Luscious Orange-Cranberry Sweet Rolls

These sweet rolls are super soft and tastily flavored with orange, cranberry, and the tiniest bit of cardamom. This yeasted dough bakes up beautifully for a pull-apart treat!

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 25 mins
• Total Time: 55 mins
• Calories: 429 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 egg
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• ⅓ cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
• ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 tablespoon instant yeast
• 1 cup milk, warmed
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 2 tablespoons grated orange zest, or more to taste
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• ½ (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Bake in the preheated oven until golden, about 25 minutes.

Step 2

Place warm milk in the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Add yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar. Let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add orange juice, egg, butter, and orange zest to the bowl. Mix for 1 minute on low speed.

Step 3

Add 3 cups flour and salt. Start mixing on low speed for 1 minute, then increase speed to medium for 2 minutes. Add dried cranberries. Mix in remaining 1/4 cup flour if needed; dough will be sticky.

Step 4

Transfer dough to a greased bowl, cover, and allow to rise for 1 1/2 hours.

Step 5

While dough is rising, prepare the filling. Pour sugar into a medium bowl. Add orange zest and cardamom; work into the sugar with your fingers. Add softened butter and mix thoroughly. Set aside.

Step 6

Turn dough out onto a large surface sprinkled with flour. Sprinkle more flour across the top. Roll into a large rectangle using a rolling pin. Spread the filling evenly over the rectangle. Roll up tightly from 1 long side. Cut log in half using a serrated knife. Cut each half in two so that the log is now quartered. Cut each quarter into 3, for 12 rolls total.

Step 7

Place rolls into a lightly greased pan. Cover and let rise for 45 minutes.

Step 8

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place the pan of rolls on a foil-lined baking sheet in case any of the filling spills over.

Step 9

Meanwhile, make the orange icing. Whip cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer. Add powdered sugar and mix for 1 minute. Add orange juice and zest. Continue mixing until icing is smooth and spreadable. Place in the refrigerator until rolls are ready.

Step 10

Remove rolls from the oven and cover immediately with icing.