Cranberry Orange Rolls

In a small bowl, combine the warm milk, yeast, and 1 teaspoon of white sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves and let sit until the yeast activates and becomes foamy, about 5 minutes.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and cooled, melted butter. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups of all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup of white sugar, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Add the yeast mixture and stir gently to combine. Then, add the egg mixture and stir until a sticky dough forms.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead in the remaining 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour, a little at a time, until the dough is no longer sticky. Continue kneading until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes, adding more flour as needed to prevent sticking. Place the dough in a greased bowl, turning to coat. Cover the bowl and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in volume, about 1-2 hours.

While the dough is rising, prepare the cranberry filling. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the chopped cranberries, brown sugar, orange juice, orange zest, cornstarch, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to bubble and thicken slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove the filling from the heat and let it cool to room temperature.

Line a 9x13-inch baking pan and a 6-inch cake pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal. Lightly grease the parchment paper.

Once the dough has doubled, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a rectangle approximately 21x14 inches. Spread the cooled cranberry filling evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border on all sides. Starting at a long side, tightly roll up the dough. Pinch the ends to seal and place the roll seam-side down on a cutting board. Use a very sharp or serrated knife to cut the roll into 15 slices, each about 1 1/4-inch thick. Place 12 rolls in the prepared baking pan and the remaining 3 rolls in the cake pan, cut-sides up.

Loosely cover the pans and let the rolls rise until doubled in volume, about 30-45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Bake in the preheated oven until the rolls are golden brown on top, about 22-27 minutes. Let the rolls cool in the pans for 3-5 minutes before transferring them to a serving plate.

While the rolls are cooling, prepare the glaze. In a bowl, whisk together the confectioners' sugar, heavy cream, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt until smooth. Add more cream to thin or more confectioners' sugar to thicken, as needed.

Pour the glaze over the slightly warm rolls just before serving. Enjoy!