Vegan Cranberry Sauce Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls

I created this recipe in autumn, shortly after Thanksgiving, when I realized how delicious fresh cranberry sauce is. It is really easy to make and the aroma that fills your kitchen is divine. I adore all kinds of berries, but cranberries hold a special place in my heart. I love how tart they are and how well they pair with sweet flavors. I also am amazed at the stunning color they produce when cooked. That being said, I thought they would go really well in cinnamon rolls. And they do! I got so busy with the holidays and this post is a little late, but I still wanted to share it with you. Blessings to you and your family and happy new year!

Ingredients

Cranberry Sauce:
3 cups fresh cranberries
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup maple sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
zest from 1 mandarin orange

Cinnamon Roll Dough: 
1/4 cup warm water
1 tsp active dry yeast
1 cup sourdough starter
1/2 cup coconut sugar
3/4 cup cold almond milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly
3 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
1 tsp sea salt

Filling:
3 Tbsp melted coconut oil
1/2 cup maple sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

Frosting:
1 cup cashews, soaked 2 hours
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup non-dairy milk
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

Cranberry Sauce:
Put cranberries, water, maple sugar, orange juice, and mandarin orange zest in a medium saucepan. Cook on high for 10 minutes, stirring often. Cranberries will pop and sauce will thicken. Let cool and then transfer to a mason jar. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Cinnamon Rolls:
In a small bowl, add warm water and active dry yeast. Stir and then set aside for 5 minutes. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together yeast mixture, sourdough starter, melted coconut oil, almond milk, and vanilla extract. In a large bowl, mix flour, coconut sugar, and sea salt together. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until they form a dough ball. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead for about 5 minutes. Place dough ball in a clean lightly greased bowl. Cover with a kitchen towel and place somewhere warm. Allow dough to rise for 1 hour. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out into a large rectangle, approx 14 x 20 inches. Brush with melted coconut oil. Sprinkle with maple sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Spoon the cranberry sauce out onto dough. Gently spread it around evenly. Roll into a tight roll and cut into even pieces with a serrated knife or floss. The cranberry sauce makes this a messy job. Don't worry about them looking perfect, they will taste great! Place rolls in a pan. I used a 9.5 inch pie pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or kitchen towel and allow to rise for 30 more minutes. Preheat oven 375 degrees F. Remove plastic wrap and bake rolls for 25-30 minutes. While they are baking, prepare frosting. When they are finished cooking, allow to cool for at least 10 minutes. Then frost and serve. 

Frosting:
Soak cashews for at least 2 hours. Drain soaking liquid. Place cashews, milk, and vanilla in a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour mixture into a bowl and mix in melted coconut oil and powdered sugar. Use an electric mixture for best results. Store in refrigerator until ready to use or use immediately.