Cranberry cinnamon roll bake is a showstopper holiday dessert or brunch dish you can make with minimal effort! Turn ordinary canned cinnamon rolls into a festive semi-homemade masterpiece with just four ingredients. You get all the glory of a homemade cranberry upside-down cake without any of the fuss.
You will love the stunning contrast between the tart cranberries and sweet cinnamon rolls. When you flip it over, the cranberries create a gorgeous ruby-red top that is perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas. The tart pop of cranberries cuts through the sweet cinnamon-sugar swirl perfectly, making this so much more interesting than your average cinnamon roll.
If you’re thinking a 4-ingredient dessert can’t possibly be good enough for the holidays, I get it. But the combination of the buttery brown sugar caramelizing with the cranberries creates a sophisticated flavor that tastes completely from scratch. Nobody will realize you started with canned dough.
And while this cake looks elegant enough for your Thanksgiving table, it’s simple enough for a lazy Sunday morning when you want something special but don’t want to work too hard for it. Let me show you the simple steps to make this cranberry cinnamon roll bake.
Looking for more quick and easy desserts? Try cinnamon roll cake, potato chip squares, or Bisquick chocolate chip muffins.
Ingredient Notes
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
- Fresh cranberries
- Cinnamon rolls: Here’s where convenience meets delicious – grab a tube of your favorite refrigerated cinnamon rolls. I usually use Pillsbury, but any brand will work.
- Brown sugar
- Butter
How to Make Cranberry Cinnamon Roll Bake
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a saucepan, combine your butter and brown sugar. Heat the pan, stirring occasionally, until melted.
- Add half of your cranberries to the butter-sugar mixture. Keep cooking and stirring for about 10 minutes. This helps break down some of the cranberries and creates a gorgeous sauce.
- While that’s cooking, prep your cake pan. Give an 8-inch cake pan a good coating of cooking spray.
- After your initial cranberries have cooked down, stir in the remaining cranberries. Pour everything into your prepared cake pan.
- Open up the tube of cinnamon rolls and cut each roll into smaller pieces. I usually cut each roll into about six pieces, but don’t stress about making them perfectly even.
- Arrange these pieces over the cranberry mixture, trying to cover it evenly.
- Put the pan in your preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when the cinnamon roll pieces are nicely browned on top.
- Let it cool for 10 minutes in the pan.
- Carefully flip the cake onto a serving platter so the cranberry layer is on top.
Serving Ideas
This Cranberry Cinnamon Roll Bake is a showstopper that’s perfect for holiday brunches or special breakfasts. My family loves it warm from the oven, but it’s just as delicious at room temperature. The sweet-tart cranberries paired with gooey cinnamon rolls make it an ideal companion to a hot cup of coffee or tea.
For an extra special treat, try serving it with:
- A dollop of whipped cream
- A scoop of vanilla ice cream
- A drizzle of the icing that comes with the cinnamon rolls
- A light dusting of powdered sugar for an elegant touch
This cake also makes a fantastic dessert after a cozy winter dinner. I’ve served it at Thanksgiving when I wanted something different from traditional pumpkin pie!
How to Store
Store any leftover cranberry cake in an airtight container for up to 2 days. If you want to keep it longer, you can store it in the fridge for up to 5 days. Let it come to room temperature before serving, or warm slightly in the microwave.
Tips & Tricks
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
- Those 10 minutes of cooling time are crucial. They allow the cranberry topping to set just enough so it doesn’t all run off when you flip it.
- When I’m cutting up the cinnamon rolls, I find it easiest to use kitchen scissors instead of a knife. The dough doesn’t stick as much, and I can quickly snip it into roughly 1-inch pieces.
- Don’t throw away the icing that comes with the cinnamon rolls! While this cake is delicious on its own, I like to warm up the icing slightly and drizzle it over individual servings for an extra special touch.
Reader Questions
Yes! I’ve made this with both fresh and frozen cranberries. If using frozen, don’t thaw them first – just add them straight from the freezer. You might need to cook the sauce for an extra minute or two.
I use the standard 12.4 oz tube that typically contains eight rolls.
Adding the cranberries in two stages gives you the perfect mixture of broken-down, jammy cranberries and whole berries that keep their shape.
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Cranberry Cinnamon Roll Bake Recipe
Ingredients
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 10 ounces cranberries
- 1 tube Cinnamon Rolls with 8 rolls
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Mix the butter and brown sugar in a saucepan and heat until both melt.4 tablespoons butter, ¾ cup brown sugar
- Add half the cranberries and continue heating, stirring, for 10 minutes.10 ounces cranberries
- Spray an 8-inch cake pan with cooking spray.
- After 10 minutes, add the remaining cranberries, and pour the entire mixture into the cake pan.
- Open the cinnamon rolls and cut them into small pieces.1 tube Cinnamon Rolls
- Spread the cinnamon roll pieces in the cake pan, covering the cranberry mixture.
- Bake for 20 minutes, until cinnamon rolls are browned on top.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
- Flip the cake onto a platter so that the cranberries are on top.
Notes
- This works fine with fresh or frozen cranberries.
- Those 10 minutes of cooling time in the pan are important. They allow the cranberry topping to set just enough so it doesn’t all run off when you flip it.
- When I’m cutting up the cinnamon rolls, I find it easiest to use kitchen scissors instead of a knife.
- Don’t throw away the icing that comes with the cinnamon rolls! While this cake is delicious on its own, You can warm up the icing slightly and drizzle it over individual servings for an extra special touch.
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
