I don't make these orange rolls often because, frankly, I eat the whole pan, give or take. They're very soft and not too sweet, with a wonderful flavor combination. The sweet orange glaze that seeps into the rolls makes them extra gooey. They can be frozen.
Magic flavor combo
The smell in your kitchen makes it impossible to resist them. You can get into trouble if you're like me and try everything warm from the oven.
Ideally, pastries, in general, should be eaten within a few hours of baking them. Like the strawberry Danish. Cinnamon rolls are no exception, in my opinion. I feel the same about scone recipes, but that's a conversation for another time.
For now, we have these fantastic orange-flavored rolls.
And you can freeze and reheat them briefly before eating. It's the little things, people. Like a warm orange cinnamon roll on a chilly day or after a workday.
FAQ
Achieving a gooey texture involves not overbaking the rolls. Make sure that the center of the rolls is cooked but still soft. Additionally, consider increasing the filling amount, creating a gooey and flavorful center in each roll.
Flat or dense rolls may result from improper proofing of the dough. Allow the dough to rise sufficiently in a warm environment. If your kitchen is cool, it might take longer. The dough should roughly double in size. Also, be gentle when rolling out the dough to maintain the air bubbles, contributing to a lighter texture.
Yes, but you'll get a milder orange flavor. It'll still be great, but incorporating orange zest provides a more robust citrus flavor.
Ingredient Notes
- Orange: fresh orange juice for the glaze and orange zest for the filling.
- Yeast: I use active dry yeast, which needs to be hydrated before. You can use instant yeast (¾ of the amount given for active dry) and add it directly to the flour, then add the liquid, no need to foam it first. If using fresh yeast, the ratio is 3:1 to dry and is used the same way as the active-dry, you need to hydrate it first and let it foam.
- Milk: I like whole milk for richness, but reduced fat and lactose-free also work.
- Flour: we use both all-purpose and cake flour. I find that a mix renders softer rolls. You can use only all-purpose flour if that's all you have.
- Brown sugar: we use light, but dark also works.
- Powdered sugar: also known as icing sugar or confectioners' sugar depending on where you are.
Quantities are listed in the recipe card towards the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands we use.
Variations & substitutions
- Nuts: for added texture, consider sprinkling chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts onto the cinnamon orange filling.
- Cream cheese frosting: go the traditional route with a creamy finish by swapping the powdered sugar glaze for a luscious cream cheese frosting infused with a hint of orange zest. This adds a velvety richness to the overall flavor.
- Dried fruit medley: experiment with the filling by incorporating a mix of dried fruits like raisins, apricots, or cranberries. This variation introduces chewy, sweet bites that complement the orange and cinnamon combination.
- Citrus zest blend: instead of relying solely on oranges, mix things up with a blend of citrus zest. Incorporate lemon or lime zest along with the orange.
Steps to make cinnamon rolls with orange
There is something about working with yeast that is irresistible to me. But I know it's not everyone's favorite subject. It takes a bit of work and organization. You have to adapt to its rhythm.
This dough is straightforward and quite easy to work with.
Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, utensils and equipment needed, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Sweet dough before rising for the first time: Use a large bowl and cover it loosely with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel.
- The dough will double and that's your cue to know it's ready. it will feel much softer and easy to work with.
- I like to use parchment paper to guide me with the size and shape of the rectangle. But you can use a marble countertop. Be careful when spreading the soft butter so you don't tear the dough.
- Sprinkle the cinnamon-orange mixture on top of the butter. Roll tightly from the long side.
- Cut the dough into 16 pieces and use a baking pan or tray that holds them comfortably.
- The rolls must rise again before baking and will bump into each other.
Sweet orange glaze
We forgo the traditional cream cheese frosting and use an orange powdered sugar glaze.
- Drizzle it while the rolls are still warm (not hot), and it will slightly seep into the dough, making it even more soft and amazing.
- Wait until the rolls are at room temperature and drizzle it. It will be thicker, like the image below.
Either way, the result is sweet and gooey. Plain irresistible.
Overnight rolls
Once you know how yeast works and get some practice, you can pop the dough into the fridge until the next day or freeze the unbaked rolls in the pans and give them their last rise after returning to room temperature.
Important: do it in stages, first transfer the pan to the fridge and when it's thawed transfer it to the counter so it comes to room temperature and starts its final rise.
This last step might take a few hours, depending on the room's temperature and how cold the rolls are.
Reheating frozen sweet rolls
When ready to enjoy the frozen rolls, thaw them in the refrigerator overnight. Once thawed, reheat in the oven at a low temperature (around 300°F or 150°C) for 10-15 minutes. This helps restore their texture without compromising the flavor.
Orange and cinnamon are amazing together. And for me, they are associated with fall baking. For some reason, oranges remind me of a fireplace, chilly days, and lazy weekend baking.
So, these orange cinnamon rolls are a staple in my kitchen and should make their way into yours.
Related recipes you might like:
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Orange Cinnamon Rolls (with glaze)
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Ingredients
For the dough:
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast, if using actuve dry or fresh yeast see Notes below
- 2 ¼ cups cake flour
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ¾ cup milk
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and lukewarm
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the filling:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoons orange zest , or to taste
For the glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 to 3 tablespoons orange juice, depending on how thick you want it.
Instructions
- Combine 2 ¼ cups cake flour, 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup sugar and 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast to the bowl of a stand mixer. If making them by hand, use a large bowl.
- Add ¾ cup milk, 3 eggs, 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, and 1 teaspoon salt.
- Attach the dough hook and knead at medium-low speed for 1 or 2 minutes. Increase to medium speed and knead for 7-8 minutes more or until a dough forms. It will not separate completely from the bowl, and it will be barely sticky. If it’s too sticky add a few tablespoons of flour, one at a time, but not too many, kneading for about 30 seconds before deciding if it needs more. The dough will become supple after the first rise, so be careful with the extra flour.
- Transfer this dough to an oiled bowl, turn it over to coat it fully, cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean towel and let rise in a draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
- Gently turn the dough onto a clean counter and pat into a rectangle, about 16x12 inches (30x40cm), the long side parallel to the counter.
- Have the filling ingredients ready.
- Pat mounds with 1 cup unsalted butter, softened, all over the dough. Gently spread it to cover the entire surface. Be careful not to tear the dough.
- Mix 1 cup light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1 ½ teaspoons orange zest in a small bowl. Sprinkle it on top of the butter.
- Lift the longest edge closer to you, from one end to the other, and keep rolling, trying to tighten it as you do.
- Cut into 16 rolls by cutting the dough in half, then each piece in half again. Cut each of those pieces in half. You have 8 pieces. Cut each in half again. If you want to make 16 rolls (they will be larger), cut the long rope in half, then in thirds to make six pieces, and each piece in half again.
- Place in a greased, cover with a clean towel, and let it rise for 1 hour or until puffed. If making 16 rolls, an 8x11-inch pan will be better.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden, puffed, and baked through.
- Prepare the glaze by mixing 1 cup powdered sugar and 2 to 3 tablespoons orange juice until smooth.
- Drizzle over warm rolls and let dry before eating.
- It can be wrapped in plastic and foil and frozen for up to a month. Let thaw at room temperature. Reheat a few minutes before eating.
Hallmark Buddy says
Already added the ingredients to my shopping list.
Can’t wait to try this one!
Fernanda says
Hola Pau!
Cúando dices harina de pastel, te refieres a las de cajita para hacer pasteles (Betty crocker y esas marcas)? O qué tipo de harina de pastel? Muchas gracias!!
Paula Montenegro says
Hola Fernanda, calculo que te referís a cake flour. Es harina de trigo común, pero más refinada y con menos gluten que para pan. Acá en Argentina es la 0000.
John/Kitchen Riffs says
Gosh, these look terrific! Don't think I've ever had orange in cinnamon rolls, but love the idea. I'll bet the flavor of these is awesome! Thanks so much.
Paula Montenegro says
I mix cinnamon and orange all the time, why not rolls?! Thanks John!
David says
These will be perfect for our Halloween brunch! Can't wait to make them!
Mi Vida en un Dulce says
Me encanta la idea de usar naranja, para romper la monotonía de siempre la canela.
Una cosita, revisa los tiempos en la receta, cuando vi que decía 20 horas pensé que había que dejarlo en la refri, pero luego el tiempo de cocción dice 25 horas...así que supongo es solo un pequeño error de tipeo 🙂
Paula Montenegro says
Gracias por avisar Nydia! Lo puse en hora en vez de minutos!
sue | theviewfromgreatisland says
The minute winter hits, I'm all about citrus, these sound SO good, and different from the run of the mill mall copy cat recipes ~ love them!
Paula Montenegro says
Thanks Sue!
Deb|EastofEdenCooking says
I grew up with homemade sweet rolls but never with orange! Since I'm a citrus lover, I must try this fabulous version of the classic!
Paula Montenegro says
I'm a citrus lover too! Have a great week Deb!
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
LOL You sound very much like me...my husband might get one or two rolls, and I will take care of the rest :-)) That's why I dare not to bake them because my self control never won in front of freshly baked goods. These sweet rolls look marvelous, Paula.