as soon as they come out of the oven, which helps lock in moisture before storing.To keep rolls soft after baking, let them cool completely, then store them in an airtight container or tightly wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to two days. This method helps seal out air and lock in moisture, preventing your homemade rolls from drying out or getting stale quickly.

• Unglazed rolls: To keep rolls soft after baking, store them in an airtight container or wrap tightly with plastic wrap as soon as they are fully cooled-this keeps out air and prevents drying.
• For frosted rolls, letting them sit at room temperature for up to two days is safe, since the sugar in cream cheese frosting acts as a preservative, but refrigerate or freeze for longer-term storage.
• Freeze: Freeze rolls individually wrapped and placed in a freezer bag or airtight container for up to 1 month; thaw at room temperature and reheat in the preheated oven or microwave for best texture.

More Brunch Treats You'll Enjoy

• Banana French Toast Casserole
• French Buckwheat Crepes (gluten-free)
• Cinnamon Roll Apple Cake
• Easy Apple Cinnamon Cake