The perfect Christmas cake for your festive table
When the scent of cinnamon, warm yeast dough, and fruity cranberries fills the air, you know the holiday season has arrived. These juicy yeast rolls are a highlight on any Christmas table – soft, aromatic, and wonderfully wintry.
They turn out particularly evenly in a cast-iron loaf pan. The trick: bake with the lid on for the first few minutes to help the rolls rise beautifully – then bake without the lid until golden brown.
Ideal for many guests – or for cozy afternoons with family and friends.
Ingredients
For the yeast dough
-
500 g wheat flour (type 550)
-
42 g fresh yeast
-
250 ml milk (lukewarm, approx. 35 °C)
-
2 eggs (room temperature)
-
2 tbsp sugar
-
10 g Christmas spice (e.g., cinnamon, cloves, cardamom)
-
60 g soft butter
-
1 pinch of salt
For the filling
-
100 g sugar
-
1 tsp cinnamon
-
5 g Christmas spice
-
250 g fresh cranberries
-
1 large apple
-
2–3 tbsp water
Optional:
-
1 egg yolk for brushing
-
Icing for decoration
Step-by-step instructions
1️. Prepare the pre-dough
Put flour in a large bowl and form a well.
Crumble in yeast, mix with some lukewarm milk and 1 tbsp sugar.
Dust with a little flour and let rest for 15–20 minutes until the yeast is visibly active.
2️. Knead the main dough
Add remaining milk, sugar, eggs, butter, salt, and Christmas spice.
Knead everything for 8–10 minutes until a smooth, elastic dough is formed.
Cover and let rise in a warm place for approx. 60 minutes until the volume has significantly increased.
3️. Prepare the filling
Peel, core, and finely dice the apple.
Put cranberries, diced apple, sugar, cinnamon, Christmas spice, and a little water in a pot.
Bring to a boil briefly and let simmer gently for 5–8 minutes until a slightly chunky compote forms.
Remove from heat and let cool – the filling must not be hot when applied to the dough.
4️. Form the rolls
Roll out the dough on a floured surface into a rectangle (approx. 40 x 30 cm).
Spread the filling evenly over it.
Roll up from the long side and cut into 3–4 cm thick slices with a sharp knife.
5️. Second proofing
Grease the pan or line with baking paper.
Place the rolls in the pan with some space between them and let rise again for 20–30 minutes.
Optionally brush with beaten egg yolk.
Baking
Oven:
Bake at 175–180 °C top/bottom heat
for approx. 25–30 minutes.
In a cast-iron pan with lid:
-
Bake for 5–10 minutes with the lid on
-
Then remove the lid and continue baking until golden brown
If the surface gets too dark, cover loosely.
Optional refinement
Mix powdered sugar with a little lemon juice to create icing and drizzle over the still slightly warm rolls.
💡Tips
- Do not let the dough rise in too hot an environment (max. 30 °C)
- Be sure to let the filling cool down
- Also possible with dried cranberries
- Perfect for preparing the day before
A heartfelt thank you to
www.puenktchens-mama.defor the inspiration!
0 comments