Sticky and soft with a vibrant orange flavour, these orange rolls are the best you’ll find. Simple to make, these are the zesty sister to a cinnamon roll.
In a small bowl, mix together the orange zest and sugar. This will release the oils in the zest and create an orange-flavored sugar to flavor the buns.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flour, orange sugar, salt, and yeast together. Set aside.
In a small bowl combine the orange juice, milk, and butter together and heat in the microwave until the butter is melted, about 30-45 seconds. This may look curdled, but it’s okay if it does.
Use the dough hook attachment on low to stir the liquid into the dry ingredients. Add the egg and knead on low speed for 5-6 minutes, until the dough is no longer sticky. Form the dough into a ball and return to the bowl. Cover and let rest for 5 minutes.
Turn on the oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9×9 pan with cooking spray and set aside.
Filling
In a small bowl, combine the sugar and orange zest for the filling to make more orange sugar.
Once the dough has rested, dust a clean surface lightly with flour and roll out the dough into a 15×9 inch rectangle.
Spread the softened butter over the dough and dust evenly with the orange-sugar mixture. Roll the dough up tightly and cut into 9 even pieces.
Place the rolls into the prepared pan and cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
Turn off the warmed oven and place the pan of rolls inside. Let them rise for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes have passed, remove the foil or plastic and drizzle the ¼ cup of cream evenly over the top of the buns.
Return the buns to the oven and turn the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the tops of the buns are golden brown.
Orange icing
In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer to combine the butter, powdered sugar, milk, orange zest, and orange juice until smooth. If you would like the icing more runny, add milk or orange juice until the consistency is how you would like it.
Drizzle over the slightly cooled buns before serving.
Notes
Originally posted on December 18, 2020Updated on December 11, 2023
You'll need 2 large oranges for this recipe
If you don't have a stand mixer, it will take around 10 minutes to knead by hand. It will be sticky but resist the urge to add flour. The easiest way to knead it is to press down with one hand then use a bench scraper in the other hand to lift and fold it so you can press down again.