Soft Orange Rolls (Print version)

Fluffy rolls with sweet orange filling and citrus cream cheese frosting for a bright, tasty twist.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
04 - 1/2 tsp 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 tbsp orange zest from approximately 2 large oranges
12 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

→ Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

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

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the 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 well to fully incorporate.
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 additional flour as needed, until smooth and elastic.
04 - Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, approximately 1 hour.
05 - Mix sugar and orange zest together in a small bowl to release the essential oils. Set aside.
06 - Punch down the dough and roll out on a lightly floured surface to a 16 by 10 inch rectangle.
07 - Spread the softened butter evenly over the dough surface. Sprinkle the orange sugar mixture uniformly across the buttered dough.
08 - Starting from the long side, roll the dough tightly into a log. Cut into 12 equal rolls using a sharp knife or dental floss.
09 - Place rolls in a greased 9 by 13 inch baking dish. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise until puffy, approximately 30 to 40 minutes.
10 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake rolls for 22 to 25 minutes, until golden brown on top.
11 - While rolls bake, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar, orange juice, zest, vanilla, and salt; beat until creamy and light.
12 - Let the rolls cool for 10 minutes, then spread frosting generously over the warm rolls.

# Tips from the pros:

01 -
  • The dough stays tender and soft without feeling heavy, thanks to the orange juice cutting through the richness just right.
  • Unlike regular cinnamon rolls, these won't feel heavy after eating three of them at brunch.
  • The frosting is thick enough to stay put but creamy enough to melt into warm rolls.
  • People always ask if you used orange extract, but it's just fresh citrus doing all the work.
02 -
  • If you skip letting the frosting ingredients come to room temperature first, you'll end up with a grainy, sad frosting that refuses to beat smooth—learn from my mistake.
  • The orange zest in the filling needs to touch sugar before it hits the dough, because that's when the oils release and flavor the sugar properly.
  • Don't overbake these rolls thinking you need a dark color—they'll dry out fast, and the interior texture will go from pillowy to dense.
03 -
  • Use a microplane zester for orange zest, not a box grater—you want fine, fragrant pieces, not thick chunks that feel woody.
  • If your dough is fighting you during the second rise and won't puff, your kitchen is probably too cold; a turned-off oven with the light on creates a perfect warm environment.
  • Keep cream cheese and butter in the frosting equal in proportion, or it will either be too tangy or too greasy.
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