Don’t you just love holiday junk food? Cookies, cakes, and sugary hot drinks are all very well, but many of these favorites will max out the guilt-o-meter. On this blog, I’ve made it my mission to post healthy recipes that taste just as good as their traditional counterparts. And this cinnamon roll recipe is no exception.
In the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving this year, I was planning up a storm. I was going to grace our Thanksgiving table with so many unique and nutritious recipes..as soon as I finished all my homework, and spent time with my friends, and watched the funniest new Youtube videos. and did more homework…and before I knew it, it was the week before Thanksgiving! Frantically I shoved first one batch, then another of corn muffins in the oven. Sadly, neither batch was good enough to make for Thanksgiving dinner, or to post on this blog. I attended the family dinner empty-handed.
The morning after Thanksgiving, a sunbeam broke through the overcast sky. I blinked my eyes open, and the first thing that popped into my head was this urgent voice calling out, “Cranberry orange cinnamon rolls!” The day after Thanksgiving, when blogging about cranberry orange stuff becomes so unhip until around next November. So typical.
But I couldn’t wait until next year to act on that brilliant impulse. It wouldn’t be fair to my audience, who I know secretly enjoys cranberry orange stuff even on the third FRIDAY of November. Right? Nod your head. You know you want that delectable combination of tangy orange and tart cranberries, especially when it’s wrapped in cinnamon and sealed with a kiss of white chocolate.
I won’t make you wait a year, or even a minute. I’ll deliver the recipe right now, into your clamoring hands and lustful mouths. Good thing it’s healthy!
Cranberry Orange Cinnamon Rolls with White Chocolate Glaze
based on this recipe from Hungry Healthy Girl
makes about 10 smallish rolls
Ingredients:
for dough
- 1 cup all purpose flour (+ a bit more for flouring your surface)
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- scant 1/2 tsp salt
- pinch cinnamon
- 1/3 + 1/4 cup orange juice
- 3 tbl orange marmalade
- 1/3 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- zest of one medium orange
for filling
- 1/4 cup orange marmalade
- 3-4 tsps cinnamon
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
for glaze
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
- 1 tbl water
Directions:
For rolls: Preheat oven to 400 Fahrenheit. Spray a regular-sized muffin tin with nonstick spray, or line with paper liners.
In a large bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Stir.
Add the orange juice, 3 tbls marmalade and the plain Greek yogurt. Mix well. Dough will be thick.
Place dough on a flat, floured surface. Shape into a rectangle.
Spread the marmalade on the rectangle, leaving just the edges plain. Sprinkle cinnamon on top of this. Add the cranberries, distributing evenly across the rectangle.
Roll up rectangle into a long cylinder. Using a sharp knife, cut into 10 rolls.
Place rolls in the muffin tin. Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
For glaze: Fill a medium to large saucepan with one inch of water. Place a bowl on top of the saucepan. Fill the bowl with 1/2 cup white chocolate chips and 1 tbl water. Heat the saucepan to medium. Stir mixture in the bowl constantly until it is melted.
Remove from heat. Mix vigorously with a spoon until mixture is homogenous and has a thick, glaze-y texture.
When cinnamon rolls have cooled for a few minutes, spread glaze lovingly over the top of each. Now you’re ready for a sinfully delicious holiday treat: enjoy!
You Might Also Like:
True Healthy Me 