Soft Orange Rolls Delight (Printable Version)

Fluffy citrus rolls filled and topped with creamy orange frosting, ideal for breakfast or brunch.

# What You Need:

→ Dough

01 - 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - Zest of 1 large orange
06 - 1/2 cup whole milk, warmed
07 - 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
08 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
09 - 2 large eggs, room temperature

→ Orange Filling

10 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
11 - 2 tablespoons orange zest
12 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

→ Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

13 - 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
14 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
15 - 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
16 - 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
17 - 1 teaspoon orange zest
18 - 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
19 - Pinch of salt

# How-to Steps:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine warm milk, orange juice, sugar, and yeast. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy.
02 - Add melted butter, orange zest, eggs, and salt to the yeast mixture. Mix thoroughly until well combined.
03 - Gradually add flour, mixing until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. Knead by hand or with a dough hook for 8 to 10 minutes, adding more flour as needed, until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
04 - Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with a cloth, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, approximately 1 hour.
05 - Mix granulated sugar and orange zest together in a small bowl to release the citrus oils. Set aside.
06 - Punch down the risen dough and roll out on a lightly floured surface into a 16 by 10 inch rectangle.
07 - Spread softened butter evenly over the dough rectangle. Sprinkle the orange sugar mixture uniformly across the surface.
08 - Starting from the long side, roll the dough tightly into a log. Cut the log into 12 equal rolls using a sharp knife or dental floss.
09 - Arrange rolls in a greased 9 by 13 inch baking dish. Cover and let rise until puffy and light, approximately 30 to 40 minutes.
10 - Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake rolls for 22 to 25 minutes until the tops turn golden brown.
11 - While rolls bake, beat softened cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar, orange juice, zest, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat until the frosting reaches a smooth, spreadable consistency.
12 - Allow rolls to cool for 10 minutes after baking. Spread frosting generously over the warm rolls.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're less fussy than they sound, and the orange flavor tastes fancy without requiring any fancy ingredients.
  • Your kitchen will smell so good that people will show up just hoping to eat one, and you'll have them lined up on your countertop.
  • Soft enough to pull apart with your fingers but substantial enough to feel like real food, not just sweet pastry.
02 -
  • Don't skip the rest time after the second rise; underproofed rolls will bake up dense, but overproofed ones collapse into the pan and turn gummy inside.
  • Fresh orange juice and zest are non-negotiable here; I learned this the hard way when I tried using bottled juice and the whole batch tasted like artificial sweetness instead of bright citrus.
  • The frosting needs to go on warm rolls or it won't set properly and will just sit on top instead of creating that creamy frosting layer you want.
03 -
  • Use a bench scraper or credit card to portion the dough into perfectly even rolls; they'll bake at the same rate and look beautiful when arranged.
  • If you don't have a zester, a microplane grater gives you the most fragrant, fine orange zest and wastes less pith than a box grater.
  • Room temperature ingredients mix together more smoothly and create a softer, more tender crumb than cold ingredients, so pull everything out of the fridge about an hour before you start.
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