Soft, fluffy cranberry orange cinnamon rolls bursting with citrus flavor and tart cranberries. Easy to make, perfect for brunch, holidays, or cozy mornings.

Freshly baked cranberry orange cinnamon rolls in a 9×13-inch pan, golden brown and fluffy.”

Cranberry Orange Cinnamon Rolls: Easy, Soft, and Perfectly Flavored

Confession time: I’ve tried everything to make fruit-filled cinnamon rolls work. Fresh raspberries? Disaster. Jam? Messy. Frozen berries? Nope. Nothing held up, nothing tasted right, and my kitchen looked like a crime scene.

But then… cranberries happened, and oh boy. Tangy, bright, perfectly balanced, and holding their shape in these cranberry orange cinnamon rolls? Absolute magic. Easy to make, impossible to stop eating, and 100% worth the minor arm workout kneading the dough.

These rolls are now my favorite thing in life (well, minus the pups), and they’re perfect for holiday breakfasts, weekend brunch, or just because you deserve a little tart-and-sweet therapy.

If cinnamon rolls had a glow-up, this would be it.

Heather’s Kitchen Rule #1

If it didn’t work three times, stop forcing it. Fresh berries release too much moisture. Jam leaks. Dried fruit behaves. Choose peace.. and embrace cranberries.

Ingredients

Dough

1 cup warm milk (about 110°F)
2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
⅓ cup granulated sugar, divided
Zest of 1 orange
2 large eggs, room temperature
⅓ cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons orange juice
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt

Filling

12 ounces fresh cranberries
Juice and zest of 1 orange
1 cup granulated sugar

Frosting

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons orange juice
½ teaspoon vanilla (clear if possible)
Orange zest, for topping

Instructions

HowTo Step 1: Cook the Cranberry Filling

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine 12 oz fresh cranberries, 1 cup sugar, zest and juice of 1 orange.

Cooking fresh cranberries with orange, lemon, sugar, and pomegranate juice in a saucepan.”

Bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally. Boil 3 minutes, then reduce to a simmer for 15–20 minutes, until cranberries are softened and sauce thickens slightly. Use the back of your spoon to crush the cranberries and make a paste.

Remove from heat, stir in the butter and allow to cool completely before using.

HowTo Step 2: Activate the Yeast

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, whisk together the warm milk, 2 tablespoons of the sugar, and the yeast. Cover and let sit for about 5 minutes, until foamy on top.

No mixer? A large bowl and wooden spoon work just fine.. arm workout included.

Whisking warm milk, sugar, and yeast to activate for cranberry orange cinnamon roll dough.

Yeast Survival Guide (Read This If You’re Nervous)

Your milk should feel like warm bath water, not hot.
No foam after 5–10 minutes? Start over. Yeast is alive or it’s not.
Yeast loves warmth, sugar, and patience.
Cold kitchens kill vibes and dough.
Check your yeast! Always peek at the expiration date on the back of the packet—dead yeast = sad rolls.

You’re doing great. Breathe.

back of yeast packet to find expiration date

HowTo Step 3: Mix the Dough

Add the remaining sugar, softened butter, orange juice, orange zest, eggs, salt, and 1 cup flour. Mix on medium speed for 1 minute.

mixing ingredients for orange roll dough

Scrape down the bowl, then add the remaining flour. Mix on low until a soft dough forms and pulls away from the sides.

The dough should be soft and slightly tacky – not sticky enough to annoy you. This is the start of your easy homemade cinnamon rolls.

HowTo Step 4: Knead the Dough

Knead in the mixer on low for 6–8 minutes, or by hand on a lightly floured surface.

If the dough sticks, add flour 1 teaspoon at a time. Don’t rush this. A soft dough makes fluffy rolls.

When poked, it should slowly spring back. That’s your green light.

Heather’s Kitchen Rule #3

Dry dough = dry rolls. Don’t panic and over-flour.

HowTo Step 5: First Rise (This Matters)

Lightly grease a large bowl and place the dough inside, turning to coat. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1½–2 hours.

This dough needs warmth.

I move mine to my garage workbench (Florida life – warm and muggy year-round). A laundry room with the dryer running works beautifully. Just don’t park it somewhere cold and expect miracles.

Heather’s Kitchen Rule #4

Cold dough is stubborn dough. Warm dough behaves.

HowTo Step 6: Roll and Fill

Punch down dough and place on a lightly floured surface.

Roll into a 10×16-inch rectangle. Rest 10 minutes if dough keeps shrinking.

Rolling out cinnamon roll dough into a rectangle for cranberry filling

Spread cooled cranberry filling evenly on top and sprinkle with cinnamon.

ooled cranberry filling being spread evenly over cinnamon roll dough.

Roll tightly from the long edge into a 16-inch log. Slice into 12 rolls and place in a greased 9×13-inch pan.

PS.. I always trim off both ends of the roll and toss them .. they are always uneven and not very pretty… but that’s just me. And if your rolls don’t stay perfectly tight .. who cares? They’re going to be slathered in frosting and taste amazing. Don’t worry so much 🙂

Slicing cranberry orange cinnamon roll log into 12 equal rolls for baking.

HowTo Step 6: Second Rise

Cover and let rise again for 30–45 minutes, until puffy and touching.

Yes, this rise matters too.

Cinnamon rolls rising in a baking pan, ready for the oven

HowTo Step 7: Bake

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Bake 25–28 minutes until lightly golden. Tent with foil halfway through if needed.

Internal temp should hit about 190°F if you’re checking.

Cranberry orange cinnamon rolls in a 9×13-inch pan, baking in the oven.

HowTo Step 8: Make the Frosting

Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth.

Add sifted powdered sugar, salt, orange juice, and vanilla.

Drizzle generously over warm rolls and finish with orange zest. … and when you are done taking your hero shot photographs, go crazy and cover those rolls with that frosting.. ALL the frosting .. trust me!

Overhead view of a pan of golden cranberry orange cinnamon rolls with glossy frosting and citrus zest.”

Heather’s Kitchen Rule #5

SIFT YOUR POWDERED SUGAR.
No one likes lumpy frosting.
This will be on a t-shirt someday.

Storage

Cover tightly and store at room temperature for 2 days or refrigerated up to 5. Reheat gently.

Or don’t store them at all.
They won’t last… believe me, there won’t be any leftovers!

Tips & Tricks — Cranberry Orange Cinnamon Rolls

Dough & Rising

Let the yeast do its thing: Use warm milk (~110°F) to activate yeast; foam = alive yeast. Cold kitchens = stubborn dough.
Warm rise spots = magic: Let dough rise in a warm, draft-free environment. Garage workbench (Florida life), a laundry room with a dryer running, or anywhere cozy works beautifully.
Patience is key: First rise should be 1½–2 hours until doubled. Second rise 30–45 minutes until puffy. Rushing = dense rolls.
Soft, slightly tacky dough is good: Don’t over-flour; dry dough = dry rolls. Add flour 1 tsp at a time only if dough is unmanageable.

Mixing & Kneading

Mix by hand if needed: Stand mixer optional. Wooden spoon or silicone spatula works fine; hand-kneading builds muscle and intuition.
Knead 6–8 minutes: Dough should spring back slowly when poked; slightly soft texture is correct.
Rest dough if shrinking: When rolling out, let dough rest 10 minutes to relax gluten if it keeps snapping back.

Filling & Flavor

Cool completely before spreading – Warm filling will make your rolls soggy, so patience pays off.
Check consistency – The filling should be thick but spreadable; simmer a few extra minutes if it’s too runny after cooling.

Baking & Frosting

Tent with foil: If tops brown too fast, loosely tent halfway through baking.
Bake at 350°F (177°C): 25–28 minutes; internal temp 190°F (88°C).
Frost after ~10 minutes of cooling: Warm rolls are ideal for spreading cream cheese frosting, but don’t wait so long that they cool completely.
Sift powdered sugar: Never skip this. Lumpy frosting = unforgivable. One day, this will be a t-shirt.

Make-Ahead & Freezing

Overnight option: Shape rolls, cover tightly, refrigerate overnight. Let sit ~45 minutes before baking.
Freeze before baking: Slice and pan rolls, wrap tightly, freeze up to 1 month. Thaw in fridge overnight, rise 30–45 minutes, bake.
Freeze after baking: Cool completely, wrap tightly, freeze up to 2 months. Reheat at 300°F for 10–15 minutes.
Frosting can be prepped ahead: Spread on slightly warm rolls after thawing or baking.

Extra Flavor Boosts

Uniform slices: Use a sharp knife or dental floss to cut rolls evenly for consistent size and baking.
Don’t rush layering: Spread butter, sugar, and cranberries evenly to avoid uneven pockets.

Make-Ahead & Freezing Instructions

Overnight Make-Ahead: Shape rolls, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. Next morning, let them sit at room temperature for 45 minutes before baking. Perfect for holiday mornings or Sunday brunch.
Freeze for Later:
- Before baking: Roll, slice, and arrange rolls in the pan. Wrap tightly in plastic and foil, freeze up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then let rise 30–45 minutes at room temp before baking.
- After baking: Cool completely, wrap tightly, and freeze up to 2 months. Reheat at 300°F for 10–15 minutes or until warm.
Pro Tip: Frosting can also be made ahead and stored separately in an airtight container in the fridge. Spread over slightly warm rolls for that fresh-baked look and ooze factor.

Final Thoughts

Listen – these cranberry orange cinnamon rolls are everything you want from a cinnamon roll: soft, fragrant, slightly tart, and unapologetically indulgent.

Make them once, and you’ll wonder why you ever tried to improve perfection with those messy raspberries.

Xoxo,
Heather