Description
Delight in these freshly baked Orange Cinnamon Rolls, featuring a soft, buttery dough infused with a vibrant orange zest cinnamon filling. Topped with a smooth orange glaze, these rolls offer a perfect blend of citrusy sweetness and warm spice, ideal for breakfast or dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup whole milk, warmed
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 large eggs
Filling
- 1/3 cup softened butter
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
Glaze
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, active dry yeast, and salt to evenly combine all dry components.
- Form Dough: Stir in the warmed whole milk, melted unsalted butter, and eggs until a soft dough forms. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead for 5–7 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
- First Rise: Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a cloth or plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm spot for about 1 hour or until it doubles in size.
- Shape Dough: Punch down the risen dough and roll it out into a 12 by 16 inch rectangle on a floured surface.
- Add Filling: Evenly spread softened butter over the rolled dough. In a separate bowl, mix the light brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and orange zest, then sprinkle this mixture evenly over the buttered dough.
- Roll and Slice: Starting from the long side, roll the dough tightly into a log. Slice the log into 12 even rolls.
- Second Rise: Arrange the rolls in a greased 9 by 13 inch baking dish. Cover and let them rise for another 30 minutes until puffy.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the rolls for 22–25 minutes or until the tops are lightly golden.
- Prepare Glaze: While the rolls bake, whisk together powdered sugar, fresh orange juice, orange zest, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Glaze and Serve: Drizzle the orange glaze over the warm cinnamon rolls right after baking. Serve immediately for the best flavor and texture.
Notes
- For an extra burst of orange flavor, brush the rolled dough with a tablespoon of fresh orange juice before adding the cinnamon sugar filling.
- If you prefer a thicker glaze, reduce the amount of orange juice slightly when mixing the glaze.
- These rolls can be prepared the night before and refrigerated. Simply bake them fresh in the morning for a convenient breakfast treat.
