Christmas Cranberry Roll Ups
These festive Christmas Cranberry Roll Ups feature sweet-tart cranberry filling wrapped in flaky crescent dough and rolled in cinnamon sugar. Quick to make but impressive to serve, they’re a holiday treat that balances brightness with warming spices.
Ingredients
- 2 cans 8 oz each refrigerated crescent roll dough
- 1½ cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- ½ cup granulated sugar plus ¼ cup for rolling
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water for thickening
- Optional: ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Instructions
- Prepare the cranberry filling first by combining cranberries, ½ cup sugar, orange juice, and zest in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
- Cook the cranberries until they begin to burst, about 5-7 minutes. Gently mash some of the berries with a spoon while leaving others whole for texture.
- Add the cornstarch slurry to the simmering cranberry mixture, stirring continuously until the filling thickens, about 1-2 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in the butter, vanilla, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. Allow the mixture to cool completely (you can speed this up in the refrigerator).
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix the remaining ¼ cup sugar with cinnamon in a shallow dish and set aside.
- Unroll the crescent dough and separate into triangles along the perforated lines. Gently flatten and stretch each triangle slightly.
- Spread about 1 tablespoon of cranberry filling over each triangle, leaving a small border around the edges. Sprinkle with nuts if using.
- Roll up each triangle starting from the wide end and moving toward the pointed tip. Curve into a crescent shape.
- Gently roll each crescent in the cinnamon-sugar mixture until lightly coated and place on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each roll up.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown and slightly puffy. The filling may bubble out slightly, which adds to their rustic charm.
- Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- The cranberry filling can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- For an extra special touch, drizzle cooled roll ups with a simple glaze made from powdered sugar and orange juice.
- If cranberries are too tart for your taste, increase the sugar in the filling to ⅔ cup.
- Be sure to cool the filling completely before assembling to prevent the dough from becoming soggy.
- These freeze beautifully! Freeze in a single layer, then transfer to a container and store for up to 1 month. Reheat in a 350°F oven for about 5 minutes.