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 2 tablespoons orange zest and ¼ cup granulated 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 2¾ cups all-purpose flour, orange sugar, ¾ teaspoon salt, and 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast together. Set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the ½ cup fresh orange juice, ¼ cup milk, and 2 tablespoons unsalted 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 1 large 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 ½ cup granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons 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 ¼ cup salted butter over the dough and dust evenly with the orange-sugar mixture. Roll the dough up tightly and cut it 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 heavy 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 1 tablespoon salted butter, 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, 1 tablespoon orange zest, and 1-2 tablespoons orange juice until smooth. If you would like the icing to be 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.