These puff pastry cranberry cinnamon rolls deliver all the cozy cinnamon-roll vibes without the long rise times or the stress.
Light, flaky, buttery, and filled with that sweet-tart cranberry layer, this is your shortcut holiday treat that tastes like you spent hours baking it, but you absolutely did not! It’s a win-win in my book!
Puff Pastry Cranberry Cinnamon Rolls
The baking season is officially here, which means bring on all the delicious and sweet treats!
One thing we love to do is use puff pastry sheets as a time-saver (and stress-saver) in our recipes.
What I love about this cinnamon roll recipe is that it’s easy for a beginner baker to follow, but it still passes as a baked good that someone with plenty of experience would make.
For this recipe, we are using a homemade cranberry sauce that is also quick to make and ready in no time. You can find the recipe for our homemade whole berry cranberry sauce on the blog.
The other ingredients, puff pastry, cinnamon sugar, butter, and brown sugar, are all you need to bring this recipe to life!
What You Will Need:
Puff Pastry Sheets. Two to three sheets, thawed but still cold. These give you that flaky, buttery cinnamon-roll texture without the work. Plus, using puff pastry sheets makes it super easy to whip up a batch of homemade cinnamon rolls.
Homemade Cranberry Sauce. Just a quarter cup, but it brings all the sweet-tart holiday flavor. You can try our homemade cranberry sauce recipe here. You can also use the store-bought canned sauce, but the homemade sauce adds so much more flavor.
Unsalted Butter. One whole stick, melted. You’ll use this to brush the pastry and prep the baking dish.
Brown Sugar. Adds caramel sweetness and helps get that classic cinnamon-roll swirl.
Cinnamon or Cinnamon Sugar. You can use either one, but we opted for the cinnamon sugar.
All-Purpose Flour. Just enough to dust your work surface so the pastry doesn’t stick.
Powdered Sugar. Fresh Lemon + Lime Juice. The base of your icing gives you a smooth drizzle. The juices brighten up the icing and cut through the sweetness with a clean citrus pop.
Tools You Will Need
- Rolling Pin. Puff pastry is usually ready to go, but a quick roll helps smooth out any creases.
- Pastry Brush.For brushing melted butter onto the pastry and into the baking dish.
- Sharp Knife or Pastry Cutter. To slice the rolled dough into even, clean rounds.
- Cutting Board or Large Work Surface. For rolling, buttering, and assembling your pastry.
- 8×8 or 9×9 Baking Dish. The perfect size to keep the rolls snug so they puff up beautifully.
- Small Mixing Bowl. For whisking together the lemon icing.
- Whisk or Fork. To mix the icing until smooth.
- Measuring Cups & Spoons. To keep your brown sugar, citrus, and icing measurements precise.
How to Make Puff Pastry Cranberry Cinnamon Rolls
Serving size: 8-12
Ingredients:
- 2-3 sheets of puff pastry, thawed
- 1/4 cup of homemade cranberry sauce recipe here
- 1 stick of unsalted butter (melted)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar (or more as needed)
- ground cinnamon or cinnamon sugar
- all-purpose flour for scattering on the work surface
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Scatter flour on a clean work surface
- Arrange a single sheet of puff pastry on the floured work surface.
- Brush melted butter over the entire surface of the puff pastry.
- Brush the bottom and sides of an oven-safe baking dish with the remaining melted butter.
- Add the brown sugar and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar evenly over the buttered puff pastry.
- Next, add the homemade cranberry sauce, and spread it over the puff pastry.
- Roll the puff pastry tightly into a long tube.
- Use a pastry cutter or a butter knife to cut the dough into even rounds.
- Arrange the dough into the prepared 8×8 (or 9×9) baking dish.
- Place the baking dish on the center rack, and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
- Remove the cinnamon rolls from the oven and allow them to cool.
- Drizzle the rolls with the lemon icing and serve.
For the Lemon Icing:
- 3/4 cup of powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lime juice
- Whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon, and lime juices in a small bowl until smooth.
- Drizzle the rolls with the lemon icing and serve.
Can I Make The Lemon Icing in advance?
Yes, you can make the lemon icing up to 2 days ahead.
Store it in an airtight container in the fridge before drizzling.
Additional Tips:
- Keep the puff pastry cold until you’re ready to roll it, as this prevents sticking and makes handling easier, leading to better results.
- If you want more filling, double the cranberry sauce, but reduce the brown sugar so it doesn’t spill out while baking.
- Add chopped walnuts or pecans for crunch.
- Want extra glaze? Double the lemon icing recipe.
Can I Make The Cranberry Cinnamon Rolls Ahead of Time?
Yes, you can do a lot of the prep work for these cinnamon rolls the day before. Prepare the rolls up to the slicing step (step 9). Place them in the baking dish, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
Then take out the fridge the next day and bake as usual (starting at step 9).
If you want to freeze them ahead of time, prepare the rolls as usual and slice them as instructed in step 9. Then freeze them on a parchment-lined tray. Once solid, transfer to a freezer-safe bag.
When you’re ready to bake them, pull them from the freezer and bake from frozen. Just add 3-5 more minutes.
How to Store Cranberry Cinnamon Rolls
You can store these cinnamon rolls for up to 1 day covered at room temperature.
You can place them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
When you’re ready to reheat them, just 10 seconds in the microwave or about 5 minutes in a pre-heated 300-degree oven.
Do not store with icing poured on top unless thoroughly cooled — warm rolls + icing = soggy tops.
Can I Use Store-Bought Cranberry Sauce?
Yes! If you love the jelly store-bought sauce, then go right ahead and use it in this easy cinnamon roll recipe.
Keep in mind that the texture and flavor of this recipe may slightly change.
Can these be prepped ahead?
Yes, you can assemble the rolls up to the slicing step, refrigerate overnight, and bake the next morning for a quick holiday treat.
Can I freeze them?
Yes, you can freeze the baked cinnamon rolls.
Bake the rolls as usual, then allow them to cool completely. You will freeze them without icing the rolls.
Once you’re ready to use them, take them out of the freezer. Reheat at 300°F for 5–8 minutes, then add fresh icing.
Alright, now that you have the recipe and all the tips for making these puff pastry cranberry cinnamon rolls successfully, let’s get going!
You can print out the full recipe below.
Happy Baking!
More Recipes To Try:
Cinnamon Rolls With Lemon Glaze Icing
Puff Pastry Cranberry Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Ingredients to make the Cinnamon Rolls:
- 2-3 sheets of puff pastry thawed
- 1/4 cup of homemade cranberry sauce recipe here
- 1 stick of unsalted butter melted
- 1/4 cup brown sugar or more as needed
- ground cinnamon or cinnamon sugar
- all-purpose flour for scattering on the work surface
Ingredients for the Lemon Icing:
- 3/4 cup of powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lime juice
Instructions
Directions for making the Cranberry Cinnamon Rolls
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Scatter flour on a clean work surface
- Arrange a single sheet of puff pastry on the floured work surface.
- Brush melted butter over the entire surface of the puff pastry.
- Brush the bottom and sides of an oven-safe baking dish with the remaining melted butter.
- Add the brown sugar and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar evenly over the buttered puff pastry.
- Next, add the homemade cranberry sauce, and spread it over the puff pastry.
- Roll the puff pastry tightly into a long tube.
- Use a pastry cutter or a butter knife to cut the dough into even rounds.
- Arrange the dough into the prepared 8x8 (or 9x9) baking dish.
- Place the baking dish on the center rack, and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
- Remove the cinnamon rolls from the oven and allow them to cool.
- Drizzle the rolls with the lemon icing and serve.
Directions for making the Lemon Icing:
- Whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon, and lime juices in a small bowl until smooth.
- Drizzle the rolls with the lemon icing and serve.
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