Is there anything more wonderful than waking up to the aroma of sweet rolls baking in the oven? My sweet friend Jamie, Life’s a Feast, asked us to bake bread for her birthday. So for her virtual Birthday/Bread Baking Day #26, I woke up early and baked her Whole Wheat Orange Cranberry Sticky buns.
I’ve been seeing lots of scrumptious cinnamon rolls on the web lately, but since one of my sons isn’t crazy about cinnamon I decided to make orange rolls instead. I Googled orange rolls and came across a fun blog I hadn’t visited before, Frugal Dr. Mom. She had an Orange Sticky Bun recipe that I knew my troops would love.
I substituted my favorite dinner roll recipe for the buns. I used whole wheat pastry flour, bread flour and vital wheat gluten, but it works just as well with all purpose flour if you’d rather. I also used a simple orange glaze instead of the sour cream and butter glaze that Dr. Mom used and sprinkled on sweetened dried cranberries. These rolls were scrumptious – sweet and light and fluffy. My boys and I managed to quickly devour an entire pan full in one sitting!
Jamie and I were born in the same year and this is a milestone birthday for us. Be sure and stop by her blog on February 5 and wish her Happy Birthday and check out all of the scrumptious birthday treats the blogosphere baked up for her. Happy Birthday Jamie!
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 Tablespoons grated orange rind
- 1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries (Craisins)
- 1 -2 tablespoons butter, softened
- 2 cups bread flour
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 2 teaspoons vital wheat gluten
- 1 package rapid-rise (instant) yeast
- 1 cup milk (120º to 130º)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
Directions
- Filling: In a small bowl, mix ¾ cup of sugar with orange rind; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix 1 cup bread flour and 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour, wheat gluten, and yeast. Heat and stir milk, sugar, 1/4 cup butter, and salt until butter is melted and milk is between 120º to 130º. Add to flour mixture, add egg. Beat at low speed for 1/2 minute. Beat 3 minutes at high speed.
- Mix in the remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough. (Add more or less if necessary.) Knead until smooth (6 to 8 min.). Shape into a ball. Place in greased bowl, turn. Cover, let rise until double (45 to 60 Min.).
- Preheat oven to 350°. Punch dough down and turn out onto floured surface. Divide into 2 equal parts. Roll each part into a 12? circle. Brush circles with softened butter. Sprinkle with orange-sugar mixture. Sprinkle with cranberries. Cut each circle into 8 pie-shape wedges. (I like to use a pizza cutter for this.)
- Cover the filling with a piece of wax paper and gently press the filling into the dough. Starting at wide end, roll up wedges. Place point side down in greased 9×13? pan. Cover and let rise in warm place until almost double in size, about 1 hour.
- Bake, uncovered, 20 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove from oven; cool 15 minutes. Combine powdered sugar and orange juice. Drizzle over rolls.
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I love to bake, especially cookies, cakes, and pies. I’ll post my adventures in the kitchen, my favorite new recipes, as well as our family favorites.
They look so delicious! I like the fact that they are whole wheat very much.
Oh these look fantastic – what a charming change from the regular cinnamon roll. These look fresh and juicy and yummy!
If you're using fresh cranberries, cut them in half and simmer them in a saucepan with a couple of tablespoons of water and the greater amount of sugar for 8 to 10 minutes. Keep the heat low and give the mixture an occasional stir.
If you're using dried cranberries, put aside one quarter of the filling ingredients for later.
Oooh,…waw!! These look so special & so delicious, Barbara!
Excellent food!
These are great. I have made them several times (modified the bun recipe with sifted freshly home-ground white wheat flour plus a number of other changes) but this was a great idea. I also added chopped walnuts. Really amazing! The one picky point is that it says brush dough with remaining butter but nowhere does it say what this is remaining of. Is it part of the 1/4 cup butter that appears to go into the bun recipe or was it separate? The pizza cutter idea works great.
Hi Tim – thanks for the feedback. I’m glad you’re enjoying the rolls. Chopped walnuts and freshly ground wheat sound like great additions. I’ve updated the recipe with the needed changes. Thanks!