Cranberry Cherry Rolls with Cream Cheese Glaze

Hello all– It seems most every Thanksgiving we find ourselves seated at someone else’s table for a bountiful Thanksgiving feast.  And this year it’s true again.  We’re trekking up to San Francisco to share the day with kids there.

But don’t you know one of the nicest parts of Thanksgiving dinner is the leftovers!  So a couple weeks ago we decided to have an early Thanksgiving with friends– with the bonus of a little turkey, cranberry and stuffing in the fridge over the next few days!

It was the best.  Dear comfortable friends, talking long into the night over our potluck feast.  They brought the chutney, potatoes, asparagus, chipotle sweet potatoes in the door and I roasted a turkey– and baked up these cranberry cherry rolls.  I think they might just right for Christmas morning this year too.

CRANBERRY CHERRY ROLLS WITH CREAM CHEESE GLAZE

Dough:
1 package rapid rise yeast (1 tab.)
1 cup warm milk (120-130 degrees)*
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup oil
1 egg, room temperature**
3  1/2 cups flour

Filling:
1  1/2 cups cranberries, finely chopped
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup cherry preserves

Glaze:
4 oz. cream cheese
1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 or 2 tab. whole milk or half & half
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Put the yeast in a large heat proof mixing bowl (glass is best).  Stir in the warm milk until the yeast is dissolved.  Then add in the sugar, salt, oil and egg.  Mix together.  Next about 1/2 cup at a time, stir in the flour.  When it’s all mixed, knead the dough just 3 or 4 minutes.  If the dough gets sticky, add a bit more flour.

Cover the bowl with a damp dish towel and set it in a warm place to rise and hour & 15 minutes. (I heat the oven to 200 degrees for just 3 minutes and then turn it off while I’m mixing up the dough– then set the bowl in the warmed oven to rise)

While the dough’s rising, chop the cranberries– blender or food processor cuts them to fine bits.  Stir them with the sugar in a bowl and then add the cherry jam.  Set aside.

Take the dough out and punch it down and lift it from the bowl to a counter sprinkled with flour.  Roll out the dough with a rolling pin until you have a rectangle about 10″ by 18″.   Then spread the cranberry mixture over the rolled out dough clear to the edges.

Starting at the long 18″ upper edge, roll the dough toward you until you have a long tube shaped roll.  Then cut the rolls into 1″ slices and put them in a 9″x 13″ baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray.  (or–I used 2 10″ tart pans instead.)  Makes about 18 rolls.

Pop the rolls into the slightly warm oven to rise for 45 minutes more.

At the end of the 2nd rise of 45 minutes, turn up the heat to 375 degrees and make the rolls for 20 to 25 minutes until they are nicely browned.

While they are baking, whisk together the powdered sugar and 2 or 3 tablespoons of milk (depending on how thick you want your glaze to be).  When the rolls come out of the oven, let them cool about 10 minutes and then drizzle the glaze over the rolls.  They taste heavenly, eaten warm from the oven!

*I microwave the milk for 1 minute and it gets it pretty close to 120–then use a candy thermometer to check the temperature.
**Just microwave the egg for a few seconds if you’re taking it from the fridge.

And here’s the friends– Sue pouring helping with the table before dinner.

Thankful for you– Sue, Paul, Jill, Tim, Jenni, Jim, Jac, Jackie, Janet & my Larry too.