Holiday Crescent Rolls From Pillsbury

Five ingredients and a tube of crescent dough turn into a festive holiday snack in about 30 minutes. Finely chopped cranberries, orange zest, ginger, and cracker crumbs get mixed together and spread across each dough triangle before rolling.

The cracker crumbs do an important job here. They absorb the moisture from the cranberries during baking, keeping the filling from making the pastry soggy. Without them, the cranberry juice would seep through the thin crescent dough.

Orange zest and ginger give the filling a warm, bright flavor that screams holiday without being overly sweet. The cranberries bring tartness and a pop of red color that shows when you break open the golden crescent.

Roll them up just like the package directs. The filling stays inside the spiral and melts into a jammy layer as the dough puffs and browns.

Kitchen Tips

• Chop the cranberries finely. Large pieces push through the thin dough and poke holes.
• Spread the filling evenly but stop just short of the edges so it doesn’t squeeze out during rolling.
• Fresh cranberries work best here. Dried cranberries won’t release the same juice and the filling will be too dry.
• These are best served warm from the oven while the pastry is still flaky and the filling is soft.

Variations

• Cream cheese cranberry: Spread a thin layer of softened cream cheese on each triangle before adding the cranberry mixture.
• Pecan crunch: Add finely chopped pecans to the filling mixture for nutty texture alongside the tart cranberries.