Cranberry Orange Sweet Rolls
These Cranberry Orange Sweet Rolls are an exceptional pairing of fresh, tart cranberries with bright orange zest, brown sugar, and pizza dough to create a decadent treat! They’re the perfect fall and winter pastry for breakfast, afternoon snacks, or even dessert!
There are few things in life more satisfying and comforting than a warm, fresh cinnamon roll. If you like that classic breakfast treat, you’ll really enjoy this sweet roll with a seasonal spin.
What makes these Cranberry Orange Sweet Rolls so different? They have the look of a cinnamon roll, but they’re made with fresh cranberries, orange zest, and brown sugar. Not to mention, there’s no mixing and rising the dough because they’re made with a refrigerated pizza crust!
❤️ Why We Love This Recipe
- These cranberry orange rolls are a flavorful and filling way to start your day.
- The recipe is very simple to follow!
- They’re a great way to use up fresh cranberries left after the holidays.
- You can make them ahead of time, store them in the fridge, and just pop them in the oven when you’re ready to bake.
🥄 Equipment You’ll Need
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- Pastry Brush (or basting brush)
- Food processor or blender
- Sharp knife
- 9×9 baking pan
- Small mixing bowl
🛒 About the Ingredients
- Refrigerated Pizza Dough (I recommend Pillsbury brand, regular (not thin) pizza crust.)
- Fresh Cranberries (Can also use frozen, thawed cranberries.)
- Oranges (My preference is navel oranges.)
- Powdered Sugar (Also called confectioner’s sugar or 10X sugar.)
You’ll find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe at the bottom of this post.
🔪 How to Make Cranberry Orange Sweet Rolls
Prep Work
STEP 1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
STEP 2. Spray the baking pan or dish with cooking spray.
STEP 3. Zest the orange and set it aside.
STEP 4. Melt the butter.
STEP 5. Open the pizza dough and gently roll it out into a rectangle.
STEP 6. Brush half of the melted butter onto the pizza dough rectangle.
Chop the Cranberries
STEP 7. Add the cranberries, brown sugar, and orange zest to a food processor or blender. Pulse until the cranberries are coarsely chopped.
Spread Cranberry Mixture on Dough
STEP 8: Spread the cranberry mixture evenly onto the pizza dough rectangle, covering all the way to the edge.
Roll Into a Log
STEP 9: Roll the dough into a log starting on a long edge.
Cut Rolls
STEP 10: Cut the log into 9 even pieces using a sharp knife. Place the rolls into the prepared 9×9-inch baking pan. Brush rolls with the remaining butter.
Bake
STEP 11: Bake 25-30 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown. Allow to cool slightly before topping with glaze.
Make and Apply the Glaze
STEP 12: To make the glaze, whisk together powdered sugar and milk in a small bowl. Glaze rolls just before serving.
🍚 Storage and Make Ahead Information
- This recipe can be made the day before and stored covered in the fridge until you’re ready to bake. Let the rolls come to room temperature before popping them in the oven.
- Store at room temperature in a sealed container for 2 to 3 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days. To reheat, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and bake them for about 10 minutes, or until warm.
- To freeze, store the completely cooled sweet rolls in an airtight container for two months. To reheat, allow the rolls to thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then reheat the same as above.
❗ Tips
- Any brand of pizza dough will work for this recipe. However, the thin crusts are more difficult to roll, so choose a regular crust.
- Start making the glaze while the sweet rolls are in the oven to save some time. For a thicker glaze, add an additional 1/4 cup powdered sugar (for a total of 3/4 cup powdered sugar).
- Got Thanksgiving or Christmas leftovers? Try using whole cranberry sauce instead of the fresh cranberries. Skip the processor step when using cranberry sauce.
- The glaze can be served on the side for those who like more or less sweetness.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
You can use many kinds of yeast dough to make sweet rolls. White or wheat bread dough works great. Or, if you want a lighter, flakier roll, try using crescent roll dough.
They definitely won’t be quite the same, but you can try substituting dried cranberries by rehydrating them. To rehydrate them, pour boiling water over the dried cranberries until covered and let them sit for 20-30 minutes. You can also try using whole canned cranberries or frozen cranberries.
You can use a gluten-free pizza dough. I recommend Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix.
Sweet rolls are done when the internal temperature in the center is 190 degrees. To check without a thermometer, use a fork to gently pull up on the center roll. If it’s still sticky, they need more time. Check every few minutes until they’re baked through.
Questions? I’m happy to help!
If you have more questions about the recipe, or if you’ve made it and would like to leave a comment, scroll down to leave your thoughts, questions, and/or rating!
Thanks so much for stopping by!
📖 Recipe
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Cranberry Orange Sweet Rolls
Ingredients
- 13.8 ounces refrigerated pizza dough (recommend Pillsbury classic pizza dough)
- 4 tablespoons butter melted
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 2 oranges (zest only)
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Spray the baking pan or dish with cooking spray.
- Zest the oranges and set it aside.
- Melt the butter.
- Open the pizza dough and gently roll it out into a rectangle.
- Brush half of the melted butter onto the pizza dough rectangle.
- Add the cranberries, brown sugar, and orange zest to a food processor or blender. Pulse until the cranberries are coarsely chopped.
- Spread the cranberry mixture evenly onto the pizza dough rectangle, covering all the way to the edge.
- Roll the dough into a log starting on a long edge.
- Cut the log into 9 even pieces using a sharp knife. Place the rolls into the prepared 9×9-inch baking pan. Brush rolls with the remaining butter.
- Bake 25-30 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown. Allow to cool slightly before topping with glaze.
- To make the glaze, whisk together powdered sugar and milk in a small bowl. Glaze rolls just before serving.
Notes
- I recommend Pillsbury brand, regular (not thin) pizza crust.
- Fresh cranberries are best, but frozen, thawed cranberries can also be used.
- This recipe can be made the day before and stored covered in the fridge until you’re ready to bake. Let the rolls come to room temperature before popping them in the oven.
- Store at room temperature in a sealed container for 2 to 3 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days. To reheat, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and bake them for about 10 minutes, or until warm.
- To freeze, store the completely cooled sweet rolls in an airtight container for two months. To reheat, allow the rolls to thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then reheat the same as above.
- Any brand of pizza dough will work for this recipe. However, the thin crusts are more difficult to roll, so choose a regular crust.
- Start making the glaze while the sweet rolls are in the oven to save some time. For a thicker glaze, add an additional ¼ cup powdered sugar (for a total of ¾ cup powdered sugar).
- Got Thanksgiving or Christmas leftovers? Try using whole cranberry sauce instead of the fresh cranberries. Skip the processor step when using cranberry sauce.
- The glaze can be served on the side for those who like more or less sweetness.
- You can use many kinds of yeast dough to make sweet rolls. White or wheat bread dough works great. Or, if you want a lighter, flakier roll, try using crescent roll dough.
- For a gluten-free version, use a gluten-free pizza dough. I recommend Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix.
- Sweet rolls are done when the internal temperature in the center is 190 degrees. To check without a thermometer, use a fork to gently pull up on the center roll. If it’s still sticky, they need more time. Check every few minutes until they’re baked through.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.