Orange Cinnamon Rolls

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These orange cinnamon rolls start with an orange sweet dough rolled out and filled with a brown sugar, cinnamon and orange filling. Then topped with an orange icing.

Prep Time45

Cook Time30

Rising Time2 15

Total Time3 30

Course: bread, Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 518kcal

Author: Heather Perine

Ingredients

Dough:

4-4½ cups (480 - 600 g) all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar divided
2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast *see note
1 Tablespoon orange zest
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
¾ cup (180 ml) milk lukewarm (about 120-130F) see note
¼ cup (60 ml) orange juice
2 large eggs room temperature
6 Tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, softened and cut into tablespoons

Filling:

6 Tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter very soft
¾ cup (167 g) packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 Tablespoon orange zest
½ cup (80 ml) heavy cream warmed (optional, for pouring over rolls before baking)

Orange icing:

2 cups (226 g) powdered sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon orange zest optional

Instructions

Make the cinnamon rolls

Make dough. In a bowl of your stand mixer with a paddle attachment, stir together the flour (start with 4 cups), yeast, sugar, salt and orange zest. Add in the eggs, orange juice and milk and stir to combine. Then add in the softened butter a few pieces at a time and stir to combine until a shaggy dough comes together. Dough will be very sticky and shaggy at this point - do not add more flour at this point. 4-4½ cups (480 - 600 g) all-purpose flour ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast 1 Tablespoon orange zest 1 teaspoon fine sea salt ¾ cup (180 ml) milk lukewarm (about 120-130F) ¼ cup (60 ml) orange juice 2 large eggs 6 Tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter,
Knead the dough. Fit the mixer with a dough hook attachment, and knead on low speed for 8-10 minutes. If the dough is super sticky, add additional flour a little at a time if needed. I always use 4 ½ cups of flour total. If you are kneading the dough by hand, then turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for longer (12-15 minutes by hand). Dough will be sticky at first, and get less sticky as you knead, so I add extra flour a tablespoon at a time if needed. The dough should still be slightly sticky to the touch but feel smooth and elastic.
Let the dough rise. Lightly grease a large bowl, and place dough into the bowl, turning once to coat. Cover the bowl and allow it to rise until doubled in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. If you're using active dry yeast, the rise time will take longer.
Roll out the dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and roll out the dough into a 18x12 inches rectangle.
Spread filling. Spread the dough with the softened, leaving about a ½-inch border at the top long edge. In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, cinnamon, and orange zest. Sprinkle over the butter into an even layer, pressing down lightly to adhere. 6 Tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter ¾ cup (167 g) packed light brown sugar 1 tablespoon cinnamon 1 Tablespoon orange zest
Cut rolls. Starting on the long edge with filling, roll up the dough tightly into a log. Pinch the dough to seal the seam. Using a serrated knife cut the log into 12 equal rolls.
Let rolls rise. Grease a 9”x13” baking dish with butter or non-stick cooking spray. Place rolls into pan spiral side up. Cover the baking dish and let rise in a warm, draft free place for 45 minutes until the rolls are slightly puffy, and nearly doubled in size. If you used active dry yeast, the second rise time will be near 75 minutes.
Bake rolls. Near the end of the second rise time, position a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 350°F/177°C. Pour the warmed heavy cream over the top of the rolls before baking. Bake rolls in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes until golden brown. Let cool in the pan for about 20 minutes, then spread the frosting on. I like to spread on the icing on when they are still slightly warm so it melts into the rolls a bit. ½ cup (80 ml) heavy cream

Make the icing

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, melted butter, orange juice and vanilla. You can adjust the consistency by adding a little more juice if its' s too thick or more sugar if it's too thin. 2 cups (226 g) powdered sugar 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2-3 tablespoons orange juice 1 teaspoon orange zest
Then spread the glaze on top of the rolls (I like to do this while they are still a bit warm with half of the glaze then again once they have cooled more).

Notes

If using active dry yeast heat milk to only 105-110F and increase active rising time.
Storage: Once the rolls have cooled completely, I like to cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap or transfer them to an airtight container. They can sit at room temperature for up to 2 days. After that, they’re still safe to eat, but the texture will begin to dry out. If your kitchen runs warm or humid, you can refrigerate them, but keep in mind that refrigeration can firm up the dough. When you’re ready to serve, I recommend warming individual rolls in the microwave for about 15–20 seconds. That gentle reheating softens the crumb and makes the glaze slightly melty again.
Freezing: For longer storage, these rolls freeze very well. I prefer freezing them without the glaze, wrapping them tightly in plastic wrap and then placing them in a freezer-safe bag or container. They’ll keep for up to 2 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature, warm gently, and then glaze before serving. Taking a few extra minutes to store them properly keeps them soft and tender instead of dry, and it means you can always have a homemade cinnamon roll ready when the craving hits.

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