Orange Rolls

Closeup of orange sweet roll on white plate with a fork

Sweet and fluffy orange rolls made with real orange flavor! This recipe is simple and I walk you through all the steps in my how-to video!

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 45

Cook Time 25

Rising Time 2

Total Time 3 10

Servings sweet rolls

Calories 426kcal

Author Sam Merritt

Equipment

Ingredients

Sweet Dough

1 cup (236 ml) whole milk
⅓ cup (78 ml) water
2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast¹ 1 packet
5 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted but not too hot
1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk room temperature preferred
⅓ cup (70 g) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons salt
5 cups (625 g) all-purpose plain flour divided, plus additional as needed
2 teaspoons fresh orange zest ²

Filling

⅓ cup (70 g) granulated sugar
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
6 Tablespoons butter softened/nearly melted, divided

Orange Glaze

1 ½ cups (190 g) powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons melted butter
2-4 Tablespoons orange juice

Instructions

Sweet Dough

Combine milk and water in a heatproof dish and warm in the microwave until 105-115F (40-46C) (stir before checking temperature).
1 cup whole milk, ⅓ cup water
Pour the milk mixture into a large bowl (you could also use a stand mixer for this recipe), add the yeast and sprinkle in a generous pinch (about 1 teaspoon) of granulated sugar. Stir and allow to sit for about 5-10 minutes until yeast is foamy (if yeast does not foam see my FAQ section, you will need to start over).
2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast¹ 1 packet, ⅓ cup granulated sugar
Once yeast is foamy, add ⅓ cup granulated sugar, melted butter, eggs, salt, 2 cups (250g) of flour, and orange zest. Stir well until ingredients are well-combined.
5 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted, 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk, 2 teaspoons salt, 5 cups all-purpose plain flour, 2 teaspoons fresh orange zest ²
Gradually add additional flour (if using a stand mixer use the dough hook attachment and low-speed) until the dough clings to itself and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Add flour until the dough is slightly tacky to the touch. If making by hand, transfer to a clean, lightly floured surface and knead for 5-10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic (if using stand mixer, mix on low/medium speed for 3-5 minutes). Add more flour as needed.
Transfer to a large lightly oiled bowl and turn the dough to lightly coat the entire surface with oil. Cover and allow it to rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size (about 1-2 hours).

Filling & Assembly

Meanwhile, prepare your filling by whisking together ⅓ cup granulated sugar and ground cinnamon. If your butter for the filling is not easily spreadable, pop it in the microwave for a few seconds until slightly melty. Use 2 tablespoons of butter to generously grease the sides and bottom of a 9x13 baking dish and set aside.
⅓ cup granulated sugar, 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, 6 Tablespoons butter
Once dough has risen, punch down and transfer to a clean lightly floured surface. Roll to a 10x20” (25x50cm) rectangle.
Spread 4 tablespoons of butter (reserve 2 tablespoons for greasing pan) evenly across the surface of the dough, leaving a ¼” (½ cm) perimeter of the dough unbuttered. Sprinkle evenly with cinnamon/sugar.
Starting with one 20” (50cm) end, roll dough tightly into a log. Cut into 12 even pieces and space them evenly in greased pan. Cover with a clean towel and allow to rise until the gaps between the rolls have been mostly filled, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350F (190C).
Once rolls have risen and oven is preheated, remove towel and bake in 350F (175C) oven for 25 minutes (if using a glass baking dish you may need longer) or until cooked through (I use a knife to check if the cinnamon rolls are cooked through or still gooey inside).

Orange Glaze

While rolls are cooling, prepare your glaze by whisking together sugar, butter,and orange juice. Drizzle or spread over rolls while still warm. Enjoy!
1 ½ cups powdered sugar, 2 Tablespoons melted butter, 2-4 Tablespoons orange juice

Video

Notes

¹Yeast

You may substitute instant yeast. To do so combine yeast, sugar, salt, and half the flour and then add the warmed milk and water and stir well. Stir in butter, eggs, and then add remaining flour as needed and proceed with the recipe as written.

²Orange zest

Make sure when zesting your orange you don’t go too deep; avoid the papery white “pith” layer as this is bitter and does not have the orange flavor you need.

Storing

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.

Nutrition