Cranberry Yeast Bread: The Best Buns for Thanksgiving Leftovers
Sneak Preview: This Cranberry Yeast Bread recipe makes the best slider buns for leftover turkey or ham. The dough is flavored with jellied cranberry sauce and dried cranberries. Although this recipe is designed to be mixed with a bread machine, you can also use a hand mixer or make them by hand.
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Satisfy the tradition of having cranberries on your Thanksgiving menu with this delicious Cranberry Yeast Bread. If Thanksgiving is already over and you have some leftover Cranberry Sauce, it’s the only excuse you need to make these rolls.
Recipe Inspiration
Jellied cranberry sauce, the smooth and sweet kind you buy in a can from the grocery store, was a tradition in my husband’s family. He talks about it every Thanksgiving and likes to see it on our table.
Turns out this cranberry sauce does amazing things for homemade bread. Adding dried and sweetened cranberries to the dough adds to the flavor profile.
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This bread machine recipe makes tasty slider buns for leftover turkey or ham sandwiches. Add cheese and/or mustard to your sandwich if you want to be like the “condiment family.” (That’s our nickname.)
Leftover rolls are a breakfast treat with a little bit of jelly. Microwave Lemon curd is my favorite.
Ingredients and substitutions:
- CRANBERRY SAUCE: Canned cranberry sauce is the easiest way to go. I’ve only tested this recipe with the smooth variety.
- MILK: Whole milk is always best in bread because of the higher fat content. When I don’t have whole milk on hand, I substitute a tablespoon or two of cream for part of the milk. The milk does not need to be warmed.
- EGG: All of my bread recipes are tested with “large” eggs. If you use a different size, don’t forget to adjust your other liquid.
- SALT: I use table salt or sea salt. If you want to use Kosher salt, add ¼ teaspoon extra. Don’t be tempted to leave the salt out completely. The yeast needs it to work right.
- BUTTER: Some people substitute hydrogenated shortening or margarine for the butter. It’s unnecessary to let the butter come to room temperature. Chop it finely and the friction of the paddles in your bread machine will melt the butter in a hurry.
- LEMONS: Fresh lemon rind gives the best flavor. Be careful not to grate into the white part of the lemon skin. The lemon flavor can be omitted if you like. Orange zest would make a wonderful variation.
- FLOUR: My first choice is all-purpose flour (unbleached). Bread flour would also work but makes the rolls slightly chewier. All-purpose bleached flour will suffice if that’s all you have.
- YEAST: Bread machine or instant yeast is the easiest option. If you only have active dry yeast, see the recipe notes for further instructions.
- DRIED CRANBERRIES: These are optional. Substitute raisins, dried cherries, or dates if you prefer. Add toasted almonds, walnuts, or pecans for even more flavor.
Using a Bread Machine for making yeast bread:
If you are new to my blog, you may not know that I use my bread machine in a rather unorthodox way. I almost never use it for baking bread. The DOUGH cycle is my favorite way to mix, knead, and provide a warm place for the first rising of the dough.
If you are a bread machine beginner, be sure to read 6 Secrets for Bread Machine Beginners to get started on the right foot. For nearly all my bread recipes, you will only use the DOUGH cycle.
After the dough cycle completes and the dough has doubled its original size, remove the dough to a floured surface. (If your kitchen is cold, the dough may need to sit in a warm place for a while longer to rise until it doubles.)
Looking for easy clean-up?
Use a silicone baking mat as your “lightly floured surface” when shaping bread. When you’re done, clean-up is as easy as throwing the mat into the dishwasher.
What is the best pan for baking yeast rolls?
Gold Teflon-coated cake pans are perfect for baking homemade dinner rolls. The pans in the picture came from Williams-Sonoma. They will help your rolls brown perfectly on the bottom. USA cake pans are also favorites.
If you don’t have any gold pans, at least use dark pans as opposed to light-colored pans for the best golden brown color on the rolls. If you don’t have two 8 or 9-inch cake pans, you could use a 9 x
A trick for covering the rolls while they rise…
Use cheap shower caps (like the kind you get at a hotel) to cover your rolls while they rise just before baking. You could use a tea towel, but these caps are just the right size and hold in the moisture better. They’re light enough to stand up which gives the rolls plenty of room to grow without sticking to the plastic.
FAQ for Cranberry Yeast Bread
Yes. Roll out the dough into a rectangular shape. Starting with the short end, roll the dough into a tight cylinder. Seal the seams and the end. Place the cylinder of dough seam side down into a prepared 8½ x 4½ inch loaf pan. Let the dough rise until it peeks over the edge. Bake at 350˚(180˚C) for 30-35 minutes or until the internal temperature measures 190-200˚F (88˚C).
Yes. After shaping the rolls or loaf, place the rolls on a baking sheet (or a loaf pan is making a loaf) and cover them with plastic wrap. Freeze until the rolls or loaf is hard. Remove the rolls from the pan and double-wrap.
When ready to bake, remove the rolls or loaf from the freezer and allow them to thaw and start to rise. When the rolls are puffy, bake as directed in the directions.
Parting Thoughts: Are you an adventurous bread maker? I thought you might be since you looked at this recipe. Check out these easy bread recipes for Dark Dinner Rolls (No Rye)–A Bread Machine Recipe, Herb and Garlic Yeast Rolls, and these Overnight Yeast Rolls with All-Bran. I think you’ll find any of these rolls a great addition to your dinner table.
If you have questions or suggestions, email me privately for a quick answer: Paula at saladinajar.com. Hope to see you again soon!
Cranberry Yeast Bread–A Bread Machine Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup jellied cranberry sauce - room temperature (296 gr)
- ¼ cup whole milk or half and half - lukewarm (57 gr)
- 1 egg - 50 gr
- 1 teaspoon salt - 6 gr
- ¼ cup butter - softened (57 gr)
- Grated rind from two medium lemons
- 3 cups all-purpose unbleached flour - 360 gr
- 2 teaspoons bread machine yeast - 6 gr
- 1 cup dried cranberries - 130 gr
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to the bread machine pan in the order given.
- Select the DOUGH cycle and push the start button.
- Check the dough at least twice during the mixing and kneading phase by lifting the lid to take a peek. The first time, look immediately after the machine starts mixing to ensure the paddles are engaged correctly. Look again 15 minutes into the DOUGH cycle to assess the consistency of the dough. For most recipes, the dough should stick to the side, then pull away cleanly.If your dough is too wet, add flour one tablespoon at a time.Conversely, if the dough is too dry, add one tablespoon of liquid at a time until the dough looks just right. Read more about this surprising secret to success with a bread machine here.
- When the machine beeps to indicate the best time for additions, add dried cranberries to the dough.
- When the dough cycle completes, remove dough from the bread machine and place it on a floured surface. (I prefer to use a silicone baking mat so I can throw it into the dishwasher when I’m done.)
- Divide dough into two equal pieces. Then divide each of those dough balls into 8 equal-sized portions and shape them into balls.
- Place balls into two 8-inch cake pans as pictured above.
- Cover rolls with a tea towel or shower caps and let rolls rise for approximately 45 minutes or until almost double in size.
- Preheat oven to 350˚F.
- Bake rolls approximately 14-16 minutes or until golden brown.
- After removing rolls from the oven, let them sit in the pan for about 5-8 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool. If you leave the hot rolls in the pan, they will become soggy on the bottom.
Notes
- To make this recipe in a heavy-duty stand mixer: Add ingredients to the bowl in the same order. Turn on low to mix until all ingredients are moistened. Using a dough hook, turn speed to 2 or 3. Continue beating/kneading until dough becomes smooth and elastic (about 5-10 minutes). Cover and allow to rise in a warm place. Deflate dough gently and shape as indicated in the recipe.
- If making by hand: Combine all ingredients into a shaggy ball in a large bowl. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead with your hands until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. This will likely take 10-20 minutes depending on your experience. Place the dough ball into a greased bowl. Cover and allow to rise until double. Deflate the dough gently and shape as indicated in the recipe.
- Please note: You can substitute active dry yeast. Dissolving it first is optional. It tends to rise slower in the beginning but will catch up eventually.
Essentials
- Instant Yeast
Paula Rhodes, author
I’m a retired home economist, wife, mother, grandmother, and creator of Saladinajar.com. I believe you don’t have to be a chef to find joy in creating homemade food worth sharing. Here you’ll find time-saving tips, troubleshooting advice, and confidence-inspiring recipes to make life in the kitchen more fun, appetizing, and satisfying.