Chocolate Cranberry Sweet Rolls with Orange Glaze

For the dough:
In a small saucepan or in the microwave, warm the milk until lukewarm but not boiling (about 95 F and still comfortable to the touch). Pour the warm milk into the bowl of an electric stand mixer and stir in the sugar and yeast. Let it stand until the yeast is foamy, about 5-10 minutes.

With the dough hook attachment, blend the butter, eggs, and salt into the yeast mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed and don’t worry if it’s not totally mixed. Gradually add the flour and beat at medium speed until a soft dough forms that just pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Then beat until the dough is soft and supple, about 10 minutes longer. (If you do not have a stand mixer with a hook attachment, knead the dough by hand in this step.)

Gather the dough into a ball and transfer it to a lightly greased bowl, turning dough once to grease all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Line the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving overhangs on the sides.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and roll into an even 10×24 inch rectangle. Spread cranberry sauce evenly over the rolled dough, leaving a border around the edge of the dough. Then sprinkle on chocolate chips and orange zest. Tightly roll up the dough, starting from a long side of the rectangle, to form a 24-inch-long log. Cut into 15 even rolls (about 1.5 inches thick each). Arrange them in the prepared baking pan, cut sides up. Cover the dish of rolls with plastic wrap that you’ve sprayed lightly with cooking spray and let them rise in a warm place until they are puffy, 1.5 – 2 hours.

When done rising, preheat the oven to 375 F. Remove the plastic wrap and put the dish into the oven. Bake for 25 minutes, until they are golden and the tops are firm to the touch. Transfer the pan to a rack to cool for about 15 minutes before glazing, or let rolls cool completely before freezing.

For the glaze: In a small bowl, whisk the icing sugar and orange juice until smooth, starting with 2 tablespoons and adding more if necessary to reach desired drizzling consistency. Pour glaze over the warm rolls (either fresh from the oven or microwaved—both are amazing) and serve.

To make ahead: During the second rise, cover the sliced rolls with plastic wrap sprayed lightly with cooking spray and let them sit in the fridge overnight before baking. Bring to room temperature before baking. Baked rolls can be frozen in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months and warmed up to enjoy at a later date.

Recipe adapted from Food and Wine magazine.