Add the boiling water to the dried cranberries. Let them sit and soak for approximately 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Combine the milk, water, and butter in a medium saucepan.
Heat on medium heat until the butter starts to melt, and the liquids are warm to the touch (120-130°F or 49-55°C). Remove from heat and set aside.
In the large bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flour, sugar, quick-rise instant yeast, salt, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and grated orange zest; set aside.
Add the warm liquids to the dry ingredients. With the dough hook, knead for 10-15 seconds.
Add 2 lightly beaten room temperature eggs and knead for approximately 4-5 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic. The dough should be soft and almost pull away from the sides of the bowl. The dough should not stick to your fingers, if it does, add 1-2 tablespoons of flour.
Add the drained cranberries and knead for another 15-30 seconds or until incorporated in the soft dough.
Cover and allow to rest for about 10 minutes.
While waiting, line a 12 x 18″ rimmed baking sheet or two 9 x 13″ baking pan with parchment paper. Alternatively, brush them lightly with butter.
If you have a scale, weigh your ball of dough and divide it by 24 in order to create equal-sized pieces of dough. On a lightly floured work surface roll and shape into a ball.
If you don’t have a scale, on a lightly floured work surface, shape the dough into a log and divide the dough into 4 equal parts. Then, divide each quarter in half, and finally each half in thirds. Shape each of the dough pieces into a small ball. Repeat this procedure until you have formed 24 balls of dough.
Keep the dough covered with a tea towel as you shape each piece of dough into a smooth ball.
Place on the prepared pans and cover with cling wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Let them sit in a draft-free and warm place for about 35-40 minutes or until doubled in volume.
While the buns are rising, place the rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
White flour cross (optional):
Combine the flour with 6 tablespoons of room temperature water. Transfer this “paste” to a piping bag. Alternatively, use a “Ziploc” plastic bag and snip off one of the corners. Pipe crosses across the buns.
Egg wash (optional):
As an option, brush the tops with an egg wash, milk or just plain water. To make the egg wash, whisk together 1 egg with 1 teaspoon of water. As an alternative, simply brush the tops with room temperature milk or just plain water.
Time to bake:
Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool off. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Video
Notes
Always test your yeast to make sure it is still active.
The most accurate method to measure flour is by weight.
If the cranberries appear too wet even after straining, pat dry with a clean tea towel.
Although this recipe can be made by hand, you get the best results using a stand mixer.
Flour your hands to prevent the soft dough from sticking to your hands.
Best served the day they are made.
*adapted from a recipe in Country Fair recipe booklet by Fleischmann's