Leftover Cranberry Sauce Yeast Dinner Rolls: a Bread Machine Recipe
Put that leftover cranberry sauce to good use. Make this Cranberry Yeast Bread into a loaf, dinner rolls, or slider buns. The lemon and cranberry flavors go perfectly with turkey or ham. It's also a delicious way to put cranberries on your Thanksgiving menu.
Add all ingredients: 1 cup jellied cranberry sauce, ¼ cup whole milk or half-and-half, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ cup butter, chopped, Grated rind from two medium lemons, 3 cups all-purpose unbleached flour, and 2 teaspoons bread machine yeast or instant yeast, 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 1 cup 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 cheap shower caps and let rolls rise for approximately 45 minutes or until almost double in size.
Preheat oven to 350˚F (180˚C).
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.