Sandwich of the Month: Turkey Cranberry on a Pretzel Bun

YIELD: 35 sandwiches

This sandwich takes two holiday dinner table all-stars, turkey and cranberry sauce, and pairs them with a trendy bun. (Could the pretzel croissant be the next cronut?)

“The pretzel croissant has a nice flair to it,” says Megan Byers, retail assistant manager, Dining Services at Messiah College, Mechanicsburg, PA.

“Customers get really curious about the buns, especially when they are just coming out of the oven.” It’s a sensory soft-pretzel overload.

The cranberry sauce is whipped up with cream cheese, making a pillowy spread for the turkey to rest on, along with zesty red onions, baby spinach and why not: bacon.

It’s versatile enough to work year-round on menus, Byers says. “The cranberry and cinnamon make it appropriate for a holiday lunch special, but if you changed up the spread with some diced veggies, it’s perfect for spring or summer.”

8 oz. cream cheese
¼ cup sour cream
2 Tbsps. honey
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
2 cups prepared cranberry sauce
¼ cup sweetened dried cranberries
½ tsp. salt
35 pretzel croissants
8 lbs. and 12 oz. smoked turkey, sliced thin
70 pieces of bacon
4 lbs. and 6 oz. baby spinach
4 lbs. and 6 oz. red onion

1. Combine first 7 ingredients. Whip cream cheese mixture until all ingredients are well combined and cream cheese is light and spreadable. Chill and allow to stand at least 1 hour before serving.

2. Split pretzel croissants and spread 1 Tbsp. of cream cheese on both top and bottom.

3. Layer 4 oz. turkey on bottom half. Top with 2 pieces of bacon, 2 oz. sliced red onions and 2 oz. baby spinach