Cranberry Orange French Toast Roll Ups make a festive breakfast for this time of year. They are a great way to cook with seasonal cranberries and oranges and create a special breakfast for the holidays and Christmas morning.
There is a bit of a process required to make the different fillings, assemble and cook the french toast rolls but Cranberry Orange French Toast Roll Ups can be made in advance and reheated in the oven the next morning when you are ready to serve them.
If you like the idea of a french toast breakfast dish with the cranberry orange flavor but you are looking for a simpler recipe, check out Cranberry Orange French Toast Bake. This easy recipe is assembled the night before and baked the next day. It would make a good Christmas Breakfast.
If you would like to try some other French toast recipes, check out Baileys French Toast, Egg Nog French Toast, Berry French Toast Bake, Orange Brioche French Toast, Blueberry French Toast Bake, Pumpkin French Toast and Overnight Apple Cinnamon French Toast.
If you would like try a different type of breakfast casserole for the holiday season, check out Sausage Strata, Bacon Egg and Cheese Casserole and Brunch Eggs.
SOME THINGS TO KNOW: FAQ’S
INGREDIENT TIPS:
- Choose a sturdy sandwich white bread to make this recipe. You will need to flatten it out thin so it can be easily rolled.
- Fresh cranberries are ideal for a bright, tart flavor. Read How to Choose Cranberries and Keep Them Fresh.
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
- Saucepan: For preparing the cranberry compote. A medium-sized saucepan is ideal.
- Mixing Bowls: You will need two bowls. A small bowl is needed for mixing the cream cheese with orange juice and zest and another large shallow bowl or pie plate is needed to mix the egg mixture.
- Whisk: This is needed for thoroughly mixing the egg, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon together.
- Sharp knife: To remove the crusts from the bread slices neatly.
- Citrus Juicer: For efficiently extracting fresh orange juice. You can also do this by hand, but a juicer makes the process easier and more efficient.
- Microplane or Zester: For grating the orange zest. A fine grater also works if you don’t have a microplane.
- Rolling Pin: This is needed to flatten the bread slices. If you do not have one a glass can be used.
- Spatula or Wide Turner: This will help you easily flip the French toast rolls in the pan without breaking them.
- Non-stick Skillet or Griddle: A large skillet or griddle is necessary for cooking the French toast. Non-stick surfaces help prevent sticking and make for easier cleanup.
- Measuring Cups and Spoons: For accurately measuring ingredients like milk, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract.
- Butter Knife or Small Spreader: To spread the cream cheese and cranberry compote on the bread.
- Optional: Sieve or Sifter: If you are serving the roll ups with powdered sugar, a sieve or sifter is useful for evenly dusting the sugar over the cooked French toast rolls.
- Optional: Electric Mixer: If your cream cheese is a bit firm, an electric mixer can help to quickly and smoothly combine it with the orange juice and zest.
SUBSTITUTIONS:
- If fresh cranberries are not available, frozen cranberries are a great substitute. There is no need to thaw them first. You could also use 1 cup of whole berry cranberry sauce, just omit the ¼ cup granulated sugar.
- If cream cheese is not available or you prefer something different, mascarpone cheese or ricotta cheese can be good substitutes. They offer a similar texture but with slightly different flavors.
- If you do not have fresh oranges, bottled orange juice can work.
- Any dairy or non-dairy milk can be used in place of the whole milk. Almond, soy, or oat milk can be good alternatives for a dairy-free option.
- If you do not have vanilla extract, you can use almond extract for a different flavor. You could also skip it.
- Nutmeg or allspice can be good alternatives to the ground cinnamon or you can simply omit it if you don’t have any.
- If you do not have butter to cook the french toast, you can use a neutral oil like canola or vegetable oil.
- The granulated sugar can be replaced with light brown sugar.
HOW TO STORE CRANBERRY ORANGE FRENCH TOAST ROLL UPS:
- The french toast roll-ups can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Before storing the roll ups, let them cool down to room temperature. This prevents condensation inside the storage container, which can make the bread soggy. Place the roll ups into an airtight container or wrap them tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
- The roll ups can be frozen for up to 3 months. Arrange the cooled roll ups on a baking sheet in a single layer. Freeze them for about 1-2 hours or until solid. This step prevents them from sticking together when stored for a longer period. Place the frozen roll-ups into a freezer bag or an airtight container.
- Defrost the roll ups overnight in the refrigerator.
HOW TO REHEAT CRANBERRY ORANGE FRENCH TOAST ROLL UPS:
- To reheat roll ups in the oven, place them into a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) in a baking dish covered with foil for about 10-15 minutes or until heated through.
- You can also reheat the cranberry orange french toast roll ups in a microwave. Place the roll ups onto a microwave safe plate and cover them with a microwave safe lid or wrap. Cook them for 1-2 minutes intervals until heated through.This way might not retain the crispiness of the roll ups as well as an oven.
Combine the fresh cranberries, granulated sugar, and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until the cranberries burst and the mixture thickens into a compote.
In a small bowl, blend the softened cream cheese with freshly squeezed orange juice and orange zest until smooth.
Use a rolling pin or glass to flatten out each slice of bread.
Spread one tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture on one side of each bread slice. Spoon 1½ tablespoons of the cranberry compote down the center of each bread slice. Start at one end of the bread and roll the bread tightly.
Whisk together the eggs, whole milk, vanilla extract, and ground cinnamon in a shallow large bowl or pie plate. Dip each roll into the egg mixture, turning so that all sides of the roll are well coated.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the rolls to the skillet and cook, turning often until all sides are cooked to a golden brown.
Cranberry Orange French Toast Roll Ups
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Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups fresh cranberries
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 8 slices white sandwich bread, crust removed
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Optional: powdered sugar for serving
Instructions
Combine fresh cranberries, granulated sugar, and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until the cranberries burst and the mixture thickens into a compote.This will only take 3-5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
In a small bowl, blend the softened cream cheese with freshly squeezed orange juice and orange zest until smooth.
Use a rolling pin or glass to flatten out each slice of bread. Roll the pin a few times in each direction to achieve this.
Spread one tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture evenly over the top of each bread slice.
Spoon 1½ tablespoons of the cranberry compote down the center of each bread slice.
Start at one end of the bread and roll the bread tightly.
Whisk together the eggs, whole milk, vanilla extract, and ground cinnamon in a shallow large bowl or pie plate.
Dip each roll into the egg mixture, turning so that all sides of the roll is well coated.
Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat.
Add 4 of the rolls to the skillet and cook, turning often until all sides are cooked to a golden brown.
Place the first batch into a 200 degree per-heated oven on a baking sheet to keep warm while you cook the second batch.
Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in the skillet and cook the 4 remaining rolls.
Serve the Cranberry Orange French Toast Roll Ups warm sprinkled with powdered sugar over the tops and maple syrup.
